As a Pratt Alum, Andy & Debb Spring 2010 was another collection that did me proud. The pieces played with shapes, textures and had a very 50’s feel. I can see them dressing the cast of MadMen with this line. We saw bubble skirts and chic tailored suits in a palette of burnt orange, copper, gold, and magentas. Kudos, Prattlings.
– Monica Lo
Photos © Stevyn Llewellyn
Thuy Diep borrows from the glamour of a silver screen goddess and adds an S&M twist to create a highly structural collection for Spring 2010. The iconic long and loose big white dress from the 30s is updated with trim cuts, succinct details and sprightly hues.
It’s short and sweet for spring, with many strapless and off-shoulder dresses, slim skirts and tapered trousers. Material use is light, with emphasis on neat gatherings and careful draping. Look forward to interesting cutouts, peek-a-boos and plenty of open-backs (revealing ties and fastenings in a messy chic manner). Exposed zippers hold their own, traveling around the bodice and over the shoulder, replacing straps. Thick black sashes and piping cinch and shape the hourglass figure.
Coifs are slicked back and dapper tuxedo jackets come cropped and decked out with hardware. The classic trench now shimmers in gold and makes a statement in translucent latex. Fitted bra tops are at the forefront, shown through a sheer peach cap sleeve blouse and under a low slung asymmetrical tank. Diep offers a collection that is enticing yet unpretentious. For spring, the intuition is playful.
– Tiffany Chang
Photos © Stevyn Llewellyn
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Twinkle by Wenlan showed a dramatic, moving gallery for Spring 2010, incorporating Yoko Ono’s independent spirit with Blondie’s incredible spunk. Signature prints draw me back to the days of studio art lessons, from scrambled Peeled Paint, dreamy Oil and Water swirls and splotches, to razor-sharp graphics in Paradise Etched.
Raw emotions are conveyed with intense pop art hues of coral red and glam hot pink – perfect in all-over solid statement pieces – while subtle yellow blots and watery blue fill the spaces in between. Black & white is still a hit whether in the form of loose fine gauge viscose cardigans or cool silk tucked into cuffed shorts.
The collection’s soft and hard elements make for a “colorful conversation”. Fluid lines and a sweet attitude played well with the “mash up” of acid wash, chunky choker-style necklaces and loud leggings. Billowy tops flow over sleek patterned skinny pants and “thunderbolts” of cutting edge neon charms outline smooth contours in bubble dresses, ruffles and open, exaggerated sleeves. BIG unruly hair, parted sharply down the middle, topped off each look.
– Tiffany Chang
Photos © Sandra Rosales 2009
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Designer Haleh Nematzadeh presented her Spring 2010 collection at the Morrison Hotel Galery in New York City. Bright hues, a rock and roll sensibility mixed with architectural shapes were the highlights, and closed with a glow-in-the-dark finale.
See her collection at Halehnematzadeh.com
Photos of the show © Stevyn Llewellyn 2009
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The Ports 1961 Pre-Spring 2010 Preview was held on the top floor of the newly constructed, bi-level Ports boutique in the Meat Packing District of Lower Manhattan. The collection, composed of a simple, inviting palette of mauve, black, white, silver, and nude was a continuation of the colors presented in the spring runway show, albeit with a much softer approach. The garments were imbued with a strong early 1900s vibe evidenced in the draped backs and dropped waists of several dresses. Feminine and demure, hardly a single hemline fell above the knee.
Metallic fabrics and sequins embellished many of the garments. Crocheted shawls, necklaces and elbow length gloves were paired with the outfits. The results of the artistic collaboration between Charles Mackintosh and Margaret MacDonald, such as the Mackintosh ladder-back chairs, provided inspiration to Tia Cibani. This influence was readily apparent in the clean lines and simple silhouettes of her resort collection.
-Lyndsay Skeegan
Photos provided by Ports 1961
