Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Day 6
As important as the clothing at Fashion Week are the lounges and parties. Where the networking away from the tents goes on as well as the spot to indulge in the swag. Yesterday, I was happy to wear out my welcome at The Daily Lounge at Townhouse Spa. I ran into society girl and Richie Rich runway stomper Tinsley Mortimer in the midst of a makeover and demanded she mug for my camera. Later that evening at the IMPROVD party at The Standard I bumped into her former reality show co-star Malik so Chic and urged him to avail himself of the Daily Lounge's gifts of false eyelashes first thing tomorrow. I also urged him to put out the cigarette. Smoking is so passé.
By Alison McLaughlin
Herve Leger
Max Azria completed his trifecta of shows with Herve Leger, the provocative sister of sweetly sexy BCBGMaxAzria and elegant Max Azria labels. The same neutral pallete weaved through all three collections creating a placid, almost restrained prettiness in the first two collections but at Herve Leger, the house of Bandage dress fame. In truth I was starting to tire of the barrage of beige but here beige goes bad girl with vintage inspired corset detailing. Taking Marie Antoinette, the vamp of Versailles as his muse Max Azria's Leger collection featured the Bandage dress as foundation garment complete with bustles and boning - for the demure dominatrix. The usual gaggle of Gossip Girls was perched in the front row, salivating over the display but I also ran into Sky Ferreira, an up and coming singer who's kittenish swagger is far better suited to Herve Leger than some prime time bit player.
Bibhu Mohapatra
The line up outside Indian designer Bibhu Mohapatra's presentation was almost too much to contend with, but, if that many people, including some notable editors, were sticking out their wait in the queue there had to be something good waiting at the other end. Indeed, Mohapatra's spring/summer 2011 is one of swinging mod 60's throwback. I want those sunglasses.
Pamela Rolland at The Whitney Museum
Every evening the good folks at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week send out a press release listing shows for the following day complete with indication of which celebrities are expected to attend. To be honest, the names are pretty meager in star power. Celebrity denotes celebrity so if the name of the TV show you were on last season has to be mentioned in parenthesis, celeb you ain't. Finally, at Pamela Rolland I was given some real meat in the form of Oscar winner, Hilary Swank.
While waiting for Hilary's handlers to release her into the pit of photographers and media types I spoke to Lori Laughlin (of TV's Full House) about her relationship with Pamela Rolland's work. "Pamela is so gracious," purred Laughlin, in town to work with Bobby Flay on an initiative to help parents feed their children with Hellman's Mayonnaise "they always let me borrow things for events and it's so easy to wear her, she makes everyone so beautiful." This season of gowns for the uptown glamazon was inspired by Rolland's recent trip through Greece, with the showpiece of the collection an "evil eye" inspired gown made of 40 yards of chiffon.
Tibi
Oh Tibi, Tibi, Tibi Tibi. Where to begin? Deli mustard yellow gunny sacks, awkward macramé chest embellishment, rough skirts with annoying daisy appliqué. Tibi, I don't think we're doing that Lady Gaga space shoulder anymore and if lampshade pleats makes a size 0 look a 10, well Tibi, it's almost enough to make me give back the adorable cotton tote you sweetly placed at everyone's seat. The tote is what should have been brought down the runway!
