Forever 21 is on a designer collaboration roll! First up, Petro Zillia for Forever 21 hit stores today, a colorful, upbeat line from L.A.-based designer Nony Tochterman. On the other side of the spectrum (but also from L.A.) comes Rory Beca for Forever, which will arrive March 4th, 2011. Priced from just $5.80 to $32.80, Rory Beca for Forever 21 will include silky blouses, shirtdresses, at least one jumpsuit, relaxed cropped pants and more casual basics - pieces that are a bit more bohemian, laid-back and vintage-inspired. Rory Beca is more my personal taste but both collaborations are worth checking out. Which are you more excited to see?
Another designer to watch at Fashion Week is Nicole Miller, who, as you probably are well aware, has a very successful affordable line at JCPenney. Does the designer stay true to her roots when she designs for the masses? A peek at her fall 2011 runway show provides the answer - yes. I did not attend the show myself but I've been pouring over the images on Style.com. Inspired by sci-fi movies like Gattica, Miller created a precise, modern collection highlighted by form hugging dresses with asymmetric necklines and otherworldly prints. I love her use of color and thoughtful embellishments like sequin panels that appeared on some of the pieces. If I didn't entirely understand the message behind each look I certainly love delving into Miller's unique world and seeing her perspective on fashion today.
One of the shows I was most looking forward to seeing this season was Christian Siriano, whose Fall 2011 show I attended on February 10, 2001, at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. And the Project Runway winner did not disappoint with his collection that was at once dark, moody, elegant and fierce (had to say it) all at once. Post-show the designer tweeted some insights into his inspiration: "A dark collection, some beautiful colors mixed in. Jackets, trousers, beautiful dresses and fantasy gowns were my look this time."
The palette was mostly black but anything but boring on account of the incredible detail, impeccable fit, fabulous fabrics and amazing textures used in each look, from tailored modern takes on the suit to jaw dropping ball gowns. The sky high heels were from Christian Siriano's collaboration with Payless, another reason we love the budget-minded designer, although they proved perilous for one model who tripped and fell on the runway (another narrowly missed wiping out, too).
Celebrity fans of Siriano in attendance included actresses Gabrielle Union and Mena Suvari, who were both apparently outfitted in Siriano for Payless shoes according to yet more tweets from @PaylessInsider. After the show, I went backstage where Siriano was happily and humbly giving interviews and taking photos with fans. Check out The Budget Babe Facebook page for more behind the scenes photos!
On February 10, 2011, I attended the Tadashi Shoji Fall 2011 runway show at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. A favorite on the red carpet, Tadashi Shoji is known for his elegant, flattering dresses and evening gowns, some of which you may have seen (or purchased) from department stores like Nordstrom.
For Fall, Shoji was inspired by ancient moss gardens of the Far East, from the formation of rocks, to the intertwining of branches and moss, to the reflection of light and shadows in water. This tranquility translated to a mostly muted palette of grays and purples punctuated by rich pops of color like saffron yellow and violet - one strapless dress in particular in the vibrant hue nearly took my breath away.
Intricate details like ruching, floral appliques and beautiful draping lent interest to simple silhouettes rendered in floaty fabrics like chiffon and silk. Figure skater Johnny Weir sat front row along with his big poof of hair, the sight of which put a smile on my face. It was a somewhat predictable collection but it's a formula that has served Tadashi well and will no doubt keep his fans quite happy.
