Custo Barcelona - "Tripolar"

After Yigal's show in MPD I headed over to Lincoln Center to see Custo Barcelona's "Tripolar" collection. When I came to the backstage entrance, Diane von Fuerstenberg was just leaving from her show. She looked fabulous. I admire her fashion style. A lovely lady called Petra who is Custo's German PR agent got me in backstage which was an amazing experience. Backstage you really get that fashion-fast paced-stressful-behind the scenes-feeling of fashion week.With one third of area beeing occupied by make-up artist, the second third with hairstylists and third part with the dressing room where I met Custo. He was so calm that you could totally have forgotten that he has a big show going on in only 60 minutes. I asked him for a picture which he agreed to immediately and as I was by myself he asked his assistant to take it. How nice. Thanks.

Custo & Me Backstage

Model Andrej Pejic

It was very exciting for me to see all the action in the background. Every model had its own clothing assigned to them with pictures of the outfit. I talked to a bunch of German media people and met second contestant from Germany's Next Topmodel, Rebecca Mir. Very sweet girl.

After an hour of observing the backstage vibe with celebrities like Ashley Tisdale showing up, I took my place for runway show. I have seen the outfits before but they look so much better on the models which walked fast paced to some vibrant music. The line name "Tripolar" results out of three ascending groups, each with its own unique theme, creating triple personality. The first group 'Dual' offered androgynous casual looks for both women and men, dominated by contemporary graphics. 'Kaleidoscopio' as the second group featured patchwork fabrics (typical for Custo), assembled to create a geometrical universe inspired by the kaleidoscope. And as final group 'Mirame' featuring evening wear. These pieces are created with 3-D technology seen on long and short dresses, shorts, tops and swimwear. So 3-D made it from the movie world into the fashion world. Who would have thought that?

 

Following pictures taken by Custo FB

Loved the show, loved Custo, loved everything. Great finale for my Sunday at Fashion Week.

Yigal Azrouel - Cut25

Today's first show for me was Yigal Azrouel showing his 'Cut25' line in the Meatpacking District. When I entered the venue all models were already set up in a square with each in their individual squares which reminded me a little bit of Alexander McQueen's chess fashion show. Great idea and as I found out in my interview with Yigal that it was his idea. He likes that there is a constant moving on the runway and stage with a video screening on the back wall of the stage and a mirror hanging in the back so you can see both front and back. Very well thought out. I loved it and so far my favorite show of the season.



Now to speak about his collection,I have to say WOW. What an army of colors. I can't even list them all, he really covered all of them. And not only all colors but all different kind of designs, I saw loose and fitted, long and short, and and and. In his interview he told me he got inspired by the 80s this time which conveyed in electric colors, techno-washed fabrics and multi-dimensional layering. Silhouettes are structured yet relaxed, evoking a cool modern ease with an athletic vibe. He chose unique textures like double faced cotton, over-dyed lace and washed silk. The shoes and accessories are also designed by him.



I asked Yigal what brought him into fashion as he has not studied design. Unfortunately, I could not understand everything due to the loud music but he mentioned that he is still figuring out where he will go. He launched his first collection in 1998, opened his first showroom in 2000 and his MPD boutique in 2003 with being one of the first ones there to embrace the world of fashion in a former butcher market.

I liked the show a lot and am looking forward to the next one.


One funny thing I have to mention though. Something unbelievable happened to me. While I was watching the runway a man named Christian tapped me on the shoulder and greeted me in German. He is from my hometown Trier in Germany which has barely 100,000 citizens. Can you believe it? He recognized me from the TV show I was filming here in New York beginning of the year. The world is really small, so greetings back home.

 Yigal Azrouel & Me

 This was my favorite outfit of his collection

Gen Art's Fresh Faces in Fashion Show

Fashion week has kicked off on Thursday and the city is full of glamorous
and fabulous looking people. My first runway show I attended was GenArt's Fresh Faces in Fashion on Friday night presenting six brand new
designers to the world of fashion, five women and one men designer.
Accessories were shown by Collina Strada, Falconiere, Osborn and Wool and
the Gang.

 I was supposed to shoot the second part of a German reality show during
fashion week so I haven't made any arrangements to attend too many shows.
Last minute the show got postponed so here I am trying to arrange seats
last minute. A friend of mine had two passes to this show so I was happy to
get started. Unfortunately, the seats were not the very best for me in
order to take close-up pictures and see the fabrics and styles. This just
didn't work for me. Ater running up and down and talking to five different
staffs I finally got to this lovely lady in a beautiful coral colored dress
who ended up seating my friend and me right at the very front where all the
photographers were positioned. Perfect. Thanks again for that.

Five minutes later the show started with an introductory by Gen Art's
co-president Elizabeth Shaffer and actress Erika Christensen who was seen movies
like 'Traffic' and 'Swim Fan'. She looked lovely in dark blue denims and
black laced shirt.



First on the runway was William Okpo with his "Crazy, Sexy, Cool" line.
Lots of whites and bright and soft colors with silk fabrics and loose
designs. As seen in big names William Okpo showed high waist pants and
jumpsuits. Not bad.



Second up was Ace & Jig. I don't want to sound rude but this collection did
not include a single nice or at least acceptable outfit in my opinion. And even though
different patterns together are in fashion right now (which by the way I am
not a big fan of) but these combinations just did not suit together at all. It looks too stressful. I do appreciate their creativity though, it just did not work for me. Lots of shorts again like we had already this season and slub weekend dresses; most outfits worn with flat shoes.



Sunghee Bang's "Untangled" line was my favorite of the whole evening. First
of all I have to congratulate the hairstylist on an amazing job. All
model's faces were totally covered with their own hair except a little
see-through-part so they could see where they are going. What a great and
different idea and it went very well with the outfits. Sunghee's pieces
majorly made with jersey fabrics in a chaotic entanglement as she calls it.
She forms tangles three-dimensionally with asymetric shapes and loose drape
capture. Her main colors were black, white and grey. The stand-out outfit
was the last look with a handknit long-sleeve sweater and black asymetric
boyshorts which was asymetric on one side and basically one whole
butt-cheek was visible. The men liked it and me too. What an eye-catch. Great job Sunghee. I see you
going somewhere.



Baron Wells was the only men fashion designer this evening. Starting off
with great music came a farmer like looking model in a poncho and long wood
stick. Not sure what the sticks, which we saw throughout his runway, were supposed to say but I guess he wanted to be different. Well, check on that one Baron Wells. With ponchos, windbreakers and anoraks it looked to me like a bad weather line for wind and rain. Long pants were wrapped up at the buttom with slippers. Overall, not bad but also not really great. None of the outfits were outstanding to me but I'm sure he will find his specific audience.

Next up was Eighteenth with their, yes, don't laugh, "I gained 10 pounds,
but grew 10 inches" collection. Interesting name. Maybe that was the reason
why most of the outfits were loose soft fabrics styles. All outfits were
white with beige and very few light demin. Lots of long dresses with
asymetric shapes and skirts with short loose tops in silk. What caught my
attention were the shirts with very long sleeves going over the hands until
almost knee lenghths. How are you supposed to interact like that?  I liked
a couple of the outfits and the models were beautiful. Defintely can see
them having some more shows in the future. But a tip from my side for the
next show, choose a different music. Even though classical music can be
really nice, this specific song didn't go very well for a runway. Otherwise, good job. Keep going.

Jennifer Chun's "Utiliarian Journey" collection included turquoise pants
with a dress on top, silk python trimmed lace up dress, khaki cargo pencil
skirt and one of my favorite pieces of hers the python skinny crop shorts.
The combinations were not always the very best in my opinion as it got to
stressful and too much but if you divide it up into the single pieces
Jennifer did a great job. She and some of the other designers as well went
with flat men slipper like shoes next to some heels.



Last but not least, Ann Yee presented her SS 2012 collection which I liked.
The Lillian kimono silk-chiffon dress and the Keagan open shoulder sweater
dress were my favorite pieces of her collection. All models were wearing
white wedges with one poor model wearing them at least one size too big
which made her walk look horrible. Poor thing but she went through without
falling. Good job.



It was a great show overall. Well organized, good audience cheering their
favorites and a good start for me into my favorite week of the year in this

great city of New York.