Tibi at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

Today, I visited the Tibi fashion show at Lincoln Center. Wow, this show was crowded. Front row seats were taken by Olivia Palermo, Sophia Bush, Emma Roberts, Louise Roe and many others. It was again at "Stage" where also Custo had his show but this time seats were added in the middle and made it a U-shaped runway. I had a great seat where I could actually peak into backstage where the models lined up and waited for their turn. Perfect.

With some energetic music by Javier Peral the show started off with a combination of pastel yellow long wide-leg pants and white blouse. Pastels, whites and light colors ruled the line but not solely. Tibi showed a lot of suit type combinations with pants in different variations like short, long skinny & wide.

Dresses had mid-lower-leg-length in a flowing chiffon/silk fabric.

One of my favorite pieces was the green strapless overall with wide legs. With this silky material it looked like the model was floating over the runway. Beautiful. Green is definitely playing a major role for the season.

When Amy Smilovic, designer and founder of Tibi, came out at the end of the show she ran straight to her two sons that were sitting front row to hug and kiss them. How sweet. They can be very proud of mommy!

Fotini

Canadian designer Fotini with Greek and Egyptian roots fulfilled her lifelong dream to introduce her collection of ultra-feminine clothes for the first time at New York fashion week at the luxurious penthouse of Gramercy Park Hotel. Living the life of society dinners and cruises gave her the inspiration to design these beautiful gowns with austerity of a silk column, minky-hued chiffon and tulle making them look so romantic and seductive. But also young and sensual designs like sleek cigarette pants, a silk dress and a classic jersey dress with delicate lace are part of her collection.

The models' set up reminded me of an antique baroque painting. Each in their own position either standing up, sitting or laying on a sofachair. This is a perfect set up for a magazine or catalogue.

Fotini in purple dress

Fotini describes her clothes as perfect for the red carpet, the hotel suite and dance floor as we women are all "part angel and devil". How true!



Erik Hart's "Factory" Fashion Show

Erik Hart's "Factory" collection was presented at the Standard hotel in Meatpacking District. It was a quick in and out in a small loft-like room with a L-shaped runway. Erik's line was majorly jersey fabric asymetric dresses long and short in black white and some pastel color and 3 out of the norm pink dresses. Very basic and therefore very good to actually wear on the streets. As also seen in Custo's and some other shows the hairstyle was wetlook loose hair.

Pictures of Custo's Runway

Pictures taken by Custo FB

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