Dennis Basso Spring '13 Presentation

Nancy transports to Deauville, France with Dennis Basso's Spring 13 Presentation. 

Dennis Basso's exquisite Spring '13 presentation took a viewer to a different realm and time period; one never would have guessed they were in the midst of New York Fashion Week. The St. Regis Hotel Rooftop was the most appropriate setting, dripping with crystal chandeliers, draped gold curtains, and a heavenly painted sky ceiling. Inspired by the prestigious Deauville resort in France at its peak in the 1960's, Basso evoked a time when fashion was reserved for the upper classes, and fancy galas were attended with elaborate gowns, furs, and lace.

      

      

The colors in his spring collection were inspired by the views from the seaside: shades of champagne, blues, black, and pearl all conjured the ocean and night sky. I was completely awed by the craftsmanship of each beautiful gown. Each piece was perfected with incredible details like hand-stitched embroidery, beading, and lace. The luxe, delicate fabrics included silk organza, chiffon, and soft chinchilla furs. 

      

      

Below are my personal two favorites.  If I didn't have another show to go to, I truly believe I could have just spent the whole day wistfully gazing upon these stunning gowns. 

  

All photos from stylebistro.com 

Kithe Brewster Spring '13

Nancy ends her Spring '13 Fashion Week experience with Kithe Brewster's spring collection.

By the last day of fashion week, my patience wears thin from standing in lines and waiting for shows to start. Luckily, Kithe Brewster kept his guests distracted with champagne and delicious snacks as we waited patiently for the show to begin. The Johnston Room in the Nomad Hotel was a peculiar venue, but Brewster managed to creatively utilize the space in a labyrinth-like manner. I enjoyed being up close and personal with the models as they walked down the aisles.

      

      

One of Brewster's strengths is how he manipulates fabric and creates unique dress shapes. He focuses on the view from behind, making the backs of dresses stand out with cut outs and drapery. The delicate texture on the coffin-tulle chiffon dresses were strikingly contrasted with the dark make up and fluffed bobs. 

      

      

These four looks were my favorite from the show. The blazer suit dress is not a particularly new look for the runway, but its tailored well and I loved the belt. The sea foam silk chiffon strapless gown with box pleat detail flows gorgeously and is a great color for spring. I've always been a fan of Ikat print, so this caftan-mini is a yes for me, perfect for lunches by the beach next summer.

Highlight of the night? Spotting Wyclef Jean looking sharp in a Kithe Brewster suit.

All photos from zimbio.com  

Farah Angsana Spring '13

Nancy reports on Farah Angsana's spring show.

There are almost too many things to say about Farah Angsana's Spring 2013 collection. While she most certainly didn't seem short on inspiration, as a whole the collection didn't quite fit together. Angsana's major influences, the Amazonian culture and Brazil, brought many beautiful colors and patterns to her runway, as seen in the floor-grazing gowns below.

        

   

        

But how do these black and white pieces fit into the collection? As gorgeous as these pieces are, it appeared as though another designer was presenting a separate collection entirely. 

           

Farah Angsana's shorter mod dresses stood out with unique bold patterns and bright colors. The bottom dress (below, left) may be a touch too Barbie doll, but I love the clean lines and simplicity of the neutral beige dress to its right. 

      

     

The silk black and white gown below was my favorite of the collection. The lace detailing is perfect and the train makes an unforgettable statement. The show closed with the brightly feathered, crystal tulle gown on the right, but again. how does it relate to the entire collection? 

             

All photos from mbfashionweek.com and zimbo.com

Venexiana Spring '13

Nancy is dazzled by the evening wear at Kati Stern's Venexiana Show

My first thought after Kati Stern sent 71 beautiful gowns down the Venexiana runway? "What event could I possibly use as an excuse to wear one of these?" I anticipate seeing Venexiana at red carpet events in the spring.

      

      

Maybe one or two of the gowns slipped into prom dress territory, but the majority of them were gorgeous. Champagne toned dresses hit the perfect note of softness and elegance with fur, lace and embellishments.

The styling was perfect: romantic twisted up dos and long flirty eyelashes. I'm glad there was no flashy jewelry on any of the models, leaving the focus of the look on the gowns. 

      



      

The bolder hues and sequin gowns were stunning show stoppers. More than a few thigh high slit gowns seemed to have caught a case of the Angelina Jolie leg syndrome. The middle gown is one of my personal favorites, the cut and color is simply beautiful!

      

I love that Kati Stern also sought to make the back of a gown interesting. Draped backs, low cuts, and long trains perfectly completed these looks.

   

The finale blew me away with a strapless pink and black checkered gown with a structured embellished bodice. The blend of spunky edge juxtaposed with the soft romantic hair was a statement of Kati Stern's personality, who is known for her rock-and-roll flair. There was never a dull moment on the runway, but there rarely is at a Venexiana show. 

 
All photos from mbfashionweek.com and zimbo.com

Katya Leonovich Spring '13

Nancy reports on designer Katya Leonovich's Spring 2013 Show at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

I first encountered Katya Leonovich's line at her presentation last fashion week for Fall 2012. Hers is a brand that relies heavily on artistic elements. In February, she presented her collection with impressionist paintings, and for Spring 2013 I was curious to see how her pieces would be represented on a runway while still maintaining a tie to the arts.

      

The opening of the show was somewhat disappointing. Six grey gowns trailed down the runway one after the other, all looking the same but slightly different. Models wore jeweled headbands off to the side that felt dated. What did I love? The butterfly sleeves that gave the dresses a great silhouette (above, bottom).

      

      

The runway came alive when color was introduced. A sea of swirls in greens and blues on printed fabric felt like painted brush strokes. The white organza jacket with a scarf and butterfly sleeves paired with a soft leather lavender skirt (above, bottom right) epitomized a fresh spring look. 

Photo Credit: Laura Cogswell 

Rarely do we see the incorporation of politics and social issues in fashion. Katya Leonovich, inspired by the issues we hear in the news every day, closed her show with a double runway presentation: two gowns featuring the image of each the Democratic and the Republican candidate for president. It was like a silent, fashionable vote, which reminded us all to go out there and vote this November!

All photos, unless otherwise noted, from mbfashionweek.com