Resurrection's Avant Garde fashions at Christie's "Art + Fashion" event
New York Fashion Week – it’s the crème de la crème of US fashion. And this September the week was packed full of runway shows, events and parties. The official Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week began on Sept. 5, but as Fashion Editor for California Apparel News I arrived a day early to cover California designers who kicked off the week a day early. Trovata, Erin Wasson X RVCA, Expose NY and Katy Rodriguez were just some of the California based designers and companies that helped launch the week-long fashion-fest on Sept. 4. It was actually one of my favorite days of Fashion Week.
TROVATA
Trovata was my first runway show. Designer John Whitledge brought a southern California sensibility of easy, effortless clothing and an Ivy League attitude to the New York runway. Whitledge returned to his Michigan roots for the signature preppy yet undeniably hipster look. The show was held in a raw studio space where guests mixed and mingled with cocktails pre-show. The collection was sophisticated and I’m sure it will be a hit at retail. A few of my favorites were the long breezy shirtdress that opened the show, the blazer paired with sequin briefs and a black and white check short and matching jacket.
Whitledge always has an unusual twist to his presentations. And this time guests had to walk through an old school bus to enter the show. Apparently Whitledge is planning a road trip of sorts. With the help of Cotton Inc., he retrofitted an old found school bus to run off vegetable oil. It will be used to visit the stores that have supported the brand over the years. Not only is the bus eco-conscious, but it also fit into the “found” art theme which was incorporated into the show. Whitledge was inspired by Rauschenberg who attempted to bridge the gap between life and art. At the end of the show the models posed on a pile of crates that continued the found object theme.
Found objects:
EXPOSE NY -
After Trovata, I rushed to the Expose NY brand showcase. My friend Matt Meyerson presented his first event in the Big Apple and I didn’t want to miss it. Expose NY bridged the coasts with a designer preview that included House of Bastion, Good Life tee shirts, Oliver Goldsmith sunglasses, Le Doux Swimwear, Levi Okunov, Ana Pires and the uber-stylish new shoe line, Jerome C. Rousseau. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to see every collection, but it was great to stop in and check out the talent on display. Here are a few of my finds.
JEROME C. ROUSSEAU
This is the real deal in sunglasses. If you are looking for the authentic shades worn by Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren and Michael Caine, Oliver Goldsmith is the "It" brand.The line was re-launched in 2005 by Claire Goldsmith, the sunglass' guru's great granddaughter. Today the brand has been sported by celebrities including Jessica Simpson, Gwyneth paltro, and Jude Law.
Here are a few of the timelessly classic looks.
Matt Meyerson, Expose NY and LA founder
FINDING A TAXI IS TAX-ING!
After leaving Expose NY, I was in a rush to get to RVCA and of course there were no taxis available. Trying to catch a taxi to the Lower East side at 7 pm was a feat in itself, but luckily an off-duty cab driver was nice enough to pick me up and I made it to the event.
After leaving Expose NY, I was in a rush to get to RVCA and of course there were no taxis available. Trying to catch a taxi to the Lower East side at 7 pm was a feat in itself, but luckily an off-duty cab driver was nice enough to pick me up and I made it to the event.
So many taxis and not one is available!
ERIN WASSON X RVCA
When I arrived on the lower East side for the Erin Wasson X RVCA party, I found out there was an elevator mishap and the only way to the rooftop part was the stairs. Heels and all I climbed several flights of stairs to the event. Who said fashion is glamorous??? Fire dept. to the rescue. Apparently a small fire had stalled the elevators. The roof-top apartment locale fit the edgy vibe of the brand. For RVCA, the hipster skate brand from the OC, Erin Wasson was a perfect fit to design the collection. Not only is Wasson a great face for the brand, but the model cum designer has a great sense of style that gives a cool edge to the skate scene. The event served as a launch party for the new Erin Wasson X RVCA collection that Wasson will be designing for the next three years. Wasson infused her LA meets NY sense of style to create a tomboy chic collection of tank tops and denim shorts and floral print dresses. I have to say, it’s nice to have a sexy contemporary option for the skate scene that is wearable for girls in their late 20s and 30s.
When I arrived on the lower East side for the Erin Wasson X RVCA party, I found out there was an elevator mishap and the only way to the rooftop part was the stairs. Heels and all I climbed several flights of stairs to the event. Who said fashion is glamorous??? Fire dept. to the rescue. Apparently a small fire had stalled the elevators. The roof-top apartment locale fit the edgy vibe of the brand. For RVCA, the hipster skate brand from the OC, Erin Wasson was a perfect fit to design the collection. Not only is Wasson a great face for the brand, but the model cum designer has a great sense of style that gives a cool edge to the skate scene. The event served as a launch party for the new Erin Wasson X RVCA collection that Wasson will be designing for the next three years. Wasson infused her LA meets NY sense of style to create a tomboy chic collection of tank tops and denim shorts and floral print dresses. I have to say, it’s nice to have a sexy contemporary option for the skate scene that is wearable for girls in their late 20s and 30s.
Erin Wasson and models (photo by Jeffrey Jones)
The blazer - ultra chic!
photo by Jeffrey Jones
THE SKATE SCENE - UNCUT
AFTER PARTY - on the rooftop
There was no shortage of parties and events to kick off fashion week. After RVCA, I headed to Christie’s “Art + Fashion” event at Rockefeller Plaza. The event drew the “Who’s Who” of the fashion industry including editors, socialites and designers. It was a fashion week fete and a private preview of Christie’s fall sales line-up of Resurrection’s avant-garde fashion and impressionist, modern and contemporary art. It was “The” party to be seen. I spotted Agness Deyn straight away and then ran into Kelly Cutrone, owner of People’s Revolution and a star of “The Hills,” who coordinated the event. Also in attendance were Peaches Geldoff, designer Katy Rodriguez, Mark Haddaway, Yigal Azourel, Henry Holland and Ellen Von Unwerth. There was modern art galore and a room full of vintage designer clothes from Resurrection including Versace and Paco Rabonne among others that will be auctioned off for collectors alike…yes, it was fashion heaven.
From Christie’s, the fashion flock filed down the street to Saks Fifth Avenue for the official kick-off of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. For the launch, Saks Fifth Avenue and Warner Bros. Studios in partnership with CRYSTALLIZED Swarovski Elements, unveiled The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper Collection. To celebrate the 70th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, the crème de la crème of shoe designers including Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin and Sergio Rossi reinterpreted Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers. Shoes were on display in the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue and the fashion crowd was out in full force to celebrate. I ran into IMG’s Fern Mallis, Saks Fifth Avenues’ Michael Fink, Full Frontal Fashion’s James Aguiar and Santino Rice of Project Runway fame.
For the last stop of the evening, I went with my friend Dimitri Aletras to the People’s Revolution dinner at Mr. Chow. It was great to hang with the crowd and my friend Andrew Freesmeier of IMG. The dinner ran past midnight. It was already Friday and Fashion Week was about to officially begin…….
Throughout the week I covered California designers showing on the New York runway including Band of Outsiders, Koi Suwannagate, Jenni Kayne Monique Lhuillier, Rock & Republic, William Rast, Juan Carlos Obando, Tadashi Shoji, Academy of Art University, House of Cassette, Born Uniqorn, Herve Leger, Max Azria and BCBG by Max Azria. For more on California designers showing in New York go to www.apparelnews.net
Re: [VeryVeryChic] sunglasses submitted a comment to New York Fashion Week Kick Off - The Scene, The Fashion and the Very, Very Chic
Thank you for your comment. Glad you like the post!!
Posted by: Norma Jayne Seward | June 30, 2010 at 07:52 AM
I love the style, the fashion! Definitely Trovata fashion show has been successful!
Posted by: sunglasses | June 28, 2010 at 11:24 PM
I love the style, the fashion! Definitely Trovata fashion show has been successful!
Posted by: sunglasses | June 28, 2010 at 11:24 PM