even though raoul held its fall presentation away from the hustle and bustle of the lincoln center plaza doesn’t mean there wasn’t a lot going on. creative director odile benjamin used the stanley kaplan penthouse (across the street from the tents) in a light-filled room to show off her varied inspirations for fall. i thought the most successful looks were the monochromatic or black and white section, in which the first few pieces were harlequin inspired separates or a jumpsuit. i also loved the mustard textured tee and midi skirt combo, a cream look topped with a boiled wool caped coat, and the light blue coatdress with matching topper.
also making their debut was a new collection of bags and shoes, designed by parisian raphael young, whose uncle designed shoes for yves saint laurent in the sixties. these styles are definitely more modern, with metal heels, metallic details, and structured bags with diamond quilting and slouchier styles made of calf hair. no word on the pricing of the accessories, but based on the prices of the previous line, they should fall right in the sweet spot of $300 to $700.
