francisco costa of calvin klein was recently named cfda womenswear designer of the year. so what do you do for an encore? if you’re costa, you move more sportier and add subtle layering. the dresses, layered in gauze and close fitting silks and other pieces with cutout panels and cut in scuba fabrics reminiscent of helmut lang (or even proenza schouler’s s/s collection). after a stunning fall, this collection was a bit of a letdown as costa abandoned the look that got him to where he is.
meanwhile, over at zac posen, the designer seemed to still be struggling with living up to the hype created since he came onto the scene five years ago. now backed by fashion heavyweight sean “diddy” combs, posen has yet to figure out who he’s designing for and what his voice is. his collection started out with promising day looks: double breasted jackets with deep scoop necklines, pencil skirts, menswear trousers paired with wide sleeve silk and chiffon blouses, grey striped suits with draped minis, but then there were looks that seemed out of place: a wing sleeve minidress with “rosette” hem (it reminded me of angela from project runway), and another with ruching and bigger rosettes, or huge bows and gowns in seemingly stiff fabrics. posen needs a reality check fast, or his fifteen minutes will soon be up.
vera wang has already evolved past wedding gowns. the designer, who recently signed a deal to design a line for kohl’s, explored her ready to wear side even further with a stunning collection. she mixed comfortable pieces: loose sweaters, dancers skirts, leggings, and close to the body knits, with stiffer asian inspired looks: layering, bubble skirts, ruching and pleating, and transparencies. wang’s father passed away early the morning of her show with wang by his side, and this collection was a fitting tribute to her dedication and drive.
