Toni Francesc - Spring/Summer 2010

Toni Francesc’s water-inspired show was a delight to the visual and audio senses. The Catalan designer’s Spring-Summer 2010 collection titled “Water’s Mood” paid homage to water in all its forms. A video installation with moving images of water – waves, currents and water drops – got us in the mood to be wowed. And that, along with the sounds of dripping water mixed with relaxing music set the stage to usher in the models.

The water theme of the collection resulted in a palette of blue with shades of mauve, khaki and sand, white and gray, to translate images of water droplets, lakes, puddles and rivers into ready-to-wear looks.

Silhouettes: Billowy tops, origami pleats, simple cuts, multiple layers and drapes.

Materials: Silk, satin, chiffon, cotton

Pièce de résistance: Blue satin cap-sleeved dress with short underskirt and a sheer ruffled overskirt.

Takeaways: You may not be very familiar with Francesc since this was his first time showing in the tents at Bryant Park, but he is absolutely one to watch. He studied at the Catalan Fashion Institute from 1986-1988 and shortly after, started his eponymous line for the sophisticated urban woman. This was by far one of the best showings during Fashion Week. Each piece was breathtakingly designed, the silhouettes were flattering to all women’s body types and each piece balanced soft and hard textures, with an ethereal yet sculptural feel. It was very well-received by the entire crowd.

Kristian Dowling/Wireimage

Interview with Camilla Skovgaard

What does it take for a designer to move beyond convention, and more importantly, to get everyone else to follow them? Convention is a tricky word, especially when it comes to shoes, for in shoes a great deal of the design potential is lost because…people have to walk in them. I learned during my interview with white-hot rising shoe design star Camilla Skovgaard that accepting that a great portion of shoe design is what you do after you satisfy the demands of the foot and the physics of simply walking.

One look at Camilla Skovgaard’s footwear and you know she’s not satisfied with creating normal pumps and peep toes. The unusual combination of coming from a background in Arabic couture and being as naturally experimental as any shoe designer I’ve ever met, meshes to create designs that are stunningly unique but unquestionably “work”. Skovgaard does not let the very demanding reality of shoe design hold her back. In fact I became convinced, as we spoke underneath the Bryant Park tents, that she seems to gain energy from the challenge. “Every idea is compromised” explained Skovgaard. “This leather is not available or this mold is not yet possible.” Yet Skovgaard shepherds each of her creations through the harsh process so she is satisfied with not only the look of her shoes but the fit and finish as well.

Camilla Skovgaard’s unique designs, her unmatched determination and her boundless energy all combine with constant creativity to create a designer who is really a force to be around. “I am always designing, I don’t have moments of inspiration, it sort of just keeps happening.” It is this constant energy and unfettered drive that has allowed her to master other elements of her business as well. “I am now an expert at international shipping, I can tell you anything you want to know”, she said with her typically lustrous smile. Skovgaard describes her aesthetic as intellectually sexy and you would have to agree looking at her magnificent Fall/Winter collection which was featured in last week’s Matthew Williamson show.

The last topic we touched on during my time with Camilla was the first thing on everyone’s mind these days, the economy. Despite a few concerns about vendor payments she expressed that her biggest concern was where and how you spend your revenue. “In this economy, you have to be so careful. I’m really trying to feel my way through the decision.” She certainly has momentum and said that the buyer interest had been very strong during her time in New York. Based on the passionate and focused young woman I met it would take a herculean challenge to derail the Danish dynamo.

Click to shop Camilla Skovgaard shoes.

Christian Siriano - Fall 2009 Fashion Week

Typically reality show winners suffer the curse of the sudden death of their careers once the show ends. But Christian Siriano seems to have shaken and broken the curse and his meteoric rise in the fashion industry has been something worth watching.

Siriano won last year’s Project Runway and since has reached celeb status, partly due to his fierceness, but mainly due to his incredible talent as a fashion designer. His over the top creations on the show won him fans but we all wondered if he was a one-note. Well, his Bryant Park debut proved otherwise. It was great to see Siriano duplicate some of the things that made him famous but also to see his ready-to-wear pieces that the everyday woman could actually wear.

His color palette consisted of primarily khaki, brown gold and blue tones but that did not limit his imagination. Designing everything from gowns to suits, Siriano certainly put his stamp on every piece in the collection. Present were the expected puffy sleeves and ruffles, but also present were asymmetrically pleated skirts, skinny pants, cape jackets and shirred and ruched satin dresses.

Though you may forget about those other reality show winners, Siriano continues to make his mark on the fashion industry and he won’t let you forget about him and his fierce clothes anytime soon.

Me pictured with Christian Siriano at Bryant Park

Concordia/Wireimage

Project Runway - Final Collections

Leanne Marshall

Korto Momolu

Kenley Collins

Who do you think should have won?