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Ralph Lauren: To Catch a Chic
2006-09-21
Not enough people do fabulous clothes for heist movies anymore, except that is Ralph Lauren, whose movie star glamour collection shown was as poised and polished as fashion can get. Think To Catch a Thief re-interpreted for the new century or a dashing diamond robbery in Capri and you get the picture. Such was the case this morning in his show in lower Manhattan's Skylight Studio, that opened with navy, black and white slim line pant suits, silk slip dresses and hopsack linen looks. Ralph's smartest trick was blending men's dress shirt ideas in impeccable gowns and crisp tops, one in particular on refined model Marija was simply faultless. Finished with patent leather heels and Lauren stamped belt buckles it was all so classy and cool. Half way through, we glided east with Rajasthan influences, snug turbans with magnificent diamond brooches by Douglas Abraham, and faded Jaipur silver drop-dead gorgeous flapper dresses, caftans and columns that were elegantissima, and just that key bit new. Why, FWD wondered did Ralph go for movie glamour this season? "Because it's always in," smiled the designer. And, inevitably with Ralph, the staging was impeccable - three huge wrought iron and crystal chandeliers hung over a specially-laid stone catwalk - and the music, from a romantic faux soundtrack to Indian sitars, courtesy of son Andrew. A denim cowboy clad Ralph took his customary long walk down the runway to loud cheers, a high five from Bruce Weber and applause by a front row that included Diane Kruger, Lauren Hutton, Lauren Bush, Amy Rose, Joy Bryant and Kevin Costner. "I come to Ralph's shows because I love his clothes, especially on my wife and daughter," explained Costner who attended the show with his wife and three kids. Many times living in Paris, I've heard European colleagues pontificate that there is allegedly nothing worth seeing on New York catwalks, and my standard response is that they should cadge a ticket to a Lauren show. Unlike his Continental colleagues, Ralph does not feel the need to make artistic statements, just deceptively simple yet terribly flattering clothes. Would that more Euros learned how to do precisely that.
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