Brandon Sun F/W 2012: "Silent Assassins"

 

A thin layer of fog envelops the show space, and the mood dark and mysterious. As one walks into the venue one is greeted by statuesque models in luxurious furs and 'to die for' knits, and that amazing vision is only a taste of the entire Fall/Winter 2012 collection by Brandon Sun. This season was the young designer's first presentation during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and was well received by many fashion critics. The venue was a buzzed with excitement discussing the soft pallettes and stunning chunky knit sweater; all layered in gorgeous furs.
Mentored by one of the most prestigous design house, Brandon Sun used his experience from J.Mendel and its creative director Gilles Mendel, to create a collection layered in signature fur- "Brandon offers clothing to women who are today's initiators, leaders, and innovators." Brandon Sun's F/W 2012 collection was inspired by 'peaceful ferocity' and hence the story of 'Silent Assassins' was born.
Personally, I love the simple, clean look of the collection, it is the layered pieces and luxurious textures that gives it that 'wow' factor. I also intrigued by this top layer of sheer fabric that gives the look just another layer of elegance. One of my favorite ensemble was look # 8 : anthracite serpentine hand knitted cashmere pull-over with sable cuffs; with anthracite cashmere gauze and storm grey crinkle chiffon wrap.One can surely appreciate the juxstaposition of feminine and masculine played in several ensembles, it's elegance with some edge!
If Brandon Sun continues to produce spectacular works like this season, he has a bright future in this industry and one surely to watch. I look forward to another season and anticipate a wonderful creation to come.

Badgley Mischka F/W 2012: Gothic Glam!

With Joan Rivers, Kelly Osbourne, Angela Simmons, Ann Shoket (Seventeen Magazine's Editor in Chief), and countless other fashion stars and celebrities, Badgley Mischka's Fall/Winter 2012 runway show is one of the most anticipated for New York Fashion Week. Pre-show the mood for the venue was dark and mysterious undoubdtedly a fitting pre-lude to what's to come.

For the next 20 minutes a packed audience was treated to a beautiful Gothic Glam inspired collection that both exude 'old money' of New York's Upper West Side, and the fashion youth of Soho. Using from both their Badgley Mischka and Mark+James RTW line, the runway was a spectacular mix of crepe, tweed, mink, brocade, satin, silk, and shearling; all tied in together in metallics, black, and gold color pallettes. The combination of antique gold and black with a hint of shimmer and metallic was so elegant and luxurious and yet never once felt aged. Every piece was so modern and youthful that any woman whether 25 years old or 65 can look stunning and most importantly age appropriate. Though the collection lacked color, it surely wasn't lackluster. I enjoyed the dark color pallete as it added that air of mystery to a Gothic Glam story. Some of my favorite pieces were the antique gold lame` pajama top and pants (Look 19), the jet shearling jacket with black chiffon & jersey maxipant (Look 22), and the gold tulle & winter fox vest with mist lace and winter fox gown.

Badgley Mischka's success can clearly be summed up in their unwavering dedication to quality and luxury. Every season celebrities and and fashion elites crowd together to catch a glimpse of what the duo has to offer for the upcoming season. I for one have tried for the past four seasons to press cover a Badgley Mischka runway show, and this season fortune smiles on persistence and it was worth every minute; swimming through a sea of people was all worth it just to catch a few minutes of such a spectacular show.

(apologies for the picture quality..a bit hard from 4th row to focus)

Joanna Mastroianni F/W 2012: Iconic JOURNEY

One of the most stunning collections during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, New York was Joanna Mastroianni's Fall/Winter 2012. The designer collaborates with fashion icon Iris Apfel (who by chance sat in front of me during the show), and uses the ultimate fashionista's haute couture style as inspiration for her collection.

Joanna and Iris go on a fantasy journey all across the globe taking inspiration from every destination during their fashion journey. From New York City's fall scenery, to Paris, and then Asia the fantasy brings to life a collection filled with delicate embroidery, opulent trims, exotic furs, and amazing colors ranging from black deepened magenta, lustrous golden green, vibrant jade, and peacock blue. Coupled with Mastroianni's artistry and superb craftsmanship, fabrics like silk organza, black leather, chenille, tulle, cashmere, and various luxury furs were sculpted into works of art and stunning ensembles.

One of my favorite pieces of the collection was the magenta dress with the cage embroidery details almost looks like a leaf detail in black metal shimmer, and paired with a fur bolero jacket (pictured first). There is something uniquely innovative about this piece where a delicate fabric dress is encased in a hard edge embroidery, the juxstaposition of feminine and masculine was a nice layer to the collection's story. Another personal favorite was the red, black, pewter hand-embroidered silk organza gown with v neck and scoop back details (last picture below).

Elegance and Luxury entwined in couture craftsmanship sums up the entire collection. Joanna Mastroianni's F/W 2012 was visually stunning and at times I couldn't take my eyes off the runway. I was fortunate enough to be inches away from a fashion icon like Iris Apfel and that in itself made me feel as though I was part of this beautiful collection's journey.

I would also like to dedicate this to another fashion Icon, the ever youthful and vibrant Zelda Kaplan who passed during the runway show. I was a huge loss for the fashion community and unfortunately I never got the opportunity to meet her. She passed while doing what she loved most- being surrounded by beautiful fashion, and with style right in FRONT ROW. May she rest in peace.

Geoffrey Mac F/W 2012: Rockn' Roll Mod!

Reminiscent of Paco Rabanne's avant-garde designs and Pierre Cardin's fearless use of colors, Geoffrey Mac's Fall/Winter 2012 collection was a gorgeous combination of hard-edge rocker, beautiful mod, and feminine baby-doll silhouettes all combined with visually stunning colors and modern textile. This collection was a perfect marriage of vintage inspiration modernized through the creative vision of the designer. Visually stunning colors of teal, blue, crimson, black, yellow, and khaki produce such a wonderful glam rock story.

Throughout the collection, leather, silk, and wool were the dominant figures on the runway. I found it so intriguing how skillfully the designer combined such a hard texture like leather with silk and produce a beautiful work of art that's both strong and feminine.

Great examples of the well executed juxtaposition of strength and femininity are the figure flattering leather dresses complimented by the cropped leather jackets with the amazing shoulder details, and the baby doll dresses with leather trims and detailing. What I enjoyed most was that each piece whether worn separate or accented with an accessory or jacket, still made a stunning impact by itself.

One can't help but recall the days when David Bowie took stage in his skin tight, colorful, rock n roll ensembles and the crowd overcome with frenzy falling to their knees in tears. Geoffrey Mac's F/W 2012 strikes that cord of being daring yet so amazing it takes one's breath away.

I do look forward to seeing the evolution of the designer and what other avenues and experiences may inspire his future collections, but one thing is certain I know that none will ever be expected or boring- somehow I have a feeling that any collection to follow will be just as attention grabbing and visually climactic.