Venexiana F/W 2012: Evening Wear Perfected!

Kati Stern’s brand, Venexiana, has been a coveted show for many fashionistas during Mercedes Benz Fashion week. For the past 3 seasons of press covering Venexiana’s runway show I have always been left breathless by the stunning evening wears that grace the runway. Each season Venexiana always has a more lengthy presentation than any other designer; boasting 70 looks for Fall/Winter 2012, but well worth every second- no other show can ever fill Lincoln Center at 9pm like Venexiana has done and  so well.

Asking one which gown, dress, or ensemble is one’s favorite is like asking which arm one can’t live without.  Exuding luxury and un-rivaled glamour, each piece from Venexiana’s F/W 2012 collection were stunning and absolutely gorgeous, but certain pieces stood out amongst the rest. For example, the laser cut black velvet gown with sheer details left the room flooded with camera flashes and that unanimous  ‘oooh’ from the crowd, a stunning statement to close the show. Another notable piece was the turquoise draped over one shoulder floor length gown with black print details, and the gold metallic one shoulder detail dress- constructed perfectly to give the illusion that liquid gold was poured on the model’s body.

I often look forward to New York Fashion Week, but in particular another chance to see a Venexiana show.

Prete&Bruno F/W 2012: "Unstoppable Glamour"

Italian glamour comes to New York by way of Salvatore Prete and Filippo Bruno and their namesake brand Prete & Bruno. Using Hollywood icons stars like Marlene Dietrich and Grace Kelly as inspiration; their elegance and timeless beauty, Prete & Bruno pays homage to that era of glamour and opulence in their Fall/Winter 2012 collection.

Feminine silhouettes in hues of gold and emerald green set in classic black create a collection of modern and sophisticated ready-to-wear ensembles that reflect touches of couture construction. From the velvet black dress with emerald green silk lining and high front slit and low back scoop, to the shimmering sequined gold dress and the tweed suits, Prete & Bruno shows how Italian elegance is done.

Exuding Italian luxury at its finest, Prete & Bruno introduced one stunning piece after another to the surprise of the audience and it would be an understatement to say that one was amazed by the collection. Though the colors were a bit lacking, I still felt it added to the consistency of the collection; it gave it a great continuity where each look fit into the collection rather than looking misplaced as some pieces of other collection tend to have.

I also have to note that though the collection is for Fall/Winter 2012, every piece was so light weight and airy that it can easily transition into spring, from its bright emerald green color to sheer fabrics all contribute to this transitional fashion quite well.

Vantan Tokyo F/W 2012: Platform for Design!

Cheryl Chee

As part of Vantan Design Institute’s incubation project, Vantan Tokyo was formed to invite its most promising graduating students and give them a platform to showcase their designs on an international stage, most prominently during Paris Fashion Week. This season 4 rising designers, Cheryl Chee, Masato Miyata, Yuya Kubohara, and Cheung Siu Yan took part in this runway showcase during New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2012 season. Each of the four participating designers showcased a variety of aesthetics and their brand theme to New York’s fashion enthusiasts.

Cheryl Chee with her namesake brand focused on knit sweaters, dresses with a mix of leather trims. Her technique in combining heavy knits to still create a flattering silhouette is commendable considering how relatively new she is in the design world.

Masato Miyata with his brand mi___s shows pieces with bold prints in pastel colors which gives his designs its femininity. His overall theme of “to hide = to show” combines youth and conservative to create a vibrant office appropriate attire but with personality.

Yuya Kubohara with his namesake brand uses the theme “Graphic Girl” befitting his collection of stunning graphic prints and bold eye catching colors from head to toe. Whether tone on tone combination or using different graphics layered against each other, Yuya creates an explosion of graphics with amazing knits.

The final designer Cheung Siu Yan and her brand Swanzi invoke the theme of “Nature in her eyes”. Fluid silhouettes are prominent throughout the design almost mimicking both ocean and earth coming together and creating a beautiful design.

Overall, a bright future is in stored for these designers as they grow over time, and I look forward to seeing each one of them transition into the US market and combine both their own aesthetic and American fashion.