Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007-Alice Roi

It was cold. Very cold. Too cold. I wondered whether or not I should dress for fashion's sake, or to stay warm. The emotional side of me screamed "you've got to look good!" The practical side said: "It is only Saturday and Fashion Week has really just begun...stay warm and don't get sick."

I opted for a compromise: a robin's egg blue wool jacket reversed with peach, and a camisole that complimented those colors. Pants and black sneakers (I knew I was going to be on my feet from 9am-11pm) and an old down jacket that could be dumped on the floor backstage (so I could juggle my handbag, pen and paper, voice recorder and two cameras without holding a jacket, too).

Anyway, the first stop was Alice Roi. I got there fairly early which meant I got to see Stephane Marais for Bourjois do the model's "model" for all the other Bourjois makeup artists. I will be doing full features with photos on this show in the next few weeks, but I'll give you a preview: the look is all about the eyes. A fresh face and nude, moist lips, but the focus is all on the eyes. Stephane used grey and black metallic and smudged and smoothed and dabbed and smudged...all around the model's eyes. The look was a as if you'd used a lot of non-waterproof eye liner and shadows, and didn't wash it off before bedtime and you rubbed your eyes in teh night. The effect would be soft and smudged around your eyes--but obviously, a much more controlled version walked down the runway! When I spoke to the gracious Celine from Bourjois, she said that the makeup artists were using existing Bourjois products, which means you can "get the look" now if you want to jump ahead a season.

Stephane explained that the look was to compliment Alice Roi's theme and clothes, which was inspired by the beloved book about a little French girl: Madeline (my favorite book growing up). So the makeup was youthful and fresh, but with the deep, smoky eye, a not-so-innocent schoolgirl!

The hair, by Neil Moodie for Bumble and Bumble, was interesting. The models were wearing ponytail extensions made of soft strips of frosted plastic that looked to me like the fringes in a car wash. Hair was pulled sleekly back in mid-crown ponytails. I'll be writing more about the hair on the Advice Sisters Web Site http://www.advicesisters.net/ in the next few weeks. An interesting note was that three of the models (only three) wore short, black wigs. That added a nice balance to the sweetness of the "Madeline" vibe.

I wasn't staying for the show, because I was going to visit backstage at Alexander Herchcovitch, but I did get a sneak peek at the clothes. As yesterday, the colors were austere: black, more black, and black, and some brown and a bit of off-white. There were a lot of chunky knits, worn with (get this): Knee socks and platform shoes of various types. It channeled "Madeline" but more in a Shinjuku punk than very young child. There were some small plaid patterns, primarily in brown tones, some paired with lacy tops to add additional softness. The one bright spot was a sleeveless, swingy, micro-mini dress in a riot of acid pink, orange, white and topped and trimmed with black that looked like something I wore proudly in the 60's. I don't know where it fit into Fall, but it was fun, flirty, and a welcome relief from dark neutrals.


I arrived at the appointed time for Alexander Herchcovitch and was told to come back in half and hour. Nearly two hours later (it was an early call) I finally managed to get backstage to interview the MAC makeup artists and check out the hair. I am off to ARAKS this morning and will write about this show, as well as Gustavo Arrango, and Venexiana, when I get home tonight. It is Superbowl Sunday, but you, my readers, come first!

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007-Akiko Ogawa

Later in the day, I went to the Akiko Ogawa runway show in the tents. I got there early, and saw my friend Ester Nash on line for another show. How nice to see her! She's such a lovely woman.

As I was checking in for Akiko Ogawa, I ran into another person I know--Steven Bender. He now has his own PR company and is doing lots of interesting things. We had time to catch up for a few minutes. He's one of the "nice guys," too.

But on to the show: the theme is "the masculine look of a British rock star softened into feminine form and laced with elements of 'wabi sabi' (the distinctily Japanese aesthetic of refined rusticity and elegant simplicity considered the highly prized qualities in the traditional arts).

To break that down, the clothes were a mixture of punk bluntness, and soft silk kimono..a perfect fusion of Japanese downtown girls, with geisha elements. Scottish tartan (mostly with green and blue) showed up in pleated skirts, paired with rock-star black.

The audience and the clothes seem "youthful" but in truth, I could see nearly anyone taking pieces from the 39 pieces shown in this collection and making them work. There were skinny pants, mostly in black, along with charcoal gray, but there was some color. The pink used as accents apparently was inspired by the flower of the peony tree. One of the most beautiful pieces was a deep pink kimono tunic, worn with a low-slung Swarovski crystal studded belt. The most beautiful pieces were these silky kimono-styles, worn as dresses and tunics. The models seemed to float down the runway in these. I liked the oversized obi" type sashes that added a distinctly Japanese flair. I also particularly liked a black cropped "military" type jacket with large crystal "buttons" that added sparkle, and some of the jackets and sweaters with faux-fur trim. To add that punk attitude, a variety of platform black leather shoes prevailed. Add a chunky boot to a tartan skirt and you've got just the right mix.

The collection is fun, eye catching, and a welcome relief from the austere. Noda Norikata at MAO did strong, smoky eyes and pale faces. Hair, from Dennis Lanni for Bumble & Bumble was stark -- a sort of modern Louise Brooks short black bob with thick bangs for most of the models. This added a distinct rock star meets the East sensibility that went well with the clothes.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007-Alice Ritter

Fashion Week has begun!

My first show was Alice Ritter at the Players Club in the chic, Grammercy Park area. It was cold and of course, I arrived on the wrong side of the Park and had to walk around three sides of it to get to my destination.

Inside, young girls in white T-shirts with the simple Alice Ritter logo in black letters, were all smiles. I got there close to start time (I know from experience that most fashion shows do not really start on time) and noticed the cozy club was already packed with chattering fashionistas. Two Alice Ritter staffers, chattering in melodic tones, in French, were sitting on one of three available couches, on opposite ends. They moved over so I could sit down, and I gratefully sank into the leather couch for the "wait" (which turned out to be about 35 minutes). While sitting, I chatted with a young woman who said she was there as an Assistant Buyer for the Isetan department store in Japan. So many buyers and press (yours truly included) didn't have seat assigments! We were finally ushered into a "great hall" lined with imposing oil paintings of what I presume were the founders or past presidents of the Players Club, squeezing ourselves through a gauntlet behind three rows of tightly packed (and mostly filled) seats. We filed in slowly, and I realized that there was an open seat right in front of where the line ended. The lights were just about to go out so I sat down. Alas, anyone not in the front row had an obstructed view.

But the clothes (from what I could see of them) were worth the wait. Down the runway came the most romantic if "costumy" clothes I've seen in a long time. They Edwardian inspired collection featured the most fantastic cropped jackets with nipped-in waists and long, tiered, flouncy back treatments. These were paired with nicely tailored, wide-legged, pants, and romantic, full skirts. Alice Ritter uses a mixture of woven fabrics, and since it was a Fall collection, there was a lot of substantial wool, heavy cotton, and silk. The colors were extremely austere: black, black and more black, and some grey, olive green, and a bit of "caramel, plus a bunch of blouses and dresses in silky, royal purple fabrics. What added spark was silky shine, and some sparkle or sheen in the fabrics of the jackets and skirts.

A lot of this collection is what I'd call "party" or special event clothes, but not in the sense of a formal evening gown. These are clothes to turn heads, but without a rhinestone or a bead, in sight. A standout was a "dandy's" outfit, mixing masculine and feminine: a pure white blouse with a huge ruffled front and collar of crystal pleats, paired with blakc pants and a fitted jacket. With an outfit this "showy" all you need is a pair of diamond stud earrings, and you're good to go! Another standout were two coats: one was a boxy, black and white tweed mid-length coat with a very large, shawl color. The other, a creamy ivory wool with a funnel neck and large buttons, that seemed very retro (think: Audry Hepburn in Charade).

I didn't go backstage for this one, but the main theme of the hair reminded me of party girl fone to sleep and this is the result in the morning. The hair was a "messy" bun with long pieces or tendrils deliberately falling out of it to the side. It was romantic, but I'd suspect it might be harder to accomplish at home than simply making a bun, and sleeping on it! The makeup was by NARS. I liked the matte, dark rose or warm red lips as the main focal point. I'll try to get the details from NARS and share them later on.