In Spades

The moment I descended the many rows in The Arc at Skylight Moynihan Station on February 12, I left the frigid NY temperatures behind and was transported to an exotic locale. Rhythmic music echoed from all angles and a tribal print covered the walls. I had apparently stumbled upon a primal tattoo parlor in which all of the inhabitants were glamorous and sexy.

This was exactly as Tadashi Shoji intended.

The designer’s F/W16 collection opened in a palette of nudes, copper, black and gold. Rather than the permanence of ink, thread and sequins were added to the designer’s needle crafting form fitting body suits and illusion necklines. Models eyes were dusted in black and gold, their hair wet and undone. Out of the gate, there was a feeling of gritty glamour.

Tadashi played with eye-catching motifs – tribal, burnout, tattoo-print, mosaic and lace. Despite their variance, the collection was incredibly cohesive, highlighting Shoji’s masterful tailoring of figure flattering garments. Among my favorites was his copper mosaic tulle gown with illusion panel insets. Resembling a modern day Nefertiti, it was dark and incredibly glamorous. Another standout was his deep leaf oversized coat paired with a sequins sheath dress. One of his few looks to deviate from a neutral palette, it scored major points for its beautiful juxtaposition of silhouette and the fact that it was faux fur, something rarely seen on fashion week runways.

Closing the show was a stream of signature Shoji – billowy gowns that appeared to be made of air. They floated down the runway showcasing expert draping and ruching. No one does a shutter pleat like Shoji. To round out this featherweight elegance, each of the final looks featured a delicate adornment of dripping crystal from bicep to wrist, a touch that made the entire crowd swoon.

Photos by Matthew Passiglia

I first discovered Demi Park of Demoo Parkchoonmoo four seasons ago. Her masterful use of an entirely monochromatic color palette floored me. With seemingly little to work with, she created pieces in but two tones that felt fresh, innovative and glamorous. For FW16, Park deviated slightly from her signature black and white and surprised us. With color.

Inspired by traditional Korean attire, the FW16 collection was an homage to Park’s mother. Exuding warmth and strength in her traditional dress, rich tones of eggplant, burgundy and gold were used to represent a feeling of togetherness. With a clever use of fabrics, Park infused mink, cashmere, alpaca and shearling onto collars, hemlines and even accessories. Standouts included a multicolored patchwork muff that doubled as an evening bag. These rich textures beautifully connected with her expanded color palette infusing a fresh perspective of glamour into the Parkchoonmoo woman.

Silhouette is another design element in which Park masterfully excels. A fan of oversized, roomy garments, I adore the way her cozy separates envelope the body. Cocoon coats, capacious pullovers and floor length knits are interchangeable giving the wearer endless options for layering. This season Park expanded upon her signature DNA and included cinched waist silk skirts, sheer turtlenecks and formfitting dresses all of which offered a modern twist on her classics.

Photos by Matthew Passiglia

Feminine silhouettes have always been a key component in Lela Rose’s DNA. For FW16 the designer brought us her signature touch with a focus on luxe separates. Beginning in a color palette of indigo then oxblood, bell sleeves in vine jacquard and leaf fil coupé were featured on tops and dresses. Continuing to play with volume, Rose glamorously enveloped her models in cocoon coats, gowns and jumpsuits. Off the shoulder crepe tops were connected to collared poplin à la Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada, a look I feel has always been under appreciated.