What If We Didn't Have Black?

Black on Black, the Rad Hourani Fall 2008 Fashion Show, was a celebration in black, grey, and combinations of the two. As the models streamed by, clad mostly in black, a gaze at the assembled audience at Bumble and Bumble Loft revealed that most audience members (photographers, media, and fashionistas) wore black garments and toted black accessories, as well. Formality and a degree of seriousness were reinforced by waiters in semiformal attire with trays of chocolate-coated macaroons and flask-like bottles of water.

If yellow or red replaced the black we are so fond of donning, the bright colors would reflect light and draw attention to defects in human shapes. Those of us not in top form might appear less slim and chic.

Bright colors as accent scarves, beaded necklaces, bracelets, and belts are certainly as attractive as silver or gold jewelry. Black fashions will still be the favorite of persons hoping to appear svelte. Colorful accessories should enhance the effect.

Washington Post writer, Rick Weiss, recently announced news that scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York have created a material that absorbs so much light that it is the darkest black substance ever made. If no light is reflected back, what physical details of a person wearing such material would be seen? Perhaps someday the choice of material in our fashions will eliminate the need for diets and the manipulation of designs to achieve slimness.

Gen Art/Hennessey Event at The Box

This event really doesn't count as fashion, but we know that you are dying to hear about early evening stripteases, fire-breathing vaudevillians and the wonders of free Hennessey. On Wednesday night, the geniuses at Gen Art treated us to a tasting of cognac and chocolates, along with signature acts from The Box's troupe of Moulin Rouge-inspired performers. Here's what we could capture for your viewing pleasure (before we were told that photography is NOT permitted):

Zang Toi A/W 08

Zang Toi's autumnal collection showed at the Tents on the final day of Fall Fashion Week, which has grown to an eleven day behemoth of runway shows, parties, dinners and networking events. Toi was smart to choose bouncy club music to precede the show, as every member of the press was ready to curl up under their chair for a well-deserved nap.

Mr. Toi must prefer fall, as it is the only season he shows. His "American Collection" was inspired by the grand lifestyle of William Avery Rockefeller in his Adirondack retreat, and he House of Toi intended to, "personify the romantic notion of roughing it in luxurious and glamorous style."

Along a snow-dusted runway, models (walking way too slowly) sported stark black, white and red looks that ranged from RLX-esque outerwear to highly palatable suiting separates and fur-trimmed coats. Ornate rhinestone jewelry and the occasional menswear outfit were show-stealers. Toi was at his best when he stuck with eveningwear and pieces that reflected his own infectious personality. The playful prints on youthful day dresses, as well as the green and red plaid grouping and a stunning beaded scarlet gown were hits, but the majority of his Fall collection indicated pressure on Toi to produce a commercially successful collection. Or perhaps this is just a continuation of his glamorous and sophisticated direction...

Rad Hourani A/W 08

The Fall 2008 collection of Rad Hourani attracted a distinctly chic crowd, always a good sign for any happening designer. In his provacative artist statement, Hourani claims his "no-background background" as an influence for his "asexual, aseasonal...sophisticated modern classics for anti-conformist individuals." His color palette of blacks,pure whites and intense reds are intended to exude a sense of "discreet chic", but there was nothing discreet about Hourani's bold attitude toward fashion. Stark models with blank faces sported linearly architectural looks that layered knits, vests, leather coats and leggings in a disorienting vision of the future. The girls were so tall and thin that their figures transcended beauty almost to the point of imperfection. Though the apparel, shoes, jewelry and bags were perfectly coordinated, this is a collection to be sported in pieces, not entire looks. Vests of all proportions and textures sported strips of leather and were the most distinctive look. Crayola red was an unexpected and refreshing pop in a season dominated by wine in all its incarnations. If Darth Vader and Aeon Flux had a love child, it would be this season's Hourani customer.

Bill Blass A/W 08

Set to a stark backdrop of ivory, black and Depeche Mode, the Bill Blass fall collection was everything that devoted customers of the brand could want. Greys of every shade and texture provided the base for most outfits, with luxurious acid jewel tones bringing life to an otherwise muted palette. Notable celebrities at the show included Tinsley Mortimer, Rachel Zoe and Nina Garcia, with Ms. Mortimer winning the best-dressed award in a barbie-esque sherbet green and hot pink number. In Peter Som's first outing for Bill Blass, he brought a touch of his signature confectious style to the collection, while still keeping it suitable staid. Key looks included a backless ruffled frock in ivory, and a luminous emerald fur chubby. While suiting was lightweight, high-waisted and high-volume, day dresses were either scoop- or boat-necked and cinched at the waist. Eveningwear came in such a variety of styles and colors, there was literally a Blass dress for every occasion.

Cynthia Rowley A/W 08

The backdrop spectacle of the season went to Cynthia Rowley, who staged her show in Gotham Hall and opened the collection with a "pop-up book" transforming into a forest of cut-out trees in the line's fall color story. Notable celebrities, including Phillip Seymour Hoffman (and his entire family) were treated to a wintry wonderland assortment of fluttery day dresses, lofty sweaters and whimsically embellished coats. Felted cut-outs, leather petals, burnout patterns and metallic oil slick made the collection a dark and twisted fairytale that one was only to happy to get lost in.

Alice + Olivia A/W 08 Presentation

Twinkle by Wenlan and O2 Vodka at Room Service

Twinkle by Wenlan hosted an after party, sponsored by O2 Vodka and Peroni Beer, at the New York nightspot Room Service. The party was busy without being overcrowded thanks to what must have been one of the few truly limited guest lists this fashion week season. The space is a great mix of lounge space and dance floor with bars at the front and back. The most posh aspect of the club however is the grouping of “private rooms” which give this nightspot its name. Inside these rooms are coat closets, seating, and mini bars facilitating a private hotel party inside the club. One of the more tempting choices at the bar was O2 vodka. O2 is a new brand of vodka infused with bubbles being imported from the UK. Every drink comes more alive when mixed with O2 vodka, giving the party the fun frivolity of champagne with many more flavor options – not unlike the Twinkle girl. The party continued on through the night, everyone dancing and enjoying the end of another great fashion week.

Wenlan Chia

Ports 1961 A/W

Ports 1961 goes to Scotland this fall. This collection drew from many aspects of the highland culture – deep cowl backs reminiscent of a druid gathering, great chunky cabling on knitwear, an all too literal riding outfit, and superbly tailored pieces for the sophisticated country lady’s trip into Edinburg. The color palate took you from the heather moors, through the fern glades, and into the deep blues and purples of the chilly lochs. The chunky faux fur interspersed throughout the collection had a great texture to it, rough and tribal while also soft and almost featherlike. However, the use of the pumpkin orange color was a glaring incongruity with the rest of the collection. The most striking look was the sheath dress with rubber corset, both in loch blue. It was neither severe nor overly refined, and its tough simplicity really pulled the collection together. With such a diverse collection the Ports girl will have a lot to choose from this fall – dressed in style from Princes Street to Stonehenge.

Temperley London A/W 08

Temperley London combined haunting music and a black metallic backdrop to invoke the mystery and intrigue of their fall inspiration- the iconic Mata Hari.

A refreshing and unexpected choice, Mata Hari was not only a notoriously bewitching spy, but also an early 1900's symbol of danger and opulence. Striking eveningwear, embellished coats, draped suiting separates and bags composed the bulk of the collection. Rich jewel tones highlighted a contrast palette of black, ivory, rose and clay in an array of decadent fabrics.

Notable celebrities attending included Christy Turlington, who looked glorious with healthy bronzed skin and a bold animal print frock. Acclaimed actress Julia Stiles graced the front row in a demure inky baby doll dress, well suited for the mood of the collection. The show was over an hour late in starting, but was well worth the wait.

Temperley isn't generally the first name that comes to mind as the epitome of hotness, but this fall offering was smoking. Military dress hats and overt uniform details, along with plenty of skintight leather gave a slight wiff of bondage to the collection. Emerald lame jersey and jewel-dripped sheer fabrics were clear winners in the eveningwear category and finished off the freshest womenswear show this week.

Diesel Black Gold Debuts in the Tents

On Tuesday, Diesel Creative Director Wilbert Das unveil a newly created collection- Diesel Black Gold. His purpose is to, "inject some fresh fuel into the fashion machine" with innovations in blending high- tech and natural materials, hiding hardware and construction details and transforming knitwear. From the muted color palette to the unexpected silhouettes, Diesel's first contemporary line is worth a closer look.

Eveningwear and fur was reminiscent of BCBG on a goth bent, and the menswear would fit in perfectly at Seven or Atelier NYC.

As with several lines this season, metallics were often the only pops in a barrage of black, midnight, grey and mocha. Denim was an intentionally small category, as Diesel already dominates that market in their signature line. Obviously spurred by their success in younger sportswear, this line targeted a funky, yet more refined and luxury-oriented customer. Looks like Diesel is all grown up...

Nanette Lepore A/W 08

Morning shows midweek attract an interesting and unusually devoted crowd. Though the Salon was just barely at capacity for the Nanette Lepore runway show, the air was still buzzing with anticipation of upcoming shows and gossip from the week gone by.

Grounded in a palette of black, merlot and rose, the collection was as bouncy and youthful as the music. Bold outerwear, flirty dresses and feminine suiting separates were dusted with metallic and lace accents. Winning accessories included rhinestone tiaras, vintage brooches, rouched leather gloves and glowing smiles from the models.

On each guest's seat was an inspired plea from Ms. Lepore for NYC designers to write Mayor Bloomberg and ask for his assistance in saving the struggling Garment District. Washington Style Reporter is an enthusiastic supporter of utilizing local resources and of American-made products, and we hope that more collections take advantage of this in the future.

Cynthia Steffe A\W 08

Between the scarlet-hued line list and the red-light district invoking backdrop, one got the impression that designer Cynthia Steffe's fall collection would be a refined, yet impassioned take on womenswear.

From the first textured wool trench, Steffe got her color story across-warm taupes, creamy browns, lipstick red and ivory ruled the runway. The second scheme to grace the catwalk was cooler and fresh: saturated turquoise, emerald, cool grey and winter white blended together into a flirty, youthful palette.

As for styling, the suiting separates were extremely wearable, and most dresses were sure-shot office favorites, with an oversized houndsooth printed sheath being a noticeable miss. On the whole, Cynthia Steffe offered the young NYC socialite a closet full of options.

Development by Erica Davies

Davies’ style was all over the place, it is no wonder that the urban gypsy was the theme for this collection. If only the gypsy had followed a less circuitous route in finding her style. The general theme was quite enjoyable. Layers are definitely a big part of the Development story, and these wandering girls are ready for any temperature that fall may bring as climate patterns become more erratic. The soft silk-chiffons are ready for an Indian Summer and a more feminine attitude while the rough wools cover as the temperature drops for a harder and edgier appearance. Feathers, beading, and subtly beautiful prints enhance to the look of this elegant woman from anywhere and everywhere in the world. The metal and granite accents, however, push her hardness too far past gypsy to a fetish rocker look that is completely incongruous with the rest of the collection. The color palate, a grouping of beautiful greens and purples mixed with neutrals from dusty taupe to soft sandy creams, enhanced the exotic gypsy mystique, but also went awry with the use of a bloodlust red that was overly harsh. In general a good collection that, with 45 looks, maybe should have been edited down to truly show the beauty of Developments sultry urban gypsy girl.

Miss Sixty Revives the 60's and 70's

It seems the 60s and 70s were the darling times, now being emulated by this season's fashion designers. Teens and young sophisticates oohed and aahed as the loose-fitting, free-flowing garments with large flowery designs and geometric patterns, like so many psychedelic colored balloons, bounced along the runway.

But wait, the women and men who survived those times need to explore their attics and closets in search of those old favorite caftans, breezy sleeved blouses, flowing skirts. Even jumpsuits and wide-legged pants are back for Fall/Winter 2008.

If you weren't excited about them then, and care not to repeat that era, have a yard sale, or pass them on to those envious youngsters who long to partake of the "good old days. As Alex Beam said this week in his International Herald Tribune article on politics, "Objects in the rear view mirror appear far grander than they really were." And so it must be true.