For Zac Posen's autumn/winter 2013 collection, the balcony above the Plaza Hotel’s Terrace Room was the perfect spot to meet him for a little pre-show tête-à-tête. “There’s such great history here,” he said, looking out over the flickering chandeliered space. “Halston showed here. Oscar de la Renta did shows here. Pat Cleveland (the former supermodel and mother of model Anna Cleveland, who wore one of the finale dresses tonight) was like, ‘OK, so here’s the karma it’s really good.’ There’s just this feeling of glamour, fantasy, and like I’m continuing a tradition of craft and construction in American fashion.” It is a grand statement, yes we wouldn’t expect anything less from this designer, but the room at the Plaza was also the smallest one Posen has ever shown in. Why downsize? He said, “To keep the focus on the clothes.”
Linear silhouettes emphasis being on the shoulders instead of the waist, Posen proposed a series of looks for smart, decadent work-to-play dressing. “She’s unconventional, but she appreciates and loves the historic codes of luxury,” he said of this season’s muse-customer. Those codes, it seems, come down to two things: tailoring and fabric. The former was especially evident in the shoulders that peaked sharply from jackets, and in the tightly tucked bodices of stretch duchesse dresses. The latter was technical without looking techy. “The tweed is actually a stretch jacquard,” Posen explained. “The duchesse is like a scuba, so it’s architectural, seamed, and clean.” Adding embroidery and metallic thread to many of the pieces made them fancier, while simultaneously eliminating the need for jewelry. (Posen had been reading up on the oil heiress and tastemaker Millicent Rogers and on Wallis Simpson, two of this country’s great style influencers, and found himself feeling especially fond of the soutache cording and bugle beads they wore.) But his favorite look and one of this writer’s, too was a fern-green chiffon dress cut on the bias with just a single seam. Also of note: the burgundy floor-sweeper with flyaway sleeves worn by Catherine McNeil, which was a far cry from the grand-ballgown-Posen of seasons past, but a perfect fit for the Plaza and beyond.
Selections by ANDREA JANKE Finest Accessories
Photo credit/Source: VOGUE
Runway: Photography by Marcus Tondo / InDigitalimages.com
Details: Photography by Gianni Pucci / InDigitalimages.com
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'For her spring 2014 collection, Monique Lhuillier has proved that she's more than just gowns. Her daywear is always considered and restrained, and she extends a level of handicraft to her pieces that makes even a romper feel like an occasion. But she's got major game when it comes to gowns, and this season was no exception. Still, the best evening look today was actually a silk linen gazar bandeau in hot pink, worn with a very full draped ball skirt in persimmon.'
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