Maria Vazquez - Spring 2011

The final show of fashion week in Buenos Aires and the runway has sprouted giant multicolored mushrooms. The opening look did not disappoint after the mushroom laden runway and acid trip video. Bright colors pop on top of crisp white backgrounds and a caged bird print on black adds to the trippy vibe with its bright colors and swirling paisley accents. The show continues with some great color blocking in lemon and tangerine silks, paired with turquoise green shoes.

The Maria Vazquez girl is definitely living in a technicolor world this spring - even the accessories, like a multicolored button clutch, help bring a pop of color to an otherwise all too normal little black dress. Flowers and stripes make an extremely powerful statement whether paired or standing on their own. These patterns become 3D and really jump out to grab the viewer as they are incorporated into structural elements of the garments (and I thought that they were speaking loudly before - now they are standing up and shouting!) The girl who wears these clothes better have a lot of personality - otherwise the clothes will end up wearing her. Seriously, they can truly come alive - or maybe the show was just one big acid trip. Either way you should watch out for these clothes - you don't want to miss them, and you will definitely see them coming. Hopefully to a boutique near you...

Photographs courtesy of Mike Ferre

Hermanos Estebecorena - Spring 2011

The models had to navigate a runway full of obstacles, and in their underwear no less! Well at least the first two did... The obstacles ended up melding together to display the company logo when seen head on. The clothes were classic, refined, and at times playful. The look incorporated fun prints like flowers and lighthouses (reminiscent of little boys' bedding) with everyday staples and some sleek jackets. These pieces could walk right off the runway and into the closet of any dapper dude from New York, London, Tokyo, or Milan. The HE-man has plenty of fashion sense with a bit of whimsy thrown in.

There also might have been a bit of magic backstage - with the whole show comprised seemingly of three models (though it turns out to be four - two sets of twins, one being admittedly more identical than the other...) Apparently in Argentina only the boys know how to do quickchanges, and these guys are experts.

The staple pieces presented in the collection are well thought out and excellently tailored, giving the right mix of polish and enjoyment. The tailored shorts, hemmed to just above the knee, have a great sense of classic modernity to them. If there were to be any complaint (not that I have one) it would be a question of color. The clothes were impeccable but lacked the bursts of color one so longs for after a cold grey winter.

As the show came to a close there were a few surprises. The chest mounted camera was certainly one of them, and this techno-modern edge came from nowhere - as did the next model (in his only sighting of the show) finally giving us some color in a purple bathing suit - worn with a thick coat of chest hair. Overall an excellent collection of spring staples - which according to the runway obstacles you can now buy online!

Photographs courtesy of Mike Ferre

Varanasi - Spring 2011

The heavy handed intro video was entirely unnecessary - like being forced to sit through all of the credits before getting to watch the movie. The African influence on the collection would have been abundantly clear without the laborious video (OR the African singing, OR the sculptures on the runway - though both of these I enjoyed). Lightweight white linen pieces floated down the runway with patchwork and applique details that ride the line between tribal and holly-hobby but somehow manage to come across mostly fashionable. As the music amped up and the group started singing we were delighted with a celebration of colors in interesting geometrics - both on the clothes and the models themselves (the models had painted hands and arms). All of the colors seem to have a root in nature which allows them to be mixed (at times in abundance) interestingly and elegantly. The clothes are definitely for a more modern and artsy woman who appreciates the hand touched feel of less processed fabrics and a spice of something different. Bright bold prints brought back the tribal feel in a modern and interesting way. One of the recurring visuals was a (nearly giraffe) pattern that seemed to emulate the cracks in dry mud - both structurally and in prints. I still can't decide whether the plastic Massai neckbands and giant gold starfruit earrings were over the top or a genius new jewelry trend to watch.

The wood, metal, and leather sculpture were just as interesting as the clothes and never waivered in their taste level or interest. They definitely added rather than detracting (unlike the video).

Photographs courtesy of Mike Ferre

Cora Groppo - Spring 2011

One of the strangest openings I have ever seen, three models walked down the second row of seats on both sides of the runway before the first model stepped foot on the runway. This was a precursor of the models doing double duty - walking the runway then completing another lap up and down the aisles. The garments were decidedly dark with black, navy, and midnight blue as a palette. However, their light and ethereal nature told you that they were decidedly for spring. The clothes had an interesting precariousness to the way they were layered - as if made from scraps of other luxurious garments. Color came into the collection with dusty mauve, platinum, and purple. There is a natural architectural quality, as if the pieces grew organically or were put together by waves or winds rather than men in hard hats. The great mix of textures range from light weight knits, to silks and jerseys, and even a shockingly yet seasonably light leather. The layered looks are great for a day on the town - and will carry you from spring through fall. Meanwhile, the sculptural dresses are perfect for your next cocktail event and can hold their own against the best that modern art (or modern dance, given their ethereal nature) has to offer.

Grupo 134 - Spring 2011

The hipster vibe meets an old English (as in England... not the malt liquor) feel - including an older bearded man who is either famous or they were really trying to push the bum aesthetic further than anyone in Williamsburg is willing to. The clothes were in a muted palette of tan, cream, white, grey, and black. The stylistic choice of a bowler hat is not my favorite; especially as it has been repeated on every single model. There is a good use of layering, even if the clothes look worn out, although the guys look bored and dirty more than anything. The ladies come out in a similar aesthetic but here it seems to have some direction. Light weight fabrics flounce down the runway and the girls look ready to hit the street in the summer heat. My personal favorite look is a cream silk jumper with short-shorts in a dark polka dot. And unlike their gentlemen counterparts, we are seeing a bit of color on the ladies, with coral colored tops and accents.

Another older man comes out and walks the runway for good measure (this one is shaven and more rocker-chic) then the fashion is amped up! The mens and women's clothes are both sleeker and, at least for the boys, chicer. It seems that now we have gone from day to night- where the proportion of black in the ensembles makes a bit more sense, even if it is supposed to be spring. I am sure that it doesn't hurt that it seems like they have saved their better looking (and better walking) models for this section of the show - since apparently quickchanges weren't an option. the dark black outfits on the ladies are brightened up with white stripes to add a nautical yet dramatic feel to them.

The video art piece projected throughout the show was very well thought out and well tied into the show; that is, until the unfortunate Greenpeace ad at the end. Stupidly and unnecessarily politicizing, it almost makes me dislike the whole collection even though there were a few worthwhile garments.

Vicki Otero - Spring 2011

The opening look combined with the harp music gave a very Victorian / Alice in Wonderland doll feel, which quickly jumped back and forth with a sort of retro-modern style. Dark color palette of blacks and greys with heavier looking fabric than you might expect from a Spring/Summer collection was combined with platform with platform shoes so hideous you would almost think they are orthopedic...

The first white garments are (not) surprisingly unfresh - with a bib detail that is at one moment baby doll and the next sailor boy. Finally we get some plausible spring dresses, but even when they are flouncy they feel too heavy in grey and dark blue hues. The color suddenly shifts to include a bright lipstick red with black - seemingly coming out of nowhere and then disappearing back into nothing - which I think is where it belongs. A white cowl-back top paired with a black skirt followed by a white overcoat and great scarf tied in a bow (in black of course) try to salvage the collection at the end. The show finishes as we see a tango singer come out to stand off the last model like a matador with a bull.

Other than the last two looks the white Alice in Wonderland dress on the harpist and the all white linen suit on the singer my be the best outfits in the show. I can only hope that they were also made by Vicki Otero. In the end, the only thing heavier than the fabrics pleated and folded upon the models is their makeup - a fuchsia eye with accented heavy eyebrows definitely read spring (if you are Frida Kahlo).

Evangelina Bomparola - Spring 2011

The show opened strong with an elegantly tailored tangerine jumpsuit, followed by multi-colored graphic and geometric pieces in an ivory, camel, and tangerine palette. She is clearly drawing inspiration from the late 70s and early 80s. At times this was in a very modern way like her shift dresses, which are simultaneously architectural and structureless - in the best possible way. While at others very literal, as with the odd pair of bellbottoms included in the collection. The color palette expands to include exuberant accents of magenta and canary as well.

Her high waisted short-shorts will definitely give girls a reason to hit the elliptical before spring gets here. A series of canary dresses bring some pop back into the collection while highlighting the aforementioned architecturality of the collection as they float down the runway. Stunning gold zipper details are highlighted bu the black trim surrounding them - really making this detail stand out on these otherwise bright and weightless garments. The Mondrian inspired clothes are perfect for a cocktail or a gala event, whether you are supporting the MALBA or the MOMA. Truly a modern sensibility for dressing women, Evangelina has managed to pull some of the best elements from the past and drag them into the present.

Unfortunately, as a series of gorgeous ivory dresses with magenta accents came out the musicians either ran out of things to play or encountered technical difficulties, distracting from the show - always something to think about when you choose to use live musicians in a show. The cacophony of noise started up again- now sounding more like a siren than music - just as the last model stepped off the runway. Such a tragic way to end an otherwise splendid show...

Buenos Aires Fashion Week

The stage was set for my first South American fashion show. Other than the setup for a live band on the runway and ads playing from jumbotrons before the show - this seemed just like any other runway event. It is quite remarkable how fashion people all seem to look the same, no matter where you are in the world. And of course, there was the requisite amount of pushing, herding, and standing in line. The main salon (much larger in size than the two runway salons combined) feels more like one of the trade shows La Rural is famous for hosting, than anything I have seen in New York. This led to the event feeling somewhat smaller market, not dissimilar to the up and coming Philly Fashion Week (which I was ever so lucky to model at once upon a time...) Perhaps a trip to Brasil is in order to see if this is just how things are done in South America. Also Interesting is how centralized everything is - with all of the PR seemingly handled by through the fashionweek organization rather than individual PR firms, and without upstart rival shows happening all around town.

Stay tuned for the resulting articles...

Articles are now up for:

Cora Groppo
Evangelina Bomparola
Grupo 134
Hermanos Estebecorena
Maria Vazquez
Varanasi
Vicki Otero