Feb 23, 2009
Points for Showmanship
HAYDEN-HARNETT
Thursday night, I found myself in a room in the Hotel Chelsea with a bunch of models who were lounging around and indulging. Wait, it's not what you think. The models were indulging in junk food—or at least pretending to—and showing off the latest collection by Hayden-Harnett. Probably not the same type of shenanigans that Bob Dylan and other rock stars practiced at this famed hotel. Design couple Toni and Ben showed their collection on models who were reading kitschy books about hunting and fishing from the '70s , eating Cheetos and doughnuts, and in one room, pretending to practice some Occult rituals. A little strange, yes, but the accessories were on the money for the Fort Greene (or Logan Square) hipster, and the opportunity to see the art-filled corridors and kooky lobby with its phone booth and paper maché sculptures floating from the ceiling made it well worth the trip.
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PHILIP LIM
Hipster singer Lissy Trullie sang while Lim presented a '60s youth quake mash-up. Models bounced down the runway in pageboy wigs, wearing feather vests and chiffon dresses, peacoats and cropped pants. A credible collection, but the music was so loud our seats vibrated.
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ANNA SUI
Anna Sui was inspired by Proust and Belle Époque Paris—but that hardly matters. It seems whatever tickles Sui's fancy in a particular season—matadors, Russian soldiers—you're going to get some black dresses, color prints, and ruffles, which isn't a bad thing. The styling was great: hats with feathers, over-the-knee boots and colored tights. Sui's gaggle of it models included Agyness Deyn, Jessica Stam, and Daisy Loewe, who wore the looks well.
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ZAC POSEN
In a melodramatic show with a sibling piano act called the 5 Browns, Posen sent out clothes that were as lovely and showy as the piano players' thundering finale—think Victorian high-collared dresses or 1940s peaked shoulders. The gold and red gowns at the end will be lovely on the red carpet.
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Photography: Images 7, 8, 10, and 11 courtesy of Style.com
Posted at 03:58 PM in Fashion Week | Permalink
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Chicago's fashion news editor Elisabeth Fourmont takes you from the front rows of the runway to behind the scenes at the designer ateliers and parties of Paris and New York Fashion Weeks. She also chats with Chicago retailers and models in town for the shows, and posts snapshots of the runway, the streets, and all things aesthetically pleasing. Elsewhere, you can find Elisabeth writing about fashion and France on her personal blog, 
