FROM TROPICAL HEAT TO CITY CHIC
Boston Globe
October 8, 2009
Boston Fashion Week ended on a high note: Daniela Corte’s chic and
summery island-inspired looks. But not every designer fared so well. We
take you on a tour of several local shows.
A party in purple and chartreuse
The pixie-ish Sam Mendoza sprinted a victory lap around the many
tiers of the Liberty Hotel after his show Sept. 29 – and earned a
standing ovation from his friends and admirers. It’s heartening to see
how far Mendoza has come in such a short time. His fabric choices,
while still unique, are far more wearable than the polyester fabric
he once rescued from the back of his grandmother’s car. With a Goth
soundtrack of the Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees playing, Mendoza’s
spring collection was filled with purples, grays, blues, and punches
of chartreuse. This was evening wear for the party girl who likes
some edge. (Hooded full-length cape, anyone?) While Mendoza has shown
tremendous growth, it would also be nice to see him finish hemlines
on his dresses. Too many times, loose threads floated behind his
creations. He’s certainly talented enough to make pieces that appeal
to his funky fan base while adding finer finishes to his creations.
CHRISTOPHER MUTHER
Designing to her mood Armenian designer Nirva Derbekyan went back
to her roots to find inspiration for the stunning collection she
showed Sept. 30 at the Elan Sassoon-owned salon Mizu, which provided a
dramatic background for her lovely designs. According to the designer,
the colors of her collection were inspired by shades of orange she
saw on buildings and monasteries in her homeland, while ideas for
the hand-knotted details came from a trip to a factory where rugs are
still made by hand. "Some of the pieces reflect not objects, but my
actual mood being there – both happiness and sadness," she said after
the show. Regardless of her mood, these dresses showed incredible
craftsmanship, particularly a pale blue dress with a multitiered
hemline and Grecian-inspired eve the making It was fantastic to see
Michael DePaulo play with younger designs and shorter skirts at his
jam-packed show last Thursday at the Liberty Hotel (see photo, Page
35). The young South Shore designer has already mastered luxurious
evening wear and wedding pieces, and he was ready to offer something
more playful. Never afraid to offer drama and "Dynasty"-era high
glamour, DePaulo showed luxe fabrics, oversize hats, and mermaid
silhouettes. Still, while he’s ambitious, DePaulo occasionally headed
down the aisle into M.O.B. (that’s mother of the bride) territory
with pieces that were too fussy and cluttered with bows and layers
of pleated fabric. His choice of fabric colors was also sometimes
jarring, but when he kept the designs simple and colors basic, his
workmanship was able to shine. CM
Walk like an Egyptian There’s something ethereal about Mary McFadden’s
collection of couture gowns at MassArt’s Sandra and David Bakalar
Gallery (through Dec. 5). Drawing inspiration from Grecian and Egyptian
cultures, McFadden takes on a dual role: historian and visionary. In
addition to her textiles, McFadden’s incredible jewelry collection
is also on display. Even more so than the dresses, the Mayan-inspired
accessories have an ageless appeal. LUCY BARBER
An overflowing castle Fashionistas swarmed the Park Plaza Castle Friday
for Emerging Trends 2009, a gala featuring up-and-coming designers
like Keith Lissner of Bravo’s "The Fashion Show." Amid all the fancy
trimmings, however, the show had a fatal flaw: There was simply too
much going on – 14 designers is a lot, even in a castle. But there
were outstanding collections. New York designer J’aime Lizotte, for
instance, showed some striking architectural silhouettes, interestingly
accented with leather and zippers. Caitlin Allen’s collection reworked
country club chic, giving it an urban twist. And Lissner finished up
the night with a collection mostly made up of draped goddess gowns
and flirty frocks.
HANNAH MARTIN
Hot tropics It was ct way to cap Boston’s spring-summer Fashion Week
offerings – a trip to the tropics. Daniela Corte’s Seaport District
runway show last Friday offered equal parts Tahitian getaway and
fresh day looks for summer. Corte, best known for her flexible
wrap dresses, showed separates such as glamorous wide-leg pants and
well-made leggings. The beefcake offerings on the catwalk – otherwise
known as men’s swimsuits – may have caught the crowd’s attention, but
the showstoppers were her Asian-inspired red and black minidresses,
a beige dress and jacket that could easily make the jump from day to
evening, and a full-length, flowing summer dress in aquamarine that
looked as if it had been created for a perfect night at a seaside
restaurant in Baja. On a chilly October evening, it was a trip we
were ready to take. CM © Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.