As promised, day one of Fashion at the Park started off with a bang. Even though the first show of the day (Nordstrom) started at 10 a.m., it still managed to capture and keep the attention of Dallas’ fashion elite. The show featured some of Nordstrom at NorthPark’s best collections: Versace, Marc Jacobs, Missoni and Redux, just to name a few. The Nordstrom production team carefully selected looks, music and overall aesthetic to create a truly cohesive show – quite the feat when working with so many collections. After the show, just like last season, the spectators had to go up to the couture department to retrieve their swag – a clever marketing trick to give the ladies a chance to see the looks up close and possibly purchase some of the runway pieces.
The CH Carolina Herrera show immediately superseded Nordstrom, and was a bit “wa-wa.” The setup was clean and the colors were sharp, but the clothes, for the most part, were a mix between conservative (safe) and fits that looked two sizes too big. One of the few redeeming factors was the use of deep reds and stunning graphites. There were one or two fabulous pieces, but they were few and far between.
Next up was Oscar de la Renta. The only word to describe this collection is perfection. Each and every piece was beautifully and artfully designed and constructed. The colors, textures and shapes created a spectacular harmony, which is rarely seen in the fashion industry. There is something about the small details of the dresses that make them uniquely Oscar. Somehow he keeps re-inventing himself while still preserving his essence. The best part is you can walk into the store and buy what you see!
Following Oscar is one of my personal favorites: Billy Reid. As always, a tremendous influence on Billy’s collection is down home, southern style. With only four stores in the country, Reid retains a feeling of intimacy and originality that is uniquely Billy Reid. He started out in New York, but as he has grown as a designer and expanded his family, he decided to move back to the south: Florence, Ala. Originally from Amite, La., it is no surprise he eventually returned to his roots. With each season Reid “gets more focused…the line evolves,” and somehow a mishmash of really cool vintage-style garments comes together into one cohesive collection. I love how he uses only natural fibers and still tailors his garments by hand; even the trousers are bench made! Reid does great work, and it really came though in his show.
The last show of the night was Custo, but we’ll save that for Tuesday’s special edition of the fashion page, featuring Fashion at the Park, Fall 2007.
