Is it or isn’t it the first day of Fashion Week?
That was the question buzzing among the magazine biggies seated in the front rows of the first round of spring/summer 2003 shows yesterday.
7th on Sixth, the organization that coordinates Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week here, insists today – Wednesday – is the official launch.
But try telling that to the designers who staged impressive presentations yesterday.
First on the roster was former Halston designer Craig Natiello’s new solo venture. His elegantly sexy show was followed by downtown design diva Katayone Adeli.
Held in her lovely white-on-white Bond Street store, Adeli’s new line featured about a dozen looks that would be perfect garb for the Army – should they decide to institute a model brigade.
These waifs-on-patrol boldly wore quilted military jackets and combat boots with impossibly delicate mini-slip dresses. These were also layered with overalls that had appealing dropped waists and slim legs – work clothes for Madison Avenue princesses!
The grunge nightie-and-fatigue look isn’t for all of us – in fact, it probably shouldn’t be worn by most of us, save women with stick legs like the punky models that worked Adeli’s show.
Get ready for more of it. Adeli’s show suggests grunge, which made only a brief step onto the runways last season, will be back with a vengeance this season.
Other designers that showed yesterday were Diane Von Furstenberg, Douglas Hannant, Badgley Mischka, Nicole Miller and Imitation of Christ.
Today’s super-packed schedule includes shows by Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera and Kenneth Cole, ending with Marc Jacobs star-studded presentation at Chelsea’s Maritime Hotel.