Daily Front Row

2010 February 16

Runway Reviews: Halston, Koi Suwannagate

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Halston
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(NEW YORK) Halston
After tears, pans, and not-so-subtle drama on the Ungaro runway in October, the industry was on a close watch for Halson's next spin on the Fashion Week carousel. Marios Schwab was, of course, recently appointed as the company's creative director, and Golden Globe-collecting actor Sarah Jessica Parker became the company's director without ever wearing the brand--save an oft-publicized white Halston Heritage frock while filming Sex and the City 2. And while the actress wasn't involved with last night's collection, her presence was felt. Luckily for her, the Greek Austrian designer delivered. Big. His Fall effort closely elaborated on some of Halston's greatest archive dresses, with a keen focus on richly colored dresses, attractive fur, and smart jackets. The palette was bold, the execution was high-grade, and he clearly succeeded on the first try where Zanini and others failed. "I came into the space and was just so excited and inspired," raved Parker. "Marios is a true talent, and I'm just privileged to be part of his journey at Halston."

Koi Suwannagate
Lauded for her skilled manipulation of cashmere and keen deconstruction, Koi Suwannagate’s presentation this evening showed off the beautiful simplicity of her beloved fabric. The models donned crisp, stiff black bows wrapped around their heads, and each one looked like a pretty present. Inspired by Japanese flower arrangements, traditional kimonos and the art of gift wrapping, Suwannagate experimented with structure and geometry; a standout included a sweater with a tiger print that was an optical illusion. From a distance, the motif looked like a print, but up close it was clear that it was composed of cashmere scraps. The designer explained, “Mostly people know my work for flowers, deconstructed and hand sculpted designs. This collection is different, in that it is much more about Japanese arrangements. There is less floral, and the look is much more toned down.”