Daily Front Row

2007 December 10

Narciso Rodriguez - Pre-Fall 2008

Narciso Rodriguez Pre-Fall 2008
View Gallery

(NEW YORK) Less structure, more separates was on key for Narciso Rodriguez, who presented his first pre-fall in the form of a runway show in his Union Square showroom. "I like things rich, things that feel good and new and easy," said Rodriguez. "Easy on the eye." He didn't disappoint. His simple statements were noticeably less strict--though he continued to present in his signature limited color palette--showing an ease of hand in volume and proportion and a rich influx of separates for both day and evening. This was a cozy and inviting Narciso Rodriguez, not so stark and architectural as has become his trademark--although a fitted white airtex and black bonded wool dress and speckled shadow silk-and-wool tweed jacket and skirt should satisfy his tried-and-true client base.

An emphasis on the collars with the outerwear, done luxuriously in various forms of lushly tailored and embroidered collars juxtaposed nicely the otherwise clean lines and precise tailoring of everyday pieces like a wool sweater, a silk crepe skirt, or a white cotton shirt. "It's about different techniques with different materials, using unusual materials that you wouldn't necessarily wash," said Rodriguez, alluding to the garment-washed pieces that mostly came in the form of skirts. A beautiful piece was an ivory cut shearling jacket, and also a tobacco shearling coat that boasted a fitted waist that opened to a fuller bottom with tone-on-tone piping.