Daily Front Row

2010 February 13

Runway Reviews: Yigal Azrouël, Cynthia Rowley

Yigal Azrouel
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(NEW YORK) Yigal Azrouël
The downtown, Yigal Azrouël girl has grown up a bit in Fall 2010, with day pieces and tailoring featuring prominently in the collection. “I definitely see suits playing in my collection more and structured pieces,” explained the designer. “I think the woman that wears the suit is very confident. She’s taking a little bit more risk. She’s powerful and strong and has much more to say.” Of course, in Azrouël’s hands, these are not suits you’ll see on Wall Street. Fur and leather detailing make it clear he hasn’t forgotten the cool-factor he’s loved for. Also evolving? Accessories. About 10 bags were produced, but they did not appear on the runway. There was plenty of leather—Yigal promised even more leather pieces at retail that did not make it to the runway—and sexy minidresses. As usual, we saw a couple floor-length but relaxed dresses that became insta-hits. Actress Malin Akerman said that she’s already eyeing a bright red, long-sleeved crepe gown for the red carpet.

Cynthia Rowley
In seasons past, Cynthia Rowley has dipped her toe into edgier and more experimental design. She has sometimes even waded. But for Fall 2010, she delved into the deep end for what Rowley has nicknamed her “chic monster-girl collection.” A number of pieces that looked like they were covered in fur or feathers turned out to be thin strands of hand-cut lace on organza. Silk tassels in every color of the rainbow covered some pieces and accented others. Technicolor prints added a wow-factor to more simple silhouettes. She also kept in mind how the dresses would photograph while designing due to a collaboration with Gagosian. Photographs of roughly 15 dresses, front and back, were appropriated and printed onto dresses. “I feel like there is a little wildness floating around out there, and I wanted to do things that are luxurious but have texture and movement,” Rowley revealed.