There were many questions on the minds of those at the Sean John show at Cipriani last night:
Why is there a gay busboy theme?
Has someone already coined the term Boy-lero?
They will need it now, as the entire collection was based on a muffin-top bearing jacket with too short sleeves (thanks to designer Thom Browne) that came in everything from red leather with red fur trim to a pewter metallic baseball version.
Fur trimmed tailored suits, a Lurex sweater, patchwork chainmail jackets, iridescent purple suede coats, sequined tunics, and a braided chain-encrusted chunky knit scarf. It looked like Kate Moss for TopShop.
What did Spike Lee, who sat front row like he was at a Knicks game, and Wilmer Valderrama make of it?
Diddy may owe Little Richard a royalty.
Speaking of train wrecks, Marc Jacobs, in a petulant gesture to be on time after last season’s two-hour delay, began his show at the Lexington Armory only 20 minutes after the invitation time. Jacobs came out onto the stage and shouted at his celebrity guests to take their seats at tables with buckets of champagne because he was about to begin.
Sonic Youth performed as the models came out in pale uniforms of oversized spongy pastel pleated pants, overcoats and lumpy dresses with rolled Olivia Newton-John headbands or tricorn hats. Though it’s a statement about boxy proportion, a lay person might have a hard time distinguishing the collection from Grandma’s Talbots.
The early start time caused a crush of people trying to get to their seats, including Nina Garcia, Fabion Baron, model Karen Elson and Jefferson Hack, and pushed the ire toward him to new levels. The celebrities such as Gretchen Mol, Victoria Beckham, Kevin Federline and Selma Blair were all happily seated in time.
A pair of Seventh Avenue veterans closed the week with two very different but ladylike shows.
After celebrating his 40th anniversary last season Ralph Lauren dug into the old trunk of greatest hits, mining the great outdoors and his Southwestern moment.
He began with a skirt suit, the new suit of the season, and layered on an unexpected fishing vest in a luxe silk faille. On a foundation of sleek black sweaters, skirts and pants, he added leopard, royal purple, then orange, then green and finally red, each with more pattern and old references – plaid, blanket striping, Navajo pattern and buffalo checks. Lauren was at his cozy, town-and-country best.
Donna Karan looked to Old World Europe for her color palette, but kept her roots with modern silhouettes. Referencing Vienna, Paris and Budapest, she worked in what she called “stained glass mosaic colors.” Karan endorses the skirt suit as well, and pairs it with a cowl top. Day blends into evening with pants like pajama trousers. Her standout evening look was an embroidered tulle scarf top and dress spectacularly swagged with beaded chains, perfect for the louche leisure class.
Additional reporting by Raakhee Mirchandani