Day 6 NYFW: Masterworks, Messes & Kirstie Alley

The Zang Toi Spring 2012 show had drama and Kirstie Alley (pictured at right with the designer). Photos by Mike Coppola/Getty Images.

HEAD’S UP: I repeat, it is officially a tradition at VEVLYN’S PEN. The plan each day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is to give a roundup of the best (and worse where applicable) and most interesting Yours Truly witnesses, from shows to trends to sightings to the rather unusual/bizarre. It should go without saying, but it shan’t – this won’t be a comprehensive list simply because a body can’t be everywhere. But, of course, depend on one’s best effort. Drum roll, please …

Day 6
(SOME of the players at the tents and elsewhere): A Détacher, Argentine Designers, Badgley Mischka, Bibhu Mohapatra, Chadwick Bell, Diesel Black Gold, Hervé Léger by Max Azria, Improvd, J.Crew, Karen Walker, Malan Breton, Marchesa, Michael Angel, Narciso Rodriguez, Oscar de la Renta, RAD by Rad Hourani, Rodarte, Sophie Theallet, Theyskens' Theory, Tory Burch, Tibi, Vera Wang, Zang Toi

WORD is that the Oscar de la Renta show was an even harder ticket this season, what with the move to his new 42nd street digs. The lucky few who made the cut got an extra closeup look. The runway so narrow, the seats so close.

In what was the Best Overall Show of the day at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York Spring 2012, OdlR employed various masterstrokes into his handywork – brilliant colors, lush fabrics, impeccable stitching and crocheting, inspired folding. The result is a sexy, classy, sophisticated, lush, hip-ish collection that will please his longtime clients and win a few others, especially among the young get.



Meanwhile, Narciso Rodriguez gets the Best Interpretation of a Vision prize for his ruminations on the artist Kim Joon. The designer uses color blocking and prints to cleverly evoke KJ’s computer-generated graphic designs laid over nude bodies (See YouTube video above). Over at Herve Leger by Max Azria, an Honorable Mention is earned for what can fairly be described as a warrior woman collection, right down to the gladiator sandals.

In the category of Best Runway Voguing, Zang Toi take a bow. His models, including star dancer Kirstie Alley, turned out in grand evening gowns, let it rip to the great glee of the audience. Alas, under the rubric of Sideshow, not Fashion Show is Popluxe by Ritchie Rich. Recall that the Heatherette designer and party boy gave Yours Truly to know on Day 2 of fashion week that he'd decided that very day to have a fashion show a few days later at the Italian supper club, Lavo. (http://www.bit.ly/n5Qys5)

Herve Leger by Max Azria is in a warlike mood for Spring 2012. Photos by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

“I love Ritchie, but he needs to stop drinking,” opined one supporter who paused before issuing this statement. He was referring to the designer’s persistent and well-publicized heavy drinking/drugging/partying, which no doubt helped spawn the disaster that went down in the basement of Lavo. While a precious few of the club wear/gay-bar clothes in RR's young Popluxe line – if they can be called that – look to have the beginnings of the makings of something, most are rags drunk-stitched together (awesome jewelry, though). Even RR muse, Coco, who may or may not have had a massive wardrobe malfunction, couldn't save the day.

Interestingly enough, the mind was thinking Halloween costume as the models strolled and preened about the small, roundish space in front of Ice T, Kirstie Alley and other VIPs. SVEDKA Vodka, a sponsor of the show, commissioned RR to design a Halloween costume for its SVEDKA GRL, which was unveiled during the show. Perhaps this business informed the spectacle. Like their creator, sadly, the threads are a train wreck ... Wishing RR the best in pulling it back together.

More details shortly from Day 6. For now enjoy photos from some of the day’s shows.

Vera Wang
Photos by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

Tory Burch
Photos by Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images.

Michael Angel
Photos by Earl Gibson III/Getty Images.

Malan Breton
Photos by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

J.Crew
Photos by Mike Coppola/Getty Images.

Bibhu Mohapatra
Photos by Dario Cantatore/Getty Images.

Diesel Black Gold
Photos by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images.

Badgley Mischka
Photos by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images.

On deck today, Day 7 : Norma Kamali, Rochambeau, Michael Kors, Nanette Lepore, J. Mendel, Nomia, Chado Ralph Rucci, Milly by Michelle Smith, Shamask, Anna Sui, Hemma Collection, Juan Carlos Obando, Ellie Tahari, B Michael America, Focus Taiwan

Visit http://www.mbfashionweek.com/ and to learn more about Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York and to see live and taped streams of the shows.