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Shaolin Warriors or Gun Slingers of the Future Wild West? Either Way, the BCBG Girl Is Ready to Get a Little More Serious.
Last September's Spring BCBGMAXAZRIA show was a bit of a sleeper. It was stark, minimal, soft, geometric. It was the kind of effect that generated initial
ambivalence. Do we like this? Well, as only time can come to tell, Max and Lubov Azria's gamble on the power of keeping things simple paid off in
spades. When Kelly Rowland walked into the Lincoln Center Theater for Fall 2011 show wearing one of the brand's short coral Spring garments, looking
stunning - to put it quite simply - that's when one realizes that all that ambivalence was completely unjustified. We were in good hands that whole time.
There was nothing to be ambivalent about Thursday morning at the BCBG show. The Azria’s, quite frankly, hit it out of the park. All 34 of their outfits were
unified by a white turtleneck bodysuit with black cuffs. The goal must've been "maximize your options." The run of show was a lesson in how to use your
closet, or how one piece (white bodysuit) can go a long way (34 looks). The impact of the elongated - almost petticoatish length of the skirts - with a sexy
left slit and black boots - brought to mind Balenciaga's college campus collection a few years back, sans the teal tights, while the tonal palette was
somewhat reminiscent of Chloe back in the Stella McCartney days.
But that honestly takes nothing away from what the Azria’s have created here. At moments, the girls seemed to evoke 70s flower-girls with none of the
sugar and nothing but spunk. A red silk crepe dress, a rose silk jacquard long dress and a cobalt silk chiffon dress with black piping all reinforced the
powerful spirit of the BCBG Fall 2011 girl with a taste of Shaolin Warrior/Saloon Gunslinging Cowgirl. The graceful, geometric cuts and layering on the
material conveyed a sense that these girls are harnessing something dangerous under those fascinating cutaways. Of the Azrias' MBFW trio (Max Azria
and Herve Leger being the other two in question) BCBG is the one targeted at a younger market. Still, from the looks of things, it seems the Azria's think
the BCBG girl is ready to grow up.
Last September's Spring BCBGMAXAZRIA show was a bit of a sleeper. It was stark, minimal, soft, geometric. It was the kind of effect that generated initial
ambivalence. Do we like this? Well, as only time can come to tell, Max and Lubov Azria's gamble on the power of keeping things simple paid off in
spades. When Kelly Rowland walked into the Lincoln Center Theater for Fall 2011 show wearing one of the brand's short coral Spring garments, looking
stunning - to put it quite simply - that's when one realizes that all that ambivalence was completely unjustified. We were in good hands that whole time.
There was nothing to be ambivalent about Thursday morning at the BCBG show. The Azria’s, quite frankly, hit it out of the park. All 34 of their outfits were
unified by a white turtleneck bodysuit with black cuffs. The goal must've been "maximize your options." The run of show was a lesson in how to use your
closet, or how one piece (white bodysuit) can go a long way (34 looks). The impact of the elongated - almost petticoatish length of the skirts - with a sexy
left slit and black boots - brought to mind Balenciaga's college campus collection a few years back, sans the teal tights, while the tonal palette was
somewhat reminiscent of Chloe back in the Stella McCartney days.
But that honestly takes nothing away from what the Azria’s have created here. At moments, the girls seemed to evoke 70s flower-girls with none of the
sugar and nothing but spunk. A red silk crepe dress, a rose silk jacquard long dress and a cobalt silk chiffon dress with black piping all reinforced the
powerful spirit of the BCBG Fall 2011 girl with a taste of Shaolin Warrior/Saloon Gunslinging Cowgirl. The graceful, geometric cuts and layering on the
material conveyed a sense that these girls are harnessing something dangerous under those fascinating cutaways. Of the Azrias' MBFW trio (Max Azria
and Herve Leger being the other two in question) BCBG is the one targeted at a younger market. Still, from the looks of things, it seems the Azria's think
the BCBG girl is ready to grow up.
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By Alexander Patino
POSTED February 10, 2011
BCBG Maz Azria Women's Ready-to-wear
