A TRIP TO THE MEDITERRANEAN WITH THE MASTER

Oh. My. God. This was the last show I saw at Skylight Moynihan this season, and what a magical end to the Spring/Summer 2016 journey.

It started the moment you walked into the room. At the top of the runway, a white doorway and a wall covered in flowers. I’m going to guess Bougainvillea, since that was part of Khan’s inspiration for the season, “sun drenched gardens of the South of France, Bougainvillea-strewn white washed walls of the Mediterranean.” That, and “azure blue waters of Capri and the soft palette of the French Impressionists”, with “iconic muses of the ‘50s and ‘60s, Sophia Loren, Grace Kelly, Brigitte Bardot and Jackie Kennedy.” It’s a lot to take in.

Luckily, I was transported the moment I entered the room. Where to begin? The color: bougainvillea and azure blue, of course, mixed with lemon, celadon, anthracite, silver, lilac and rose. The cut: some perfectly molded to the body, others billowing below the waist, perfect for picking up the warm sea breeze. No, what really brought the drama to this collection was the embroidery, the beading, the embellishments.

This is one runway where only the pictures truly tell the story. It started with a bougainvillea and white paisley embroidered coat over a romper. That embroidery was breathtaking, intricate and magnificent. It showed up again in a strapless sweetheart gown, and over a black background in a cape.

Every piece that passed on the catwalk was more beautiful than the last: a floral embroidered gown in bougainvillea with caviar beading, a shimmering opalescent crystal cocktail dress, a raffia lace cocktail dress covered in scarlet flowers, a shining striped ombre beaded jumpsuit.

An almost playful striped ballgown contained all the colors of the Mediterranean. There were caftans and jumpsuits, cocktail dresses (one anthracite beaded dress combined playful with glamorous) and the most elegant gowns.

It’s no surprise that Naeem Khan elevates evening wear to levels no one comes near. This season, every number was a showstopper, each one eliciting gasps and applause from the grateful crowd. It was the perfect end to this season’s New York Fashion Week. Nothing could top this.

© Red Stiletto Media 2015                                     Photography: Anton Brookes