Designer Mimi Plange interprets the golden hues of South Africa in her Spring 2011 collection titled “Prey and Pray.” Animal prints, sexy bustier dresses, geometric cuts and wonderfully dramatic glasses in a thick gilded frame were the highlights of this collection. Buttery silk dresses in a soft safari style gave the edgy collection a nice contrast.
Whenever I experience tulle in its fragile, ethereal glory, I enter into a (and I kid you not) Â trance-like state of eye-opening rapture. There’s something about this material that elicits a heightened state of pleasure in me when I encounter it.
So, it comes to reason that the reaction I had, as I entered the dark, lit-up presentation Box to view Diego Binetti’s Spring 2011 collection, was one of amazement. There was tulle and it was everywhere, floating lightly off of the models bodies. The first dress, clearly the one they chose to greet the incoming, had a simple, satin bodice  that fell into voluminous clouds of the airy, white material . Embroidered flowers and branches also rested on the gown, lending an earthiness to the ethereal. The rest of the collection was done in beautiful, soft colors of apricot, pale yellows, gold and white. The gowns, while quite stunning, either felt a bit too done in its sequin-ness or just spot on. The flowy, 70’s inspired apricot gown, which was delicately beaded in gold, was easily the most beautiful dress in the room. The gorgeous hue was a bit shy of a blush and it had a wonderful ease that felt luxe without the fuss.  Designer Diego Binetti also proved to us that he can design accessories and adorned the models hands with pearl-encrusted nail rings. Sprouting like flowers off of their fingers, the attention to detail was impressive, the effect quite rich and imaginative.
Guili presented a collection for a globe-trotting fashionista. Spring 2011 will consist of a worldly color palette with earthy greens and blues, burning sunset shades of ochre and golds, as well as shimmery neutrals. There was an obvious nod to ethnic inspirations in the ikat prints, intricate embroidery, Navajo motifs and Mexican scarfs fringes. Silhouette-wise, the collection was just like its traveling girl, as in allover the place. There was a-line, empire, shift and tent dresses, cropped tops, high and low waisted pants, harem pants, a skirt/belt thing and even an apron. As if she back-packed through multiple countries collecting various articles of clothing from different cultures and then paraded them all down a runway. —Maria Giannakakis Photos by Stevyn Llewellyn
Ashleigh Verrier couldn’t have asked for better weather to showcase her Spring/Summer 2011 looks, choosing to have her presentation outdoors in the garden courtyard tucked away in the middle of Lincoln Center. A warm and breezy evening complemented her soft and light collection, inspired by “The Great Gatsby” and the 1920’s. Dainty tea length skirts were modernized with sheer panels of crinoline while feminine and lacy blouses brought an air of nostalgia without feeling fusty. The models had the perfect “couple glasses of champagne” flush, furthering my desire to go on a picnic with Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker in Long Island Sound.
In his trademark style of bright, collage-like prints and varying textures, designer Custo Delmau once again delivered an Ibiza-inspired, ready-to-wear collection for the jet set. This season, we noticed that the colors were a bit muted and softer to the eye, and a surprising neutral nude-colored dress was in the mix. There was a Bohemian feel to the loose belted shifts and the rainbow color spectrum. Batik and tie-dye prints were prevalent and so were fun, feathered minis worn with easy, off the shoulder long tees. Dresses were still fitted and sexy, full of asymmetrical lines and punches of color. It was nice to observe the designer using earthier tones and going a bit softer with his color palette. Pinks were duskier and the blues were more powdery. We like the direction he’s going in.
