DCFW: International Couture
Who am I to review this show, you may ask? No one – absolutely no one. At least, not in the world of fashion. Although true, I do my best to stay on top of trends and designers, via Vogue, Elle, and WWD. I also spent ~2 years working in retail for Michael Kors and Neiman Marcus. Both very valuable experiences indeed, but I learned the hard way that Retail (with a capital R) was not for me. First, it’s not as glamourous as it looks, to say the least! Second, the hours were crazy. I do have a family after all! Going back to the corporate world has offered me greater flexibility and more time with my husband and son. And yet….once you’ve been infected by the fashion bug, there’s no turning back!
Hence the reason I jumped at the chance to attend as much as possible of DCFW. If you’re not aware, DC actually *does* have a fashion scene – which has greatly evolved since my younger days growing up in the DMV. The 1st event I attended was hosted at the sleek, chic, St Yves location near fashion hub DC City Center. The venue was divine, and so were the ensembles! I thoroughly enjoyed my time – despite the lack of alcohol (drinks were weak as shit, pardon my language!).
But, to get to the title of my post, I’m here to share my thoughts on the International Couture show, hosted at the National Association of Home Builders on Sunday September 25th. I’m glad I didn’t rush to get there early; when I arrived at 6ish (event started at 5) the runway who had certainly not begun, so I had time to stand in line for the bar (again, drinks were sub-par) and then take my seat for the actual show. The DJ was “dope,” to borrow a phrase with no ill-intention…but seriously, I loved the music.
The 1st designer, BeTheOne from Uzbekistan, clearly favors a sleek, figure skimming silhouette. Her collection opened with a series of slip dresses layered with long, flowing, robes des maisons. The evening gowns that followed also featured a satiny sheen, mostly of a mermaid style, the bottom trimmed with tulle or feathers. My favorite piece from this collection was a dress with more of an A-line silhouette, still figure-skimming, with a feathered skirt that reminded me of Ginger Rogers’ famous dress in “Swing Time” (designed by Bernard Newman).
The 2nd designer, @shop.therunway, seemed to borrow from the best of the best….safety pins reminiscent of Versace, tweed suiting reminiscent of Chanel, body con dresses reminiscent of Dolce & Gabbana. Her collection embodied many of the trends I’ve noticed at large, such as sharp edges (especially on the shoulders), cut-outs, bright pops of color, and corsetry. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and would eagerly wear any of these pieces – if I could afford them!
Up next, Troy Anthony. His first piece was perhaps my favorite look of the entire show, a stunning dress with a bell-bottom skirt and flowing sleeves of the same lightweight material, giving it an ethereal feel, anchored by a top of an almost mis-matched color making the ensemble all the more striking. From there, honestly, I was less impressed. The colors used throughout the rest of the collection were very muted and neutral, even a few pieces in red overshadowed by a very heavy use of black. The cut and tailoring of the pieces were beautiful, but overall just not quite to my own personal taste.
The 5th designer, Obioma, hails from Nigeria. I absolutely loved this collection! Beautiful bold colors, patterns clearly inspired by his home country, creative cuts and shapes…a very diverse range of looks, from flowing gowns to tailored jumpsuits. This was probably my favorite collection!
More designers were featured, but at the intermission I headed back home to my family. What a wonderful life!
