A Tale of Five Collections: Part Two

The prints and patterns that were so heavily adopted in the Spring/Summer 2010 shows did not fade away with the passing of the seasons. Instead, they were offered by many in the colors of fall as a way to feel the whimsy of summer shortly after its passing.

Doo-Ri Chung has had a whirlwind five years. She moved from presentations to full-fledged runway shows. She received the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award. She started a diffusion line. Yet with all of the expansion and praise, she has continued to grow and change artistically as well. Challenging herself anew every season. For Fall/Winter 2009, her line, Doo.Ri, offered interest in the form of heavily embellished tights. For Pre-Fall 2010, there are instead patterns in black, white, gray and deepest blue.

Zero + Maria Cornejo entered the public consciousness after being worn by First Lady Michelle Obama. It was a rather bold choice as Cornejo’s pieces don't fit into the rather limited spectrum of what most expect a First Lady to spend her time in. There are no skirt suits here. Just easy, modern pieces. Jumpsuits and dropped crotches. Patterns in dark colors infused with occasional shots of bright blue and green. Dresses that are classic because of their design, not because they recall a time long gone.

As I was first making my way through the Missoni collection, I got a bit of a headache. I clicked through the pictures too quickly. The patterns passed in front of my eyes in a blur. I realized that I wasn’t getting the larger picture, so I stopped and began again. The collection had some of the feel of the Peter Som Spring/Summer 2010 presentation altered with a hint of I like to spend time rummaging in my grandmother’s attic. I would get a little lost in these clothes, becoming all lumps and bumps, but for some, the beauty and intricacy would highlight as opposed to detract.

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