Saturday
4:15 p.m.
After waiting outside in the cold for 10 minutes (these hipper-than-thou Westside venues!) I expect the scene at Christian Siriano to be a madhouse. But everything is so… low key. Perhaps that’s to be expected from the “Project Runway” alum, who’s taken pains to temper his brash personality in recent seasons in an effort of prove that he is truly a capital-D designer. I spot “Saturday Night Live” comedian Aidy Bryant and “Game of Thrones” actress Maisie Williams in the front row.
4:20 p.m.
The show notes say that Siriano was inspired by 1950s haute couture model Lisa Fonssagrives, particularly first husband Fernand Fonssagrives’ portraits of her. (She was also married to Irving Penn.) That, combined with the vintage gaslights on the stage, tell me that this is going to be a blast from the past.
4:30 p.m.
The show opens with a very on-trend furry knit coat in a rich forest green and pleated green leather pants. Oversized alpaca coats in rich jewel tones follow. Then come the real homages to the glory days of haute couture: cinched waists and smart suits and full, flared skirts and oversized bell sleeves worn with black saucer-like straw hats — as Ms. Fonssagrives would have done herself. (The clothing owes a debt to Christian Dior, both vintage and the stuff that Raf Simon’s been showing the past few seasons there.) Of course, there are ballgowns too (this is Christian Siriano): flouncy marbled organza confections as well as a high-necked lace trumpet gown, worn by a vamping Anna Cleveland, whose dramatic performance actually elicits whistles from the camera pit. This is high-wattage glamour from start to finish.
The major trends
Jewel tones, alpaca, fuzzy oversized coats and jackets
The scene
A few TV starlets, but otherwise pretty laid back. It seems that the fashion industry has finally (if begrudgingly) accepted Siriano as more than just a reality TV star.
What this will mean for your wardrobe
You still have cinching belts from a few seasons back, right? Good.
