Darling, I simply must dash.
Impatiently waiting in line at an elevator bank to be let up to the Malandrino presentation, we had little choice but to survey our co-habitants in the line. One thing struck us: This is an amazingly stylish crowd. EVERYONE was dressed to the nines. It just may have been the most well-dressed audience overall for any of the shows we've seen during Fashion Week. Not that such a fact should be all that surprising; we've always loved Catherine Malandrino's designs for pairing her innate French chicness with a very American breeziness and sportiness. That was exactly the best way to describe the collective style of the crowd, which seemed heavily weighted to socialites and fashion editors, to our eyes.As for the collection itself, putting her own spin on the current trend, it's heavy with a chic, urban, high-waisted '70s appeal, complete with the rich colors for which Malandrino is known, as well as the combination of luxe and wearable that she does so well. Love the big hats and sunglasses, the leather sashes, the fur and the gorgeous houndstooth. It's an updated Jackie O, heading to the airport to jet off to Paris from New York, with just a little bit of Bianca Jagger and Marisa Berenson thrown in to give it that international glamour.
