The Crowd: Fall fashions bring out OCMA supporters
The Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach, was transformed into a SoHo district gallery for the fall 2010 fashion preview by retailer Nordstrom.
The building seemed to pulsate with energy as the crowd of chic locals entered the museum foyer, which had been turned into a black and white landscape of fashion displays exhibiting the best of the designer lines for fall.
It was crowded, shoulder to shoulder — and that’s the way it was intended — as ladies held up outfits to show their best friend, their best man, or simply the person caught in the crush standing next to them.
Women were in short, short skirts and men in tight, tight suits with starched white shirts, collars up and tails out hanging below the jacket line. They came for a signature summer cocktail on the coast, served by Crème de la Crème, and a preview of both American and European lines.
The event sold out, and by the end of the show, when the electronic beat subsided, the crowd raised some $30,000 for the museum.
OCMA Director Dennis Szakacs and his staff joined with Nordstrom to produce the showcase, which literally took over most of the gallery space.
Models paraded from room to room, around corners, down hallways and back again, following the path of black seats lined up on the white floor. Lighting effects were coordinated with the music as the fall collections of Burberry Prorsum, Celine, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, Emilio Pucci, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Missoni, Nina Ricci, RM, Stella McCartney, Valentino and Versace were presented by a squadron of ultra tall, exceedingly slim models all sporting jet black wigs of shoulder length straight hair cut with bangs hanging just at eye level.
The models’ eyes were heavily made up with exaggerated shining black liner and thick mascara laden lashes. Quite a scene.
Colors are reserved for fall, for the most part. Tailoring is exceptional on most of the lines; quality is back and workmanship is evident. Some designs push the envelope but most are quite flattering and wearable.
This observer offers a few favorites: Valentino makes the most feminine and sexy bow embellished shoes. His red sleeveless dress with ruffle detail is very chic.
Michael Kors offers a Barley military wool trench coat for chilly fall evenings. Another double-breasted jacket in navy by Emilio Pucci came down the catwalk worn with a purple turtleneck and black stretch wool wide-leg pants.
Marc Jacobs did it too with a ivory double-breasted coat with shimmering jewel buttons.
Chaired by Inga Beder, Kay Bright, Susan Etchandy, Christina Ferguson, Irene Martino and Kimberly Prado, the evening was a smashing success for Nordstrom and for OCMA.
THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.
