AP News, September 9th, 2007
The runway turned into a boardwalk at Alice Temperley's fashion show.
Temperley, one of the British-based designers who choose to show upcoming collections during New York Fashion Week, said she was inspired by the French seaside and the freedoms women enjoyed during the 1920s, demonstrated through their fun and frivolous bathing costumes.
"This was one of the most interesting turning points for 20th century fashion when two worlds collided to create a fascinating collage of old and new," she explained in her notes Saturday at the Bryant Park tents for an audience that included Demi Moore, Christy Turlington and Molly Sims.
There was a lightness to the clothes that captured a playful spirit. Many daytime dresses had tiered skirts, and one particularly nice dress was a white-and-black feather print with a loose braided halter.
For evening, Temperley offered a coral-colored gown with all-over pintucks, including a diamond pattern on the bodice, a black-and-white knit dress with a scalloped hem, and a white strapless dress with a black scroll pattern on top and long black stripes on bottom.
A wonderfully detailed dress dubbed the "Pandora" had horizontal rows of triangles, which seems to be a trend in its own right, in the sandy color palette that has been so popular in the designer collections.
But what's up with the rompers _ sort of short jumpsuits? Not to pick on Temperley, hers were no better nor worse than the dozen or so others that have been spotted on the runways.
Maybe it's because many of the designers have cited both the '20s and the beach as strong influencers for the season, but rompers are likely to be a hard sell with a woman in 2008.
