LET it be said, lest anyone need a reminder, that Zac Posen likes to have fun. The one thing that's been missing since New York fashion's big move to uptown has been the sense of showmanship, one-upmanship, glamour, fantasy and joy that one so frequently associates with the enigmatic world of fashion design. Tonight, Zac reminded us of that, and that he was once America's very own l'enfant terrible.
Starting with the high-octane crowd jostling the frazzled guardians of the gilded doors to the madhouse front row scene (name check time: Olivier Zahm, Michelle Trachtenberg, Leigh Lezark, Kimora Lee Simmons, Lauren Conrad, J. Alexander, and - the pièce de résistance - Claire Danes), that caused a frenzy of flashes, Posen's pre-show resembled a cinematic cliché of what Hollywood thinks a fashion show is. It was surprising, too, since this was the sophomore season for his more consumer-friendly, sportswear-focused sister line Z Spoke - not his eponymous label. With Z Spoke and his recent collaboration with K-mart, it seems that Posen, known for his princess ball gowns and red carpet-ready frocks has found a more magnanimous vein.
But on to the clothes! As the thumping music began (provided by none other than The Misshapes), Posen let his inhibitions, if he had any left, go and sent down a procession of the industry's finest 'It' girls bathed in clothing that ranged from outlandish and flirty to downright excessive. We even had a chuckle when one model, grinning mischievously, did a twirl and took a major tumble mid-catwalk, to the dismay and delight of the audience.
Whether it be a pale yellow dress (worn by Crystal Renn), with peplums and frills or a sable and lemon hued criss-cross top with cut-aways and a keyhole front, Posen was exercising his right to be dramatic. Nothing here was subtle, and it may not be for everyone, but Posen banks on the fact that there are enough designers out there working on quotidian closet-fillers. Pants had exaggerated proportions, jackets had nipped waists and theatrical shoulders, shirts came in loud prints courtesy of Daisy de Villeneuve (a pineapple print was especially fun), and dresses, and we know Posen loves a dress, came in every cut and colour under the sun - with embellishments to spare. After all, the Zac Posen girl, whether she be walking a press line - or a grocery store line - is not one likely to shy away from the limelight and is rarely a wallflower.