We kicked off Fashion Week at the BCBG runway show, where we spotted sumptuous fur jackets and vests juxtaposed against silky colorblocked chiffon dresses. Backstage, Max Azria told us about his Fall 2012 collection, when he first fell in love with fashion, and how he's relaxing after all of his shows have wrapped — it's all in today's Fab Flash. On Allison McNamara: Madewell top, Madewell sweater, H&M blazer, Lia Sophia necklace.
An architectural aesthetic, specifically Bauhaus style, rules for BCBG's Fall 2012 collection. Structure manifested itself via colorblocking, but it was done on fluid silk chiffon shift dresses, so the effect was a pretty blend of strong forms on flowy silhouettes. The geometric shapes created by bold color combos — black and orange, merlot and blush — were intensified with textural plays like sheer insets and clever pleating that made dresses look magically fluid and sharp at the same time. To counter the collection's emphasis on lightweight materials like silk and chiffon, it also sent cozy outerwear down the runway — we have mixed emotions on the return of gorilla-armed coats, but the multicolor fur vests and canvas and leather trenches were artful choices for next season. The minimalist approach to geometric forms and bold color combinations, together with the flowy silhouettes, make for clothes that are ideal to wear to a gallery opening.
>> Geometry played a big part in BCBG's Fall 2012 collection, via colorblocking, carefully constructed details like sheer insets and leather trim, and a focus on proportions. It was an artful collection thanks to rich mixes of even richer colors — paprika, merlot, rust, and coral — and simple, streamlined silhouettes.
>> For BCBG this season, it's all about the eyes — and we've got the first look. We went behind the scenes at the label's Fall 2012 preshow test to get the inside scoop on what we can expect beauty-wise — and otherwise — at this week's show. "Because of the clothing — very fluid, with colorblock, fur, and a bit of '40s — and in order not make everything look retro, we have to keep the look very simple," Maybelline's global makeup artist, Charlotte Willer, who directed this season's concept, explained. "It's about beautiful skin; a soft, dewy look. Then, it's a lightly filled-in eyebrow, a simple smudge of eyeliner on the top eyelid, and a little bit of brown-gray shadow smudged on top of that. Then lip balm, and that's it."
Get a closer look at the BCBG preshow process — and see Willer work her makeup magic — below, in this behind-the-scenes video. Watch closely for cameo appearances by Max and Lubov Azria, the Bumble & Bumble hair team, and as an added bonus, a quick little peek at the Fall 2012 runway shoes.
Photo and video courtesy of Thomas Beckner
