My fashion week officially started today around 2pm, on West 37th Street, with a presentation for Nuj Novakhett’s Spring 2009 Collection.
This contemporary collection is extremely wearable with flattering flounces here and there in colors consumers will actually wear (black, sand, red, blue). Although more ‘fall’ than ’spring’, the line consists of smart pieces that are as romantic as they are versatile. One piece in particular caught my eye - a sort of one strapped black dress with gentle draping simply named ‘classic black crepe dress’.
Novakhett’s innovative tailoring and feminine silhouettes make her not only one to watch in the future, but one to wear now.
Another thing I want to mention is the fact that Novakhett showed her collection as a presentation, not on the runway, and yes, there is a big difference between the two and there are certainly good and bad things about both.
During presentations, refreshments might be served (wine at Novakhett’s show) and the atmosphere is much more social and less structured; there are no seat assignments and people generally walk around and mingle. The down side to this is that many people tend to walk in, glance at the collection and then search for familiar faces to gossip with.
Presentations also held over a span of time (Novakhett’s was from 2-3pm), versus runway shows which happen only once and can be slightly dependent upon the most important attendee’s schedule (i.e. “Hold the show! Anna will be here in only 10 more minutes!”). During runway shows, a look is sent out once and may or may not end up in the finale depending upon where it falls in the line-up, giving editors only a few seconds to really judge an entire look - presentations allow for a much more leisurely review of each piece, providing ample time for details and construction to be studied (at most presentations, you are allowed to get rather close to the models if you want).
Now, one of the great things about runway shows is seeing all of the runway models in action (I remember seeing Sasha walk for the first time…*sigh*). Because presentations end up taking so much of a model’s time (they are just sitting or standing for hours), they tend to feature newer, less-experienced girls who are working the presentation for trade or very little in return.
Both presentations and runway shows allow for infinite possibilities as far as lighting, music, set design, hair, make-up, and whatever else go, but runway shows are always more hectic and always more dramatic.
Tomorrow I’ll report on what goes on at Form, which should be a little crazy as buzz-worthy Tara Subkoff (the pint-sized, overly difficult and dramatic “designer” of Imitation of Christ) is art directing. The FORM collection is inspired by the Rococo movement, and Tara’s overly-theatrical shows in the past have garnished such reviews as: “a bleak political statement - involving a slideshow of images from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a George W Bush impersonator in the front row and miserable male models who opened the show on a catwalk adorned with political flags” by Vogue UK, so this should at least be interesting…
Anyway, click below to see images and more information from the Nuj Novakhett Spring 2009 Collection Presentation
Somehow in today’s sweltering heat, I managed to make my way past 7th avenue…past 8th…and all the way to 11th for a runway show of the 
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makes this show such a show are the delicate lace masks, pieced-out mohawks, folded velvet and satin ribbons, feathered collars, delicately beaded purses, beyond-expert draping, and so much more. 
…is finally underway.
