by Lotus Ladegaard & Olivia Hastings
Christian Siriano is at the forefront of democratizing fashion. His willingness to make luxury accessible and use profits to fund the ACLU is not only commendable but also is providing a new template for designers to remain relevant in an increasingly political world where fashion cannot exist in a vacuum. His AW17 show had all the elements of that accessibility with an added focus on luxury.
The presence of classically tailored clothes with a twist was the foundational philosophy behind the collection. The silhouettes were classic and timeless while the design often offered a twist. Models of all sizes came down the runway in warm tones, burnt orange, blush, bright orange, pink, bronze, charcoal gray and blacks with some cold silver and an effective print along with fur, gold and glittery embellishments.
The standout printed suit was exquisitely tailored and the print certainly made an impression. The little bronze strapless dress with fringes at the hem line was a stroke of genius; with its illusion waist line, tons of women of all shapes, sizes, styles and ages will fall in love with it. Another favorite was the long orange dress with the cut-outs at the shoulders; it moved beautifully down the runway. The plus size styles were tailored and most of the time, very becoming for a plus size figure. I am not sure that all the styles will be turnover a huge following, but overall, Christian Soriano delivered a luxurious and timeless collection that will excite even the most jaded fashion victims...and midway through the long fashion week, there are many.
