Jason Wu: Opposites attract
The Jason Wu Spring 2013 collection was feminine and tough, hard and soft. (Sept. 7, 2012) Credit: AP
Contradiction was the name of the game at Jason Wu’s impressive downtown show on Friday, where the designer played with opposites – feminine and tough, hard and soft. Here, lace and chiffon were artfully tamed by leather in empowering looks that celebrated the female form.
Inspired, program notes said, by the provocative, erotically charged imagery of photographer Helmut Newton and the dreamy images of photographer Lillian Bassman, the collection was elegant and smart, feminine but strong.
It sizzled.
Precision tailoring ruled here, as polished models walked (supermodel Carolyn Murphy led the pack) in streamlined silos that were to-the-body or visible through sheer layers. A lightweight black leather flounce skirt (much black here) featured a laser-cut floral embroidered hem. A sweet coral-pink romper got its oomph from a leather harness. The most dramatic of all was a gossamer navy layered tulle gown, dappled with sparkling stars and trimmed with, again, a black harness. To die for! Then there were those stellar navy high-waisted, satin tuxedo shorts worn with a beaded shell. Pretty fancy . . . would you dare?
