by Kristine
As the music began to thump against the walls of the Altman Building, I wasn’t sure what would be worse: the perpetual thumping of carnival tunes or my fear that Monsieur Diran may have drawn more inspiration from the women in his audience – one who was a real Real Housewife (Alex McCord) and the rest who could easily have been extras – than from his beloved Coney Island. And then the models began to walk and I saw what appeared to be a relentless onslaught of ruffles and milk braids and knew I was in for a ride.
All I could keep thinking as silk after satin after other shiny things walked down the runway in the form of bubble hems and bows, was that Loris Diran was a little more Fast Fashion than High Fashion.
Calling on his “childhood playground” Coney Island to be the inspiration behind his collection, the only notes to the summery Ferris Wheel clad island I could see were a few dresses and one mens’ jacket in a bright canary yellow. I assumed drawn from the “bright, sun burnt colors” to which Diran alludes in his description.
There was of course what seems to be the mandatory inclusion of sheer fabrics and metal details in the form of chains or exposed zippers, but nothing that I haven’t seen all week or for the past two years, if I’m being honest.
Surprisingly, as Monsieur Diran came down the runway after the final walk, half of the crowd stood up in applause. In truth, I had the slightest feeling that those cheering so enthusiastically may have been his friends (or at least they eagerly wished to be). As I glanced over to Alex, the look I saw on her face may only be described as, “Are these people really standing?” (She was not). And then I had my answer. Ms. McCord, maybe you and I are not so different after all.
xo
