SPONSORED BY ARISE MAGAZINE
BYANT PARK TENTS, NY 7:35 PM
MERCEDES BENZ NEW YORK FASHION WEEK SEPTEMBER 2009
Words, Images Judith Ecochard
It was the first day/night at the famed Fashion Tents in midtown Manhattan and already we felt we had seen the “IT” of what makes a great fashion week…a runway appearance like no other.
The economy might be flatlining but the moods at the African Collective Show soared through the ceiling…and then some… with veteran designer Xuly Bet’s collection. We remember him as hailing from France at some point… and with an eco slant--- using scraps of fabric to conjur up colorful and clever women’s clothes.
The looks we saw last night were more sophisticated, particularly the long knits with Obama’s image…and the men’s looks of well cut blazers and pants.
But really it was the new Grace Jones futuristic black and white video as background that signaled something special was happening…from the opening notes…
So when Alex Wek and Tyson Beckford took the runway…we were clapping away.
But when Grace Jones herself did a runway turn …with all the camp we love her for…we went nuts…as did the rest of the crowd.
We mean…how can you top that?