More Diva Designers Strut Their Style

Benjamin Cho

DJ, designer, and man-about-town Benjamin Cho is something of a mad genius—sure, he can sew, drape, and tailor to perfection, but his vision extends far beyond the “pretty” or the “pleasing” toward pieces that could stand on their own as works of art. Never before has that vision resounded so beautifully as it did in his fall collection, which opened with a characteristically slim-fitting dress, ornamented lavishly. And this time, it bloomed—in a multi-colored blossom bigger than the dress itself. A top made out of transparent plastic with bright blue satin sewn into the front was breathtaking, while another metallic mini clinked and clattered in rows of chain mail. Forget rhyme, reason, or even cohesion. Each piece was delectable and fantastical on its own, but the last look, a creamy yarn dress, really took the cake: the yarn was woven into a larger-than-human-sized moose head. Weird? Sure. Senseless? Well, yes. But, genius? Did you even need to ask?
—Xiyin Tang

Tia Cibani

Tia Cibani’s fall collection for Ports looked to the Scottish countryside for its muted palette of olives, dusty yellows, and fiery oranges. It was so perfectly autumn in its execution that you can easily imagine strolling down a windy avenue in a luscious faux fur cape draped lazily over a silky chiffon dress. And when the leaves start turning colors, stand out in the foliage in a fire-orange dress topped off with a ring of flowers in your hair. These are clothes to cozy up to, and what they lacked in whimsy was easily made up for by the imaginative headpieces, shaped like spiraling Loch Ness monsters for the perfect ending to a very practical fairy tale.
—Xiyin Tang

Betsey Johnson

Always over the top, Betsey Johnson brought her Beat Chick collection to a runway styled as a French café, complete with four-person tables and candy cigarettes. With their red lips, huge, crimped hairdos, and fishnets, Betsey’s girls had a serious rocker edge, complemented by a strong palette of primary yellow, red, blue, and black. High-waisted shorts and off-the-shoulder tops took a page from ’50s fashion, along with polka-dot patterns, floor-length fringe, and bold sweater dresses. Flouncy blouses bound with suspenders and leotards concealed under faux-fur coats played with ideas of volume, while skin-tight cat suits seemed to shun the idea all together. Celebrating the label’s 30th anniversary, 30 of Betsey’s favorite blasts from the past showed up on the runway too. A gun-printed sweater, a vibrant violet floral dress with huge black petticoats, and zip-front mini-dresses spoke to the diverse history of the label. At the close of the show, Johnson and business partner Chantal Bacon strutted the runway, followed by balloon-toting models and Betsey’s signature cartwheels. As the wacky designer performed her shoe-flinging acrobatics to tremendous applause, one thing was for sure: Betsey Johnson had never compromised her vision.
—Sasha de Vogel

Joanna Mastroianni

According to the press release, Joanna Mastroianni “turned eastward to the Kingdom of Morocco” for her 2008 fall show. Judging by the looks of her collection, it was a waste of a trip. For all of its intricacies, rich colors, and complicated patterns, Mastroianni’s collection was uninspired. The first look of the collection set the tone for the entire show, which was a sleeveless sheath dress with an embroidered motif on the chest. While Mastroianni would most likely claim Morocco as an inspirational source for this look, the dress looks little more than “pretend Morocco,” using patterns and colors perhaps found in the country, but in a shallow and bland way. Aside from looking inauthentic, the collection at times also looked rather drab, which was especially the case with Mastroianni’s apparent fondness for straight, shapeless “dresses.” How Mastroianni managed to make Morocco boring I have no idea, but with 43 separate looks, midway through the show I was antsy to do some traveling of my own.
—Ashley James

Tibi

Having to wake up earlier than 8 a.m. to make the fall 2008 Tibi show, I was reminded of my grade school days. And as the models strutted down the runway in plaid coats and capes and paisley-printed mini dresses, elementary school memories crept up again—in the best possible way. With her fall collection, designer Amy Smilovic is all classroom-chic, using classical fall patterns and wears—such as houndstooth and tweed—and tailoring them into sophisticated outfits that still maintain a sense of youthful innocence. A light green tweed suit is a particularly good example of this balance, as it paired a girlish cut with a sophisticated fabric. A hot pink silk short dress, too, is simultaneously flirtatious and fresh. Patterns are also Smilovic’s strong suit. Her “arboretum” pieces feature a cute tree design, and a simple diamond pattern manages to be dynamic as well. While a couple gold-lamé-lined pieces which closed the show seemed a bit out of place, overall, Tibi fall 2008 gets all passing scores.
—Ashley James