September 7, 2007

The stoic all-American male models at Gilded Age’s showing at the Merchant’s House Museum stood like life-size Abercrombie posters, decorating the historic 18th century rooms and spilling out into the backyard garden, where three cellos and an African drum blended the line between old and new New York. Designer Stefan Miljanic jokingly warded off rumors of ghosts lurking in the creaky space, commenting that they might enjoy his fashions. But all ghost tales aside, the looks were undeniably contemporary, fresh takes on the preppy classics: rugby shirts layered with cardigans and button-downs, pinstripe and seersucker aplenty, all done up in nautical neutrals. There was neither a sleeve left uncuffed nor a collar that wasn’t popped. Miljanic pushed the envelope slightly with the occasional splash of color as seen in the lilac corduroy, and a few of the bronzed boys sported vintage canvas lace up boots. While Miljanic may describe his target customer as a “worldly, cosmopolitan person, knowledgeable but young in spirit,” he might be channeling more Hamptons weekender than Parisian free-spirit.