February 4, 2008

Duckie Brown stays strong and silent

You could have heard a pin drop during Friday’s Duckie Brown show, which was conducted in funereal silence throughout. It was an interesting move on their part, freeing up the audience’s senses and encouraging us to focus on just one thing—the clothes. Novel idea!
The show featured 21 largely somber, tailored looks in a palette of charcoal, onyx and storm cloud, with splashes of burgundy and green thrown in to lift the recessionary mood a little. This Fall/Winter 08 collection was considerably more muted than their Spring/Summer offerings, which featured floral prints, gaudy golds and canary yellow trench coats.
Despite the depressed mood (we’re at war, remember?), youthful splashes like Duckie Brown’s trademark oversized beanie hats, spangled shirts and reflective nylon windbreakers worn over suits, injected a baggy, collegiate insouciance in to what could have been an overly pessimistic collection.

Seated next to me was Celeste Harwell, an Associate Publisher at TIME Style and Design magazine. We agreed that the silence was golden, and enjoyed the gentle rustle of cameras shuttering as the models made their turns. “I love that sound,” purred Celeste. Being that I’m a New York Fashion Week ingénue, she pointed out who was seated front row. There was iconic fashion photographer (and former milliner) Bill Cunningham, whose “On The Street” column for the New York Times is required reading for anyone with stylish blood running through their veins. (I later spotted L.A.’s queen of celebrity style Rachel Zoe rightfully paying her respects. “I’m such a huge fan,” she gushed.) Seated next to Cunningham was the Washington Post’s fashion commentator Robin Givhan, whose no-nonsense take on politico style (tough beat!) earned her the Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 2006, a first for a fashion writer.
Click here to read Givhan’s take on what the election frontrunners are wearing, and why.

February 4, 2008 in NEW YORK | Permalink

Comments

Thanks for the lovely review. We're just so pleased you can to support us - and that you enjoyed the show is really a bonus. Thanks again xooxoxxo Daniel and Steven DUCKIE BROWN

Posted by DUCKIE BROWN | Feb 5 2008 1:51PM