We’re not plugged in to the New York fashion scene so of course we didn’t get invited to any of the Fashion Week events of 2012.  Imagine our excitement when a partner at Elizabeth’s law firm gave us tickets to see the Barbara Siviglia collection at Lincoln Center.

We got dressed up in our trendiest clothes and went to her matinee showing.  We looked around in awe as we walked past the gorgeous water fountain and into the building directly behind it.  We checked out the two murals on either side of the lobby, then walked up the pretty red staircase, and sat in the red velvet seats at the show.  Everyone was very well dressed and most of them smelled pretty good too.  There were thousands of people there, but we didn’t see as many celebrities as you would expect at such a high profile event.  There were a lot of old people coughing, however.

Barbara Siviglia had a catwalk around a full orchestra in a pit, which was very refreshing, as I understand most fashion shows just have a catwalk with no orchestra and no pit.  The place was decorated plainly, though there were neat giant crystal snowflake lights that lifted into the ceiling, which was a nice touch especially as it was winter.

You can really understand why it’s so hard to get tickets for these shows.  This one had all the models running around singing in Italian.  Luckily we had a little read out teleprompter thing on the front of every seat that told us what they were saying.   The show had a story to it too, something about a barber, a boy, a girl, a music teacher and a ladder. 

So down to the fashion: apparently everything is going to be retro this season, like 18^th century retro.  Disguises, ladders and people dressing up as music teachers and soldiers will be big this season it seems.  Music teachers wear long leather coats with slits in them and white powdered wigs.  For your soldier outfit, pull out your tricorn hat from that family trip to Colonial Williamsburg.  Women were wearing pink taffeta dresses with dark red ribbons and bustles.  For men, wigs are in as are booties (the kind women are currently wearing) and shoes with big buckles are all the rage.  Our personal favorite in the menswear line was a chartreuse suit, complete with a vest and puffy shirt. 

At intermission we had a danish and stood in a line to get a paper cone of water from a fountain.  Pictures of former models lined the red walls inside.  So neat!  After intermission, Barbara brought out an actual full size mule along with models dressed as soldiers.  So creative!  Maybe Barbara thinks fur is in again? 

The take away from our first fashion show and fall trends of 2012? 

1)   1) Fashion Week in New York rocks.   And 2) Frilly silk shirts, loud colors, high heel boots, wigs and lots of make up will be in. 

 

Sounds like the early 80s all over again.

– Elizabeth Frayer and Shawn E Milnes