YIGAL AZROUEL FALL 2009

Photos by Patrick Butler

I’ve long been a fan of Yigal Azrouel, but this season might well be the designer’s very best. The mood of the collection was dark (including the styling which had the models in charcoal eye makeup and pencil straight hair), but with romantic touches. Geometric and bold silhouettes – including many with emphasis on the shoulders, a trend which we’ve just recently seen emerge in the Paris Couture shows – played against soft ruffle detailing and delicate flowing fabrics. 

Interestingly enough I’ve recently started wearing vintage Norma Kamali pieces that I’ve dug-up from my mother’s closet and Azrouel too, perhaps, saw himself inspired by Kamali as many of the looks were reminiscent of the designer’s signature pieces. Of note was the opening piece – a printed boiled wool blanket coat – as well as a smocked neck chiffon jersey dress. In fact it was the seeming coziness of the boiled wool and jersey, mixed with a handful of chunky knits, clean lines, leather accents, and metal pinstuds that gave the collection a wonderfully fresh rocker-chic vibe that, no matter his possible inspiration, made it distinctly Azrouel. 

The metal pinstuds translated into wholly covetable handbags and shoes (designed for Azrouel by Walter Steiger), as well as a gorgeous jet pinstudded leather jacket that with its easy-breezy-coolness made me think that Erin Wasson could have been his muse (though I know she wasn’t).  

Also of note was the designer flawless incorporation of mink into some pieces which included a heather grey mink and wool knit vest. The runway show ended with a jet blackened Heishi bead jacket, a crepe blouse, and jet washed cotton leather stovepipe jeans paired with a sterling silver cage ring by Pamela Love who crafted the all the jewelry pieces for the collection – fitting ending to a successful show.

 

Runway video from myitthings.com

 

Backstage video with Yigal Azroul from myitthings.com

 

 

 

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