Though this collection was visually attractive, at times the redundancy of plunging décolletage and heavy Mayan-inspired arm jewelry detracted from the silhouettes de la Cruz was trying to achieve. Also, at times the men seemed uncomfortable in the short dinner jackets that may have been ill-fitting. De la Cruz was at his best with a beautiful red satin duchesse deep V-neck cocktail dress, and a star print popeline embroidered dress shirt.
Overall, this Fall Collection demonstrated that there is a definite place in fashion for Manuel de la Cruz. And, like many Latin designers, de la Cruz is a master at showing off feminine contours. J-Lo, Salma Hayek and Eva Longoria, take notice!!
Photos courtesy of Ernest Green.
