RACHEL MARIE WALSH ON ANTONIO ALVERADO AND CARLOS DIEZ AT MFW

Dear Diane and Shaded viewers,

Antonio Alvarado’s collection was inspired by 70s Marbella, the St. Bart’s of its day, where the stuff-shirted adinerados let loose and wore their necklines low and their short-shorts short. His watch-word for spring 2009 is “cut”, hence the tiny silver daggers on collars and lapels and the red plumage between the models’ fingers, which the designer said was meant to emulate the claws of a bird of prey. Gore aside, Alvarado seems to have mastered cutting so well in his 24 years of designing that his first three, rather complex looking, dresses fell off with a tug, revealing themselves as sarongs. After that panto-like opening, Alvarado turned up the heat with saucy leisurewear and seriously big blow dries and who doesn’t love a great red dress on balmy summer nights out?

 

Carlos Diez’ (above and below) long standing relationship with Converse produced thigh high high-tops and canvas bondage masks this season (tempted, DP? These would definitely have gotten you into that party, platforms or no!). Check out the girl’s blonde braid bird nests, Diez told me he had an Albino beauty in the Bronx in mind for this show. The clothes were loose and blousy and, if you’re of the mind that comfy can’t be sexy, Diez’ designs will sway you with strategically placed zips and slits to keep them looking hot.

Diez is not a man to cater to the bag ladies. Models slung backpacks over their shoulders and there wasn’t a stiletto to stumble over (Diez wins their “Designer of the Week” award, surely). There were some romantic, draped tops, harem pants and tiny flower patterns for the girly girls, with more slits to keep the collection cohesive. I wish I could wrap this post up by ruminating upon how fashion is truly a barometer of the zeitgeist, as I would at any other fashion week this season but I’m not sure Spanish designers have been watching the news; they’re having too much fun. All photos by Juan Echeverria.

Rachel Marie Walsh