Couture Fashion Week

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I headed into Couture Fashion Week at the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria, 4 p.m. Saturday. Maybe I’m a bit naive, but I imagined that the designs would be over the top, big and bold, and the models would don huge hair and outrageous makeup.

Nedret Taciroglu

What I found was quite the contrary. 

The designers, Nedret Taciroglu and Patuna Bushyhead, displayed gorgeous gowns with impeccable detail that were fit for the modern world. They were dresses that I could actually see myself wearing, if I were to ever be invited to a glamorous red carpet event.

Nedret Taciroglu’s 35-piece collection, called “one rug, thousands of words,” was created with inspiration from Turkish rug art and ethnic lines. Each had exquisite detail, from lace, to feathers and velvet. The dresses were bold but clung delicately to each model. The prominent colors in the collection were nude and deep red which set each other off beautifully.

My favorite part of the collection was the back on each dress, which was crafted to show off a woman’s back without revealing too much skin.

Patuna Bushyhead

Patuna Bushyhead’s collection also displayed elegant, flowing dresses that were fitted to a woman’s figure. Her designs featured a lot of draping and layering of sheer fabrics.

The highlight of the show, for me, was an adorable little girl who worked the runway in a Patuna Bushyhead dress. Trust me, that little girl knew how to work it!

If I had to choose, Nedret Taciroglu’s designs stole the show. They won me over, not because there were more dresses to look at, but because of the immaculate detail that was on each dress. The lace, velvet, beading and embroidery added feminine touches to the dresses.

A trend that I saw emerging from this show was cut outs. Each designer featured dresses with cutouts in the back or even sides of the dress. Although cutouts aren’t a new concept, I loved the idea of a cutout on a floor length gown. It gave it an edge away from traditional but still felt elegant and glamorous.

You can view more photos from the event here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurelcoffman/sets/72157629424262113/