Richard Chai
NEW YORK, February 9, 2006
By Laird Borrelli
Last season, Richard Chai offered a fresh take on American sportswear, rethinking preppy classics by adding some signature origami construction to them. Fall found him exploring a sort of Japanese-style deconstructionist mode. Clearly the designer was challenging himself, daring to experiment with varied fabrics (cashmere gauze, Jacquards) and textures (brushed and boiled wools), while pushing his talent for construction into new areas.For the most part, crispness was out, draping was in. If the folds of Chai's cashmere wrap coats were cleverly arranged, other drapey separates—some with asymmetrical closings—seemed disheveled. But the main problem was the off-kilter proportions; shorts were strangely paired with long coats and jackets, and the boiled-wool pants were cuffed at a height that made them seem more shrunken than cropped. Nonetheless, a pair of bias-cut skinny pants in suiting fabric was undeniably sharp. Chai showed a new emphasis on evening, offering flowing silk rosette dresses—in magenta, and a lovely smoky lilac—with romantic details at the back. But one missed the really wearable day clothes, often interpretations of classics, to which he usually gives a distinctive spin.
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Fall 2006 Ready-to-Wear
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3.1 Phillip Lim 6267 -
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A.F. Vandevorst ADAM Akris Alberta Ferretti Alessandro Dell'Acqua Alexander McQueen Alexandre Herchcovitch Alice Roi Andrew Gn Anna Sui Ann Demeulemeester Antonio Berardi Aquascutum Araks -
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Badgley Mischka Balenciaga Basso & Brooke BCBG Max Azria Behnaz Sarafpour Bill Blass Blumarine Bottega Veneta Boudicca Brian Reyes Brioni Burberry Prorsum -
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Calvin Klein Carolina Herrera Celine Central Saint Martins Chado Ralph Rucci Chaiken Chanel Chloé Christian Dior Christian Lacroix Comme des Garçons Costello Tagliapietra Costume National -
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D&G Daryl K Derek Lam Diane von Furstenberg DKNY Dolce & Gabbana Donna Karan Doo.Ri Dries Van Noten Dsquared² -
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Elie Saab Emanuel Ungaro Emilio Pucci Emma Cook Emporio Armani Erdem Etro -
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Fendi -
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Gareth Pugh Giambattista Valli Giles Giorgio Armani Givenchy Gucci -
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Hermès Hussein Chalayan -
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J. Mendel Jasmin Shokrian Jean Paul Gaultier Jenni Kayne Jill Stuart Jil Sander John Galliano Jonathan Saunders Junya Watanabe -
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Kai Kühne Karl Lagerfeld Kenneth Cole New York Kenzo -
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Lacoste Lanvin Louis Vuitton Luca Luca Luella -
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Maison Martin Margiela Malandrino Malo Marc by Marc Jacobs Marc Jacobs Marios Schwab Marni Martin Grant Matthew Williamson MaxMara Menichetti Michael Kors Missoni Miu Miu Monique Lhuillier Moschino -
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Narciso Rodriguez Nathan Jenden Naum Neil Barrett Nicolas Andreas Taralis Nina Ricci Noir -
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Oscar de la Renta -
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Paco Rabanne Paul Smith Women Peter Jensen Peter Som Phi Pollini Prada Preen Proenza Schouler -
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Ralph Lauren Richard Chai Richard Nicoll Rick Owens Roberto Cavalli Rochas Rodarte Roksanda Ilincic Ruffian -
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Salvatore Ferragamo Sari Gueron Sinha-Stanic Sonia Rykiel Sophia Kokosalaki Stella McCartney Strenesse Sweetface -
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Tao Temperley London Thakoon Threeasfour Tory Burch Trovata TSE Tuleh -
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Undercover United Bamboo -
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Valentino Vena Cava Vera Wang Veronique Branquinho Verrier Versace Viktor & Rolf Vivienne Westwood VPL -
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Wunderkind -
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Y & Kei Y-3 Yigal Azrouël Yohji Yamamoto Yves Saint Laurent -
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Zac Posen Zero + Maria Cornejo
