Yigal Azrouël

NEW YORK, February 2, 2007
By Laird Borrelli
This Israeli designer's evolution from simply a special-occasion man to a full-fledged downtown designer continues apace. He has gained enough confidence, for one thing, to dip into accessories for the first time, with the introduction of a roomy patent-leather tote.

Azrouël's recently launched menswear line was also making its catwalk debut here—so perhaps it¿s not surprising that there was a masculine/feminine theme running through the show. "This is a superpersonal collection," he said before the show. "It¿s based on what I wear and what my girlfriend is going to want to wear." For women, oversize chunky knits, some with elbow patches, looked like the sort of going-steady sweater worn to a high-school football game, circa 1950. Layering, which played an important role in the Spring collection, returned for fall, and a fine merino turtleneck worn under a pewter chiffon dress was one pairing that worked particularly well.

Mixed among the all-American collegiate looks and the studied casualness of the loose, layered jersey pieces (many printed, Margiela-fashion, with words and serial numbers) was a sporty herringbone coat with a huge buttoned collar. That one cool topper—plus a few precision A-line dresses in heavy fabrics—added the sharp bite that the collection might otherwise have lacked.