Creatures of the Wind Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection on Style.com: Runway Review

Creatures of the Wind

NEW YORK, February 9, 2012

By Nicole Phelps

Shane Gabier and Chris Peters picked up a runner-up prize from the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund last November. The Chicago-based duo is no doubt getting advice from all sides now on how to turn their tiny label into a thriving bigger business. In a preview of their Fall collection they pointed to new pieces with more-accessible-than-usual price tags, like stripey mohair sweaters, silk slipdresses made in collaboration with Araks Yeramyan, and an A-line popover top in clashing prints (which, admittedly, was paired with a skirt made of expensive French brocade). But standing in the crowd today in the refectory of the Desmond Tutu Center in Chelsea (a stunning room), it was clear that they aren't compromising an inch on their unique, offbeat vision.

The collection, they explained, was inspired by The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns, and Fairies, a seventeenth-century book by the Scottish Episcopalian minister Robert Kirk in which he collected his parishioners' tales of the supernatural. If there wasn't anything otherworldly, per se, about the clothes, there was certainly something dreamy about their construction. Cases in point: a white button-down blouse embroidered by Hand & Lock (Alexander McQueen's embroiderers, it turns out) with a quote from the fantasy classic The Last Unicorn. Or a trim blazer constructed from distressed leather and Lurex-shot striped wool with a heat transfer of multicolor Swarovski crystals on its back. Or a lace skirt dipped in silver. The overall feeling was folksy, but with a couture touch.

Perhaps not a recipe for surefire retail success, but Gabier and Peters might have something better: a finale gown made from tiers of pale blue chiffon and taffeta with a silver lace yoke that, should it land on the right starlet come Oscar night, could earn them more renown than that Fashion Fund win.

See all from Creatures of the Wind › Timeline

A.F. Vandevorst	A.L.C.	A.P.C.
Acne	A Détacher	Akris
Alberta Ferretti	Albino	Alexander McQueen
Alexander Wang	Alexandre Herchcovitch	Alexis Mabille
Alice + Olivia	Altuzarra	Andrew Gn
Anna Sui	Ann Demeulemeester	Anne Valérie Hash
Ann-Sofie Back Atelje	Anthony Vaccarello	Antonio Berardi
Antonio Marras	Aquascutum	Aquilano.Rimondi
Araks	Azzaro

Badgley Mischka	Balenciaga	Bally
Balmain	Banana Republic	Band of Outsiders
Barbara Bui	Barbara Casasola	Barbara Tfank
Basso & Brooke	BCBG Max Azria	Bebe
Behnaz Sarafpour	Belstaff	Betsey Johnson
Bibhu Mohapatra	Bill Blass	Billy Reid
BLK DNM	Blumarine	Bottega Veneta
Bouchra Jarrar	Brood	Burberry Prorsum

Cacharel	Calla	Calvin Klein Collection
Camilla and Marc	Carlos Miele	Carolina Herrera
Carven	Catherine Malandrino	Cédric Charlier
Celine	Central Saint Martins	Chado Ralph Rucci
Chadwick Bell	Chalayan	Chanel
Charlotte Ronson	Chloé	Chris Benz
Christian Cota	Christian Dior	Christian Siriano
Christophe Lemaire	Christopher Kane	Christopher Raeburn
Clements Ribeiro	Collette Dinnigan	Comme des Garçons
Commuun	Costello Tagliapietra	Costume National
Creatures of Comfort	Creatures of the Wind	Cushnie et Ochs
Custo Barcelona	Cynthia Rowley

Daks	Damir Doma	Danielle Scutt
Daryl K	David Koma	Dean Quinn
Dennis Basso	Derek Lam	Diane von Furstenberg
Diesel Black Gold	Dion Lee	Dirk Bikkembergs
DKNY	Dolce & Gabbana	Donna Karan
Doo.Ri	Douglas Hannant	Dries Van Noten
Dsquared²	Duro Olowu

Edun	Elie Saab	Elie Tahari
Elizabeth and James	Emilia Wickstead	Emilio de la Morena
Emilio Pucci	Emporio Armani	Erdem
Erin Fetherston	Etro