Zero Maria Cornejo

NEW YORK, September 13, 2005
By Laird Borrelli
One doesn't expect histrionics from a line called Zero, and that's not designer Maria Cornejo's style. Instead, she quietly delivers thoughtful, somewhat provocative designs season after season, with signatures like curvy patterns, lots of draping, and cocoon shapes. All of which made appearances at her spring show, freshly transformed and presented in a palette of ivory, brown, copper, blue, and lemon inspired by Czech Art Nouveau printmaker Alphonse Mucha.

What Cornejo described as her "essential dresses" were bubble hemmed, with Empire waistlines or ruched details. One such piece had embroidery that resembled bark, another had winglike stitching falling softly from the side seams. A striking Venus gown of blue lamé linen had a dramatic cowl neckline. Casual winners included ensembles built around slim pants and Jacquard shorts, some paired with jersey tees and others with loosely constructed tops cinched with natural leather belts, and customized Zero for Keds skimmers. Once again, Cornejo achieved the "airy, flowing, sensual" effect she was after, and the tally in the win column was much more than zero.

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