Chris Benz
REVIEW
COMPLETE COLLECTION
NEW YORK, September 8, 2008
By Romney Leader
Chris Benz has built a solid reputation for himself as a designer who can take specific historical points of reference (say, a thirties starlet or an old French woman) and make them thoroughly apropos for today's girls-about-town. In the past, his specific brand of quirk has been love-it-or-hate-it, but a crowd-pleasing Spring collection should win him a broader fan base."I looked at Revolutionary War-era dressing," the young designer said, "but interpreted it in supermodern fabrics." There were a number of military jackets, sure, but done up in slub linen with an abstract chrysanthemum print and the muted-bright palette that's become a signature. Benz deserves props for his measured approach to femininity. A silk T-shirt dress with tiers of ruffles could have gone very wrong, but in his hands it looked very right. And while a parade of ripped and rumpled low-slung pants worn with boxer shorts felt forced, slouchy burlap engineer pants and silk two-toned trousers hit the nail on the head.
Instead of showing his clothes in tableaux vivants, as he has in the past, Benz mounted a full-on runway show at the 37 Arts off-Broadway theater. Though less atmospheric than his past venues—like the New York Yacht Club—it was also less of a precious gesture. An elaborate whitewashed and drip-painted structure of found objects ("this, like, temple thing we put together," Benz semi-explained) was the only set, leaving the audience to appreciate the clothes on their own terms.
/
/
/
see all designers ›
Spring 2009 Ready-to-Wear
#
|
A
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
E
|
F
|
G
|
H
|
I
|
J
|
K
|
L
|
M
|
N
|
O
|
P
|
R
|
S
|
T
|
U
|
V
|
W
|
Y
|
Z
|
-
#
3.1 Phillip Lim -
A
-
B
-
C
-
D
-
E
Eley Kishimoto Elie Saab Elie Tahari Elise Øverland Emanuel Ungaro Emilio Pucci Emporio Armani Erdem Erin Fetherston Etro -
F
Fashion Fringe Fendi Francesco Scognamiglio -
G
Gap Gareth Pugh Giambattista Valli Gianfranco Ferré Giles Giorgio Armani Givenchy Graeme Black G-Star Gucci -
H
Haider Ackermann Halston Hanii Y Helmut Lang Hermès Hervé Léger by Max Azria House of Holland Hussein Chalayan -
I
Iceberg Isaac Mizrahi Issa -
J
-
K
Kai Kühne Karen Walker Karl Lagerfeld Koi Suwannagate Kris Van Assche -
L
L'Wren Scott Lacoste Lanvin La Perla Lela Rose Limi Feu Loewe Louise Goldin Louis Vuitton Luca Luca Luella Luisa Beccaria Lutz & Patmos -
M
-
N
Naeem Khan Nanette Lepore Narciso Rodriguez Nathan Jenden Nicole Miller Nina Ricci -
O
Ohne Titel Organic by John Patrick Oscar de la Renta Ossie Clark -
P
Paul Smith Women Peter Jensen Peter Pilotto Peter Som Phi Philosophy Pollini Ports 1961 Prada Preen Pringle of Scotland Proenza Schouler -
R
-
S
Sabyasachi Salvatore Ferragamo Sari Gueron Shipley & Halmos Sinha-Stanic Sonia Rykiel Sophia Kokosalaki Sophie Theallet Stærk Stella McCartney Stephen Burrows Sue Stemp -
T
Tao Temperley London Thakoon Threeasfour Tibi Todd Lynn Tommy Hilfiger Topshop Unique Tory Burch Tracy Reese Trovata TSE Tuleh -
U
Undercover United Bamboo -
V
Valentino Vena Cava Vera Wang Vera Wang Lavender Label Veronique Branquinho Versace Victoria Beckham Viktor & Rolf Vivienne Tam Vivienne Westwood Vivienne Westwood Red Label VPL -
W
William Rast Wunderkind -
Y
Y-3 Yigal Azrouël Yohji Yamamoto Yves Saint Laurent -
Z
Zac Posen Zero + Maria Cornejo
ERROR:
