The Basic Premise

It seems Knoll textiles was an early corporate sponsor. They donated a bunch of material and some money and the Destination Foundation passed on the fabrics to some local designers and a few famous names like Todd Oldham. It was interesting to see how each designer interpreted the theme and combined it with such distinct textiles.

Bedoins and Bag Ladies

It was all I could do to refrain from weeping openly during the introductory video. They profiled some of the people that Destination Foundation has helped, like a guy with cancer who wanted to take his kids to Disneyland... knowing it was probably the family's last great memory making trip and seeing the guy in a wheel chair with oxygen it was just heart rending.

Highlights of the show were the first grouping, called "Jet Set". With the 50's homage, "Down With Love" starring Rene Zellweger and Ewan McGreggor just out, it seemed timely in a classic yet au currant sort of way. Other highlights were the overt Vivian Westwood rip-offs. People were obviously inspired by her deconstructionist bag lady designs and her older, Nu-Romantic inspired bedoin collections.

Not Ready 2 Wear

This grouping looked poorly constructed and ill conceived. I was shocked to discover that marquee name designer, Todd Oldham contributed the piece on the right in the photo on the left. You can't really tell, but the belted middle bit was just fabric rolled up and tied round the model's waist. The slashed off breast coverings looked tattered and unfinished and completing the piece was a wrap around skirt bit that looked like a bolt of cloth safety pinned to the belt roll. I know Couture is supposed to be about hand made construction, but it's also supposed to be about sewing and precise fabrication as well as imagination. I guess Todd is too busy creating suburban day wear for Target these days because it was obvious that he only spent about three minutes on the ensemble for this show.

Sheik it up

When this piece first appeared, I leaned over to Martin and said the necklace is the only thing that ties that whole look together. Martin's reply, "The abs help too." Imagine our surprise when at the end of the show, when the charity auction began, when Keith Hennesy announce that the necklace was included but the abs weren't! Some Columbian kid in front of us bid $600 for he ensemble and walked away with a new set of PJ's and a great Hip-Hop style necklace!