Summary: There’s no doubt that Farah Angsana likes to make a statement. It seems as if the designer wanted the word “goddess” to instantly come to mind while looking at her Spring/Summer 2013 ready-to-wear collection but looking at the collection as a whole, it seems more like the word should be “chaotic”. Playing with different shapes and sizes for dresses, I think that this capsule collection was all over the place.
Inspired by a recent trip to Brazil, the designer brought it a bevy of bright colors with flowing gowns and dark neutrals with your basic shift cocktail dresses. The show started with Angsana’s signature embellished black evening dresses. Nothing out of the ordinary but sometimes, dresses like these don’t need to be. Flowing gowns with deep leg slits and short mod and funky crystal embellished dresses were some of the highlights. But about halfway through, things took quite the different turn. Bright lime-green chiffon gowns and floral printed teadresses hit the runway and you could almost feel a bit of confusion in the crowd. I am all for showing range but only when it applies. This show had too much of everything.
The audience applauded for the finale: a crystal-covered dress with embroidered details and multicolored feather accents but it seemed completely out of place, not to mention underwhelming. This is a point where the designer has a great idea but the execution failed. You know in “Project Runway” when Tim Gunn tells the contestant designer to take a step back and look at the pieces as a whole? Angsana needed Tim Gunn. The whole collection was very sporadic from start to finish. The silk chiffon gown with crystal bib necklace in cobalt was a great example of how the collection should have been the direction Angsana should have taken. Combining the concept of evening wear while adding in the ideal of Brazilian color and inspiration. Hopefully, Angsana learns this lesson and heeds its idea towards next season.
Fabrics & Textures: chiffon, silk, beadwork, feathers, metallic, organza, lace, silk gazar, charmeuse, tulle, lame, crystal embellished, embroidery
Colors: lime, black, red orange, electric blue, grass green, nude, bronze, emerald, tangerine, sky, cream, silver, turquoise, ivory, coral
Key Looks: Black and white strapless dress with lace overlay and oversized train; Lime, black and orange embellished tribal-inspired minidress; Nude crystal-embellished embroidery dress with tulle underlay and blue, yellow, red and green feather tassel details
– Taneisha Jordan
Photos: NYMag.com
