NYFW Coverage: Raoul Ready-to-Wear Presentation and Accessories Launch

Designers Odile Benjamin and Raphael Young for Raoul'14

   If you've seen the show Girls, on HBO, then try to imagine all the characters and their personalities, represented through clothes and accessories-and not because the leather pieces were as bravely naked as Lena Dunham in almost every episode of the hit series. This has a deeper connection.

With Illustrator Kendall Lock

When I attended the Raoul presentation, on the kick off day of Fashion Week, many things came crashing into my mind. By that, I mean literally because I was bumped into a gazillion times, but it's fine. I still found my way and when I did, I was not disappointed. Before I get into the plethora of handbags and shoes I want from their collaboration with Raphael Young, I have to start off with the the company of the hour itself, Raoul. 

Raoul's line of gowns and ready-to-wear clothing can not be described as anything else but a spectacular melting pot of style. That's why I find so many similarities between their new line with the HBO series. Each section of the presentation showed evident differences from the last, which broke the common cliche of a fashion line always having to have a constant flow. Here's the brilliant thing: They may vary in time period inspirations (some pieces look more 50s-60s while others are the 30s all the way) or even prints and hues in general, but somehow, when done looking at all that they have offered you, the designs blend well together. Alone, these designs would be lost, but among each other, they compliment the last, as different as they are. 

This is where the series Girl's comes in. There is a group of young women, all of whom are quite opposite in style and personality, but there is something there that brings them together. Well in their case it is selfishness. Seriously though, all of them on that show are way too self absorbed. Of course, don't tell them that. They will call you a "bad friend" and take a whole new meaning to the word hypocrite. Point here is, the line is like them in that way, accept minus the crazy outbursts of self indulging irony. 

Favorite Thing: Prints

The prints for this show and a color blocking similar to that of a jester, were quite fun in a chic way. The one that caught my eye the most, of course, was no other than the one on the very invitation for this event. His yellow daisy top and skirt combo, is so bold, that the Marc Jacobs obsession with this particular flower seems minimal. 

Not Loving it: Hair and Make-Up

The way a model's locks and face are portrayed is actually quite important for representing the line at a show, than one may think. They complete the look the designer is going for. In this case, the subtle glamour that Raoul's pieces had, became second to the disheveled appearance of the models that Shiseido bestowed onto them. Each woman had greasy stringy hair and a smokey eye, but not in a good way, that made one focus more on her than the clothes. In all actuality, it was a little painful to look at them. They seemed so sad and tired and I'm not sure if it is because they actually were, or it was just the make-up/hair department. Talk about terrible Fairy God Mothers.

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