Project Runway Season 4 alumni Jillian Lewis showcased her Spring/Summer 2010 collection at the Audi Forum yesterday, where models were staggered on blocks within a circular platform that spun around at a slow pace, rotating a full 360 degrees. The collection consisted of separates and dresses in muted colors like lavender, winter pink, lilac, black, silver, gray, gold, coral pink, champagne and khaki, all boasting form-flattering silhouettes that oozed femininity while also evoking a sense of strength. Belted leather jackets, for example, featured side zipper closures, strong shoulders and cascading pleats along the sleeves for an armor-esque effect.
Lewis's designs cleverly tread the line between naughty and nice. Broad shoulders were paired with delicate, embroidered details and sexy, see-through mesh fabrics (just look at the white dress pictured above, with its bustier-like top and the sheer, beaded overlay covering the entire design and adding a demure and almost bridal, veil-like effect). Tough components like hoods, zippers and cinched waists were given a feminine touch with soft, curved, petal-like cuts (such as those along the front panels of the lightweight, sleeveless hooded jacket pictured at top). And knee-length trench coats in slick, satin-like fabrics were given tulip-like cuts and ruffled details along the sleeves' cuffs and the hemline.
The emphasis on broad shoulders, oversize lapels, leather accents, see-through mesh, and skin-tight leggings, along with the crimped and teased hair sported by the models, suggested a nod to '80s fashions — but with a much more refined and sophisticated approach.
Take a look at some of the photos below for a closer look at Lewis's work:
Nice post. Jillian’s really edgy with this line. I’m pleasantly surprised. On Project Runway, I thought she was going for the Tori Burch demographic.