Karl Lagerfeld: Carlos Miele Fall 2011 Collection

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Carlos Miele Fall 2011 Collection

Moor, Moor, Moor.

If we were fashion editor types, we'd have a couple snappy descriptives on hand to describe those shockingly colorful chartreuse and blue pieces. Something like "avocado and cerulean," although to be honest, that sounds more like appliance descriptions. This is why we're not fashion editors.

But we can give a gut reaction like nobody's business and we can tell you we gasped at the aforementioned unusual color combination. We also enjoyed the slightly Arab-inspired feel (more by way of I Dream of Jeannie than by Islam, with its chic harem panted jumpsuits and head scarves; the elaborate braid-like embroidery, and the braided velvet pieces, which look a little heavy in pictures but were gorgeous in person). The word that came to mind sitting in that tent was "vibrant." There was movement and texture and color galore.

Not everything worked for us, however. Some of the silhouettes are unflattering on genetically gifted models, making them completely unworkable on mere humans. And sometimes it all gets a little too rich, with colors and textures fighting, as in the blending of velvets and metallics or velvets and fur. When it works, as in the gown with the striped orange top or the black and white gown with the braid, we think it's exciting, but there are definitely a few pieces and ideas here that fall a little flat.