British born designer Alice Temperley was up to her usual tricks in the fall 2007 show she dubbed "Beauty in Exile," which took place Tuesday night at The Promenade in Bryant Park.
But this time around, her sexy, curve-caressing knit dresses were inspired by the exiled Russians who emigrated to Paris in the early 1900s and changed both the culture (via the Ballets Russes) and the way chic Parisians dressed (via the more embellished Russian style, which was worlds away from the Art Nouveau chic favored by Paris trendsetters at the time).
Temperley juxtaposed this sartorial culture clash by way of fitted smoking jackets with teensy weensy skirts, short-sleeved knit dresses over billowy white blouses, cropped jackets over banded-knee knickers and, of course, the elaborately crocheted, lacy intarsia dresses and gowns that have become synonymous with Temperley London, many of which boasted Art Nouveau graphics.
Small cossack hats, shiny black tights, framed handbags, a generous dash of royal blue and burnt orange pieces - some with built-in jeweled collars - and huge bejeweled headpieces furthered the Russians-in-exile theme.
Photos © Gg/The Bigger Picture Pictures. For additional, larger images from this show, click here
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