NEW YORK — You've got to hand it to Lubov and Max Azria. Every fashion season, they come up with new — and often daring — ways to freshen up the iconic Herve Leger bandage dress.
Since relaunching the French brand six years ago with a fashion week debut, the Azrias continue to add pizzazz to the quintessential skintight form. In their spring collection, they focused on the midriff, with beaded crop tops in bandage fabric, along with zip-front skirts, goatskin and fox fur hoodie sweatshirts and sparkly sweatpants.
For fall, they're playing a game of peek-a-boob.
Since relaunching the French brand five years ago, the Azrias continue to add pizzazz to the essential skintight form.
That's the term my fashion colleague from Boston came up with as we watched models appear on the runway in body-hugging dresses with half-moon cutouts above the breasts or oval openings that plunge nearly to the navel. Some of the openings seem to be constructed to make a smiley face. I don't think that's intentional, although on the front row, Dallas star Jesse Metcalfe sure looked entranced.
The collection also features corsets at the waist to accentuate the female form and split-hem dresses with contrasting pleats move like car wash flappers as the model moves. Dark feather trims lend a touch of texture to dresses and suede motorcycle jackets while geometric beading adds some dazzle to jacquard dresses and fitted jackets.
Thigh-high boots and pulled-back ponytails send a message that it takes a confident woman to wear this look, although I've heard that the Spandex-like fabric is flattering no matter what your body type is because it basically sucks everything in.
Can't wait to see what the Azrias come up with next year.
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The Herve Leger spring collection will be featured at a trunk show on Feb. 27 and 28 at Tootsies.
Herve Leger light coral and black jacquard dress with over-the-knee boots.
