Five Questions
Fashion designer David Meister can't get enough of Texas women
David Meister
Sharon Stone
Before his sweet summer fashions hit the runway at Neiman Marcus on to benefit Recipe for Success, designer David Meister was queried by hostess Gracie Cavnar about his idea of ultimate happiness.
"Floating on my pool in Palm Springs," was Meister's answer, and it's visible in his collection. The famously body-conscious designer's spring looks include a dose of structure to give them a vague Lilly Pulitzer, prep-school-grad vibe, with a palette of kelly green, aqua, dandelion and sorbet, with some cocktail-ready black, white and gold mixed in.
Before the show, Meister talked to CultureMap about his design philosophy, his favorite star to dress and what makes Texas women unique.
CM: Do you get to see a lot of Texas? What do you think?
DM: I love to get out and meet my customers at events like this. And Texas women will let you know what they really think. And most of them are not shy about telling you when they don't like something! There's no one like a Texas woman. You guys really love to dress up, and it's all about the ensemble — the shoes, the dress. It's fantastic.
CM: How do you balance designing for the red carpet versus designing for regular women?
DM: Red carpet is a lot like runway, where the stars usually have these great, perfect bodies and want to show them off. Most people don't have perfect bodies, they have something they'd like to hide or play up. When designers don't think about real bodies, that to me defeats the purpose. Sure, you exaggerate on the runway — slit all the way down to here, skirt up to there. But it's not art for you to put on your wall. It has to be wearable.
I think that's why I love stretch and knit. It's more modern, it's comfortable, it travels well and it just looks good.
CM: What are we going to see next from you?
DM: For fall, I'm doing a lot of new shapes — lantern skirts, interesting drapes. Buyers have really responded. Fall is a lot about interesting folding to create shape. Sequins are still really big and one-shoulder looks. One-shoulder really started with fashion people, but woman have embraced it. It's pretty much just another option now, as approachable as a halter or a strapless dress.
I'm also licensing a bridal line that will debut in June. It's going to be 15-16 styles, really modern, and sexy but with that glam factor. And now working on holiday and resort collections. What happened to the days when designers did two collections a year and then went on vacation for a month?
CM: It's generally a tough time for fashion. How do you make yourself stand out?
DM: You have to give the customer a reason to buy. Before, it might have been, 'Oh, that's pretty, I'll get it' but now it really has to be special. And then build a following and a base, and they'll keep coming back.
CM: OK, who is your favorite celebrity to dress?
DM: Sharon Stone is probably my favorite to dress. She's so smart, and she really understands fashion and clothes. Diane Lane is great, Valerie Bertinelli is so sweet and nice, and Felicity Huffman can wear absolutely anything because she has that straight, model-type body. But Sharon Stone is just the epitome of glam.
