Costello Tagliapietra Fall 2011

Can I ever say enough great things about the one and only Fashion Bears? I headed to Mac x Milk Studios at 3pm and the sun was shining and it just felt like it was going to be one of those rare NYC moments where life is beautiful. Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra did not not change my mood at all. Life is beautiful and so are their creations.

Each guest had a bottle of BluePrintCleanse Spicy Lemonade waiting on their seat as a pick-me up refresher in the midst of NYFW. The design duo had previously tweeted, “@BPCleanse is the best for fashion week recovery! we used it as a Preemptive strike!!!”. I don’t know why, but before the show began my stomach started to get in knots of nervous excitement.

The 60s inspired sexy tousled hair, the red lips, pale turquoise nails and soft pastel eyeshadow, dewy skin were the perfect backdrop to the clothes. Not overpowering and simply fresh and beautiful. Meanwhile The Misshapes provided the soundtrack for the show. Mellow soft tunes that wash over your soul.

There was a feminine softness to this collection. While shoulders are still strong, they are not angular but a rounded curved shape. Delicate draped looks are reigned in at the waist frequently by the use of soft tied bows. Fortunately this does not take a overtly saccharine route and ends up looking perfectly natural.

This woman is classy, sophisticated but the ease to the designer’s aesthetic that I love is ever present. She never looks like she is trying too hard but she is lovely.

CENTER PHOTO COURTESY OF MILKMADE.COM

Shine is also an important element for this collection and whether it be in liquid charmeuse or sequin over solid/print. Although print wasn’t a huge element of this collection, I did think that the mottled stripes were quite effective.

Key colors were all shades of grey, red and rose gold with pops of olive, sunshine yellow and cobalt blue. One of the most amazing parts of a Costello Tagliapietra collection is knowing that they have been able to achieve such amazing vibrant colors while working with a mill that uses an Eco-friendly dyeing process.  One of the accessories that I thought were pretty great were the uber furry mitts paired with furry toques they had me instantly thinking, “Bear Hug Belly Rub!”.  My heart melted a little when the show was over and just as the designer’s came out for the runway finale and they put their arms around each other as they walked backstage.  A gesture that spoke volumes of mutual appreciation, love and a job well done.