There is a certain energy one encounters before the start of a great show; the collective excitement and support is palpable before you're even handed your seat assignment. Such was the case as District L entered 548 W. 22nd street for Sally LaPointe's SS11 Debut Runway Presentation this evening.
As we were seated among what we felt to be fashion's next generation of influential players, we noticed the curiously arranged runway layout, complete with purposely placed cinder blocks.
A duo of androgynous gatekeepers, clad in all black, opened the monolithic steel doors and unleashed a towering procession of models in a billow of smoke.
The collection, while at first alien and intense, possessed a certain human vulnerability - like a post-apocalyptic longing for what once was. Lapointe's runway included kimono mini-frocks and spun thermal leggings; opalescent, silk gowns and "horsehair" trousers offered a more nostalgic familiarity within the context of the collection.
After the show, Brynne from MAO PR brought us backstage to have a few words with Sally herself regarding her inspiration and background. The RISD graduate started out by designing men's accessories, until she finally decided to go into business with her roommate and start her own label. Her inspiration for her SS/11 line was "a mix of beauty and distortion ... inspired by the intoxication of accepting madness."
LaPointe's debut collection reminded us of why we love fashion in the first place: This industry isn't about squeezing into a celebrity-jammed show or having your picture taken next to Tim Gunn. It's about the passion and support for new talent and their ability to inspire.
