In a city like New York, chock-full of innovative and interesting designers, Yigal Azrouël is my absolute favorite. I am a customer, an adoring fan and his trendsetting views on the ease and fluidity of modern fashion are like my personal bible. A handsome man of French-Moroccan descent, raised in Israel and now a New Yorker by choice, Mr. Azrouël (seen below) has turned his shop in the Meatpacking District into a mecca of great taste and life-changing views. He is the god of creating garments that look right and feel easy when worn, without ever skimping on glamour.
That’s probably why I was so disappointed with my experience at his Spring ‘09 show, held in a crowded warehouse in Chelsea. Don’t get me wrong, his clothes were as fantastically magical as could be expected, the new swimwear line was absolutely outstanding and completely wearable and his collaboration with Walter Steiger on the shoes made me yearn for a pair of those divine backless leather creations – a cross between a mule and a bootie. But my geographic positioning, at the very back, against a wall and squashed behind a sea of people, made it impossible for me to actually view the clothing.
How do I know I liked the show so much, you are probably wondering? Because what I could actually see – peeking behind the big hair and the tall men – was breathtaking. The light peach, silk asymmetric look (pictured above), then the black fluid silk dress, layered over the light cotton long-sleeved t-shirt and the dress that so cleverly employed typical Jodhpuri-print cotton fabric in a completely fresh and unrecognizable manner – to the untrained, non-Indophile eye, of course!- will all be on my wish-list for spring. And all exactly what we have come to expect from this talented designer.
In the enviable – and within eye-shot of the clothes – front row, Judith Licht of Full Frontal Fashion, Nina Garcia of Elle and Project Runway fame, photographer Nigel Barker and Oprah decorator extraordinaire Nate Berkus, who looks very cute these days, sporting a scruffy beard. OK, so they might have seen it all from their lovely seats, but I have a feeling I’ll actually be the one buying it all, come February/March – when the collection hits the stores…
