Fall 2007: Jason Wu
Judging by the glossy black runway and the hipster-packed audience, I was expecting a very edgy, hip collection from Jason Wu, one of the young Asian designers working today. And while there was definitely a downtown edge to the looks that came down the runway, there was also an uptown sense of luxurious fabrics and beautiful tailoring. Which makes sense, in a way--Wu has been getting a bit of attention from Vogue recently, and his uptown-downtown look is exactly the type of aesthetic the magazine has been championing lately. And with looks like this gorgeously detailed coatdress, you can understand why.


Of course, when I think "coatdress," I think frumpy, conservative numbers that we haven't seen since the late '80s. But Wu seems to be leading this late-emerging trend, and you can rest assured that these aren't your grandma's coatdresses.


While I've been a big advocate of all shades of purple...


...jewel tones such as emerald green and ruby red have been prominent in the collections thus far as well. Wu sent some great gold, sapphire, amethyst, and, yes, red dresses down the runway. This was one of my favorites.


This mink coat is quite possibly the most luxurious thing I've ever seen. Okay, that's an exaggeration, but what makes it so luxe is its impracticality--it might be warm, but it has short sleeves, so, really, it's more of a fashion piece than a functional piece. Unless, of course, you pair it with some fabulous gloves. But I digress.


Wu sent some great metallic pieces down the runway too. I was particularly taken with this metallic trench, and I think the oversized black sunglasses were the perfect accessory.


Wu finished the show with some dramatic evening gowns, and I thought this one was particularly interesting--the skirt was made of jersey, a fabric you usually don't see in a full evening gown like this.


So while the show had a cool downtown veneer, the details were all uptown: Wolford hosiery, Oliver Peoples sunglasses, and Manolo Blahnik shoes. Sounds like Jason Wu is indeed ready for Vogue, and I'll look forward to seeing him there.

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