NYFW diary: A fine romance at Prabal Gurung, the new anti-luxury luxury at Alexander Wang

Ever since Prabal Gurung threw his colour-block party last spring, he has been on every ed/buyer/blogger’s mind, lips and twitter account.  He’s no longer an up-and-comer. He has arrived. Exhibit A: In demand cat walker Karlie Kloss appearing in Gurung’s fall 2011 show for the first time ever, opening in a crimson hand-draped off-the-shoulder dress. Three words: Be My Valentine. Other heart-hitting looks included his black fox shrug, laser cut leather dress, goat hair and mink coat, fuchsia chiffon dress and black techno wool cutaway jacket.  Gurung’s lace details, leather accents and cinched waists (oh, how Wuthering Heights!) created a distinctively innovative take on modern-day romance.  Could this be love? Je pense que oui.

It’s hard to know what to wear to an Alexander Wang show (leather?  Cutouts?) so I stick to what works for me: head-to-toe black. Which, turns out is what Wang is courting come fall.  But this time around, Wang is channeling the après-ski hipster gone hautester. Translation? Shiny leathers, too-cool-for-school footwear mash-ups (think knee high boots mixed with gladiator sandals), creamy white bomber jackets and more black than the darkest night.  It’s luxury at its anti-best and Wang knows how to keep the party going; his first stand-alone store opens in Soho this coming Wednesday.  I can already hear the cash registers ringing.

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