Written by Diane Dunne
With the frenzy of his inaugural gown unveiling behind him, Jason Wu unleashes a collection that’s both fun and refined
Jason Wu catapulted onto the international fashion scene last year when his design was selected as Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown. Made of frothy white fabric, it turned the world’s attention to the young, Taiwanese-American designer, whose innovative style, though in relative developmental infancy, blends modern flair with the spirit and detailing of haute couture.
He charmed the audience at the unveiling of his Spring 2010 collection, held in the tony St. Regis New York, with a soupçon of fun-loving, wearable attire featuring eclectic influences. “My spring collection plays with bold colors and quirky elements inspired by Tara Donovan’s contemporary installations,” explains Wu. “Her works got me thinking about how even basic materials can be transformed into sculptural, fantastical pieces. Also, the other major inspiration this season was Sally, the heroine from The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton.”
The show opened with a a short-sleeved tweed jacket over pants, which was an immediate knockout. From then on, onlookers sat back and enjoyed the parade of pseudo-sophisticated but very upscale outfits percolated from the hands of the wondrous designer.
The collection was lyrical and savvy with refined tailoring. There were Joan Crawford tap shorts and 40s shirtwaists—all with a “tomorrow” twist. Skirts were thigh-high and spirited, predominantly in grey, silver and black punctuated with color. In the end, it all spelled out Chic, Modern Woman. His daywear featured shirtdresses and peplum dresses in luscious shades of aqua, peach and fuchsia. For evening, he designed several one-shoulder dresses with a trailing stole under the bare arm.
Just to show that “girls just want to have fun,” Wu ended his display with three high-decibel, show-stopping feather dresses in taupe, smoke and blush.
In all, Wu is a serious fashion designer whose youth means there’s a lot more to come.
