Text by Samantha Critchell, Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) - Fashion designers like to talk about making old things new again, but what about making new things seem old - or the preferred fashion term, classic?
Jason Wu's newest collection, previewed Friday at New York Fashion Week, successfully turned modern looks into things that evoke an elegance of yesteryear, including a lace-trim hoodie parka, a feminine tuxedo-inspired shirt dress or a champagne-colored sheer blouse adorned with feathers made of beading.
An all-over, real feathered dress in blush was a fun runway moment, but that's about it.
Wu, best known for frequently providing clothes for Michelle Obama, including the first lady's inaugural gown, said he was interested this season in putting into fabrics the same vibe photographer Robert Polidori used for his book "Parcours Museologique Revister," which traced restorations at Versailles over 25 years.
Take a look at photos from the show and scroll down to keep reading.
"The juxtaposition between the rough under-surface revealed during renovation and the opulence of the decor inspired a mixture of luxuriously embellished fabrics," Wu wrote in his notes left on the seats of the editors, stylists and retailers who made the trip to a walk-up space on Manhattan's far west side.
More than 15 types of lace were featured on the clothes, and it seemed everything was dipped in gold-leaf embroidery, including the models' hair.
The silhouettes were quite modest, almost conservative, with high necks, full sleeves and no hemline much above the knee, but the color palette - from the barely there neutrals to electric blue and hot pink - added some youthfulness and even sex appeal. Strategic sparkle didn't hurt, either.
In particular, the last two gowns on the runway, a black chiffon with a huge slit up the front and a bright pink strapless with gold embellishment at the bustline and waistband, seem ripe for a starlet looking to elevate her image.