I arrived at the Naeem Khan show Thursday night in wet shoes and a sensible cardigan, thanks to the late afternoon deluge, but held out the faint hope that, with my graying hair and glasses, someone might mistake me for Tavi Gevinson.
The crowd, which trickled in steadily, was palpably excited. A little Asian man wearing Elvis glasses took photos of unidentifiable VIPs, even taking a moment to fix one woman's hair, but neglected to spot actress Perrey Reeves of Entourage, who I had also seen at Nicole Miller and who was, obviously, following me around much in the same way Nigel Barker did last year.
On the runway, Internet personality Julia Allison (I believe that's her official title) was filming segments for NY1, by the look of her microphone, which she initially forgot to turn on. I couldn't hear what she was saying but she did multiple takes, clearly unsatisfied with each and every one.
All that was forgotten, however, when the lights dimmed and the show began. As Rosemary Clooney implored some unseen paramour to "sway me smooth, sway me now," big-haired models stomped by in covet-worthy dresses featuring bright colors, flowing shapes, and intricate beading that looked to be inspired, at least in part, by some far-flung tropical destination. The very first look--a yellow long-sleeved mini-dress with black beading almost literally dripping off of it--brought on a Wayne's World moment: the heavens opened, Dreamweaver started playing, and I found myself whispering, "It will be mine. Oh, yes, it will be mine."
At the end of the show, Khan, quite deservingly, received a standing ovation.
