Back on dry land after his whirlwind fashion cruise with Cunard, Christian Siriano wanted to keep pre-fall a tight edit in an intimate setting. His look book, shot by renowned Canadian photographer Richard Phibbs, was modeled after an Irving Penn studio sitting, with Coco Rocha standing in for Penn’s wife and muse Lisa Fonssagrives.
During a visit at his new studio in SoHo, Siriano practically rolled his eyes when pressed further about his inspiration: “I hate to say it, but Old Hollywood glamour,” he scoffed.
It may be a clichè, but it’s one Siriano has every right to repeat. He’s dressed some of the silver screen’s most famous faces, and if his spring show had a sort of oddball “Wizard of Oz” quality, than his latest effort felt like three clicks of the heels, bringing him home to that. “I wanted it to be very red carpet-focused because it’ll be coming out just before award season, so we’ll start the new year with that,” he explained.
Come January, the best-dressed contenders will be a cold-shoulder ballgown in black silk faille with pleated tulle peplums and a slinky gold column with tiers of bugle-beaded fringe.
Not nominated? No problem. Taking a democratic approach to eveningwear, Siriano offered separates for his clients with jam-packed social calendars to mix and match, positing: “Our girl, she loves a dress. She loves a gown, but how can they actually get more use out of it?”
She could don a simple floor-length skirt with a bandeau and crystal-embellished bolero like Rocha or perhaps a lace top with a pair of satin bubble-waist trousers. Or she could jumble them together and find her own combination.
Thanks to Siriano’s collaboration with Rare Carat, his customer can now play around with dainty diamond baubles, seen throughout. Soon she’ll be able to click her own Siriano-branded heels, too. An in-house footwear line is in the works.
