Max Azria: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Review

Max Azria, a Tunisian born Frenchman who lives in Los Angelos, has several Fall 2009 runway collections, such as BCBGMAXAZRIA, HERVÉ LÉGER and Max Azria. He also has the Miley Cyrus collection with Walmart. They, each, have a distinctly different look. (wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Azria)

In the BCBG collection, the designer played around with different hem treatments, waists that didn't always stay at the waist or go in a straight line, and a lot of provocative back-views. Most of the line has a slim, though not body conscious silhouette with a couple of bubble type exceptions. There are quite a few dresses with blouson tops with banded drop waists. The color pallet ranges from winter white, ivory, old gold, taupe, a range of browns, plums, greens, blue and black. Some of the dresses are silk and some are rayon, but many of them are polyester.The most notable accessory were the metallic tights that were paired with every dress and either, platform heels or booties. Some of the garments are available at http://www.bcbg.com. The prices range from $438 for the hammered silk, diagonally shirred dress in a pale grey to the metallic tank top for $98 which is available in gold or gunmetal.

Max Azria created a very interesting collection in his Max Azria line. There are a lot of asymmetrical, swishy hems that appear to have been influenced by the tuxedo and the dress with a train. He also used a great deal of lace in the flavor of the Victorian and Edwardian eras combined with the structure and ambiance of Star Trek and Lara Croft, Tomb Raider. His designs exhibit a great deal of surprise elements, such as peek-a-boo exposures in unexpected places, unfinished looking backs with put-together fronts to totally see through over or under opaque fabrics or garments.He also did a lot with asymmetrical sleeve treatment. (style.com/fashionshows)

Many of the fabrics that he used are chiffon, jersey, velvet and a lot of lace. Some of the colors he used are winter white, grey prints, black, browns, taupe, yellows, oyster, and dark reds. The most noticeable accessories are the leggings, lace body suits and black tights. Some of these items are available at http://www.bcbg.com. The prices are from $128 for the leggings to $798 for the purple silk chiffon floor length gown.

If I were able to choose one of these dresses it would be the Crepe Dress With Lace Trim. It's a black, sleeveless, rayon polyester knee length dress. I would wear it with my velvet heels, black pantyhose and velvet Tuxedo jacket.

Max Aria acquired the House of Herve Leger in 1998. the fashion house is famous for the bandage dress which is very figure conscious. All the dresses are above the knee, either just above or several inches above. Most of the dresses are sheaths, although some of them have swingy hemlines. The majority of the dresses are sleeveless or capped sleeved. There are a few long sleeved, two with jackets and one with a fur coat. The garments have a lot of surface detail either in prints or in applique design which have a tribal influence. The colors are in earth or muted tones that appear earth tone. (style.com)

The colors range from tans, browns, blacks, greys, muted reds, greens and blues. The designer also used sequins and other glittery add-ons the same way that native beading would have been applied in lines and sequences. He also added a lot of different treatments to the necklines in crisscrossing, squares, scoops,
halter and vee necklines. The most notable accessories were boots from knee length to booty and tough sandals with the bare leg look. Herve Leger is available at www.bcbg.com and www.style.com, although I'm not sure that it's the same collection.

My favorite dress from the collection, is a sleeveless black dress with sequins on the shoulder straps and mirrored squares along the short hem. I would wear it with black tights, my black heeled boots and my velvet tuxedo jacket.

The Miley Cyrus line was not in Fashion Week. It's available at Walmart. However, I'm including it to demonstrate the flexibility and sensitivity of this particular designer. This line is different than the other three lines. It reflects
Miley's style and is youthful in character. The prices of this collection range from $6.00 for a cami top to $20.00 for the bomber jacket. The textures come in chiffon, denim, knits and jersey. The fabrics are cotton, polyester and rayon. (www.walmart.com)

The choices of garments are camis, tank tops, logo/tie dyed and trompe l'oeil vest t-shirts, dresses, tunics, very short straight denim or cotton and pleated skirts, skinny, distressed or leopard jeans, chiffon ruffle front or smocked waisted tops, capri and ankle length leggings, long-sleeved vee necked tops, hoody tops and cardigans and a bomber jacket.

The clothing ranges in colors from white, black, greys, reds, blues, yellows, purples and pinks. There are a lot of plaids, animal prints, solids and tie dyed among the selections.

I would pair the ankle length Leopard tights in shadow with my cap-sleeve black tunic, layered over my scoop necked, burgundy and black tie dyed angel sleeved top and mary jane flats.

Sources:

http://www.mbfashionweek.com/newyork/fall2009/designers/max_azria/index.html

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2009RTW-MACOLL

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2009RTW-HLEGER

http://www.bcbg.com.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Azria

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?ic=96_0&ref=&tab_value=77_All&search_query=myley+cyrus&search_constraint=5438