The Arrival of Shaun Kearney for Cynthia Steffe [Comment]

First of all let's say that I was unsure as to what to expect for the Cynthia Steffe Spring 09 show. It's not that I was unfamiliar with this iconic American sportswear house; in fact, helming it in recent years was a designer who I truly respect and admire. But somehow, the brand seemed to suffer from an identity crisis of sorts. This I am happy to report is a thing of the past. With a new Creative Director, Shaun Kearney (who's pedigree is a collection of well rounded European and American brands like Donna Karan, Kenneth Cole, Max Mara and Randolph Duke) it's clear he's well versed in understanding the essential nuances of an established fashion brand.

I was taken with the variety and richness of the fabrics. The reverse lace print silks in red and royal blue against ivory were particularly lovely as were the charming jacquard and embroidered eyelet, which were fashioned into peek-a-boo petticoats on some of the sassy dresses. There was a plethora of polished looks that rambled down the runway, all languid and totally wearable. I loved the silk charmeuse jumpsuit--Who knew a jumpsuit could be such a knockout? With just the right amount of blouson here and a cropped I dream of Genie-style pant leg there, it was fabulous. And taking traditional pinafore smocking to another level, Mr. Kearney applies this detail to a number of the looks from a full, high waist skirt coupled with the same oversized smock cropped jacket in leather to a Kelly green silk dress, both so modern and versatile.

An indigo Japanese block-print style embroidered eyelet coat with contrast cummerbund-style waistline definitely got my attention. Right away I notice there was an enormous attention to details. Fine-weave floral sweaters served as underpinning for relaxed slouchy vests and slim Bermuda short that epitomized American Sportswear. From the styling right through to the beauty department, there wasn't one area of this presentation that missed a beat.

What I loved about this whole show was the fact that it seemed to transition right into any glossy magazine, before my very eyes. I imagined this collection nestled comfortably among other fashion features in ZOOZOOM. How's that, you ask? For most designers, the collection's narrative is very tight and the theme character, of singular dimension. This gives room for interpretation for stylists and editors alike to put their own stamp on things. In this case, stylist Kate Mossman did a bang up job to beef up the edginess for us, offering a series of surprises all her own which added to this eclectic editorial inspired mix.

Mr. Kearney has realized his goal of creating a collection that emotes the depth and breadth of the Cynthia Steffe brand while imbuing it with a renewed sense of direction and style. For this seasoned professional, he's made this inaugural presentation look like a cake-walk, and that, my friend's, ain't easy!

To view Cynthia Steffee's complete Spring 2009 Collection go to ZOOZOOM's Fashion Wars and choose your own war.

Masthead