California-born designer Michael Costello has a celebrity following that is a force to be reckoned with. Talented babes like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande have all sported his red carpet-ready wears. The brilliant designer placed fourth out of seventeen on the eighth season of Project Runway and has been delivering a turn-up during fashion weeks in Los Angeles and New York ever since. That said, I was pretty pumped about attending his Fall/Winter 2017 show during Day One of New York Fashion Week on Thursday, February 9th because I knew there would be plenty of glitz and glam.
After settling into my seat in the dramatically dark painted room inside Skylight Clarkson Square, I couldn’t help but notice that everyone in the room was just as lit with excitement as I was. The blend of interesting characters sitting front row – someone in a plastic blow-up doll costume and an 18th-century dressed gentleman with a sultry vixen on his arm – caused the anticipation-filled air to transport us spectators to an alternate reality. As if this interesting mix of characters wasn’t whimsical enough, a giant, pink Care Bear with a rainbow belly was escorted out front to join their ranks (it took three people and nearly 15 minutes to get the round fella positioned on the bench.lol). Can you spot my cheerful friend below?
Once the spotlights hit their mark, the sounds of moody music slowly mounted to a steady beat that Costello’s angel-like models floated down the runway to. A procession of disco hair and flowy garments glided around the bend (past a tummy-patting bear) and into the bright light before me. White, floor-length garments opened the show and my heart to Michael Costello, as both of these virtues speak to my soul.
Gallant gowns made of transparent and lacey materials featured trimmings like fringe, exaggerated sleeves and dramatic shoulders. All of these details exuded a steady stream of confident sex appeal and high-fashion glamour. Us fashion folks sat perched on the edge of our seats taking in each and every femme piece of stimulating flare.
Darker pieces with more silk and sheer fabrics followed, as well as flashy sequins. These had me ready for a night out in the city that never sleeps. After spending magical minutes in this voguish cosmos crafted by such a skillful creative, Michael Costello himself walked the entire runway. A full house gave a standing ovation. Bravo!
Below, you can view clips from the runway that I captured (a bit blown out due to the lighting but with original music), as well as a video with the full Michael Costello Fall/Winter 2017 collection (without original music) via www.nyfw.com