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Vassilios Kostetsos Fall 2010 Show

Lately, all I’ve been listening to on my i-pod are songs thats I listened to when I was growing up. Hearing songs from when I was in college and high school, even grade school, take me back to what I like to call ‘My Life Eras’. I have a whole host of songs that apply to my ‘Could a guy have any more friends’ grade school days to ‘When did everyone grow up but me’ junior high days to my ‘Hey, have you seen my identity’ high school days and then onward to my ‘I’m driving too slow, let the alter ego take the wheel’ college fantasy ride.

Somewhere between the safety of grade school and the shell shock of junior high a friend had introduced me to a cartoon called Jem and the Holograms (Can you already guess where this is going?). While the cartoon totally capitalized on the music video craze , it also highlighted to outrageous colors and proportions that made the eighties were it was.
In flies Vassilios Kostetsos. Now while I understand that fashion is cyclical, there rests a certain side of me that wants designers to push forward even if they reference a little. I guess my problem with this collection was the percentage to which they pushed and referenced. Kostetsos showed a collection that was chock full of 80’s and even early 90’s references with his shocking bright color palette, leg-o-mutton sleeves and mini dresses. Male models sauntered onto the runway in slick cropped leather jackets and leather pants complete with bold hardware and what seemed like punk rock face painting. Trench coats and trousers in fabrications that if leather, came off like PVC seamed intricately were a bit of a tongue in cheek misstep.

Mr. Kostetsos’ strength is womenswear, but again, it needed more forward and less reference. There were sexy little dresses with interesting draping but they were then made a bit over the top by over the knee boots and over-accessorizing. His trenches were chic and ladylike but needed tweaking in their proportions and detailing. My favorite number of the show is pictured below; it’s a one shouldered silk aqua blue blouse and beautifully draped skirt shown with a simple clean clutch.

My thinking is that buyers with heavily “influence” Mr. Kostetsos to ‘tailor’ this collection come market. It may be a collection that looks better in the showroom where one can see the work of each piece but also interject some friendly and necessary retail editing. As for now, Mr. Kostetsos’ talent is there but his vision needs cultivating. As for me I’ll stick to the music of the eighties with an appreciation for, but wary eye of its references. Enjoy the show’s finale below. DW

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