NEW YORK, N.Y. – Jason Wu, who’ll be forever linked to Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown, is making a name for himself in other ways, debuting a spring collection Friday fit for modern sophisticates who aren’t fussy or stuffy.
Top editors and retailers climbed a flight of stairs in a Chelsea space to sit alongside a slippery white textured runway.
Wu borrowed from pop art with “electrified embroideries” that mixed sequins, beads and pearls, and flashes of bright yellow, pink and blue. But he didn’t stray from his classic, ladylike look.
He did take risks playing with proportion.
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“The graphic contrast of the opposing concepts is a strong theme of the collection,” he said in his notes. He said he likes taking things “out of their usual context.”
A shocking-pink, coated-nylon trench – sporty with its hood and drawstring – somehow complemented dressy pleated pants, as did a sparkly sequined collar on a workday shirtdress.
For evening, he mixed a photo-negative digital print T-shirt with a black silk gazar skirt with a feathered peplum around the hips.
There were, in fact, a lot of peplums in this collection, drawing the eye to a spot many women don’t want to emphasize, but the feather versions were light enough to pull off the look. They’re probably a better choice than the high-waisted pants that pouffed out in the same spot.
The extra fabric fared much better on the finale look that paired a white lace shirt with a long black gazar skirt that was trailed by a long train.
A series of petal-print florals was a collaboration with an artist known as KAWS. The scattered petals mimicked KAWS’ signature motif of hands. Wu said he wanted to pay homage to “the workmanship and the number of hands involved in creating a garment.”
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