The Classicist Theme

For the spring/summer season 2005, Lloyd Klein paid homage to fashion's legendary Master of Couture Madame Grès. Who better to do this than Lloyd Klein having just a few years prior held the post of Creative Director for the House of Grès in Paris? 

The Collection

The show opened with a parade of “3 tribes of Graces”, one part impeccably tailored in suiting realized in cool lightweight crepes, light summer leathers and distressed denim skirts and jackets each baring extravagantly cut silhouettes normally reserved for couture construction. The other two celebrating in intricately pleated cotton jersey short dresses in ivory and in onyx respectively.  Next up were the seductive “Nymphs” in coral jersey robes that were ridiculously extravagant in volume only to bared gorgeous poolside pleated swimwear, causing a wave of audible gasps of excitement from the packed house. The entrance of the “Muses” showed their intricately embroidered jewel encrusted gowns many in an art-deco motif. “Fates”, “Sirens”and “Goddesses”, showed gorgeous versions evening gowns each managing to stay true to their historic modern Greco-Roman inspiration yet completely fashion relevant. Both Madame Grès and Lloyd Klein are Classicists and this collection is exemplary to that tradition.

The Run of Show

The runway was held in the tents at Bryant Park and the set was created with staggered mirrored boxes, platforms and stairs in the center of the u shaped runway to create the ambience of being in the center of a precious jewelry box. The show began with a ballerina wearing a floor length open front skirt with an exaggerated train made of 120 yards of tulle that somehow looked a light and as delicate as the clouds that platform the mythological beauties showcased in this collection.  The center of the room surrounded by the u-shaped of featured various sizes of fully mirrored staggering platforms. As she performed the ballerina brought to mind the playful pop up ballerina found in vintage jewelry boxes. The final segment of the show created a dazzling showcase of the entire collection as each model took a posed position after their final look to create a spectacular "mise-en-scène" finale. Although it is a women's collection that is shown, male models draped in cotton jersey togas are placed as living Greek statues throughout the show. A little eye candy seemed to make everything feel just right.

Colors and Textures

Refined Ice-Cream and Ivory tones conjure a feminine and powdery-soft sensibility for a playful daytime that glides effortlessly into glamorous evening. Powdered ivory, sea bleached coral, ebony that were swaddled, supple and fluid.

Fabrics and Treatment

Silk and cotton jerseys. buffed crocodile and buttery summer leather, antiqued couture denim, jeweled and embroidered silk mesh treated with abundant draping, precise pleating, piqued edge trims with couture tailoring, naturally defined volumes that were reconstructed to old world proportions.