3.1 Phillip Lim
The pre-show darkness at 3.1 Phillip Lim’s Spring show was a few shades lighter than the perpetual midnight of deep space, bathing show time in a ghostly pale, exposing the runway and the angular monoliths that flanked it as unfinished plywood. The whole scene screamed fragility, a sensation that extended to Lim’s collection. Lambskin looked light as chiffon (and also used as only chiffon can be used: delicately). Oversized embroidered paisley graced suede everything: drawstring pants; a Harrington jacket; bateau neck pullovers.  Belted, sleeveless safari jackets and the parade of beige that followed all suggested Saharan campgrounds, albeit ones with wind machines, chefs, and an ethereal soundtrack. No roughing it here.

Robert Geller
It was quite clear that the German-born Robert Geller was in quite the Baader-Meinhof state of mind when designing his spring 2011 collection. Political violence provided the cleverly punk tone of the show, with Geller’s models playing the peacenik-turned-provocateur protagonists. The military green, blood red, and touches of denim all pointed to a specific point in history, one where the counter culture turned from love to the Molotov cocktail. As did the flight suit, leather moto, and trenches, That Geller was able to so clearly express the conceptual via the functional is a sign of the designer’s importance, relevance, and immense talents.

KEYWORDS: 3.1 robert geller, mens fashion week, new york fashion week, phillip lim, shows, spring 2011