Fashion Q + A
Runway
Posted September 15, 2011
An animated performance by Sarah Charness with a pink electric violin jolted the crowd to attention, but the show did not follow up the dynamic introduction. Elene Cassis stuck to one look - a retro-inspired shift dress, with too simplistic details and prints, topped with cheesy accessories that all seemed too commercial for runway. Cassis altered the shift dress by varying hem lengths, adding or subtracting sleeves, separating it into two matching parts, or reconstructing the collar. Aside from an occasional higher slit up the leg, or the glittering appearance of a dressier little black dress, she offered low function versatility, although some pieces could duel as professional wear.
Color schemes and designs were kept simple, with mostly two tones being the maximum. There were a series of white frocks that she added thick black line accents, sometimes in the form of straps that seriously slumped in visual impact. With a one-sleeved dress, black and white forged a scratch abstract art print that maybe had the sharpest look to all her designs.
Strangely, when the print was done with red instead of black, it looked common place, with only a flare of vintage to manage any charm. This was the case with many of Cassis’s creations; some black frocks with pink satin details erred even on David’s Bridal.
Cassis also introduced accessories with her Easter Sunday dresses, which were more tribal inspired than 50‘s domestic house wife. Her accessories were black and white, figuratively and literally. Some were refreshing, like a multicolored bead choker, or a clear stoned bracelet with gold leaf details inside. But much of it, the black, white and combination of the two, looked heavy around the model’s necks, or stacked up the arm.
This line offers great consumer appeal, as it does serve as specific, functional dress-up wear for the masses, but when it comes to special and unique designs, Cassis played it too safe to be sensational.
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