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This Issue 09/22/2005

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This summer I had the good fortune of landing an internship that I actually enjoyed. Working in public relations and licensing for Vera Wang not only exposed me to several facets of fashion design and marketing, but the perks have also followed up -- most recently, allowing me to attend the show in New York this past week. As I walked onto the runway from backstage, the thrill set in. Lights were blaring as crews adjusted them for the show. Music pulsated as technicians tested the sound. Dozens of people raced around in the madness to prepare for an event which ultimately lasts little more than 10 minutes. The Band's "The Weight" started the show, creating a nostalgic tone. The runway was flanked by a posh combo of designers, fashion heavyweights, sunglasses and socialites. The collection was described as the synthesis of the sophisticated primitivism of Matisse with the fanciful sexuality of the Wild West, highlighting the HBO series Deadwood as a specific cultural inspiration. While these descriptions often seem far-fetched and obscure, as the models strode down the runway, the influences became instantly apparent. The clothes did in fact embody the indolence and primitivism of Matisse's women, while also directly referencing the grittiness and power of the women in America's Wild West. The clothes were mesmerizing and the enthusiasm amongst the crowd was equally exciting. It all seemed to be over in the blink of an eye and after the huge applause, the crowd began to dissipate and the runway soon looked as barren as it had when I arrived several hours earlier. Maybe that's the genius of it: finding a way to fuse the existential dream world of Matisse with the audacious sexuality of the American Frontier as a captivating representation of femininity, as Ms. Wang did so perfectly.