Thank you Christian Siriano, a Fashion Designer Who Speaks Size Sense

It was wildly humid in West Chelsea as we waited for Christian Siriano’s show to begin. According to the handout, the collection was inspired by Settimio Garritano’s photos of Jackie O vacationing in Capri. The show’s invite featured a vintage beach beauty looking coyly over her shoulder. It was printed on heavy cardstock so it made a great fan.

The front row was bananas, a who’s who of ladies that seem like they’d be a hoot over cocktails. Before the show started, they were all hidden by a scrum of camera crews but occasionally, pieces would peek through, illuminated by the phones held up in the rows behind them.

Coco Rocha was there. We saw flash of her incredible cheekbones. And then a corner of Ashley Graham’s smile—even her teeth are radiant somehow. A photographer’s shoulder dropped and Jaimie Alexander’s browline was revealed. Stunning. Christina Hendricks was there too of course—she was in Siriano’s wedding last month. Her perfect hair was tied back in a perfect bun.

The roar ramped up when Pamela Anderson popped in and we could only see the top of her head.

“She’s tiny,” the girls behind me murmured and all was aligned in the universe. Celebrities are always smaller or larger than they appear onscreen and that must be commented on.

DAN & CORINA LECCA

The lights dimmed. The show began.

The palate ranged from neutrals to great shocks of orange and turquoise. A series of little white dresses would be lovely for a beach wedding somewhere. A series of little black dresses would be lovely for a chic beach funeral, if such things existed. Some of the models wore deliciously snotty sunglasses—almost cat-eye-like and perfect for the coolest girl at the resort to look down on the hoi polloi from her lounge in the prime cabana.

DAN & CORINA LECCA

The greatest thing about the clothes was that they moved, adorned with raffia and crystal dangly bits that rustled like they were being jostled by a seaside breeze. Great wide pants, split to the thighs, flowed like capes as the models walked. The arms of the clothes were slit open too—they fluttered like even more tiny capes. And then an actual cape! It crowned a stunning black gown. The underside was turquoise and the dress was so smashing that it singlehandedly redeemed the shade from decades of Arizona trinket shop hell.

Some of the eveningwear in crepe organza and satin looked like the fabric was pulling a little strangely, but the ruffles were exuberant enough to cover far greater sins. The shoes, wild little pumps cut with sharp wonky angles, are available at longtime Siriano collaborator Payless. Siriano also designs for Lane Bryant.

Because of these collections, women from Capri to Jersey Shore can adorn themselves in Siriano and this inclusivity has made some in the fashion world itch but I’ll swing by a Payless to try a pair on. Hopefully it’s BOGO week and I can get a second free.

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