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Slips, but no Slip-ups at MaxAzria

Max Azria put texture center stage at his Spring 2008 show at Bryant Park on September 7. A lingerie-inspired collection of slipdresses and separates, nearly every piece was a study in detail, from pleating and pintucking to appliqués and ombrés.

The MaxAzria line, designed by Azria and his wife, Lubov, is the upscale sister to their first line, BCBG. While BCBG’s success has been garnered by the support of a younger, trendier clientele, MaxAzria (which debuted at Fashion Week in February 2006) is intended for the slightly more mature customer - perhaps model Molly Sims, heiress-cum-businesswoman Ivanka Trump, or even mom-to-be Nicole Richie, who all graced the front row.

Though the pieces could hardly be called mature - the knitted cashmere playsuit might be more suited for Richie’s future child - they did express an element of serious luxury.

The first look down the runway was a silk charmeuse drop-waist dress, in colorblocks of cream, lavender, and blush. A delicate pleating added texture to the bodice. Silky shifts, slips, and more drop-waists were grounded by thin, double-wrapped leather belts and heavy platforms in black and tan.

The show was more than just glorified lingerie, though: There were full, pleated pants in silk, cotton unstructured blazers, and a gorgeous trench with thin layers of lapels that fluttered like tissue paper. Prints were subtle; his best details were in the textures, and even better, in the mixing of these textures. One cream silk charmeuse dress had diamonds of black dot-cutout lace at the neck, a panel of tiny pleats down the middle, a dip-dyed hem that faded to a lavender-gray, and a back that was all a blush pink. Instead of looking busy or overwhelmed, the dress was easy and pretty.

Delicate details ruled the MaxAzria runway, giving substance to an otherwise simply soft and pretty collection.

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