NEW YORK, Feb 7, 2006 / FW/ --- The stage set was a 19th century salon with a sofa and chairs, the wall decorated with two life size paintings of a French maiden. The venue darkens and when the spotlights were turned on, the sofa and chairs were now occupied with models wearing sumptuous gowns and coats.

It was like a tableau – dramatic and whimsical at the same time. Classical music played on the background. A model sporting a grey mohair plaid ues wrap reversed to silver fox worn over gray mohair plaid strapless tunic and black suede hip-hugging bootleg jeans stood up and walked the runway to a deafening applause.

The audience composed mostly of Zang Toi’s elite clientele plus a contingency of journalists was appreciative of the New York-based designer’s artistry. Every look was meticulously detailed and styled as Zang Toi fused New York dress sensibilities with French aesthetics.

The silhouettes were slim, the pants were pencil thin and the jackets with soft rounded shoulders were snug fitting. Zang Toi proposed black and gray as the main color palette for his fans, with ice pink and lilac as splashes of brightness during the winter months.

He dressed the debutantes in pinks and lilacs, as in cashmere turtlenecks with beaded diamond brooch & silk satin organza ball skirt with chenille embroidery and the ice pink silk organdy ball gown with asymmetric ribbon sash with diamond brooches, just in time for the International Ball held in New York during November or December for the debut of socialites from all over the U.S.

For daywear, Zang Toi proposed the very practical bootleg jeans. But don’t think denim. Think luxurious black suede and cotton velvet embellished with topstitching. Giving a nod to the Britishmania that swept through the menswear catwalks in Europe, Zang Toi created cashmere tweed and diagonal twill trousers.

There is also the sensible skirt, with ‘sensible’ being used loosely here, because the skirts are as luxurious as ever in cotton velvet.

Fur made its appearance too, in silver fox peeking from the collars and plackets of coats, to the stoles and wraps.

The ending was as dramatic as the opening with the models taking their seats in the sofa and chair as they exit the catwalk. Zang Toi came out to take his bow, and then took his rightful place with the models, posing for a ‘family picture’ in the opulent drawing room.

Zang Toi

Zang Toi

Zang Toi

Zang Toi

Zang Toi