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Badgley Mischka
By: Hilary Alexander
Photos by Visko Hatfield
Badgley Mischka is one of the Oscar Night's hunters-and-gatherers favorite shows.
Here is where they shop for the stars in search of all those exquisite beaded gowns that
whisper photo-opportunity and wink seductively in the flash-lights.
Badgley Mischka's cast of clients includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Jennifer Lopez, Ashley Judd,
Cameron Diaz, Winona Ryder, Mira Sorvino and Jessica Lang - and boy will they have a hard
time choosing come Oscars 2000.
The boys' new spring collection was a gem, with a much lighter, fresher and younger approach.
The heavily-beaded - and heavy! - gowns of yore, groaning under the weight of truckloads of
jewels (and, let's face it, they were starting to look a bit passe) - have given way to
organza "prom" dresses, lightly sprinkled with crystals, sexy little beaded tops with
tailored pants and slim cardigans and coats over shell-tops and sequined skirts.
Millions of dollars worth of diamonds, courtesy of Fred Leighton, tossed in an extra sparkle.
The colors are straight from a Chinese water-color - celadon green, pale Ming blue,
chrysanthemum, turquoise, jade and bamboo.
A bluebell-embroidered top partnered a raspberry sequined skirt; a champagne sprinkle-beaded
jacket slipped over a peony satin dress; a 'sky' organza top came with a tear-drop skirt in
jade.
Karen Elson, the gawky, carrot-haired Brit who is usually given the funky "freak" slot
on runway shows, looked like a young Rita Hayworth in a strapless, white organza prom-frock,
with a handful of beads strewn across the bosom; the hemline fluttered around her knees.
Stella Tennant was cool and sexy in a pale mint green gown sprinkled with silver.
Maggie Rizer resembled a young Mia Farrow in her eggshell taffeta dress.
But the boys did not entirely forget the oomph factor: they still turned out glamour gowns
in tea-rose pink lace and georgette, fringed in silver , turquoise satin and champagne tulle.
Hilary Alexander is the fashion editor of the Daily Telegraph, UK.
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