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Douglas Hannant: "The Douglas Hannant Woman"
By Jenny Bailly
Photos by: Jennifer Graylock-FWD
New York, Sep 22, 2001/ FWD/ --- It was a more festive scene than most New Yorkers have witnessed in the last
10 days. Though by no means over the top, Douglas Hannant's show this week, elegantly set atop the St. Regis,
felt almost reminiscent of the fashion world of two weeks ago. Red, white and blue ribbons were handed out at the
door and laid on every seat, but that was the only quiet nod to the tragic reason Hannant's show was cancelled
on September 11.
For Spring 2002, Hannant says he has devoted his collection to the "Douglas Hannant woman." With Sharon Stone,
Brooke Shields, Sigourney Weaver and Jane Seymour among his devotees, you might think that woman must be a
mature movie star.
Hannant, however, describes his typical customer as "a modern-day Marco Polo, exploring the world collecting
exotic, luxurious treasures."
Last spring, he went with a similar theme, presenting out-of-Africa looks, updated for the urban jungle.
Safari shirts, for example, were sassed up with peekaboo holes.
Unfortunately, this year, most of the sophisticated women who gravitate toward Hannant's signature luxe fabrics
and sculptural shapes won't likely be traveling to distant lands. Most of these elegant pieces will still be
appropriate on the home front, though.
Like many designers this spring, Hannant favored neutral colors for much of his collection - ecru, chalk white
and cool grays abounded. Some were accented with a petrol blue or pagoda pink.
Known for doing great things with leather, Hannant didn't disappoint this season, trimming tweed jackets and
dresses with his buttery napa, and ruffled blouses with soft suedes. (Apparently no collection is complete this
season without some obligatory frills.)
Many of Hannant's collections are devoted to eveningwear, and this one was no exception. For the last 14 of the
46 ensembles, the designer swung from white hues to classic black for his elegant gowns. The asymmetrical cuts
he was so partial to for fall are still around, in both hems and shoulder lines.
A couple of his simpler black numbers featured 24-karat gold straps. The most fun piece, though, was certainly
the black ostrich beaded slip dress. It reinvented the flapper uniform with feathers instead of fringe. The
penultimate ensemble of the show was modeled by Alek Wek: a black and ecru sequined mesh top paired with a
silk chiffon faux-wrap skirt, cut up to the upper (way upper) thigh on one side, that billowed behind the
statuesque beauty as she strutted down the catwalk.
Douglas Hannant Fashion
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