Richard Tyler: Stunning Suits
By: Sara Nolan
Photos by: Visko Hatfield
More photos --->> | 1 | 2 | 3 |
New York, Feb 15, 2001/FWD/ ---
Richard Tyler knows how to change pace without losing his stride. His recent move from an austere
Gramercy Park brownstone to a modern, meatpacking district mansion has not dampened his form.
His Fall
2001 collection, shown in the second-floor atrium of that new location, proved this further
still.
The défilé of gowns, coats, skirts and suits in crepe, cashmere, wool, and a laundry list of silks stayed
true to both Tyler's audience and to his forte: elegant lines and masterful tailoring.
Still relying on favored techniques like pintucking and trapunto stitching, Tyler created a gothic twist,
focusing on sharp shoulders and dramatic necklines.
But leather trapunto stitched belt-like sashes on coats
and dresses had a far more dramatic effect.
They were sexy and had an S&M feel, but never overbearingly so.
As always, Tyler's most stunning talent for tailoring showed itself in his suits.
A chalk wool twill number with a notch-collar seamed jacket and boy-cut pleated pants might
well be the perfect suit.
A series of ostentatiously colored ensembles paired gangster-style plaids with sleek shirt
and tie combos, epitomizing the alluring duality of the androgynous look: that it is at
once playful and unflinchingly sexy.
Even a
white cashmere chenille lace tuxedo made sense, thanks to its flawless assemblage.
And suits with dangerously
sharp shoulders - in a silk/wool blend or leather - managed to be modern and decisively stylish without
being too derivative or harsh.
For evening, gauzy layers of silk chiffon in iridescent green hues conjured up images of
wood nymphs.
And
several black beaded dresses had a distinctly Gatsby air about them.
However, Tyler did get a bit lost with a series of skintight, duchess satin gowns in black
with red accents.
Perhaps they took the goth idea that was hinted at in the tailoring of the suits and coats
a step too far.
The color combination was also, somehow, off-putting.
Still, a black silk chiffon sashed gown was perfectly graceful, and a series of silk and lace teddies and
slips reached the height of femininity.
Tyler may have taken a turn, but he is most certainly still on the
right path.
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