Shades Of Girl

Kathryn Alex a fashion designer based in New York who recently graduated with a MFA in Fashion Design from the Academy of Art in San Francisco and interned for several seasons with Prabal Gurung. She recently sent me images from her thesis collection which, she explains "explores the duality of girlhood and femininity - the tough tomboy and delicate ingenue that often exist simultaneously. The collection plays with traditional feminine silhouettes and details merged with harder elements of the street, for example athletic mesh fused with silk organza". 

The collection is entitled "Girl" and is inspired by Mary Ellen Mark's 1984 documentary Streetwise and her 13 yr old subject Tiny.  

Some of the shapes are ultra feminine, such as the fuchsia 50's style promo dress, which is both tempered and heightened by the panels of opposing fabrics, which have been skilfully crafted into the bodice and skirt. 

I would be more inclined to say that rather than the collection being a juxtaposition of feminine and tomboy, it is rather more a juxtaposition between feminine and sporty, as the aertex style fabric and predominance of clean white really takes those soft shapes and lends them a much more laid-back lexicon.

The big pink dress is the showpiece of Kathyrn's collection certainly, but for me the pink trousers with white overlay and matt PCV sleeveless jacket are my personal favourites. These could easily be slotted into even the most reserved of spring wardrobes.

QMichelle