New York designer Lorry Newhouse appreciates quality craftsmanship and materials, stemming from her personal collection of historical and contemporary couture pieces. Newhouse's signature is evening attire; the Spring 2013 season marks her foray into ready-to-wear.
The pastel confections at the designer's intimate presentation on Friday afternoon subscribe to the same meticulous technique as the evening looks: they have a high-fashion, couture essence that makes for an elegant form of daywear.
Pieces were charmingly feminine and quite elegant, as if tailored for a debutante's entrance into the adult social scene. The effect mirrors the arrival of the RTW collection itself; Newhouse is known amongst friends for her style. (One attendee remarked, "She was always so well-dressed, I knew she was meant to design clothes.")
The collection's romanticism fared well in its environment: magenta carpet and painted backdrops based on a wallpaper design. (Lookbook shots took place within the walls of an ornate mirror.)
Pastels incorporated into paisley-style embroidered dresses and separates and gingham gowns veered towards quaint garden party rather than haughty prep.
Silhouettes remained on the simpler side, allowing intricate textures and detailing to be the focus. Long-sleeved shifts were beautifully designed and an ivory suit was perfectly tailored. The stand-out shape (and my favorite piece) was a bell-shaped embroidered skirt in shades of pink and green.
The collection's prints were less affecting than the embroidery yet pleasing to the eye. A painterly garden floral print rendered in ivory and pastel green was a crowd pleaser.
The designs straddled the line between ultra-femme sophistication and Lolita-esque innocence. Evening separates like the two baby blue floor-length skirts leaned towards frou-frou and may not have won over harsher critics, but I took a liking to the more subdued, layered version.
That is not to say that the presentation was without an edge: shades by avant-garde optical brand A-Morir brought a wonderful touch of whimsy that could have been used more generously.
I am interested to see where Newhouse's future in ready-to-wear design will take her. Her aesthetic has much potential to flourish with increasing refinement and experience.
I am grateful to have been able to attend the presentation.
Visit lorrynewhouse.com.
Lookbook images courtesy of Lorry Newhouse
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