Patric DiCaprio and Bryn Taubensee emerged for their bows tonight in matching sunglasses, large eye-darkening shields of the kind worn by post-operative cataract patients and A-list celebrities. They said their collection was a consideration of the ways in which stars (and the rest of us) negotiate lives, mediated by a 24/7 barrage of cameras. Do you want to be seen or do you want to hide? Is there a difference in a world where everyone uses an iPhone?
Vaquera has never been mistaken as a brand for introverts and it won’t be now. After opening with a gold fishnet catsuit, the breasts outlined like roses, many of the ‘normal’ looks that followed were split at the back, exposing the bra straps and panties. Other looks used underwear as decoration. The pink satin panties attached to the front of an otherwise conventional skirt might not have been as eye-catching on the catwalk, but on the street it would be a different story.
Standing along the runway, like fans crowding a police barricade at a red carpet or outside a fashion show, the crowd cheered and shouted in appreciation. There aren’t many collections here in Paris or in the other fashion capitals that offer Vaquera’s sharp pleasure. While Dover Street Market handles the brand’s production, sales and distribution, DiCaprio and Taubensee are brushing up on their customization; there were a few black pantsuits here that could pass in the straight world even with their bondage straps and industrial zippers, and a white cracked leather trench coat looked great. And their jeans keep getting better.
Now that the screenwriter’s strike is over, the red carpet may soon bounce back. Maybe a bold starlet will wear Vaquera’s bleached denim ball gown. We’d like to see it.
