Fashion Week: Son Jung Wan Shows Old Hollywood Glamour

Images from designer Son Jung Wan’s Fall 2015 collection inspired by vintage designs (Photos Rodin Banica)

Oscars weekend is a great time to talk about the glamorous Hollywood inspired collection that designer Son Jung Wan presented for  Fall 2015 during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center. Inspired by the romantic MGM films of the 1950’s and the fashion photography of Gordon Parks Son Jung Wan presented a collection best described as retro-meets-modern; chock-full of glamour with a touch of romance.
Fabrics consisted of merino wool and handcrafted knits in unusual color combinations. Lively metallics, leather and multi-colored furs brought forth the relaxed yet chic mood of the era.

Son Jung Wan’s Fall 2015 collection paid homage to costume designers like Orry-Kelly, Travis Banton and Edith Head. (Photos Rodin Banica)

This collection screamed of luxury  with  wool coats in vibrant orange, adorned with either a fox fur collar, lamb fur details or beaver fur sleeves.  The abundance of fur in this collection  suited the MGM costumes of the 1950s, where fur was not yet thought of as politically incorrect. Turquoise gaucho pants and voluminous skirts gave way to the finale look, a mint green, sequined cocktail dress, which references the effortless evening look of the fifties. A selection of menswear included cashmere and wool coats paired with rich colored trousers to complement the womens’ designs, exhibiting a cohesive line.

Edith Head with Gloria Swanson in “Sunset Boulevard”

When I looked at the garments in this collection, I  thought of some earlier Hollywood era costumes from the 1930’s like Jean Harlow’s fur trimmed gown in “Dinner at Eight”, or Adrian’s costumes from the film “The Women.”   From the 1950s, I could see the influence of Edith Head in many of the dresses, particularly the costumes Ms. Head designed for Gloria Swanson in “Sunset Boulevard.”

Celebrities turned out at Fashion Week to support designer Son Jung Wan. The designer’s longtime friend actress Kelly Rutherford was seen embracing the designer as she took her finale bow on the runway.  It will be interesting to see if some of this glamorous collection turns up on future Hollywood red carpets.    It seems tailored to that distinct target market.