NEW YORK, February 13, 2012
By Alison Baenen
As Araks Yeramyan explained at her presentation, her latest hobby—crocheting—provided the jumping-off point for new collection. Especially around the neckline, the crafty handiwork gave Araks' work, usually low on frills, some nice pop. A long, navy blue turtleneck dress with what appeared to be a crocheted bodice turned out to be a dress with a removable crocheted dickie. (You could untie the neck warmer when things started to heat up.) Elsewhere, the crocheted top of a calf-length gray dress with a wide, circled hem looked, winningly, like the world's tiniest shrug. The dress had a sweet, sporty rib-knit collar that appeared on a few outerwear pieces, as well.
Besides getting hooked on crochet, Yeramyan also discovered the work of the late photographer Seydou Keita, known for his portraits of fellow Malians in the fifties and sixties. Taking cues from the tiered layers and curved lines of Keita's subjects' dress, Araks distilled her silhouette down to a minimal approximation of theirs. A deep green, short-sleeved blazer flared out just slightly at the waist for a kicky peplum effect, while its inset lapel created a piece that was simultaneously streamlined and curvilinear. The voluminous pair of green and blue color-blocked, wide-leg trousers in silk georgette looked comfortable enough to be worn to bed, though they'd be the chicest pants on the street. Speaking of street, the award for the cleverest cold-weather accessory can be handed out here: A stand-alone mink collar that zipped up the back into a hood and doubled as a scarf in the front. Practical but plush, it summed up Arak's sensible separates well.
