Hot-Blooded
Designers Reignited the Red Dress for Spring
NEW YORK, December 16 – In the handbook of seduction, few tools rank with the consistency of the red dress. Along with plunging necklines and garter belts, it delivers a very specific message—and, considering the numerous songs and movies devoted to scarlet (or scarlet-clad) women, there’s an eager and receptive audience. This spring, designers added plenty to the lexicon with variations ranging from sun-soaked tomato to moody ruby-red.
At Lanvin, Alber Elbaz shaped a handful of liquid charmeuse into a smartly sexy bias slip, while Miuccia Prada romanced the idea at Miu Miu by dropping a feathery garland over an hourglass-tight sheath. Helmut Lang and Emporio Armani put a sporty spin on their brief crimson minis, while Narciso Rodriguez and Maria Cornejo accomplished fashion chemistry, mixing cool tailoring with fiery shades for predictably steamy results.
–—Janet Ozzard