ADVICE SISTERS GREAT RELATIONSHIPS & ADVICE WEBSITE

 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007 Preview -The Alice Roi Runway Show 

 by Alison Blackman Dunham

---

Alice Roi isn't a newbie. She was nominated for the Council of Fashion Designers of America's prestigious Perry Ellis Award for Womenswear in 2001.  A somber palette of warm, chunky knits, draped skirts, and lacy tops felt youthful, but just a bit sexy.  Here is my Here is my report on the Mercedes Benz Fall 2007 Fashion Week runway show for Alice Roi, from backstage and the runway. I hope you enjoy it!

      

 Stephane Marais for Bourjois did the makeup for this show (the woman on the left is not Stephane!)  He said he wanted to compliment Alice Roi's theme and clothes,  the inspiration for which was the beloved book about a little French girl: Madeline (one of my favorite books as a child!). As you can see from the model's profile, the makeup is  youthful and fresh, but this look is much more "Britany-I'm-not-so-innocent" schoolgirl than that of little Madeline! My photos don't do the models or the makeup artist justice, but I think Stephane perfectly captured the look he wanted-- a fresh-faced girl who has just awakened after sleeping in her makeup all night.

  This makeup look is really captivating, with a strong focus on the eyes, which is a big trend for Fall.  Stephane achieved this look by using two Bourjois liners to create those smoldering eyes--a Bourjois Khol & Contour Liner in "Noir Expert" to line the eyes, and a Bourjois Regard Effet Metallise Liner in "Noir Effet Miroir" to smudge- creating a beautiful smoky look and left lashes bare so as not to overload the eyes. He then used Imperfection Concealer on skin without blush for a dewy, natural look. He finished with Effet 3D Nude Gloss in Rose Mystic for a delicate look on lips.

    The hair was by created Neil Moodie for Bumble & Bumble.  In most cases, the model's hair was pulled sleekly back in mid-crown ponytails, but with the added surprise of  extensions made of soft strips of frosted plastic that looked to me like the fringes in a car wash and added movement and a bit of flash, as the models walked.  Three of the models (only three) wore short, black wigs. That added a nice balance and a mod vibe, to the "girly Madeline" theme.

I didn't have a seat for this show (my photos from standing room, reflect that),  but  here are two photos from the final walkthroughs.

As you can see,  there wasn't a great deal of color in this collection save for a bit of rust, plaid in subdued tones, and a hit of maroon on a sweater. Mostly, the color palette was black, more black, some brown and a bit of off-white. You won't be cold in these clothes--the fabrics the designer chose were heavy--lots of  thick wool and mohair and chunky knits, worn with knee socks and platform shoes of various types (another trend for Fall that can be "tamed" to be fun and wearable).  If the collection was meant to channel "Madeline" it did so, but more as a young, Shinjuku punk. There were lacy tops to add additional softness, and a surprise, sleeveless, swingy, micro-mini dress in a riot of acid pink, orange, white and topped and trimmed with black that didn't seem to fit --but still, it was  flirty and flashy, and fun alternative to Fall's somber fashions.

For more information on Alice Roi, visit: www.alicroi.com

 

 

*all text and photos by Alison Blackman Dunham --  copyright © 2007 all rights reserved by Alison Blackman Dunham of THE ADVICE SISTERS®  No portion of this web site, including illustrations,  may be copied or used in any without written permission. Please do not take my work (even if you can right-click and "save-as" it isn't legally yours). If you want to use text or photo (with proper credit) please ask for permission first at: advicesisters@advicesisters.net. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. If you want to know more copyrights, click here