"It s more hard rock and punk this season," said Christophe Decarnin backstage before the show. And as promised, Spring s haute hippie feathers, fringe, and tie-dye were replaced by an all-Billy Idol soundtrack and enough leopard-print chain mail, python-pattern denim, and crystal-embroidered lightning bolts to make you wonder if there was anything at all left on the shelves at Trash and Vaudeville. To be fair, Decarnin s creations are much finer than the East Village emporium s, but they appeal to a similar kind of chick, one with a killer body and an active nightlife.
This designer doesn t put much stock in day clothes. In a word, his show was about legs. Bare legs. But there were a few cool looks that model types could pull off reasonably well during traditional business hours. They usually involved narrow-shouldered little jackets, loose cotton tanks or tees, and skinny tuxedo pants or jeans cropped a couple of inches above moccasin-fringe ankle boots. Dhoti pants were back again, this time in a substantial leather. Four seasons in, Decarnin is building a following: Earlier incarnations of those tricky dhotis could be spotted on a number of influential editors in the front row.
