"I fell in love with Japanese anime," Jasmine Al Fayed told us of her Fall inspirations, "and old-fashioned films."
We didn t know whether to laugh or to cry when she added: "I named one of the gowns Scarface. " Well, if you re a twentysomething designer, a movie made in 1983 probably does seem ancient.
All kidding aside, the long white one-shoulder number in question nailed Michelle Pfeiffer s killer look in the much-referenced De Palma flick. Once again, Al Fayed focused her attentions on party frocks. The best were mostly short and worn with red opaque tights: a boatneck, cap-sleeved style cinched with an anime-inspired plastic belt above a thigh-high slit, and a little black velvet mini with vertical darts that drew the eyes to a narrow waist. After the presentation, the designer said her sportswear was doing well in stores, too. The everyday appeal of her silk spaghetti-strap bodysuits, which will be sold in a rainbow of colors, is obvious (even if that of the slouchy metallic pants or a satin roller hoodie isn t).
While Al Fayed might not score any prizes for fashion innovation, there were winners here: dresses that demonstrated a comfort and familiarity with what young women want to wear on a night out. It helps, of course, that her sister is the perennial party girl Camilla Al Fayed.
