By Mark La Monica
Nerves set in when the Esteban Cortazar info packet mentioned how Grace Jones was a big influence on his Spring/Summer 2007 collection.
Great, I score a second-row seat to the off-Sixth Avenue show at the Nokia Theater and I'm going to have to get through the "severe, androgynous look and square haircut" look made famous by Grace Jones?
Ah wait, two of the next three words in the info packet are "Monica" and "Bellucci." Things are picking up as I prepared for my first real, close-to-the-action show.
Cortazar, a 22-year-old Colombian, did not disappoint, although the show did started about an hour and five minutes late, which in Fashion People Time, is really only about 35 minutes. There was an array of South Beach-style club clothes mixed in with more sophisticated cocktail dresses.
Cortazar, known and commended for his abilities at such a young age, had some very fresh looking designs. His use of fan/lamp-shade pockets that overextended beyond the pants and skirts seemed a bit excessive and strange, but I applaud the effort of trying to be different.
And his musical selections were fantastic, which is important (at least in my mind) when planning the atmosphere of a fashion show.