Christian Siriano Held a Fashion Show at Home. It Ended in the Pool.
New York Fashion Week ended Wednesday. But not for Christian Siriano. Or maybe he just decided to have a Fashion Day all to himself in his idyllic backyard in Westport, Connecticut. Siriano was one of a few designers this year who did not show their wares via video, but in person—with all pandemic prohibitions and guidelines in place.
It looked beautiful: Siriano has a sleek, modern glamorous house (he only moved in in January), woodland and trees all around. Fashion editors sat socially distanced, picnic baskets at their feet. Billy Porter was there.
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But the real heroes were the models, who deserve medals for fashion bravery. The pandemic has not blunted Siriano’s desire for maximalism, and so—on very squelchy-looking grass and crossing a small bridge over Siriano’s pool—the models, decked in all manner of vision-obscuring ruffles, tiered gowns and diaphanous skirts and wearing HEELS somehow walked as if this were the most natural thing in the world. There was the odd stumble. Most of us would have ended up on our asses with one step.
Models at the Christian Siriano show at his home in Westport, Conn.
The clothes, as ever, were for women of different shapes and sizes—even the strangest outfit, which looked like it had lots of black creatures squashed on to it. Another dress was covered in flowers.
Siriano told WWD that it had been the most expensive fashion show he had ever produced, that Sarah Jessica Parker had supplied the shoes, and that the show had been inspired by movies like Clueless (Alicia Silverstone is a friend of Siriano’s), and Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, where Christina Applegate ends up hosting a fashion show at home, bridges over the pool.
Models at Christian Siriano's show at his Westport, Conn. home.
Every outfit, whether summery pink-checked, monochrome, plush red, or vibrantly patterned came with a perfectly complementary mask. Siriano’s politics are well-known, and well-voiced, and so the sight of “Vote”—emblazoned on hats and dresses—was not surprising. What was surprising was the sight of Coco Rocha, baby bump on show in a dramatic dress with asymmetric ruffles at the base, posing on the bridge and then lowering herself into Siriano’s pool, dress and all (again, inspired by a scene in the movie Troop Beverly Hills).
Obviously, if you decide to hold a very expensive fashion show at home, this is how it should end.
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