James Coviello - New York Fashion Week Fall 2006
February 6, 2006 – Atelier

Ah, nothing like showing up for a 9 a.m. show and snagging a second-row seat at the tents.  As soon as I took my place in A-2-07 (so read my seat card), I was whisked into what seemed to be a runway version of an Anthropologie store.

Continuing with this theme, the inspiration for James’s Fall 2006 collection was “early 20^th century England” in the style of “a genteel young lady whose wardrobe is an artful mix of items plucked from her mother and father’s moving trunks.”

Naturally, with this description, I was bracing myself for button up jackets with stiff collars, ruffles and conservative cuts.   Instead, I was treated to a delightful dollhouse of old meets new in warm shades of burgundy, plum, pink and brown – all perfect colors for autumn.  The collection reminded me of a girl who likes to play dress-up by raiding several closets to create stylish layers.

As for the always-coveted swag bag, here were the contents: a James Coviello tote bag with his signature logo printed in dark pink; a full-length CD by The Real Tuesday Weld; a gourmet cookie from NuKitchen; and a full-sized Aveda product from the Caribbean Therapy line.

- Yuan-Kwan Chan