Has Sari Gueron arrived? Has she crossed the threshold from promising newcomer into style establishment? Those uncertain of her fate when they turned up Saturday afternoon at the New Space had only to glance at the front row to make up their minds. Sofia Coppola, the director, muse to Marc Jacobs, and icon to many, chatted with her mother, Eleanor, as she waited for the lights to dim. Coppola's verdict, "very pretty," was seconded by a long line of well-wishers waiting to congratulate the Israel-born, Connecticut-bred designer after her first runway show.
Having focused in previous seasons on party dresses, primarily of the floaty, romantic variety, Gueron branched out for spring into daywear. She showed of-the-moment cardigan jackets and pleated gauchos, as well as adorable drop-waist dresses in breezy cotton-silk that looked just right with flat sandals. For evening, she dressed up the same material with rosettes dotted with Swarovski crystals or tassels that trimmed necklines and functioned as belts. An abstract rose print that decorated a cotton voile gown and knee-length cocktail dress married her twin inspirations of Art Nouveau and English gardens. "I usually don't do so much embellishment," Gueron explained of one gray cotton gown with a smattering of matte black sequins near the hem. "But it's still edgy and true to my style." Which should keep hip, young women like Coppola and her following coming back for more.
