Before his show, Zac Posen said that his jackets and suits have surpassed dresses in sales—but as it turned out, he didn't follow the money for spring. Yes, there were some strong-shouldered blazers and high-waisted pants, plus a sailor jacket with a tulip skirt, but the focus here was on his first passion, evening. Exhibit A: an emerald-green bias-cut silk column inspired by his beloved 1930s that was drop-dead gorgeous.
Posen, however, is not a one-dress kind of guy. Instead, he wandered giddily—a little too giddily, at times—across the after-dark map. A thigh-grazing showgirl number with an explosion of peonies at the hem and a ballooning gown cut from what he playfully called "Esther Williams jacquard" were two of the show's extremes. But there were plenty of other big statements in between, some more successful (navy silk with fringe below the knees; a bubble dress in shocking pink) than others (the over-the-top red gown with an outsized sash protruding from the back, for starters). A tighter edit wouldn't have hurt. On the other hand, there are a lot of red carpets to stroll down these days, and the Eves, Emmys, and Kates in his front row want to arrive in something that hasn't been photographed on everyone else. That's why Posen's their man.
