When it comes to style, Michelle Obama has the Midas touch. Last November, the First Lady wore a silver Naeem Khan column to the White House's state dinner for India. "It's completely changed my life," Khan said after his show. "People know me at the grocery store. My stuff is selling at 80, 90 percent sell-throughs."
On the runway, he worked his own Midas touch in a strong show that crossed his gilded, disco-ball glamour with a hint of love, sex, and rock 'n' roll. It's not an easy mix to brew, but Khan mostly made it work with motorcycle vests and jackets, now beaded or in brocade, over long jersey dresses and feathered skirts. Another kind of topper was equally important here: the opulently beaded, fur-trimmed vest, an evening powerhouse that Khan has made a go-to staple.
As adept as he is at embellishment, it's not hard for this designer to go overboard. There is a very fine line when it comes to beads, brocades, et al. A shift embroidered all over with gold mirror-work was très chic, while another strung with gold fringed beading was decidedly less so. Still, when he came up for air, Khan proved he was worthy of his household-name status.
