Fausto Puglisi has seen his profile rise on the backs of glamour-pusses like Madonna and Anna Dello Russo. The former sported his gladiatrix designs during the Super Bowl halftime show last February. The latter started getting photographed in Puglisi's frocks a year or two ago and wore a pink minidress from his new Spring collection, with cutouts on the sides and embroideries just about everywhere else, to the shows in New York last week. Embroidery, Puglisi says, "is my passion." And there was more of it in his lineup today, with gold medallions and gumball-size rhinestones embellishing silk crepe miniskirts and the little tops he tucked into them.
But the real news here was Puglisi's experiments with print and his continued push into everyday separates—we don't all spend our lives in front of the camera. The geometric prints were inspired by the marble floors of France's Fontainebleau castle, and it was interesting to see the range of different looks he made from them—regal kimono coats, 1960s coed dresses, rock 'n' roller leather jackets and jeans. If we had to guess, it'll be the sexy perfectos and skinny pants that will get snapped up the fastest, but it's Puglisi's ability to appeal to multiple demographics that suggests this is one up-and-comer who'll stay in the picture.
