With awards season almost upon us, stylists are no doubt sniffing around the Pre-Fall collections for red carpet options to bring to their star clients. They’ll find plenty to work with in Naeem Khan’s latest outing, which was rife with all sorts of embellishment—from laser-cut silk flowers hand-sewn on frothy sheer gowns to intricate beaded floral designs and boldly colored embroidery.
But despite his red carpet–ready gowns, Khan says he doesn’t necessarily design with actresses in mind. “My primary focus is retail because that’s where the business is,” he said, adding that his client base in the Middle East is particularly important. “It’s almost 30 perfect of our business, we cater a lot to the royalty there.” That means that, in addition to gowns better suited to a lithe 20-something starlet, the collection also provided options for women of a certain age who don’t necessarily have a personal trainer and celebrity chef to get them camera-ready. These were the gorgeous—and forgiving—embroidered caftans and long-sleeved gowns, and, incidentally, they were his best work. On the other hand, his plays for a younger customer—like a body-con black gown with sheer inserts—felt a little forced.
The caftan, in particular, is important to Khan—and very popular with his Middle East clientele—and this season the designer did a version that was more of an evening coat, allowing for even more versatility. Similarly, an off-the-shoulder top could be worn with jeans or tucked into a voluminous skirt for evening.
