Has Christian Sirano met his match? After pulling out all the stops for his stately 10th anniversary show in February, Resort found the designer in the mood for levity and a brand-new muse. “Fall was more serious—as it should be—but I wanted this to feel fun,” shared Siriano at his new retail space on West 54th Street. “We just went for it; it’s pink, girly—it’s Barbie.” Siriano found inspiration in the doll’s pastel aesthetic and the vintage advertisements depicting her adventures. Creating clothes for women who like to keep things sweet even as they switch from day to evening, he delivered a Mattel-approved vision of femininity—minus the plastic shoes. The end results seemed made for pop culture’s iconic blondes; crop tops in blush plaid worn with matching skirts channeled Clueless, while metallic suits with fabric that changed from magenta to teal were pure Elle Woods. Even Carrie Bradshaw, who loved a tulle tutu, seemed to get a shout-out.
Barbie may have had a myriad of careers over the years—paratrooper, astronaut, and yoga instructor among them—but Siriano focused on the toy’s glamour-puss appeal. Going for the glitz of Nolan Miller–worthy ruffled shoulder embellishments, lengthy ombré tulle trains, and a wealth of puffy sleeves, he gave the collection an ’80s undercurrent. For some, the plethora of pink will appear too saccharine. But those who feel comfortable giving in to their inner Barbie will find plenty to enjoy, and as evidenced by Whoopi Goldberg’s magenta Siriano look at the CFDA Awards, that audience is likely bigger than it seems. As for the rest? Well, there’s always next season.
