Daniel Vosovic- Up Close Backstage and Spring Fashion Show

Runway Review: Project Runway protege Daniel Vosovic rocks it out at his Spring 2011 fashion show

Our photojournalist and design doll, Alix Kivlin is back from her year long trek around the world and is hitting the catwalks of New York. Here, she catches up with her old friend Daniel Vosovic backstage at his Spring / Summer fashion show. — S.H.

Confession: Daniel Vosovic is an old, dear friend of mine. But of of more relevance, a finalist and most loved contestant in season 2 of "Project Runway."

Daniel has stomped his way on to the fashion scene successfully and on opening eve of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Daniel Vosovic presented his 3rd collection. And in my opinion his best.

I started out the evening hopping backstage to see the mayhem and have a pre-show chat with Daniel. Loads of interns were putting last minute touches on shoes, models were reviewing their looks.

Finishing touches before the show

Finishing touches before the show

Daniel was surrounded by press, and someone’s phone kept going off to the tune of ‘Jingle Bells’. Dark make-up and tousled locks completed the look of frantic distress on a tough girl.

Daniel Vosovic being interviewed by the media

Daniel Vosovic being interviewed by the media

The runway was covered in dirt and the show begins with a short film of such distress and urgency that you are on the edge of your seat before a foot has set on the runway.

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

Catwalk mood

Catwalk mood

The first half of the collection has bit of an earthy, campy, utilitarian look to it – tonal, warm cargo skirts paired with silk.

Then the girl goes a bit rocker in black and grey silks with sheer chiffon playing up the skin exposure.

There is an overall feeling of rough survival, a really hectic fight then coming out on top.

 

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I have a fondness toward most of his garments being asymmetrical and clever in their drape and construction.

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

I also love the edge the line has, an edge his clothes have always had but this season it’s more feminine than androgynous.

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

My favs were a washed silk charmuese shirt dress, the tonal dip dye pants, skirts and dresses, sweater knit cargo mini dress, zip front motorcycle vest with pop lining, all the dresses with seeemingly torn open backs, and a large scale, baddass yet organic distressed print on silk that looks like a cross between old paint and film paper you’ve left out in the sun for a week.

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

Daniel Vosovic had a full on, cohesive, wearable collection going here in a proper runway show setting that’s well deserved and can only get bigger from here!

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

Quickie Q+A with Daniel Vosovic:

Alix: Who is the woman this collection is for or who was the woman that inspired it?

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

Daniel Vosovic S/S 2011

Daniel: She was inspired by Elizabeth Taylor drunken and boozed up in ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe’. And that’s where it all started, the idea of a woman who can go thru all this craziness and at the end of it all still look glamourous.

There’s a scene where she’s been boozing up for 10 hours, she just f–ed her husband’s colleague, and she’s wearing this big men’s sweater but underneath it is this beautiful, strong, feminine woman. I started a collaboration with these filmmakers who are based in Portland with the idea of taking that character and putting her into different scenarios. That is really what started this whole thing.

Alix: How big is your design team and how entrenched in the whole process are you?

Daniel: I am doing all the designing, all the fittings, there’s a print I designed for this collection too. I am there for all of it – long work days, but I love it. My core team consists of myself, a pattern maker, a cutter, a seamstress and my harem of interns!

Alix: While designing the collection tell me about a major setback? Or a vision you had that got all botched up in the process of creating it?

Daniel Oh well, ughhhh, it started as one of my favorite work days, then I took a break to treat myself to a coffee. The coffee girl asked me a similar question, asking me "What would be the worst that could go wrong?’ First of all, one should never ask that question before the show even happens! 10 minutes later I got a text from my pattern maker that we had run out of the ash print that was for the finale dress!!

Alix: Who would you love to dress. Besides me.

Daniel: It’s a stereotypical answer, but I would love to dress Angelina. That’s because of the fact that there’s such an opportunity to make a beautiful dress for a gorgeous woman, to make a fashion statement. Something impactful that has some weight behind it for those red carpet moments. I also feel like for the past few years she has blended in and isn’t pushing a statement.

Alix: If you could fly or be invisible?

Daniel: Hands down fly!

Alix: Cake or pie?

Daniel: Cake!

Alix: What music are you listening to to get pumped up for the show?

Daniel : This sick California Soul Remix by Diplo, that has this 60’s soul vibe to it. And for some reason the old Duffy album! — Alix Kivlin

Photos: Alix Kivlin

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