NY Fashion Week Spring ’08: Sexy is as Sexy Does

Marc Jacobs, Custo Barcelona and Anna Sui redefine eye candy.

Joanne Molina, Senior Editor

It’s such an overused word and so undervalued. Functioning as both compliment and critique by men and women alike “sexy� somehow has become a synonym for showing skin, for femininity, and just about anything related to the actual amorous activity. But this season collections ask us to reconsider what makes us blush and what makes our temperatures rise — is a good laugh just as “sexy� as a slit up a leg that extends for miles? Can preppy teach us something about the power of charm and restraint? Forget about going Dolce to get some attention from your voyeur of choice, this spring sexy is about overdressing for the ball and then dancing to your very own magic flute.

Marc Jacobs
When Marc Jacobs told Cathy Horyn that he wanted to try “sexy� I thought it was pretty funny. Not because he couldn’t do it, but because it never occurred to me that he “didn’t do� sexy. Instead, I always thought that he tapped into another way of thinking about femininity and that’s why I loved his early collections — and even his first collection of handbags. And his spring collection really makes my point.

Custo Barcelona
In an odd way, this kind of collection seems to end the questions regarding model size. Who is looking at her body when you’ve got those patterns, colors and a whole universe of personality? The woman who can wear this has enough confidence to lure any lover and deserves the second glances. She’s the one you’ll remember after the morning after.

Anna Sui
There is something really bi-polar about this collection — sort of glam-punk. Think the red slippers taking David Bowie back to his other universe. But it’s the clash between sweet and naughty sans the seriousness that make it work. Sure we see a little skin but we’re so drawn in by the palette and high performance juxtapositions of tough and tender we won’t be apt to be staring at anything else.

Photos: Wireimage