Runway Report: Fashion at the Park 2008 begins

by Daniel A. Kusner of Dallas Voice

Simon Doonan talks a huge and hilarious game. That’s one of his greatest strengths.

The munchkin creative director of Barneys New York kicked off Fashion at the Park spring 2008 in grand style — by working the catwalk while dangerously perched atop an a pair of black stilettos.

“My inbox is always stuffed with horrid little e-mails from women complaining about how shoes have gotten so damn crazy lately. Well, stop complaining. If I can wear them, anyone can,” he said while sashaying around the NorthPark tent. “It’s not that hard. All you need are three Advil, two chocolate martinis, some crystal meth and a lot of panache.”

Doonan was also rocking women’s shoes to prove a point — to cheerlead the concept of “Eccentric Glamour,” which is also the title of his new book. At the Barneys after-party, 500 signed copies were handed out — two weeks before the release date.

“So throw away your copies of ‘The Secret.’ Discard the ‘Kabbalah.’ What’s inside ‘Eccentric Glamour’ is so powerful, it could get Hillary Clinton elected,” Doonan said while some attendees booed the senator’s name.

Doonan promised that the Barney’s show would emulate his new style philosophy, which was to magnify everything unique and idiosyncratic about one’s self.

Then the show started. But it didn’t live up to the introduction.

Almost all of the 30 or so looks that marched down the runway looked fairly conservative: a blue-belted floral dress, a periwinkle chiffon blouse with white capris, a green silk romper …

A black-net banded drop-waist dress by Azzedine Alaia did receive applause. But the oddest of the bunch was a butch-glam Lanvin tuxedo jacket and pant with oversized blouse, which also was well received.

The shock and awe of “eccentric glamour” seemed fairly watered down — except for Doonan’s stilettos.