Now you see it, now you don't. Sweet and sexy, naughty and nice, black and white. Those are just a few of the dualities that Jason Wu demonstrated along with his range and pure talent at his Spring 2013 runway show on Friday, Sept. 7, in New York.
Wu has become known and adored for his charming feminine aesthetic and his skillfully crafted maneuvers of subtly displaying a woman's best features. This spring, Wu showed strong looks with lots of leather and sharp edges that balanced perfectly with his modus operandi. With a touch of dominatrix in the mix, Wu's combination of floral laser trims on leather skirts and sheer lace bodice panels to the dresses were perfection. Even on gentler, floral ensembles, Wu's leather collar trim and suspenders commanded a double take and would certainly be donned by the likes of a Bond girl that knows how to get what she wants.
Suffice it to say, it wouldn't be a Jason Wu show without some peplums and bows to amp up the girl-next-door factor, but truth be told, they were few and far between and done with the utmost finesse, as seen on a flat front white pencil skirt with only peplum sides, or the black silk jacquard ascot shirt. These elements complimented the mature stature of Wu's clientele.
In addition to the black and white palette, one that even stretched itself to the tiled runway, the other familiar duo of pink and blue colors for spring were a fundamental addition to the symmetry that permeated the room. The perfect nod to the dichotomy theme was the tilted mirrored backdrop the models walked toward that reflected a twin-like persona for each look.
Wu's most public claim to fame was when Michelle Obama wore a Jason Wu gown to the inauguration dinner. Since then she has been an avid fan and only time will tell this election year, how many more Jason Wu looks we will get to admire her in. For spring 2013 Wu's statement sneak-a-peek gowns in "X-ray floral" gently become more sheer as their tulle petals make their way to the floor with each step of sophistication.
Now you see it, now you don't. The perfect way to describe Wu's peek-a-boo sentiment of dualism this season and most certainly the response we can expect to see when this collection hits stores.