the fashion of show

As every fashion plate knows, show provide an arena in which the pure design of clothing receives life through the theatre of presentation. After a decade of subdued shows from "designer minimalists" such as Calvin Klein and Donna Karan, the world of fashion is welcoming back playfulness and drama with open arms, thanks to current wunderkids John Galliano and Alexander McQueen. Wisely, theatricality was the focus of "The Return of Persephone," senior Louis E. Monoyudis's fashion extravaganza. Even those uninterested in fashion--the majority of the audience--got treated to a spectacle, for "Persephone" was less a creation of fashion than a recreation of the fashion show experience. Between the staged security at the door and the superfluous narration, the importance of clothing was missed.

The plot: Hades busts Persephone for wearing imitation Patrick Cox white loafers and forces her to spend the winter months in the Underworld of Las Vegas before being released to Beverly Hills for Contempo Casuals' spring sales. The relationship between script and clothing was murky, for Monoyudis's palette owed more to 1988 Miami than the West Coast. The two halves of Persephone's wardrobe, from her winter internment in Las Vegas and her springtime rebirth in Los Angeles, were nearly identical in their erratic eclecticism.

Irrespective of the "story," the clothes themselves were well-chosen and in sync with the trends being hyped in this Spring's fashion glossies. In an explicit homage to Gianni Versace, the clothes for both men and women were exuberantly colored and provocatively cut. Monoyudis displayed ensembles that alternated between being minimalistic without being stark and decorative without being gaudy, though what was bought and what was designed was unclear. Another quibble: none of the models wore shoes, so even those female models who expertly emulated walking in high heels still looked like they were playing dress-up in Mommy's cocktail gear. The men appeared to be going to bed in intricate loungewear. The make-up and hair are worth mentioning, however, as much for their professional appearance as for their creativity and beauty.

The real success and fun of the evening was that the performance wasn't limited to the runway. In the spirit of high pretense, door-people armed with clipboards checked names off of lists and ushers led elite guests to ersatz VIP seating. Keen observers might also have noted air-kissing and shrieks of "sweetie darling!" at key moments. Those who never come closer to the fashion world than reruns of AbFab found this very amusing. All told, the audience was as much a part of the show as the models were and they made the most of it--everybody needs a bit of glamour now and then.