This season marked Thuy Diep’s fantastic Bryant Park debut. The young designer continued to build on last season’s juxtaposition of masculine and feminine design elements. Ms. Diep injected her trademark neutrals of black and gunmetal with bright washes of color; that were half concrete jungle and half summer solstice. The presentation, unveiled 24 new looks, predominantly downtown-chic separates with a surprise finale—two evening gowns, introducing red-carpet wares to the line. Additionally, the Thuy brand expanded to include a small accessories line, with a variety of belts and an exclusive limited-edition shoe collection co-developed with Italian bespoke shoe designer Lincoln’s New York. This signature sartorial symmetry galvanized the late night crowd as the show opened with the Black Kids’ infectious track “I’m Not Gonna’ Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You.”

You are the girl that I've been dreaming of ever since I was a little girl
You are the girl that I've been dreaming of ever since I was a little girl

One,
I'm biting my tongue
Two,
He's kissin' on you
Three,
Oh, why can't you see?
One! Two! Three! Four!

The word's on the streets and it's on the news:
I'm not gonna' teach him how to dance with you.
He's got two left feet and he bites my moves.
I'm not gonna’ teach him how to dance, dance, dance, dance
The second I do, I know we're gonna’ be through.
I'm not gonna’ teach him how to dance with you.
He don't suspect a thing. I wish he'd get a clue.
I'm not gonna’ teach him how to dance, dance, dance, dance

Last May, the Creative Director announced that John Slattery would join her eponymous line as Style Director. In addition to work on styling Ms Diep’s New York Fashion Week shows, he is also responsible for providing insights to the Thuy design team on a variety of industry trends. “John’s broad industry experience and personal aesthetic are an ideal fit for my team. He has been able to make an immediate contribution, bringing a unique and complimentary perspective to the company,” noted Ms. Diep.   

The Thuy Spring 2009 Collection was inspired by the passionate, Kitty Fane from W. Somerset Maugham’s novel The Painted Veil. The pretty, shallow protagonist, once self-absorbed and frivolous transforms when she and her husband, a noble and respected, yet socially awkward bacteriologist and infectious disease specialist travel to interior China in the early 1920’s to help fight the cholera epidemic. Polar opposites are brought together in a marriage of convenience and become better for it. This theme is consistent with Ms. Thuy Diep’s design sensibilities, opposing brights against neutrals, playing masculine against feminine. Herein, this classic, strong literary figure is re-imagined as today’s contemporary woman pursuing a modern perspective, a Chic Pragmatism, if you will.

 
Ms. Diep brilliantly uses fabrics, colors, and craftsmanship to create interplay between contrasting, yet harmonious, qualities—pitting matte vs. sheen, fluid vs. structured, and natural vs. techno-synthetic. The color palette combines monochromatic and graphic neutrals, translucent pastels, and punchy accents in jewel tones of poppy red and bright teal green. Handcrafted detailing, asymmetry and trompe-l’oeil drapery find their way into individual pieces and become thematic throughout the collection.

While duality and dichotomy remained strong influences this season, I could see the pendulum swinging more to the feminine side with romantic design details; ruffles, peplums, kimono sleeves, and cinched waists held their own against boyfriend jackets, trench coats, and tuxedo-inspired separates. My favorite pieces this season included: the one-shouldered gunmetal grey dress; the slouchy coat with a sailor collar blouse and trompe l’oeil skirt; the cinched waist trench in lovely print with exaggerated pockets; the belted reverse collar dress layered over tank; the ruffle sleeve blouse and pencil skirt; the grey and black flounced princess-seam dress; the “Thuy” slouchy coat with (the softened handkerchief hem) teardrop dress; the pleated shawl collar dress; and the silver grey wrap dress coat with cutouts along the arms.

Thuy Diep has earned the reputation for offering softly structured pieces, crafted from specialty fabrics, inviting the consumer to experience the inspiration behind the label. She takes touch, smell, color, and emotion, infusing them in her garments—offering a perfect marriage of the senses. Mixing casual chic with romantic sophistication is her calling card.

Based in New York, Thuy Diep has become a fast-rising star of the designer women’s ready-to-wear market. The daughter of Vietnamese tailors, Ms. Diep has travelled full-circle to a career reflecting her family roots. Her education at Brown University and later Parsons School of Design led to her career in the fashion industry. She first honed her skills with a New York-based Parisian Atelier and is now showing amongst the very designers (Carolina Herrera, Peter Som, and Zac Posen) that she provided draping and pattern-making services for when she first began working in the industry! I couldn’t be happier for her. The fashion celebration continued on post-presentation with a fabulous after party at New York hot spot, Socialista, where I congratulated the designer for designing even better wares than last season!

Thuy’s clothing is sold in fine boutiques in the United States and Japan.

Images provided courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Newsgroup.

For more information, please visit http://thuynewyork.com/

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