Even for Naeem Khan, whose work is so clearly targeted at those who frequent the red carpet and other oft-photographed spots, the lure of the sporty motif was just too strong to resist. The designer of dazzle sent out group after group of bugle-bead and sequin sweatshirts and T-shirts, some in multicolor florals, others in youthful bright yellow or blue flower patterns. There were also silk sweats and sheer-panel sweatshirts with explosions of crystals. With places like Brooklyn’s Barclays Center becoming cultural hubs and courtside getting serious paparazzi play, a pair of black sequin sweats might not be the weirdest thing. Nor the most practical.
While some of Khan’s attempts to tap into what’s happening in sportswear felt a little forced, it was still a venture into the new before he slipped into the more assured territory of evening. Here, the choices were endless and the territory familiar, as if the designer were speaking specifically to his front row of teen-drama TV stars and the beautiful/cool Connie Britton (Tami Taylor forever!). There were beaded taffeta caftans for the bohemian, embroidered panel minidresses for the young-adult starlet, jewel-tone bias-cut satin gowns for the siren, and even a caviar-encrusted emerald jumpsuit for the wildly daring.