For better or worse, Zac Posen is a staunch proponent of the "curvy" silhouette introduced by Marc Jacobs and Miuccia Prada. Take, for example, his choice for the CFDA/Fashion Fund Awards - rather than outfitting the requisite supermodel, he chose Kim Kardashian. A market-savvy step? Perhaps, though it was certainly arguable that Constance Jablonski or Chanel Iman (also present at the gala) might have carried off the yards of fabric with more panache. And his pre-fall lineup featured plus-size-model-du-jour Crystal Renn and high-fashion-turned-Sports-Illustrated-model Hilary Rhoda. Not to say that Posen rejected the Kate Moss silhouette completely; he also included lithe DJ Leigh Lezark and waifish catwalk queen Ruby Aldridge. But the clothes spotlighted more the hourglass than the ruler - albeit with more contained curves than you might see on, say, Christina Hendricks. Not to say that their less curvy counterparts will have trouble finding pieces from Posen's presentation. On the contrary, attenuated pencil skirts and figure-hugging panelled dresses looked equally (or more - depending on who you ask) fabulous on thinner frames. Rather than isolate one segment of the population (whether skinny, plump, curvy, or straight-up-and-down), Posen sought to integrate variety - and it worked. It's a foolproof marketing strategy when your clothes look good on almost every body type. The same could not be said, however, of the styling and makeup. The models looked washed out, greasy-haired, and slightly hungover. Their awkward, exaggerated posing was almost as painful as their expressions; the uncomfortably pushed-up cleavage and heavy eyeshadow lent a vulgarity to their sickly appearance.
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