Spring 2011 Ready to Wear xxx

Vanessa Seward's Azzaro is a go-to brand for starlets looking for red-carpet razzle-dazzle. There was plenty of that in her intimate Spring presentation, from a relatively understated white strapless column accompanied by a gold chain-mail bolero to a swingier, short, gold fringed number with crystals strung on the silk threads. Like the rest of the collection, they looked like a good time, but they weren't exactly what you'd call unexpected.

Seward did attempt to introduce some newness into her dress-focused lineup. First, she enlisted her friends the graphic artists Kuntzel + Deygas (perhaps best known for their Catch Me If You Can opening credits) to create a few drawings based on her cat Jo, and had them embroidered onto a group of short white cocktail dresses. Charming and whimsical, certainly, but presumably quite limited in their appeal. Seward's other idea was to turn slouchy sweatshirts into minidresses, in a navy and white heart print for day and a burnished gold for night. "They're still short," she explained, "but not as aggressive as something tight." In a similar vein, she showed a silk jumpsuit with an easy drawstring waist. Yes, there were crystals at the neckline, but its otherwise sporty sensibility was fresh for Azzaro. It made you want to see Seward get better acquainted with her relaxed side.

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