When a friend asked Reem Acra to design her wedding gown several years ago, she complied and as they say, the rest is history. What began as a luxury bridal company has turned into a burgeoning evening wear business (http://www.reemacra.com/) and Ms. Acra has begun to expand the collection to include daywear as well. She has not only garnered an enviable list of loyal fans and clients around the world (including stars and celebrities like Marcia Cross and Angelina Jolie), but her designs are sold in the best and most exclusive stores around the world. In fact, Reem has described her style as: “multi-cultural European mixed with a New York modern approach..very couture”.
It is truly an international business, which is why her recent move from a showroom in the east 30’s to her spectacular space in the landmark Crown building (at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th street – truly the crossroads of the world), with its roster of international tenants, could not be more symbolic or more fitting.
But more than that, the new building and the new location has proved highly inspirational and the results of which were apparent in her 27 piece resort collection unveiled Thursday morning. The formal presentation took place in her fabulously appointed second floor showroom (which had been the Kennedy Gallery and was completely gutted and quickly redesigned by herself and her brother).
According to Ms. Acra’s program notes, “the color palette was inspired by my cab ride to the new showroom from my home in Chelsea. I was taken with the wonderful pop-of-color the flowers on the boulevard of Park Avenue created. I especially loved the effect the marigolds, geraniums and grass greens had against the sleek, sophisticated taupes, bronzed golds and blacks of the building’s facades. All prints reflect my new view of Central Park and its evolving landscape.”
The well edited and flawlessly conceived lineup of cocktail dresses, blouses and skirts, and evening gowns (with nary a pant in sight) hit all the right notes and offered variety in terms of silhouette, shape, length, color. Point/Counterpoint. There was volume and there was narrow; there was tailored and there was draping; there was bold color and there was black and white; there were solids and there were prints.
Fabrics used were very couture like silk taffeta, silk gazar, silk satin, silk chiffon, double face wool crepe, tulle, and jersey and while some dresses were unadorned, others boasted her trademark (lavish yet restrained) embroidery, including her signature embroidered ‘necklaces’. With those pieces, the jewelry is already built in to the clothes so you don’t need to add anything else. Just think, you don’t have to fumble around your jewelry box to get the perfect accessory. Talk about modern, e asy, and quick. One- step dressing!
–Marilyn Kirschner
Her newly appointed showroom! LOL Her and her brother did indeed design it, too bad they dont pay their bills to the people who worked hard on it.