Rad Hourani Fall 2009

Finally, it was Rad Hourani’s turn to showcase his Fall offering and thank heavens for that as he did what he does best and delivered another distinct and beautiful collection. There are some things I like about this collection more than his previous ones but there are also a few things that feel a bit out of place to me. I like that he changed things up but the collection is still undeniably Rad.

I think the integration of a few colors was a good idea… if for nothing else, to help showcase the literal depth of his designs to the common spectator. Apparently some people write off all-black collections to a certain degree. Clearly these people should be hanged, but never the less, I think the color will be an aid in helping more people notice the unique details of his work.

As far as what feels out of place to me, some of the new cuts he’s playing with here, I feel are a bit unnecessary. What I loved most about his previous collections was not only his unapologetic use of black but the consistent, distinct, slightly awkward silhouette that was so prominent and which didn’t have many variations. While variety is often a positive, I don’t think he should continue to stray very much further from his original aesthetic as far as trying a ton of different cuts and silhouettes – primarily because all of these new shapes remind me of another designer… one who’s done it much better already. Of course this is a very minor peeve and by no means is meant to imply that I don’t want to own much of this collection.

Moving along, I am pretty thrilled about the pants this time around. I was almost a bit nervous to look at the bottom half of the models and see another stackfest on the runway… I was not the biggest fan of the inseams that seemed to be about 99″ long. This season they’re really lovely, however. Not only the varied cuts and fit but the fabrics he chose for them are all pretty nice as well.

Last but not least, one of my favorite things – yet perhaps the only element of this particular collection which is not entirely unisex – the footwear, is fantastic as well. We see a couple of different styles of boots, including of course, the mother of all shoes… the thigh-high boot.