Wayne

Style

Wayne Fall 2012: Snake Charmers

When we asked Wayne Lee backstage about the inspiration for her dark, ophidian-themed Fall 2012 collection we certainly weren’t expecting the answer to be motherhood. “I just had a baby and the whole idea of snakeskin for me personally is that I feel I’m stepping into a new skin and a new chapter in my life.” Lee said. “Last season was ‘up in the air,’” she adds, referring to the desert birds of prey who were the jumping off point for spring’s flowing layers. “Now we’re on the ground, slithering!” Ever one for androgynous beauty, Lee was careful to stay away from any of snakeskin’s more sexed-up connotations. “Snakeskin is a very feminine kind of concept,” she says. “I wanted to do something to also bring the masculine part of the Wayne equation in.” To wit, nary a miniskirt hit the runway. Instead, Lee brought in sporty—and highly original—touches, like a raglan top with snakeskin sleeves or a cobra button-down tank layered under leather.

Style

Wayne Spring 2012: Birds of Prey

Having earned an Ecco Domani Fashion Fund award and been named a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist, Vietnam-born Wayne Lee has been an editorial favorite for several years now. I found it telling that although her evening show nearly overlapped with Proenza Schouler's, Barneys Fashion Director Amanda Brooks, Marie Claire's Zanna Roberts Rassi, and a number of other masthead toppers turned up to see Wayne's collection. On the runway, it was a thoroughly black and white affair. The designer sent out a number of snowy looks to start things off, from silk tuxedo dresses to wispy leather vests to incredibly soft-looking lambskin bike shorts. I particularly loved a round-shouldered cape blazer in ivory viscose twill, dubbed a "falcon cape" in the run of show. Turns out Wayne had been inspired by the lightness and grace of birds of prey, and she beautifully captured the slope and quiet power of wings in those vest dresses and cutaway tanks.

Style

Wayne is Blade Runner Chic

It's all very well and good to see a runway show that's, well, a show, but oftentimes it's hard to imagine actually wearing any of those dramatically styled show pieces, as much fun as they are to watch go down the runway. Not so at Wayne's Spring/Summer 2011 show. Every look that came down the runway was wearable, even comfortable, and tailor made for that super cool downtown girl who's got lots of tattoos (Wayne's models were temporarily tattooed with vines snaking up their arms) and probably rides a motorcycle. According to her line sheet, Wayne Lee thinks of her SS 2011 girl as Pris, the Replicant, Daryl Hannah's character in Blade Runner, because she's "smart, strong and dangerous, yet also a delicate and vulnerable flower." Thankfully Wayne's girls didn't have Hannah's horrible hair from Blade Runner, but the skin-tight sexy-torn mesh part fits. The collection was layered and sporty (you know, because Pris needs to be able to kick some ass): There were mesh tops over spider-webby black lace racer-back tanks, athletic shorts in leather and silk prints, zip-up hoodies, and some seriously ass-kicking lace-up bike pants in leather and rayon. But just because the collection tended towards the black, tight, and ass-kicky, doesn't mean there weren't some pretty moments too. The finale look, a black vest top paired with a long split-front skirt with a train was simply elegant. Click through for more looks from Wayne's Spring/Summer 2011 collection.