Frank Tell Fall 2011: The Apes of Wrath
Frank Tell's presentation got off to a late start; after over 45 minutes of waiting outside Lincoln Center's Box venue, guests were corralled into the space, where they circled what appeared to be a large sandbox in the center of the room. As a woodsy, smoky scent wafted through the premises (a fragrance collab between Tell, artist Lisa Kirk, parfumeur Patricia Choux, and Ulrich Lang New York Fragrances, as it happens), guests watched a video of a frizzy-haired, fur-suited Meghan Collison wandering across an arctic tundra. Then, out came the clothes: a conceptual, directional mix of savage fur, crystallized lace, and beautiful, raw-hem alligator jackets. Tell also worked in a handful of his signature wild knits in shades of mossy green and icy gray, each one woven with a variety of gnarled, tangled, twisted yarns. Meanwhile, asymmetrical lace and chiffon frocks added a darkly romantic note to the overall aesthetic. NOTE: We just heard from Hector Meza, Tell's business partner, who informed us that due to the high volume of guests in attendance, the collection was shown in two separate presentations. To clarify, we attended the second of the two showings, hence the 45-minute-long wait.