New York Fashion Week Spring '09: House of Cassette
NEW YORK—The House of Cassette made its runway debut with its first-ever runway show during New York Fashion Week. The Sept. 7 show was held at the Metropolitan Pavilion during Style360, an alternative fashion week that showcased six designers and two stores throughout its Sept 7–10 run of events.
Cassette, an innovative Los Angeles–based premium-denim label, presented both women’s and men’s collections. Taking a philosophical approach, founder and designer Peter James Lee said the Spring ’09 collection was inspired by the Alaskan thaw—coming out of seclusion and beginning a journey. In his clothing, a sense of discovery relates to the signature hidden details such as pockets that are applied to the inner linings of the clothes. It was hard to tell if the collection, in stark shades of black and white, was more suited to Fall than Spring, but that’s indicative of Lee’s rebellious approach to design. “We think black is classic, modern, fierce, hard, rough and rebellious. That’s the attitude we take in everything we do,” he said.
There were plenty of options, such as casually chic leather jackets paired with skinny jeans, silk dresses layered with cardigan sweaters and hooded jackets worn with leggings. Lee offered his signature denim and expanded fabric offerings for women in silk, merino wool, linen and cotton. High-waist pants looked fresh cropped neatly at the ankle, and a strapless dress was simple and sexy. For guys, a casual-meets-military vibe was the look. A four-pocket military jacket was worn with jeans, T-shirts were paired with loose cropped pants, and a quilted army vest layered over a white shirt and shorts. Details such as zippers at the ankle and asymmetric pocket treatments added a hip edge. And there were plenty of blazers, jeans and short ensembles to add a clean sophistication. For the finale, Lee sent out Crayola-colored denim for men and women in magenta, yellow and cyan. It looks like Spring will be colorful after all. —N. Jayne Seward
