RAD by Rad Hourani: Fall 2011 Show

Held in the recently opened Milk Studios, the RAD by Rad Hourani collection reflected the overall atmosphere of the hip studio. The building is in the trendy Meatpacking District, down what looks like an abandoned street, unless you're in the know. Inside, patrons waited around modern art paintings in a futuristic lobby

The show itself was a tribute to androgyny, with all the models looking like inhuman futuristic droids. Rather than use makeup to accent features, Hourani chose to wash them out completely. The models' waist-long hair was completely slicked back with gel visible even from a distance, creating the illusion of a helmet. Keeping in line with the theme of androgyny, the clothing itself was also unisex.

Men wore skirts reminiscent of the kilts Marc Jacobs made popular, but the ones at RAD were a much edgier version. Made of heavy wools, shiny grey fabrics, and even draped leather, Hourani put a fresh spin on the trend. Most of the men even wore leggings with the skirts, just like their female counterparts.

Similarly, the womenswear did not accent the feminine figure but rather hid it under constructed layers of dark fabric. The collection contained heavy wools, folded numerous times to create geometric shapes all over, almost as if the models were wearing gray sculptures, not clothing. The one tribute to femininity was a cinched waist on almost every look, although rather than use a traditional belt, Hourani used strategically placed zippers and parts of the clothing itself to wrap around and create shape.

Adding a final touch to the androgyny were the shoes. Men and women alike wore the same footwear: low heels that appeared to be formed from numerous strips of leather.