Known for long silhouettes and deconstructed layers, Haider Ackermann released his spring collection at Saks Fifth Avenue on Monday. The new collection showed a strong Japanese influence, with pops of color and his trademark long hemline, which made even a headless mannequin look ten feet tall. Although actress and icon Tilda Swinton wore his clothes to initial notoriety, Ackermann has amassed a devoted following on his own. At the reception, devotees including Victoria Bartlett, Anouck Lepere, Lovani Pinnow, and Padma Lakshmi showed up in support of the Colombian designer. Pinnow, who walked his show in Paris, explained why his pieces work. "I think every woman looks gorgeous, because he makes complicated but amazing pieces. I opened [the show]. I was really nervous, but [it was] amazing."
While actress Nora Zehetner of Mad Men admired the line—"I think of a strong independent woman"—she marveled at how far things have come from the restricted (yet gorgeous) garments worn on her show. "It's a lot of padding. They altered a [vintage] bra with two sets of padding—these cone things. It's such a different silhouette from what we wear now." Thankfully, Ackermann's clothing have an ease and fluidity that is fully contemporary, and definitely not binding. Ackermann admits to not following trends, or even specific inspirations, for his distinctive line. "It's what I'm going through in my life, it's a very selfish thing. It's all about me, and what I'm going through, if I'm happy or sad, if I'm protected or insecure."
PHOTO OF PADMA LAKSHMI AND HAIDER ACKERMANN, ABOVE, COURTESY OF BILLY FARRELL/BFANYC.COM
In spite of the many women at the event eyeing the spring looks, Ackermann doesn't have a specific woman he designs for—not even the glorious Swinton. "I don't like to talk about the word muse—a muse is somebody very silent and very laid-back. A muse never really talks. Women that I'm attracted to, they intrigue [me] by their language."
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