Esteban Cortazar turned up the party factor for spring, filling his stage with high-energy clubbers pouring into the streets around sunrise. “I wanted to go for something brave and bold and not be scared this season,” he said backstage before the show.
The designer’s newly found chutzpah was evident on a bulky, Mao-collared python jacket and a pair of slouchy pants — half-orange Lurex, half-silver liquid jersey — among other daring combinations. Elsewhere, the raw and spontaneous quality of his two previous runway efforts came through in a series of bodycon knit dresses, which he sliced and cut with vigor and passion.
And what would a party be without bling? Cortazar worked his directly into the fabric, offering chunky Lurex knits that mimicked the texture of chain jewelry and looked particularly compelling on a voluptuous sweater. He also beaded large round earrings onto skirts, leggings and the inner side of a sleeveless trench, making this fashion fete — quite literally — a noisy one.