Flights of fancy from Sue Wong: Spring 2006 collection
Jenny Peters

LOS ANGELES—Sue Wong really knows how to have fun. Who else would start their Spring 2006 fashion show with a hot-cha-cha Brazilian samba dancer and muscular male drummers doing a raucous “Rite of Spring”? With that lively beginning, Wong guaranteed a smiling audience, and the smiles got even bigger as she unveiled her “Enchantress” designs on Wednesday during L.A. Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City.
Beautiful dresses are Sue Wong’s trademark, and she did not disappoint with this large and eclectic assortment of looks (65 different designs came down the runway), ranging from brilliantly beautiful tie-dyed silk dresses created to evoke the Amazon rain forest to vintage Edwardian wedding gowns.
Wong broke her show into sections, starting with “World Tribe.” To the sounds of samba, she offered spaghetti-strapped sundresses with chopped up, uneven-hemmed skirts that showed plenty of leg. Some had empire waists, others were classic slipdresses; all were gorgeously coloured and patterned and eminently wearable. Only one element struck terror into our hearts, when Wong paired garishly coloured knee-length leggings – we’re talking bright fuschia, lime green, purple – with some of the short dresses. Can cut-up sweatshirts be far behind?
Next up was “Exotica,” breathtaking gowns and shorter dresses evoking India, Africa, Mexico, Asia, but with Wong’s incredibly dynamic style. Most had fitted bodices that flowed into A-line skirts, with her “Cleopatra” gown of paisley print silk with a beaded midriff drawing cheers from the rapt audience that included Oscar-nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo and Olympic ice skater Tara Lipinski. It was hard to choose a favourite from this group, as most were so wonderful, but the leopard-printed silk gown with an animal-beaded bodice was a clear winner, as was the Scheherazade gown with a “beaded-illusion back.” It was truly breathtaking, with Wong’s signature elaborate beading taken to new heights of beauty.
The multicultural idea continued with “Bahia,” a series of multi-textured looks paired with oversize ethnic jewellery. The colour combinations in this grouping were striking, especially the Kaleidoscope silk gown, with an abstract print and multi-coloured beaded accents. Next, the riot of colour and ethnic influences were set aside, as Wong presented her “Flapper” line, a totally different series of evening dresses right out of the 1920’s. With incredibly ornate beading juxtaposed with simple sheath or slipdress shapes, her retro looks seemed fresh and ready for anything the 21st century has to offer, wearable to a posh party or simply for a night out on the town. Standouts in this group included a mauve silk Deco-beaded dress, an antique parchment Victorian jet-beaded slipdress (almost underwear, really!) with black lace trim, and the black “Nostalgic” beaded slipdress with two-tone braided straps, perhaps the best in the whole show.
Last to promenade down the runway were the “White Wedding” dresses, with some so retro it felt like we’d suddenly been transported into a Merchant-Ivory film (or maybe “Mary Poppins”?). Elaborate Edwardian looks dominated, with a riot of old-fashioned lace right down to short gloves and matching umbrellas. And the best thing about Sue Wong’s Spring 2006 collection? While the gorgeous young models looked fantastic in her imaginative dresses, it is also clear that most of the designs are wearable for just about every woman, regardless of size or age. Now that’s what we call real fun!