Each season, Joe flies in a zeitgeist-muse. Name recognition and room filling presence are de rigeur, with past notables including Irina Lazaraneau and Theodora Richards. Crystal Renn, a model both beautiful and socially relevant, was Joe Mimran's boldface opener.
Why preface her name with the fact that this industry considers her plus-size? In person, she appears to be no bigger than a size 8 and has a face every bit as "high-fashion" as her sample-sized colleagues. Next came Kirsten Owen, the Canadian grunge-era model who fronted several Chanel campaigns in the 90's. Taking a memo from Karl Lagerfeld's recent faux fur icecapades, her half-circle mini skirt resembled mink. Faux fur flew everywhere, from chain-link accessories to throw-on toppers.
The styling at Joe Fresh shows is invigorating and always cohesively tied to a theme. Drawing from the New England boarding schools of lore, tailored tweed shorts and buttoned-skirts had regulation-uniform panache. Vintage-looking faux-fur jackets, one in leopard, looked like they had been carefully combed from the thrift shop. Somehow, Joe Fresh teased the notion of lavish and low-end, with basic staples and deluxe-look toppers. What a witty trick, as everyone knows (and loves) that prices are hardly extravagant. Fur-collared pea coats and sailor jackets paired with slouchy gray sweat pants were soigné on both boys and girls. Fuzzy navy plaid jackets and caplets were irresistibly upper crust, while a camo-print parka echoed an army surplus score. Ready-to-wear influences were abundant--take the Dries Van Noten-like gold sequin sweater, faux-beaver scarf and olive drab cargoes or the undeniably Burberry-esque aviator outerwear.
As the lesson was dismissed, we all agreed Joe deserved honor-roll.