Fashion Week Spring 2011: Mataano

One of the best parts of Fashion Week, to me any ways, is to learn about new designers that I have not heard of before.  They usually have an unexpected perspective and, because they are so new, they get very creative executing their presentations.

One of the loveliest I saw during the week (yep, I'm really spacing out these show posts) was the Mataano presentation.

Per their information sheet (I love to see how they present themselves.  Must be the Marketing person side of me):

Twins Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim launched Mataano with a Spring 2009 capsule collection to honor the unique and beautiful traditions found all over the world through their brand. The twin’s love and appreciation of rich cultural diversity has always inspired their designs. By tapping into their Somali, and American heritage, they aim to bring a multi cultural approach to design. Mataano’s attention to craftsmanship and styling is changing the way women dress to accommodate a global lifestyle where elegance must meet a woman’s everyday needs.

Spring/Summer 2011 Collection

For our Spring/Summer 2011 Collection you will sense nostalgia for the late1950’s to early 1960’s, but we didn’t let it overpower our modern sensibility. The highlight of this collection is the use of silk; from Italian shantung to printed organza you will find an array of silk blends. We wanted our customer to feel light and airy in her Spring clothes. The color palette presents an interesting marriage of unexpected light and dark tones to give the option for day and evening.

What was interesting was the venue.  The presentation was at the Museum of Biblical Art which is filled with these amazing example of iconography.   The room was hushed and the clothes, some on models and some on mannequins, contrasted with the intricate gilt displayed throughout.  Because this was a presentation, I was able to get up close to see the details of the pieces and take my time capturing shots.

Here are a few of my takes:

Here are some of the full shots provided but the designers:

That last look is my favorite.  I love the lace insets in the black and creme pieces but the flirty skirt and billowy jacket top looks comfortable and elegant. 

To learn more about Mataano visit them online or email them at info@mataano.com