Jason Wu is a designer of few words. When I interviewed him in Houston last spring before a charity event, we talked for exactly six-and-a-half minutes.
But he answered every question thoughtfully and so succinctly — unlike many designers who take six-and-a-half minutes to answer one question — that I ran out of things to ask. He was funny too, insisting he was not as serious as he always looks in pictures.
For his spring 2016 collection, Wu, again, is just as stingy with words. His program notes consisted of one word: glamour.
As usual, he let his work do the talking, with a collection that redefines what glamour is all about. It's not sequins, embroidery, or razzle-dazzle trickery; rather, it's understated chic. Think Slim Keith, a social icon of the 1940s and 1950s, instead of Jennifer Lopez or Madonna.
A key look in Wu's collection is the dress, in subdued shades like forest green or rust, as well as some bolder colors — a red shade really pops — or watercolor print florals. Several gowns show an exposed shoulder — one of the key trends emerging so far for spring/summer 2016 — and the barely exposed midriff look, so popular for fall, remains, with just a sliver of flesh showing between top and skirt or pants.
And what should be in the well-dressed woman's spring wardrobe? At least one pair of shorts — in this case, worn with a deep red V-neck belted tunic.
Jason Wu slacks and crop top blouse.
