Zang Toi Fall 2013: Tough imperial glamour

A tough glamorous woman stalked Zang Toi’s Fall 2013 runway, her eyes darkened with black kohl, and hair teased up and out in curls springing with barely-restrained attitude. Whether she is wearing androgynous Loro Piana cashmere suits reminiscent of “Annie Hall” dashed with the sex appeal of the original Yves Saint Laurent (note the beautifully louche gray checked blazer with matching wide trousers), or barely-there shorts paired with sheer stockings and thigh-high boots, this is clearly not a lady to be messed with.

Even while donning a seemingly innocent wool tweed mahogany dress with a light touch of fur trim on its matching jacket, she exudes overt femininity with an edge – perhaps because she saucily knows that her dress is lined with re-embroidered French lace, and the only way to see that detail is when the dress is not on her.

Although the theme of this season’s collection was a modern take on Imperial Russia, with inspiration derived from the “historical and opulent looks of Faberge eggs and [the] Peterhof Palace,” that did not come across until the second half of the runway show, which made an impact with clothes cut out of brightly-colored silk gazar and impressively-patterned jacquards. Needless to say, there was also fur trim aplenty.

This was an excellent example of eveningwear at its most unabashedly luxurious. Case in point: the Russian sable stole lined with Peterhof chinoiserie jacquard held insouciantly around the hips by a model wearing a long strapless column made of the same jacquard. But the best was saved for last – a grand black silk satin gown lined with silk velvet embroidered with an opulent bright gold design. Imperial indeed.

Video: Zang Toi Fall 2013: Interview, backstage & runway