The Shanghai series kicks off this week, but visa issues have kept this reviewer stuck in New York. Still, one didn’t need to be in the room to feel the vibe of the Mark Kong show, which officially kicked off the SHFW schedule Thursday afternoon. Thanks to the magic of WeChat live broadcast and the live coverage of many friends present, the setting of the show was easily recognized as Charlotte York Goldenblatt’s living room. (It must be said that it used to be MacDougall, as this was Trey MacDougall’s Park Avenue penthouse, which Charlotte kept during their divorce and Gong recreated it for this scene .
For this spring collection, the fourth and final installment in Gong’s Sex and the City saga, the designer focused on Charlotte, beautifully portrayed by actress Kristin Davis. If you ask anyone “Which character in SATC are you?”, chances are no one will think they are her, because she is the most traditional, uptight, uptight, and even demure person in the season. “I had difficulty at first choosing Charlotte for my final role,” Gong said in a voice message after the show. “Charlotte was the perfect housewife with the perfect marriage and kids. But I used to find her cringing.
Gong’s “Gong girls” are known for being youthful, playful, and freewheeling, which is the complete opposite of Charlotte. It was this that compelled the designer to move forward with her as his muse. “I wanted to tell the story of the real Charlotte; her desires, her needs. Basically, if I were Charlotte, what would I do, what would I want?
Revisiting people and characters like Charlotte and understanding their motivations and desires is part of growing up. Here, Gong revisits some of Charlotte’s hottest outfits, sometimes literally—like the infamous vintage Valentino dress her daughter Lily effectively ruined with red paint—but to her credit, the big Most of the time it’s abstract. There are cute knit suits and elegant polka dot and plaid patterns on silk dresses and wool suits. There were beautiful and intricate floral appliqués, lots of sharp tailoring, and some great little black dresses. It’s definitely a more mature line-up for the designer, who finds drive and uniqueness by dressing it up like a real odalisque; graphic tee paired with corset, hot pants, sneakers and sexy bra , paired with soccer mom’s cropped pants. His interpretation of the latter combines a laid-back attitude with a sexy temperament that feels fresh and just right. At the end of this “very discreet, very demure” internet moment, Gong asked the right question: I can’t help but wonder, is Charlotte the true breakout fashion star of Sex and the City?
