(Photos: via Bil Thompson)

The 10th season of Williamsburg Fashion Weekend went off without a hitch this past weekend at Glasslands and the two-night event was a memorable one indeed.  Once again, there was a blend of ready-to-wear with totally "out-there" clothing. “We don’t want to emphasize either or,” stated Arthur Arbit, founder of WFW, “I want to have a variety, the full gamete of what fashion and clothing can mean together. A mix of what can be worn to the office and super weird stuff that uses clothing as an artistic vehicle.”

Mark Tauriello’s intention for his collection was to incite a new wave of VHS adoration. He was inspired by two elements, new wave and eighties slasher cinema. He had fond memories of renting VHS tapes from mom and pop stores, so he turned that memory into a clothing collection. Thus, within his line exists a Friday the 13th dress, a Videodrome-inspired asymmetrical dress, and faux fur ala Gizmo from Gremlins. Mark was appropriately wearing a Phantasm shirt and a Debbie Harry pin for the evening.

Hannah Peyser, who designs her own prints and textiles came through like a champ after asked to showcase her line upon late notice (the night before!)  Nature, geometry, and studs all came into her play into her outgoing style.  Outgoing and a little weird, but weird in a subtle way as proven in her tiny beetle print. “I like how it looks like a polka dot print from far away. Then you get closer.”  She sells great removable collar necklaces, too. 

Andrea Diodati, who was dressed as much in a pastel palette as were her models told me that her inspiration was the idea that “if David Bowie and the Easter Bunny had a secret love child. That’s this collection!” Her models looked like treasure trolls pouting and prancing on the stage in crochet hot pants made of recycled blankets. Also wild, was the energetic performance of pop artist Marco Santaniello, who always packs a mean punk punch.  Drop-crotch trousers with the word “Swag” and pants with Pacman decals were a fun edition to WFW.

Nathalie Kraynina returned to the stage for her third season in a row to exhibit her killer new line which she believes is her best yet. Ready-to-wear and armed with bad-assity, she brought on an arsenal of leather, feathers, and formfitting cuts. It was balanced off with a bit of lace and girly designs too. “The collection is inspired by the dark side that we’re fighting within us.” Her quote very much applies to her two sided A-line jacket, in which one side is made of wool plaid, the other black with spikes decorating the collar. Spiked studs have been incorporated on a few of her pieces that are for the most part classy, with splashes of unconventionality.

Stephanie Hinson once again brought some sweet girly dresses to the event, including a fringed black one with a sexy plunging back. “I wanted to express feminine strength not through the appearance of “toughness,” but through seriousness, and combining the geometric with the organic to create a new harmony. Clothing for a woman who, in being herself, is powerful,” Stephanie said of her line.

The event ended Saturday with a hypnotic and epic performance by Uta Brauser with her line appropriately entitled Evolve Wear.  It was loaded with intense costumes, evolving animals, and futuristic designs. In true WFW style, Uta said that “each creation narrates with a poetic or philosophical approach to fashion.”