Designer Anthony Keegan and business partner Richard Christiansen chose yet another eccentric location to showcase this season's collection : the deteriorating lobby of a 1903 French Renaissance building on the corner of 28th Street and Broadway. With its peeled paint ceiling and exposed tangle of wires, the space felt like a ghost hall, miles from the buzz and hype of fashion shows held at the tents at Bryant Park. Guests were served hot cider to stay warm pre-show as heating has yet to be installed in the building (which will become The NoMad Hotel in 2011). Fleet Week was the inspiration for the collection, which was dominated by marine looks in a navy and grey palette. Not so subtle were the show’s opening and closing sweaters, emblazoned with 'officer' and 'gentlemen', respectively. The rest of the show made up for these kitschy looks. Models boldly strutted down in skinny long-johns. These were a bit risqué yet quintessential of Keegan’s use of casual staples in dressed up collections. Blazers in distressed plaid, a perfectly cut black leather trench coat, and the tuxedo-stripe skinny jeans stood out as the sharpest pieces. Keegan knows his fans well as much of the audience wore a mix of casual and dressy. For the Columbia 'gentlemen', the collection is an inspiration for students who want to look spiffy in class wearing sweatpants -just add a blazer and scarf for some flair
