Fall Winter 2010 2011 found the Azrias in practical mode. Backstage, Mrs. Azria explained that the Fall collection was her answer to the recession. “It’s made us realists,” she said. “It’s not about our fantasy. It’s about the customer.”
On the runway, there were endless variations of a simple, sellable, and yes, chic idea: color-blocked silks in clean geometric silhouettes layered with whisper-thin black knit tops. BCBG dresses had a T-shirt-level ease and often came cinched with wide elastic belts. The layering of lightweight pieces was another customer-centric strategy. These dresses, as Mrs. Azria explained, can be worn right away when the Fall delivery goes into stores—i.e., in high summer—and then can transition into chillier months.
