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Calm isn’t usually synonymous with backstage, but Friday saw a cool attitude behind the scenes before the Michael Angel show. There was no running, no yelling, and the flashes were kept to a minimum. We had to know what it was about Michael Angel that had everyone feeling so confident. New face Ajak Deng cleared everything up in a few words: “His designs. His dresses. They’re just so amazing.”
Front row was evidence of the designer’s appeal, as Julia Stegner and Kemp Muhl with boyfriend Sean Lennon braved a media blitzkrieg to see the action. It girl Emily DiDonato was a standout on the runway, which saw a collection inspired by Degas paintings and Gothic stained-glass windows among other things. Those influences were quite clear in the digital-print dresses, which we expect were a favorite of Mary Alice Stevenson. “There are a few groundbreaking people right now in the world of American fashion that are young and pushing boundaries with the fabrication and technology of prints. And he’s one of them,” Mary Alice said before the lights went down. “The best is yet to come.” ~ Tim Mitchell
