STEiNUNN Fashion Presentation Eve Studio 410 W 14th Street September 11, 2007 Written by Corey Ann Haydu Photographed by Mary Blanco

The intimate side of New York Fashion Week was alive and well in the heart of the Meatpacking District Tuesday night. Icelandic designer STEiNUNN showed off a collection of cocktail dresses and detailed accessories at the small but lovely Eve Studio. Pink champagne was the drink of choice while STEiNUNN'S collection focused on black, gray and white pieces. The majority of her collection was crafted from beautiful sheer mesh fabric and taken to the next level with impeccable detail work. The clothes manage to maintain a wearable femininity while adhering to chic fashion standards. STEiNUNN perfected the little black dress, and showed a real understanding of the marriage between simplicity and detail. Her dresses are truly unique works, stand out pieces, but are also decidedly uncluttered and realistic.

The real thrill of the show was the few pieces where STEiNUNN takes larger risks, where the mannequins show more “skin”. She does the impossible and makes hot pants and belly-baring shirts seem refined and stylish. These few pieces stood out from the more mature work, and added some necessary excitement to STEiNUNN’S lovely collection.

Much of the evening STEiNUNN stood in the back next to a slide projector displaying images of Iceland. She spoke passionately about the influence of Icelandic scenery on her aesthetic, noting that even the tiniest details of her home country translated into large fashion statements—snow, rocks, and serene water views all contributed to her collection. Watching these images flash by added a new depth to the likeable collection and the clothes suddenly took on new meaning as cultural statements rather than safe, chic expensive dresses. All in all, the evening was extremely fashion-fulfilling, from the surprisingly low key setting to the fabulous champagne flutes to the warmth and intelligence of the talented and unbelievably classy STEiNUNN.

For more on STEiNunn, log onto: steinunn.com