Aurelio Costerella Mercedes Benz Spring 2009 Fashion Week The Tents at Bryant Park September 11, 2008 Written by Kim Weling Photographed by Cindy Ord

Australian designer Aurelio Costarella unveiled “Chroma” for Spring Summer 2009, his first show at the Bryant Park tents. Costarella’s inspiration comes from artist Franz Kline, and the abstract art of the 20s to 60s. When asking Costarella about his pieces and color palette for spring, he responded, “Couture pieces in deep purples, vivid turquoise and subtle lemons.”

In speaking of the details of the collection, Costarella says, “All silk, ruffles, bias cut gowns inspired by the 1930s.” Some of the key looks included a purple calder dress, white calder gown and turquoise one shoulder gown. There were also some pencil skirts and sequin dresses, but it was the gowns that were just impeccably and elegantly constructed, especially the last few gowns that graced the runway during the show. The ruffles add femininity while belted gowns draw attention to the silhouette.

Costarella is inspired by designers such as “Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent”.

“Always striving for the next collection, to be better than the current one,” responds Costarella, when asked what he still looks to accomplish as a designer.

MAC makeup artist John Stapleton took me through some of the new colors for spring – “Too Dolly (bright turquoise), Cathouse (blue), and Pedigree (yellow inspired orange).” The key is to press these colors in with your thumbs, for a silkscreen look. Stapleton explains that the trend for spring is to go with a satin finish, “applying creams to the cheekbones, making the skin look creamy, not matte.” The smoky eye is also a continuing trend.