On Thursday night, Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong—the designers behind the Greta Constantine label—launched their menswear line, dubbed Ezra Constantine, with a poolside fashion show at a private home in the Annex. More than 200 guests attended the spring/summer 2011 collection, presented in partnership with brands like Schwarzkopf Professional, the Macallan, and Stolichnaya.
"We've had it in the background, in the shadows of the girl [Greta]," Pickersgill said of the label, which previewed during brief appearances on the runway at past Greta Constantine shows. "We wanted it to be its own entity."
"We don't necessarily do themes, but it goes with the story we're trying to tell," Pickersgill said of the venue choice, a private home that was once the German consulate. "The aesthetic of our guy is rough and tough. This time, he's going to his girlfriend's house. She's wealthy and she basically invites her boyfriend to her house for a backyard party."
"In October, she's going to go to his world," Pickersgill said of the plans for the presentation of the Greta Constantine spring/summer 2011 collection. "It's a big story that over the months will tell a tale. We're already building the set in our minds."
The designers staged the show on a concrete platform positioned over the swimming pool. "It's like a mini runway," Pickersgill said. The pair showed 12 looks during three presentations held at 7 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9 p.m. "We wanted to change things up a little in the city, and we're not ready to do a full show for Ezra," Pickersgill said of the format.
Jen Foster, director of corporate partnerships at Style for Style, planned the event on behalf of her designer clients, bringing on sponsors like Schwarzkopf Professional and Stolichnaya. Kimara Oram, brand marketing manager with Corby Distilleries, said Stolichnaya jumped at the chance to sponsor the event after supporting the Greta Constantine fal/winter 2010 collection this past spring. "Bold, edgy, and unexpected—this is what Stoli is all about, and this is what Kirk and Stephen consistently deliver," she said. Additional sponsors included Aldo, Hair2Inc, M.A.C. Cosmetics, Peroni, SmartWater, and Clean a la Carte.
