A tent show in Bryant Park just won't cut it for Sean John, the fashion label owned by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. After all, the tents can limit the size, scope and scale of the shows, and limits don't seem to be part of P. Diddy's lexicon when it comes to events (the invites to this show alone were rumored to cost $75 each). In that spirit, Sean John's fall 2003 collection fashion show was certainly a sight to behold—even before guests squeezed through the door, which, depending on your fashion world status, took anywhere from two minutes to more than an hour. Some guests lined up outside Cipriani 42nd Street before 7 PM, and the lines surged—and people shivered—as 8 PM showtime neared.
Inside, the show utilized nearly every square inch of the space. Kadan Productions built a small stadium, with bleacher-style cushioned seats that rose eight rows up with standing room behind the top row. At the bottom, four steps above Cipriani's floor, was a clear glass runway, which JKLD underlit with thousands of tiny LCD lights that shifted colors thoughout the show. Two towering video screens that flanked both sides of the runway showed a montage of film and video imagery coodinated with themes in the clothing collection, so clips from war movies were shown for military-inspired pieces and cityscapes were paired with suits.
Sean John director of marketing Dao-Yi Chow not only planned and produced the show, he also modeled a green suede coat, cashmere sweater and jeans on the runway, eliciting nearly as much applause as Tyson Beckford.
—Suzanne Ito
Read our Impresario Q&A with Sean John's Dao-Yi Chow...
