Chris Benz grew up in Seattle. At age 17 he came to New York to study at Parsons. With an internship at Marc Jacobs under his belt, he went on to work for J Crew. In 2007, he showed his first collection at New York Fashion Week.
Colors: green, yellow, orange, blue, neutrals
Materials: knits, cotton, tulle, leather, chiffon
Loved Looks
Photos: Style.com. Click to see full collection
While many fashion reviews may think this too 60's, his collection translates well to right now. Back to the 60's is a big trend this year (Miu Miu pre-fall, Nina Ricci resort, Marni) and Benz is keeping a good thing going for Spring 2011. With a bursts of bright colors and patterns, his stand out looks were the mini pleated skirts, tie neck blouses--in a couple different colors because when it works, stick with it. The floral shoes with the neutral hued dress were the result of a collaborative effort with Alejandro Ingelmo, which gave the looks an extra boost.
Unloved Looks
While his ruffled shirt and floral skirt combo was nice, that is my point. In a collection of bold, fun pieces, this one was the snoozer of the bunch.
Music
60's french pop music played to match his them of how we silly Americans see Parisians--if it was the 60's.
People and Scene
Though presentations are usually low-key, this one was full of heavy-hitters. Kelly Osborne, who made the rounds as several shows, Susan Sarandon, Denise Richards and Carmen Electra.
