Alice + Olivia inspired by Fantasia for New York Fashion Week

Alice + Olivia's creative director Stacey Bendet is known for her maximalist use of color and her global eye for dressing women around the world, just recall her spring/summer 2019 collection which was literally about jet-setting women. It is hard to imagine how she'd be able to take a brand like hers even further, but this season Bendet brought the pages of her modern fairytale to life.

Bendet sets the scenes for her collection quite literally, opting for her usual presentation format where models are sectioned off into vignettes that represent different things. Stages featured sets of sparkling snow like it was "Frozen" and rooms made entirely of red roses and glowing butterflies like a Disney fairytale.

Alice and Olivia gets even more imaginative for fall/winter 2019

Bendet lent her design hand to evening wear looks described with The Queens of Fantasia which included a pleated bordeaux skirt made with yards of iridescent pleated taffeta, paired with a top created in a new technique of velvet sequin, and a giant rose crown. The snow princess was in a full length skirt of ivory feathers with a gorgeous white puffer jacket. Although day wear has been the bread and butter of the brand, Bendet let us know that she is also capable of a good red carpet look.

On trend this season, the designer included sequins used to create maxi skirts. She also continues to build on her feminist message with a T-shirt that read "Strong Female Protagonist." In typical Alice + Olivia fashion there was no shortage of prints. The butterfly motif prevalent as set decor for the presentation was also present in dresses, kimonos, capes, and pants. Animal prints continue into fall, mixing leopard and zebra, featured in mix print and pattern sequin dress and sequin blazer, while rocker t-shirts are cut and sewn and engineered with animal print patterns.

It was a collection fit for the Alice + Olivia woman, who can go from day to night with the utmost glamour. As Bendet continues to grow her business, she is able to offer something for customers across the board from an outfit for the office to a ball gown for the gala.

photos: courtesy of SPRING London