New York Fashion Week 2012: Tadashi Shoji Brings Us to 1930s Shanghai

Tadashi Shoji took New York Fashion Week 2012 attendees to another era.

In the middle of Manhattan, Fashion Week guests felt like they had been swept away to another time and place. They entered Shanghai in the 1930s, surrounded by Chantilly lace, chiffon, high necks, cap sleeves, tiers, velvet and embroidery. Shoji's stunning myriad of luxurious pieces seemed never-ending. Models sashayed down a runway as lazy jazz and haunting, brassy ballads played.

The palette for the Fall 2012 collection was drenched in jewel tones like marina and seagrass, balanced by soft colors of ginseng and hazel.

Vision for the Fall 2012 collection, according to the designer’s Twitter account, was based on Marlene Dietrich in the 1932 film “Shanghai Express” and the golden age of Shanghai cinema.

Dietrich was known for her eclectic style and film noir beauty. I dress for the image, she once said. Not for myself, not for the public, not for fashion, not for men.

Models wore their hair in looped chignons by Rodeny Cutler for Cutler/Redken. Their lips popped with a deep blood red hue, done to perfection by Luc Bouchard and the M.A.C. Pro Team. Shoes were by Joan & David. Accessories, like antique drop earrings, were by Joan & David.

Each piece of Shoji's collection seemed to cater to the female form. Each region of the woman's body was accentuated in a particular way. For instance, one dress drew attention to the shoulders with an ornate cap sleeve; another brought the eyes to the waist with a flouncy chiffon skirt.

Tadashi Shoji is a bona fide genius. Born and raised in Sendai, Japan, he began painting and drawing at a young age. His artistic talent blossomed and he was recommended for an apprenticeship with Japan’s leading contemporary artist, Jiro Takamatsu. He came to L.A. for college. The fashion house Tadashi Shoji was established in 1982 and the rest is history.

His designs have caught the eye of Hollywood A-listers including Katy Perry, Kelly Osbourne, Blake Lively, Beyoncé and Helen Mirren.

Runway Rewind: Tadashi Shoji’s Spring 2012 collection was nothing short of a whimsical fairytale. Silken breezy fabrics, peplum skirts, floral prints, sparkles and sheer with touches of appliques glided down the runway. Models wore their hair in simple half-back hairdos and soft dewy make-up.