The vertiginous heels proved too much for the models at Herve Leger

The vertiginous heels proved too much for the models at Herve Leger -- two fell down, two had near misses. The spills were kind of an apt metaphor for the collection: The Leger label built its identity on its famous "bandage dress," and, since its takeover in 2007 by American designer Max Azria, has found new life via its reincarnation of the snug, short, able-to-be-worn-by-2-percent-of-the-population dress. It's a weirdly relevant brand, yet almost totally inaccessible.
And that's not a criticism, because this collection was much-needed relief in a week (thus far) of muddy color palletes and a lack of joie de vivre. Here were dresses -- albeit mainly in black and grey -- that were beaded, layered in metal plate appliques -- topped with maribou! -- adorned with beaded shrugs, skirts cut high and necks plunging low. The genius of the Leger dress is that no matter how tight or short or sparkly it may be (our favorite was a crystal beaded mini-dress that somehow seemed minimalist), these pieces never, ever look cheap. And the defiant glamour of this collection was a refreshing reminder that fashion is most exciting when it refuses to be tethered to reality. Whether one can actually walk in the six-inch heels is never the question.