Carmen Marc Valvo Spring 2015

The big news at the celebration of Carmen Marc Valvo’s 25th anniversary was the forward-thinking vibe that permeated the festive occasion.

Valvo, over the years, has earned renown as a go-to designer for real women, particularly women with curves. His gowns and cocktail dresses don’t just frame shapely bodies, they celebrate them.

 For his 25th anniversary celebration collection, Valvo sought to mix classics with a refreshing blast of the new. The classics came in the skillfully cut cocktail dresses and evening gowns that have made the designer such a favorite with a range of stars and famous spouses like Katie Couric, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Vanessa Williams, Sheri Shepherd, and Denzel Washington’s wife, Pauletta. But these were anything but nostalgic odes to the past, thanks to Valvo’s use of mesh insets that teased the eye.

An ivory double face cocktail dress was given a racy edge with black scuba mesh detail. Several maillots got the mesh inset treatment. Even otherwise sweet looking pieces in a black and white floral got the revved up mesh inset treatment. The results here were somewhat mixed. While some of the mesh inset work was indeed intriguing and alluring, some of it seemed a tad overdone—too much of a good thing.

But the biggest surprise wasn’t to be found in the gowns or cocktail dresses. Instead, Valvo turned heads by introducing menswear to his collection. These were ensembles for an evening out on the town—mostly combinations of elegant dress shirts with jeans and pants such as a white cotton shirt with—wait for it—mesh inset and indigo printed faille jeans. Some of the most winning looks here were series of organza shirts such as Valvo’s black organza tuxedo shirt and a mandarin orange silk organza shirt shown with white jeans. Here, the organza allowed just enough of a teasing glimpse of muscle and sinew, the perfect complement to the feminine curves on display for Valvo’s women.

Valvo saved his best for last with eveningwear embroidered in silver. Some of the best here included a stunning silver floral venise embroidered organza chemise, an ivory silver beaded mini matinee cocktail dress and an ivory silver embroidered mini matinee strapless cocktail dress.

—Karyn D. Collins