Sergio Hudson serves up ample flair, power dressing and hints of zest for SS24.
An ebullient party atmosphere buzzed through the Gallery at Spring Studios before Sergio Hudson’s show on Sunday night. Among the many celebrities seated front row amidst the anticipatory thrall: June Ambrose, Tamron Hall, Quinta Brunson, Nicole Byer, Coco Jones and newly minted Real Housewife Jenna Lyons.
The good-time vibes proved salient. Hudson’s ladies like their fashion with ample flair and a side of power dressing, and he delivered both beautifully, with plenty of the joie du mode at the heart of his oeuvre. In his show notes, Hudson cited a 1970s photo of Tina Turner in an airport as his first point of inspiration.
“Her look was clean and sharp…” he wrote. “Her look said, ‘this is the full Tina Turner effect, this is how I'm presenting myself to the world no matter where I’m going.’” It certainly worked for Tina. And it will work for Hudson’s ever-growing ranks of devoted clients as well. Here, “clean and sharp” meant various iterations of smart tailoring with strong-shouldered jackets, including one in menswear plaid with amped-up three- piece swagger, and another in black over a vampy leather skirt and sheer blouse.
Though Hudson worked primarily in a rich, autumnal color palette of deep brown, aubergine and army green – this was his Fall 2023 collection – he added pops of vibrant color in a mid-show sequence of turquoise, orange and yellow, including playful skirts aglow with flashy, oversized paillettes. Hudson used leather to impressive effect in a sleek brown blazer and a body-con army green bustier worn over a sheer blouse and low-slung pants.
Outerwear played a key role and ranged from a chic black topper to a joyful Tweety Bird-yellow overcoat with exaggerated lapels. The Seventies-glam aura wafted throughout, in the tailoring as well as in Hudson’s invocation of the era’s fluid side. To close the show, he transformed the shirtdress into a series of evening beauties with sheer bodices and flowing pleated skirts that radiated a refined, sophisticated sexiness. Through it all, Hudson employed a deft hand that kept the clothes modern with just the right touch of exuberant retro. Still, one could easily imagine Ms. Turner kicking up her iconic heels in one of Hudson’s numbers, and looking pretty fab while doing it.