Markarian’s Alexandra O’Neill Is Ready For People to Get Dressed Up Again

March 03, 2022 at 11:10PM

Arriving at the venue where the Markarian fall 2022 runway show took place, I felt immediately transported to the 1920s. The opulently decorated Prince Ballroom – with its mosaic tile ceiling and gold-painted chairs – was the perfect backdrop for The Great Gatsby-themed presentation, where Nicky Hilton Rothschild and Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell sat front row. The models played into the fantasy in glittering ball gowns finished with elegant headpieces designed by Gigi Burris. The collection sent a singular message: people are ready to dress up again.

Unsurprisingly, scenes from the Roaring Twenties were on founder Alexandra O’Neill’s mood board when designing the collection. The designer, who counts Demi Lovato and First Lady Jill Biden as fans, fell in love with New York City’s jazz age while reading F. Scott Fitzgerald novels and Dorothy Parker stories, she tells POPSUGAR backstage. Given her affinity for luxurious fabrics, intricate detailing, and bold embellishments, the glamour of the era’s costumes immediately spoke to her.

Enter the brocade gowns, slip dresses, and feathered hats that graced the Markarian runway. Sequins covered many of the garments, from a mint green off-shoulder draped dress to a red, midriff-baring midi. True to the brand ethos, the palette included energizing jolts of color, often in nature-inspired shades reminiscent of Oneill’s midwest upbringing.

“This season was an ode to my favorite childhood memories of growing up in Colorado,” she says. The finale gown, drenched in a lush neon green, recalls the mountain sunsets she no doubt witnessed in her hometown. Paisley prints and metallic embellishments mirror wildflower fields and starry night skies. “I took those elements and fused them with the glamour of New York City’s jazz age,” O’Neill says.

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While the designer would certainly slip into the sequin or beaded pieces when the occasion calls for it, on most days, she wears a simple T-shirt and jeans. There’s something in the collection for both types of dressers.

A long leather jacket, brown printed coat, and white chambray shirt will appeal to those who crave day-to-night options. But mostly, O’Neill catered to customers who are eager to return to event dressing, draping themselves in gleaming fabrics inspired by the Victorian era. And it all made for a stunning show.

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Author Shelcy Joseph | citywomen.co
Selected by CWC

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