Fashion 88 : The Audience Stole the Show

The hats in the audience gave those on the runway some serious competition when Bob Mackie showed his fall collection at the Amen Wardy store in Costa Mesa. And so the hat craze continues. You could see it in the extravagant headgear Mackie used as the final touch on many of his outfits. But it was even more apparent among the women who came to Wardy’s luncheon show. The room seemed a hothouse of silk posies on straw.

There was nothing subtle about these chapeaus. One was a lacquered-straw topiary, pruned to resemble the eyebrows of imaginary beasts. One was a tulle dandelion in a bubble shape. The closest to Mackie’s on-stage, satin pith helmet was a soft gray shape like the mythical Hermes wears, with an additional set of rhinestone-studded feathers.

As for the runway show, it was based on Hollywood movie themes. When a sequined Lone Ranger minidress came down the aisle, the audience began to buzz.

And during the “Mogambo” scene, a sizzler composed mostly of ostrich feathers and bare skin, one conservative-looking woman surprisingly went wild over the white satin safari suit with the sequined leopard-print top. She wanted the pith helmet too.

After the show, Mackie stayed on to help women decide what to buy from his collection, priced $900 to $14,000. Wardy’s daughter, Sophia, who works at the boutique, said the beaded evening gowns were the big sellers, because they are what the designer is best known for.

Mackie’s assistant, Daniel Orlandi, said the biggest spender took home six dresses. And the one who bought the $14,000 white sequined tuxedo didn’t even know where she would wear it.

It was all very elegant, except for one little scene where a thousand women fished under their chairs and tugged at what they could find. Most of them came up with a factory label. But someone at every table got a ribbon bow, good for one flower centerpiece.

Mackie’s mother, Mildred Carrigan, who lives near the shop, was one of those who left the show with an armful of flowers.