Runway Report: Tim Hamilton

Stepping out of the elevator onto the deck of the penthouse of MILK studios, it was clear that designer Tim Hamilton wanted his spring '09 collection to be a party. With pop tunes playing, his impish models posed as guests took advantage of the open bar. Inspired by the minimalist artist Frank Stella, his boyish collection was clearly made for willowy kids caught somewhere in between adolescence and manhood. Drapey cowl-neck shirts, exposed zippers, Dorothy-esque gingham, drawstring pants, and bold stripes peppered the collection, which melded masculine-feminine design elements. Minimalist instincts also informed Hamilton's mostly black and gray color scheme, with accents of his signature blue. When Hamilton topped off (or bottomed off, rather?) his ensembles with sleek high-top boots in gray, white and black, we couldn't help but smell a trend. And one last word of advice, just 'cause this is menswear doesn't mean the ladies should ignore it. We can easily imagine some of our favorite gals painting the town red in some Hamilton blue come next spring.