Runway Report: Samantha Pleet

Samantha Pleet skirted the line between presentation and party with her Spring collection showcased at the Open House Gallery in Soho. This sparse, cavernous space made the perfect setting for Pleet's minimalist, yet playful designs. In lieu of models and the formal runway show, there was a multimedia presentation with a video projected onto three walls, which was aptly described by co-designer (and husband) Patrick Pleet (née McGovern) as a "surrealist" montage. Images moved counter-clockwise as if the models were stepping out from one background and into the next. Attendees dressed in a uniform of black watched the Pleet clad models perform arbitrary activities in front of an empty white-washed room (designed by Patrick Pleet)—dancing, playing with umbrellas, sweeping, stretching and twirling. The romper made a stylish comeback from the Spring 2008 collection with a fresh, new look. Gold chains slung around the waist and more dramatic silhouettes lent the pieces a seductive sophistication. We were lusting after the black, high-wasted pants with zippers at the pockets, the grey and black mini tube dresses, and not to mention, the white romper with the short balloon skirt that Samantha Pleet was rocking at show.