Shed a Tear for Akira

It was a rare fashion moment today at the Akira show, with the sheer beauty witnessed on the catwalk leaving some attendees in tears. And Akira Isogawa's collection, which closed Rosemount Fashion Week, was indeed a tour de force.

He wowed with what seemed like an endless arsenal of wondrous tropical Asian creations. After starting out with ensembles in mild creams, the presentation exploded into an all-out assault of saturated color—rainbow reds, purples, greens, yellows and pinks.

Most looks were rendered largely in the richest of silks and showed thoughtful details ranging from Akira's signature embroidery to full panels of paillettes on a chiffon, knee-length dress. Deft accents were everywhere, from the silk roses in the models' hair to their hot pink eye shadow and decorative sky-high wedges.

The audience was visibly agog as each new entry came down the runway, and the collection will no doubt be spoken about for some time to come. Fern Mallis commented on how great it would be to see Akira in New York, and we told her to make it happen.

—Jason Campbell