Photo courtesy of David Shankbone

Jason Wu is quickly rising in the ranks of the fashion elite.

Called one of the most talented designers at New York Fashion Week by Models.com, Wu has certainly affirmed the praise with his runway show.

Models took the asymmetrically tiled horseshoe runway with a flurry of feathers, flora, and flowing fabric. Wu balanced structured and controlled tops with peplum, printed blossoms, and full voluminous skirts. 

It was classic style infused with a modern edge – a new hybrid in Wu’s work that expressed sport chic with anoraks, retro pop with prints, and sheer feminine beauty with gowns.

Women’s Wear Daily perfectly expresses the spring collection of feathered skirts, neck ties, and strappy heels as “young glam with a whiff of mischief.”

The designer paired high-waisted shorts reminiscent of 40s style pinups with classic button-ups made mod with sequined collars, emanating a “naughty austerity.”

But it was the grandiose dresses that stole the show. Bright, vibrant colors with cascading hemlines made for elegant gowns, complemented by razor-sharp thorns adorned in models’ hair.

In a post-show interview with Style, Wu attributes his mother as his muse, describing his collection as a “return to elegance…with a little tough edge.”

The Taiwanese American designer became a household name when the First Lady Michelle Obama attended the inaugural ball in a custom made chiffon gown in 2008. Since then, his career has skyrocketed with his consistently polished creations. 

In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Wu says that this season’s collection was inspired by KAWS, a graffiti artist and sculptor.

“I wanted to infuse the pop art idea with a haute couture-inspired shape,” says Wu, “which I did through playing with volume and using really beautiful fabrics.”

Reach reporter Livia Soong here.