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Ann Watson Likes Anna Sui, Brian Reyes, and Milly

Throughout the week, the buyers from Bird, Henri Bendel, Oak, and more will tell us which runway looks they plan on stocking. In today’s installment, Henri Bendel fashion director Ann Watson loves Anna Sui’s shift dresses, Brian Reyes’s graphic prints, and Milly’s chiffon caftans.

Anna Sui
Anna is truly New York’s quintessential bohemian designer. No matter where her references come from — and for spring ‘09 it was Spain — she always knows how to make it distinctively her own. Her irreverent mix of prints, embroideries, and statement-making collarlike necklaces by Erickson Beamon created a dynamic spring collection. Anna’s use of rose prints help to underscore the fact that the rose is the must-have floral print for spring ‘09. I loved her embroidered shift dresses in black and white, her cropped matador jackets, and her chiffon printed dresses with an oblong scarf wrapped at the waist for a boho cummerbund effect.

See a slideshow of the Anna Sui collection.

Brian Reyes
Brian showed us a softer, more relaxed side of his vision for spring ‘09. His sportswear looked easy, breezy, and effortlessly chic in all shades of cream. He then popped the presentation with terrific graphic-print separates like striped skinny pants worn with a brushstroke top. Die-hard Brian Reyes fans who love his more structured and polished side were thrilled with the inky blue cotton-faille sheath dress — a clear must-have for every fashion-savvy urbanite.

Milly
Michelle Smith of Milly always takes us to a destination we all want to visit, and this season was no exception. For spring ‘09, the Milly girl is in Bali, and her clothes have a seventies free-spirit vibe. The collection was filled with peasant dresses and chiffon caftans both short and long, short brocade jackets, and boho motif cardigans paired with shorts. She didn’t miss a beat with her accessories, which included crochet beanie hats, bags, macramé necklaces, and chunky resin oversize beaded long necklaces.

See a slideshow of the Milly collection.

Ann Watson Likes Anna Sui, Brian Reyes, and Milly