show & tell

Bright Colors, Cool Necklaces, and Happy Vibes at Zero Maria Cornejo

Maria Cornejo has the cure, and this is it.Photo: Imaxtree

There was something really special about Zero Maria Cornejo’s show yesterday afternoon, held in the designer’s new, unfinished store on Bleecker Street. We were far away from the tents, it was balmy outside, and inside, the white-box space was simple and lovely, with daylight streaming in the windows. We were already feeling fuzzy, and that was before the clothes even appeared — though once they did, we were a little mesmerized. In vibrant colors such as deep cobalt, shocking pink, and poppy red, Cornejo’s separates featured sharp and interesting cuts without being overly fussy and complicated. And funky necklaces made from twisted horsehair were irresistible. But beyond the runway there was a genuinely happy energy in the air, the sort that had us suspecting we were in the midst of one of those moments.

After the show, we could barely get near Cornejo for an interview. She was enjoying Champagne — from a modest plastic cup, no less — and a shower of the most earnest praise we’ve seen all week. There were no glittery celebrities dropping air kisses, just excited friends. You know, the real kind. And? Cornejo is the only designer who we’ve seen hug and kiss each and every one of her models good-bye. We left Bleecker Street not just lusting after her clothes, but kind of wanting to be her friend, too. —Amy Odell

Browse a slideshow of the Zero Maria Cornejo collection.

Bright Colors, Cool Necklaces, and Happy Vibes at Zero Maria Cornejo