Michael Angel Proves Minimalism Can Be Colorful, Too

“This sounds like the soundtrack to a sci-fi movie,” murmured my seatmate just before Michael Angel‘s collection was unveiled yesterday afternoon at Lincoln Center. Futuristic mood, meet futuristic clothes.

Angel’s collection was surprisingly spare and precise, with many variations on the wrap dress (and wrap skirts and tops) anchored by prim little collared, cropped shirts worn underneath.

His signature vivid digital prints were a thrill.

Angel is a young designer who is not afraid of color, and he has an excellent sense of it. But — probably wisely — he kept his silhouettes very restrained.

These outfits — these jubilantly colorful, trippy-bright outfits — are fundamentally very minimalist. Only usually when someone says “minimalist” in fashion, they mean “boring.”

Daiane Conterato looked outstanding in this purple dress.

But this was probably my favorite look.

Angel’s collection married some uncommon materials — like translucent latex — with embellishment, leather, and of course those prints for which he is so well-known.

But it wasn’t always clear to what end the mix-n-match.

Also, the rash of midriff-baring looks gave me bad 90s flashbacks, which messed with the whole robot-gallerinas-of-the-future vibe.

I mean, come on.

And there were a couple dresses and skirts that accidentally exposed the models’ underwear as they walked the runway. Hip-high slits like these call out for a snap or two, at the least.

There were other mis-steps. This shapeless “bustier” seems perfect for, um, displaying one’s collarbones.

But all in all, Angel put together a pretty assured collection, with some gorgeous dresses and separates. Practically any piece incorporating Angel’s watercolor-looking Rorschach prints can and should look magical, but with a dress like this one, worn by Shena Moulton, it’s the cut, not the print, that holds your eye.