Ball gowns emerging in time for gala season

Dresses are designed to make the wearer memorable.
Knight Ridder Newspapers
MIAMI -- Like the buds that awaken in spring, another kind of blossom comes alive beneath the autumn moon.
It's gala season: Splendid gowns are nearing full bloom.
For some, that means the mad dash to the dress racks is reaching top velocity. Others are waiting eagerly for seamstresses to put finishing touches on the runway gowns that were ordered long before the harvest.
Soon these dresses will emerge from walk-in closets everywhere, heavy with silk and lace. But even as their owners fret over hemlines and bustiers, will anyone recall the color of the charmeuse?
Not if the dress has done its job. Only the wearer will be memorable then.
"It's been such a dark fall," said Sonia Gibson, longtime publicist for Saks Fifth Avenue at Bal Harbour, Fla., and she didn't mean the weather.
Last winter, formal dresses were awash in sparkling silver threads and golden hues. There was beading galore. And Swarovski crystals were so abundant, you could adjust your hair in the reflection of a bodice.
Snugger fit
Not so this year. Embellishments are pared down. Silhouettes snuggle up to the body. And red and black have taken the lead.
"Fall season was a simple, sophisticated look, minimally embellished with not a lot of beading -- just as accents," said Stephen Brunelle, general manager for Neiman Marcus at Merrick Park.
Major department stores are taking notes.
Sales associates at pricey shops keep track of what their clients buy and for which occasion. That way, they can direct later shoppers away from certain dresses that are sure to appear at a particular party and reduce the likelihood of duplicates.
A few dresses always spark a frenzy.
This year's favorites
When a celebrity wears a gown to an event and the images are broadcast across the globe, orders rush in fast. This year, a fitted black dress by Roland Mouret, cinched at the knees, was highlighted on NBC's "Today Show." And Neiman Marcus is still trying to satisfy all the requests.
Those who attend lots of big functions generally don't go to the racks to choose their important dresses. They're invited to trunk shows months in advance by boutiques, designers or department stores, and place their orders then, usually while sipping champagne. For this winter, charmeuse, lace and stretch velvet were favorites.