Roll a Bolo to Your Pal? On a Globally Warmed Wednesday, Phillip Lim Shoots For the West

The densely-packed 3.1 Phillip Lim show at the Bryant Park tents on Feb. 6 was, according to several breathless Chatty Cathys stationed behind the Transom, “almost three times bigger than last season.”

It was also, owing either to the unseasonably warm weather or the attendance of Conde Nast’s entire payroll, approximately 92 degrees in the Promenade (not quite as bad as last season’s Rodarte show in a West Chelsea loft, which devolved into a very well-dressed steamroom, but tonight’s sea of flapping programs did cause momentary déjà vu).

As good an indicator as any that this show was a big deal was the Vogue contingent, which was robust—Sally (Singer), Anna (Wintour), Hamish (Bowles), Virginia (Smith), Grace (Coddington)—and that was just the front row.

Mr. Lim’s clothing was vaguely Western-inspired, featuring a couple fuzzy cowboy hats and loud, gold necklaces which occasionally—were we interpreting this right?—seemed shaped like bolo ties. Midway through, things got a bit more fancy: a string of gold party dresses in Louis XIV-looking fabrics contrasting with modern details like sheer sleeves. The show ended with several satin frocks in muted tones, which, artfully bunched around the collar or at the waist, could best be put in the “granny chic” category.

And the coats! One might’ve envisioned wearing them home ... if it weren’t 65 degrees out.