San Francisco Fashion Week '04: Collen Quen Couture

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising graduate Colleen Quen opened the week with her collection. A layered inverted-bell dress with stylized floral appliqueacute;s was a clear crowd favorite. The inverted-bell shape made for difficult walking but provided a place to stash petalshaped confetti, which the model tossed in the air to the delight of the crowd. Other dramatic pieces included a top made from layers of fabric paillettes, a boa made from leaf-shaped pieces of chiffon, and a strapless dress and wrap in a stylized butterfly print that echoed Quen’s logo. The designer took a less theatrical approach to her other pieces. Some of the best included a pleated swing trench coat with a low belt and an empire- waist full gown in a stylized floral print. —Alison A. Nieder