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Au Courant in Cyberspace

Nigel Who? mounts cyber-fashion show at Cafe Leviticus By Heather Zimmerman San Jose's Cafe Leviticus boasted its usual crowd of caffeine slackers plus a few hundred fashion victims last Saturday night (March 9) when the main seating area at the trendy espresso venue was transformed into a catwalk for a premiere showing of the kitschy couture of San Jose designers Nigel Who?. The collection of these gurus of funky fashion includes a line of women's clothing created from woven wire, beads and rubber and a new line of slinky evening-wear made of those most dreaded '70s discards: beaded curtains. Like much of the designer garb that appears on the coveted runways of Europe, the function of these pieces as actual clothing seems a bit questionable. Indeed, a great deal of Nigel Who?'s apparel looks as practical as a bridal veil made of chain mail and, one suspects, is about as comfortable. But these twistedly elegant fashions do offer an intriguing possibility of what might become Silicon Valley chic. And fortunately, rather than succumbing to shock value, the artistry of the clothing complements the innovation of its materials. Amidst the seriousness summed up in the designers' mission statement of reconciling humanity with technology, someone has a definite sense of humor, judging by the designers' collection of outlandish hats made of wire frames sculpted into some shapes to be reckoned with, including a towering chapeau reminiscent of the Cat-in-the-Hat. In keeping with their technology-conscious designs, Nigel Who?'s show was videotaped for viewing on the World Wide Web, which, along with their online catalog can be found at: www.fashion.net/nigelwho. [ CyberScape | MetroActive Central ]