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 LIVED in fear that the New York fall 2002 shows were going to be overrun with tributes to the fighting spirit of Americans and for all that it stands for. Catherine Malandrino, in an act of sheer coincidence, caught the wave on its upswing with her I-Love-All-Things-American fall 2001 collection. No one at that time knew that our lives would be turned upside-down by terrorists. Thus, it was a relief to a great number of us that the waving of the flag was kept to a tolerable minimum during the fall 2002 shows. Not only would it have been a case of expensive mistakes coming down the runway, it would have been viewed by many to be extremely exploitative and ultimately far too self-serving.

‘… by far the most spectacular show of the week’

   But if anyone was to jump on that particular bandwagon and execute it with extreme panache, it would have to be Bob Mackie. Mr Mackie's fall 2002 collection was a loving, sometimes over-the-top tribute to Broadway and the oft ‘amazing and exciting experience [that is live theatre].’
   Even as a child, Mr Mackie didn't exactly know what Broadway was, ‘but that was the big-time place everybody wanted to go in all the movie musical. It is a uniquely American invention and my favourite thing [to do] is to settle down in a theatre seat and be entertained for an evening by those amazingly talented singing and dancing actors.’
   The fact that this sentiment is shared so many other people within and beyond the boundaries of the United States only added to what was by far the most spectacular show of the week. Mr Mackie's presentation smoothed out all the rough edges in a week where auxiliary incidents conspired to drive me crazy.

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