Evening gown designer Shoji breezes into New York Fashion Week

Fashion designer Tadashi Shoji, whose evening gowns are adored by Hollywood stars, showcased a casual, breezy collection in strong colors at New York Fashion Week.

Actresses Chloe Bennet and Chrissie Fit and gymnast Laurie Hernandez were among the celebrities who lined the catwalk at Shoji’s Spring 2018 show on Thursday.

The Los Angeles-based designer, who was born in Japan, said he drew inspiration from Southern California’s Malibu Beach and “a touch” from the 1970s.

Floral prints were etched onto chiffon, sheer lace and jacquard gowns, and colors like canary yellow and jade green dominated the collection.

Shoji incorporated ruffles on many hemlines of the dresses, which exposed fashion’s favorite erogenous zone of the moment, the shoulders.

The bare-shoulder trend will continue into 2018, he predicted, but added that it might disappear without any notice.

”Fashion is fashion,” he said.

Shoji said he was closely following the multiple hurricanes, including Harvey, which unleashed unprecedented flooding in parts of Texas, and Irma, which has devastated islands in the Caribbean and is heading toward Florida.

Shoji said his company was making a donation for the victims, just as he did after the 2011 earthquake in Japan, but he wants to be sure the victims actually receive the funds.

He is among over 100 designers who are showcasing their latest creations at New York Fashion Week, which will wrap up on Wednesday, a day shorter than usual to give buyers and editors more time to fly out to London Fashion Week.