Tag: new york fashion week

02 16 2011

fall collections, new york: marc by marc jacobs

warm earth tones ruled the runway this season by way of marc jacobs for his moderately priced, marc by marc jacobs collection. a combined runway show of both menswear & womenswear was seen, though womenswear took the main stage. horizontal stripes were seen alongside seventies inspired silhouettes, which marc seems to love. while the collection seen here is much more relaxed & not as strict as what was seen for the marc jacobs main line, a consistent vision was presented both creatively & sharply. bold shots of green, fuschia & slight use of yellow were seen in the collection palette that contrasted well with the brown base of the collection. a lot of classic pieces are seen in the collection in the form of capes, coats, shades & even looks that capitalize on feminine & masculine style concepts. combined classics & trend created a solid fall collection overall.

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02 16 2011

fall collections, new york: hervé léger

the max azria design empire is split into a series of collections, one of their high end collections being hervé léger. hervé léger bas become a staple in fashion, known for their infamous bandage dress style. this season, we see the concept of the bandage style almost deteriorating in chic manner. bandage straps were minimally added to the collections dresses, allowing developed signatures to be introduced while still providing enough creative reinterpretation for the label to push the limit for yet another season. while some elements of the collection were unexpectedly industrial through details, i applaud the hervé léger team for being able to consistently raise the bar for themselves each season. transitional of the seasons without limitation are seen in the use of black, neutral & slight shades of orange this season. overall, great direction & solid execution.

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02 16 2011

fall collections, new york: dennis basso

lavish fur designs have become synonymous with the dennis basso label. this season that signature was greatly & clearly translated on the runways of new york fashion week. in thoughtful sequence the fur went from soft neutral, to fudge brown, cooled to crisp charcoal & hardened at the close with a black palette note. while many may describe the basso label as a design one note, one this is for sure- no one does fur like dennis basso. the new york based label is the gold standard of how to do fur, when fur is done right. i love the collection & admire the execution seen in direction. thoughtful elements & chic design throughout.

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02 16 2011

fall collections, new york: donna karan

stoned greys ruled the FW11 color palette of donna karan. models walked the runway with a soft powder pink lip & more sophistication was felt this season with a familiar style direction. with the high bunned hairstyles, signature donna karan drapping, sleeved dresses & use of fur the collection was more lanvin by albert elbaz than donna karan. brown tones were introduced into the collection after the greys cooled & though beautiful, i could not distract myself from the hard hitting comparisons of lanvin. the donna karan label is one i respect greatly & more often than not, i expect sophistication & represented signatures to set them apart from other new york based designers. as a leading designer in the brand, i am a bit dissapointed that many of these concepts were seen in paris, on the runway, from another fashion house. no doubt a beautiful campaign will be shot & the collection will sell, given it’s undeniable beauty. creatively, the collection is unoriginal.

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02 16 2011

fall collections, new york: monique lhuillier

with a focus on textures, the FW11 collection presented by monique lhuillier is one of beautiful construction & elegant design. always looking at fashion as a form of story telling, i love what is presented gradually from the first look to the last. at the entrance of the show sequence, a focus on more heavy pieces including outerwear were seen. as the collection progressed, the clothes become more & more stripped; necklines dropped, lace exposed more skin & it almost seemed as though winter was melting away one model at a time, eventually leading us to next season, spring. subtle use of animal print was introduced throughout the collection as shots of red lit the mostly black & earth toned palette. gold undertones tapped into the trend of metallics for the fall & drama ensued in the form of an army of gowns that lead to the collections close. gowns constructed of sheer textiles, tulle & ostrich feathers allowed each gown to become greatly individualized through design additions in the form of animal print, sequins, lace & ruffles. in the collection, i loved the brown dipped gown with the intricate neckline- a gorgeous piece & one of the standout designs of this season. i admire the direction taken this fall & applaud lhuillier’s refined style.

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02 16 2011

fall collections, new york: halston

in their journey back to the runway, the iconic house of halston presents a beautiful FW11 collection true to the labels trailblazing american history. created in the 1960′s, the halston label rose to fame by way of jackie o., anjelica houston, lauren hutton, bianca jagger & liza minnelli who wore halston regularly. once dubbed the ‘premiere designer of all america’ by newsweek, the halston label is experiencing a revitalization & popularly publicized, sarah jessica parker is also creatively involved. modernized silhouettes & effortlessly beautiful dresses fill this seaon’s intimatel numbered collection & with each season, gradually, the label is moving closer & closer to the helm of high fashion. leather & fur are seen within the collection, fused to the halston signature use of jersey as sheena moulton, austria & nyasha matonhodze were seen among this season’s cast. im always intensely interested in labels that are undergoing change; halston being one of them. as the halston label has many aspects of historical value to their credit, roy halston was the first designer to start licensing with third parties & famously designed collections for JC penney- long before fast fashion, roy halston have already paved the way with america’s most iconic women. relaxed, beautifully & chic- i love the collection presented for fall & am anxiously anticipating the label’s development. nothing is more respect than a phoenix rising from the ashes. well executed, superb style.   

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02 16 2011

fall collections, new york: thesken’s theory

as we sat & waited for olivier theysken’s to make a return to fashion design since departing the house of nina ricci, his latest endeavor is his involvement with theory, a japanese owned new york city based retailer. of notorious talent & vision, it seems as though olivier is playing by the rules with this collections, his designs are noticeably restrained. dramatic coats with killer silhouettes were seen along classic chunky knits as the models walked the runway with red lips & matted hair. use of cordory, suede & slight use of printed textiles allowed the collection to be more clearly defined for a commercial retail audience. a dark palette of sleek style was seen but i know that olivier can create something more imaginative. i view his work with theory as a refoundation of style, at the root. a clear vision is translated & though i expect more, the collection is suitable for a mass market & provides chic options for wardrobe fillers rather than setting trends. i would love to see olivier breakthrough creatively & embark on creating a namesake label. overall, strong collection & stylish but would like to see more creative push.

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02 16 2011

fall collections, new york: thom browne

quirky, experimental & over the top- the thom browne collections are always a sight to see. this season, browne capitalizes on his love for plaid, plaid & more plaid. a gang of printed looks were seen on the runway as the models walked with feathered lashes & head covers. as the collection progressed past the show opening, simplified styles made a mark & showcased the true style sensibility that is most true to browne’s skills of construction & design. elaborately layered coats in grey, volumized dresses & heavy knitwear were seen as the collection introduced concepts that used fur & wool. the three stripe browne signature was clearly highlighted & even done in colored fur within the collection as handbags, shoes, gloves & ties were noticed packed into the awe-inspiring womenswear.  of strict style in outrageous form, i really loved the vision & admire the direction taken this fall. in contrast to what was shown for browne’s menswear collection in paris, his vision seems stunningly powerful & thoughfully developed. i value the thom browne collections as an exaggeration of traditional style; in many ways it allows you to look & understand something very familiar & challenges your perception, creatively.

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02 15 2011

fall collections, new york: the row

as one of the strongest design labels to surface on the american fashion scene, the row is a collection of incredibly large influence & the olsen’s have more than exceeded any expectation anyone has had for their design ventures of the past five years. decked in lavish furs & beautiful animal print, a combined presentation of stunning simplicity is well balanced with the collections use of exquisite & exotic design concepts. with a bit of influence from classic formal wear & 90′s trend, the row presents a beautiful collection this fall. a wide range of looks was presented in the form of multi-colored furs as clean lined dress designer were accented with lace & leather. from blazers with leather sleeves to the sky blue fur, the models walked the runway were made up with a dark lip that allowed the chic volume to be cranked to two more notches. i love see what the olsen’s will create next; they’ve remained in privacy & have really mastered the art of style & how to introduce & reinvent beautiful pieces with their own interesting twist. i love the animalistic concepts that are subtly introduced this season.

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02 15 2011

fall collections, new york: vera wang

the vera wang FW11 collection surprised me in it’s show of rugged & still soft feminine influence. in season’s past, i had criticized what was presented on the runway as being unpolished & unattractive; but this season a defined form of urban elegance is felt. with a dark, moody eye & slightly undone hair fur lined parkas were matched to ethereal gowns & ankle boots that allowed vera’s elegant style signature to clash with the edge of new york city street fashion. i was very inspired by how rugged & perfected each look was- very, very happy with what was created this year, in style & design. all our faves walked for the show as daphne gorenveld opened leading joan smalls, ming xi, kasia struss, hanne gaby odiele, sigrid agren, jac & frida gustavsson, among others, down the runway. arizona muse closed the show in a vintage inspired sleeved gown which allowed the soft feel i described to be felt through to the end. cohesive from the first look to the last; it’s glamourous, edgy, sophisticated & extremely stylish- i love this collection & applaud the vera wang label. here two perceptions of style collide, perfectly.

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