Marc Jacobs
It’s well known that Jacobs has had a lot on his plate lately. What with his rumoured negotiations with the house of Christian Dior and all. Maybe that explains the simpler than usual approach to his spring collection, which featured preppy sportswear classics in navy and Kelly green with lots of neon mixed in. It was all kind of club kid leaves the raves to go to college. The brights were the stars of the show. It wasn’t his most earth-shatteringly creative collection for his secondary line, but will probably be a retail hit nonetheless (who doesn’t want a piece of Marc).
Betsey Johnson
Betsey Johnson took her finale bow to Three Six Mafia’s Azz and Tittiez complete with flashing boobs and bottoms on the runway backdrop. How badass is that? The only problem is, she seemed to take those lyrics too literally with the clothes, which were a little bit Malibu Barbie, a little bit Nicki Minaj and a little bit Kinky Boots. It was campy and fun and we all love her for that. But the clothes, such as a corseted, mini dress with a tiny teacup skirt and even tinier bra top, started to veer into costume territory. It’s hard to see them making sense off the MTV Video Music Awards red carpet.
Diane von Furstenberg
In the sea of prints that New York Fashion Week has become, Diane von Furstenberg’s unsurprisingly stood out. They came in soft pastels with pops of yellow and orange (another recurring theme this week) and sometimes layered in a single look. The best moments were the unexpected, tomboyish ones such as a pair of checked shorts in lime and maroon paired with a neon green button down shirt, maroon blazer and graphic loafers or a slouchy purple, printed long-sleeve jumpsuits with two-tone, slip-on flats. It made a refreshing contrast to her trademark feminine dresses.
Jason Wu
Sporty and street are not exactly words that come to mind when you think of Michelle Obama’s go-to designer and yet he was able to own both ideas by interpreting them in his own polished Wu-ian way. The beauty is that he experimented with the sporty trend, which we’re seeing just about everywhere this week, in a way that didn’t read too literal (because not everyone wants to look like she just walked out of the gym). For instance, his lightweight, practically transparent parkas gave his bejeweled collared shirts and short-short pairings a subtle urban edge.
BCBG Maxazria
Bold, saturated brights emerged as an early trend for spring 2012 and Max and Lubov Azria’s collection was full of them in the form of sporty, colour-blocked dresses. Each one was long (below the knee to ankle length), easy to wear and fluid — all the better to graze the body in that trademark Azria way when the wind blows. Later in the show, the colour blocking gave way to bright ethnic prints and crafty knits. It all made for a much more urban looking collection than we’re used to seeing from the brand, which often brings to mind young Hollywood celebrity types.
