Mid-week runway report
The reviews
1 Peter Som
Som’s uber luxurious take on sportswear had a very
tony, grown-up sensibility to it. Case in point: a series of wool and
fur jackets, trenches, pea coats and parkas in various forms of fusion
(fox fur covering the cuffs, entire sleeves, torso, back and sometimes
all of the above). These are clothes for the woman who thinks nothing of
wearing a pair of tailored sequin pants to the office — and can get
away with it. Som maintained a youthful edge thanks to his bold color
combinations and the overall relaxed fit of his clothes. –Kenya Hunt
2 Vena Cava
Remember when glamazon supermodels and “Reality Bites”
ruled? Well, Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock certainly do. They treated
attendees to a self-produced zine inspired by all things ’90s — and a
collection reflecting the era. The best looks included full-length
skirts paired with cropped tops and jackets, one very sexy, fitted
square-neck silk jersey dress and a silk skirt and blouse set featuring
color-block print in warm tones. –Tina Chadha
3 Jason Wu
Jason Wu sought inspiration from a book chronicling the 25-year restoration of Versailles. It sounds nice, but what does that mean for your wardrobe? His rarefied cultural reference point was less obvious with his mostly black and white tailored separates, which were all sleek and quietly elegant. Things became more outright glamorous toward the end with a series of feathered cocktail frocks and dramatic full-skirted floor-length gowns. There also seems to be an emerging trend for mannish tailoring this season, and Wu’s collection had plenty of that: pantsuits with little French “garcon” style ties and beautifully made overcoats. –KH
4 Alexander Wang
If last season was a shaky departure from his trademark, dark models-off-duty look that we had all grown to love, this collection was a return to top form. His tough and sporty sensibility was in full effect. But there was a more mature sophistication to the clothes, too. The lust in the air was palpable when he sent a series of pale gray coats, fur vests and sweaterdresses with spacey details such as puffy, quilted sleeves and metallic patches. He also had some of the more clever takes on the season’s trends, which included a series of cool, shimmery trousers and hybridized outwear such as a furry tuxedo jacket. –KH
5 Rebecca Taylor
The ’70s were still in full swing for Taylor, who referenced pictures of The Stones and Marianne Faithfull as inspiration. From that came fun, sheer printed pants with sequin embellishments, as well as bohemian floral dresses. The rest of the collection leaned more toward the designer’s signature ladylike separates. Standouts included the outerwear and her use of bold colors. –TC
6 Prabal Gurung
A relatively new name in American fashion, Prabal Gurung’s star seems to rise with each season. This one is no different. His collection displayed his gift for couture-like workmanship and reflected the best aspects of New York fashion in that it was wearable without being safe. Examples: his flattering, floaty dresses in fuchsia and pink, and boldly-creative-without- trying-too-hard ivory knit sweaterdress. As for the trend for details and embellishments, his collection had some of the best, from the dip-dyed washes of color on his fur coats to the little leather, studded bows affixed to a sheer dress. –KH
7 The Lake & Stars
Heady lingerie — could there be such a thing? Designers Maayan Zilberman and Nikki Dekker cited “a 1970s American’s interpretation of Italian Neo-Classicism” and Superstudio as inspiration. The result: high-waist briefs, corsets and camis in a mix of fabrics — mesh, velvet, silk and hand-beaded tulle — featuring linear and lace prints. Throw in their sexy thigh-high stockings and this collection is a no-brainer. –TC
8 Mandy Coon
Though Coon was inspired by a picture of her mom from the ’70s, her collection felt more like polished punk. Her looks, most in black leather with the occasional pops of magenta, were clean, minimal and tailored beautifully. And we especially loved how she transformed the usually precious bow into something with a much tougher edge. –TC
9 Rag & Bone
What will the fashion set wear on the slopes next fall? The first half of Rag & Bone’s collection. Then, David Neville and Marcus Wainwright hightailed it to Scotland where traditional suits as well as pants and skirts in Prince of Wales plaid, tweed and tartan were made sporty with random stripes in blue and orange. We’re not sure who would actually wear those pieces, but their array of cool jackets — varsity, motorcycle, nubby wool, shearling — are sure to fly off shelves. –TC
10 Suno
Suno presented breezy, regal-looking tunic dresses in vibrant florals, colorful mixed and matched prints from all over the world, beautifully woven blanket coats and delicately embroidered dresses. There wasn’t much not to love about this collection, which was the duo’s strongest yet. –KH
11 Cynthia Rowley
Months after collaborating with Ryan McNamara at P.S. 1 MoMA’s art extravaganza called Move, the duo teamed up again for her fall collection. But for those who weren’t in the know, the collection looked more like a series of pretty, often glittery, ’70s-inspired separates, rather than a contemporary art statement. –KH
12 Erin
Erin Fetherston put the whimsical pep back in her step for her new lower-priced contemporary line. The designer got back to what she does best — making pretty, ethereal dresses for the girl who is the life of the party. Models danced and joked during the presentation in an array of must-have frocks: sophisticated ivories, romantic blush pinks, shiny metallics and a good dose of LBDs in crepe, chiffon and georgette. –TC
13 Derek Lam
At the moment, rugged, functional shearling coats are trendy — but fall ’11 seems to be taking outerwear to a more polished place. Lam’s expertly tailored coats were the best examples of this and will make a smart investment come next fall. –KH
Trending
Watch out for:
» Yves
Klein blue (Rebecca Taylor, Lyn Devon, Rag & Bone)
»
Embellishments (Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung)
» Shimmery, sequined
trousers, dresses and blouses (Alexander Wang, Peter Som, Cynthia
Rowley)
Worst trend:
» The dresses worn over pants look
has been popping up everywhere from Charlotte Ronson to Derek Lam. But
do we even want that trend to come back? We say hell to the no. It
doesn’t even look good on the models.
Best comeback:
»
Start searching through your mom’s old clothes in the attic now, because
1970s style tent dresses with keyholes at the front or back are back.
Costello Tagliapietra, Rebecca Taylor and Mandy Coon showed the look in
their collections.
