Friday was an excellent day from my point of view, particularly because of shows at Rag & Bone, Ruffian, Jason Wu, and Doo.Ri. I will be getting to each of those in good time, but let us start chronologically as I have done thus far...
We began the day at Ruffian, where the clothes are ever more smooth and elegant than the brand's name implies. This season, Morais and Wolk dispensed with their naval military/world traveller theme from the spring and opted instead for a return to menswear-inspired pieces, specifically, the tuxedo. Appearing in various reincarnations, from a cropped interpretation to a classic tailcoat, their renditions carried added luxe in being fashioned out of patent leather and velvet, respectively. Waistcoats and bib shirts were also present in all their suaveness, as were ruff collars in varying sizes. But if "wearing the pants" isn't your thing, never fear: the boys also have an eye for the more "feminine" customer, as it were. Echoes of the lace trend appeared on posh cocktail dresses, and Agnete Hegelund flaunted an exceedingly ruffly overcoat. Full length gowns in sequins and lace made the point that one can be sensuous by leaving much to the imagination, and one tutu captured a hint of the fashion phenomenon brought on by Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan. All in all, it was a sumptuous collection that managed to harness glamour and issue it in a stately and creative fashion that we don't hesitate to associate with the dearly departed Yves Saint Laurent. Well done, laddies.
Tess Giberson continued to grow as a designer, presenting a myriad of layered textures and some eye-popping orange pieces that are sure to draw investors. Peter Som, in an effort to create "real clothes for real women" churned out a collection of retro-inspired clothes, with fur panelling (and sleeves) on blazers, parkas, and peacoats; sequins and sparkles. Favoured colours included cherry red, blue, and golden yellow. I was also pleased to see Debora Muller finally making an appearance in New York, having spent all the previous day curious over her absence.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Laing produced an astronomical collection, featuring prints of the surface of the moon, and Farah Angsana set her sights on the wallets of red carpet walkers (particularly Blake Lively, it seems) with gowns and cocktails evocative of 70s glamour. At NAHM, Ally Hilfiger and Nary Manivong debuted their line with a twenty-look collection of shirt dresses. It will be interesting to see how Hilfiger's career evolves over time. You know, being the daughter of the eminent Tommy.
Jason Wu was one whom many were looking forward to one the day, and I have the best of news: he didn't disappoint. Though we know him for his often prim and proper tailored aesthetic (I mean seriously, the guy shot to fame because Michelle Obama wore one of his dresses. A certain amount of modesty is to be expected.), things were changed a little this season. Infusing a baroque influence into his collection added an association with a more elaborately artistic time period than we are used to from Wu, and with the accompaniment of lace shrouds over the eyes of several models, the combined effect was one of sensual mystery that I felt added a new facet to the Wu woman. He allegedly drew inspiration from photographs of the restoration of the palace of Versailles, as shot by Canadian photographer, Robert Polidori for his 1991 book Versailles. I wonder if he also had a looksie at snaps from Vogue Paris' 90th Anniversary Ball. Black was predominant (as is expected for the season), but again there was the recurrence of blue, red, and yellow as has been seen in a number of shows already. The lace was also a trending factor.
I have made no secret of my love for the baroque and roll of Balmain Fall 2010, but I must say, I'm not disillusioned by the understated use of a similar influence here. It's not overly extravagant, but if it had been, Wu would have had to abandon the style in which he has been creating for his entire career. Like any good designer, he has tailored the inspiration to his needs, not allowing it to overpower his own aesthetic, but instead to inform it subtly. Excellent execution by a designer who is having little difficulty justifying his recent rise to fame.
As we continue on with the day, Norman Ambrose featured a mixture of 70s glamour (Yet again, I know. I hope you all enjoyed that decade, because it seems everyone in fashion did.) and 20s indulgence, while Jeffery and Robert at Costello Tagliapietra instead informed the same period with influences from the 90s using a palette of pastel colours usually most at home in the spring. Rebecca Taylor showed us how to recycle and reuse with a collection of her usual silhouettes, occasioned by patchworks of fabrics employed in previous seasons by the designer.
Rebecca Minkoff is proving to be quite the little street stylist. Last season we saw her present a twenty-five-look collection (including shoes, for the first time) that had her numerous celebrity clients squealing with joy, and for Fall 2011, she ups the anti with a slightly larger scale runway show. Oh, she also had a live band (Sean Lennon and his girlfriend, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, if you were wondering. The latter is Minkoff's muse for the season, turns out.). No doubt, the collection is going to be a success with her plethora of fans, encapsulating all the savvy charm we've come to expect from the San Diego-born designer. Like her contemporary, Rachel Zoe (who you may remember presented earlier in the week), Minkoff's show is very much about the way in which outfits are styled. That said, many of her pieces are perfectly functional on their own, and any aspiring fashionista could coordinate a multitude of looks by dis- and reassembling, wherein lies the secret to her success. Rebecca Minkoff knows her customers through and through because in designing the sorts of things that she would want to wear as a fashion-forward, cool girl, she has the ability to (quite literally) put herself in her customer's shoes. Well, this is what I can assume, anyway. She clearly incorporated elements from this blogger's shopping list.
You know what? Despite the fact that she's simple and monochromatic in her designing, I really love Doo-Ri Chung's collections. And even though several of the coats and dresses in her Fall 2011 line were long enough to still be trailing on the ground when donned by 5'10 models in heels, I don't mind, because aesthetically speaking, the clothing looked gorgeous on the runway on Friday. It was graceful and flowing, as we often see from Chung, who is, if nothing else, a true master of drapery. Excepting one sweater (that was a little to frumpy for my taste), the collection was pervaded by several flattering silhouettes that were made even more so by her superior construction with light jersey fabrics. Outerwear incorporated furs and choice draping and puckering, while dimple dresses were made exceedingly sensual by the application of macrame cutouts.
Colourblocking was particularly strong, with a marvelous attention-grabbing blue being especially appetizing, and rusty orange and red also being stand outs. Where inspiration was being drawn from the far north, furs and parkas were essential elements, and boots were thigh-high, to the advantage of Gaga/Ke$ha fans when visiting polar bears. (In my northern home, I can guarantee you that I shan't be donning shorts any more often next winter than I do now, but hey, practicality isn't always fashion's strong suit. And Rag & Bone has the outwear bit pretty down pat, so I'm willing to make allowances here.) If it's possible, I'm even more in love with the brand than I was prior to the show.
Joy Cioci presented a collection inspired by light and freedom, with colours rarely straying from a neutral palette. In keeping with the theme, capes and dresses were constructed in such a way as to offer as little inhibition as possible. Cynthia Rowley focused on combining geometric patterns with luxurious feminine fabrics like silks and velvets (Seriously guys, stop trying to make velvet happen. It's never going to happen. Well, not to the extent it's being used here, anyway.). Yellow, burned orange, and blue are clearly the colours you want for winter on top of your usual blacks, by the way. (So really, you can just recycle your spring wardrobe and add a furry parka.) Elsewhere, Sally LaPointe brought the space age back in a collection that is sure to catch the eye of the Rihannas and former-Stefani Germanottas of the world.
Photos courtesy of style.com
We began the day at Ruffian, where the clothes are ever more smooth and elegant than the brand's name implies. This season, Morais and Wolk dispensed with their naval military/world traveller theme from the spring and opted instead for a return to menswear-inspired pieces, specifically, the tuxedo. Appearing in various reincarnations, from a cropped interpretation to a classic tailcoat, their renditions carried added luxe in being fashioned out of patent leather and velvet, respectively. Waistcoats and bib shirts were also present in all their suaveness, as were ruff collars in varying sizes. But if "wearing the pants" isn't your thing, never fear: the boys also have an eye for the more "feminine" customer, as it were. Echoes of the lace trend appeared on posh cocktail dresses, and Agnete Hegelund flaunted an exceedingly ruffly overcoat. Full length gowns in sequins and lace made the point that one can be sensuous by leaving much to the imagination, and one tutu captured a hint of the fashion phenomenon brought on by Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan. All in all, it was a sumptuous collection that managed to harness glamour and issue it in a stately and creative fashion that we don't hesitate to associate with the dearly departed Yves Saint Laurent. Well done, laddies.
Tess Giberson continued to grow as a designer, presenting a myriad of layered textures and some eye-popping orange pieces that are sure to draw investors. Peter Som, in an effort to create "real clothes for real women" churned out a collection of retro-inspired clothes, with fur panelling (and sleeves) on blazers, parkas, and peacoats; sequins and sparkles. Favoured colours included cherry red, blue, and golden yellow. I was also pleased to see Debora Muller finally making an appearance in New York, having spent all the previous day curious over her absence.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Laing produced an astronomical collection, featuring prints of the surface of the moon, and Farah Angsana set her sights on the wallets of red carpet walkers (particularly Blake Lively, it seems) with gowns and cocktails evocative of 70s glamour. At NAHM, Ally Hilfiger and Nary Manivong debuted their line with a twenty-look collection of shirt dresses. It will be interesting to see how Hilfiger's career evolves over time. You know, being the daughter of the eminent Tommy.
Jason Wu was one whom many were looking forward to one the day, and I have the best of news: he didn't disappoint. Though we know him for his often prim and proper tailored aesthetic (I mean seriously, the guy shot to fame because Michelle Obama wore one of his dresses. A certain amount of modesty is to be expected.), things were changed a little this season. Infusing a baroque influence into his collection added an association with a more elaborately artistic time period than we are used to from Wu, and with the accompaniment of lace shrouds over the eyes of several models, the combined effect was one of sensual mystery that I felt added a new facet to the Wu woman. He allegedly drew inspiration from photographs of the restoration of the palace of Versailles, as shot by Canadian photographer, Robert Polidori for his 1991 book Versailles. I wonder if he also had a looksie at snaps from Vogue Paris' 90th Anniversary Ball. Black was predominant (as is expected for the season), but again there was the recurrence of blue, red, and yellow as has been seen in a number of shows already. The lace was also a trending factor.
I have made no secret of my love for the baroque and roll of Balmain Fall 2010, but I must say, I'm not disillusioned by the understated use of a similar influence here. It's not overly extravagant, but if it had been, Wu would have had to abandon the style in which he has been creating for his entire career. Like any good designer, he has tailored the inspiration to his needs, not allowing it to overpower his own aesthetic, but instead to inform it subtly. Excellent execution by a designer who is having little difficulty justifying his recent rise to fame.
As we continue on with the day, Norman Ambrose featured a mixture of 70s glamour (Yet again, I know. I hope you all enjoyed that decade, because it seems everyone in fashion did.) and 20s indulgence, while Jeffery and Robert at Costello Tagliapietra instead informed the same period with influences from the 90s using a palette of pastel colours usually most at home in the spring. Rebecca Taylor showed us how to recycle and reuse with a collection of her usual silhouettes, occasioned by patchworks of fabrics employed in previous seasons by the designer.
Rebecca Minkoff is proving to be quite the little street stylist. Last season we saw her present a twenty-five-look collection (including shoes, for the first time) that had her numerous celebrity clients squealing with joy, and for Fall 2011, she ups the anti with a slightly larger scale runway show. Oh, she also had a live band (Sean Lennon and his girlfriend, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, if you were wondering. The latter is Minkoff's muse for the season, turns out.). No doubt, the collection is going to be a success with her plethora of fans, encapsulating all the savvy charm we've come to expect from the San Diego-born designer. Like her contemporary, Rachel Zoe (who you may remember presented earlier in the week), Minkoff's show is very much about the way in which outfits are styled. That said, many of her pieces are perfectly functional on their own, and any aspiring fashionista could coordinate a multitude of looks by dis- and reassembling, wherein lies the secret to her success. Rebecca Minkoff knows her customers through and through because in designing the sorts of things that she would want to wear as a fashion-forward, cool girl, she has the ability to (quite literally) put herself in her customer's shoes. Well, this is what I can assume, anyway. She clearly incorporated elements from this blogger's shopping list.
You know what? Despite the fact that she's simple and monochromatic in her designing, I really love Doo-Ri Chung's collections. And even though several of the coats and dresses in her Fall 2011 line were long enough to still be trailing on the ground when donned by 5'10 models in heels, I don't mind, because aesthetically speaking, the clothing looked gorgeous on the runway on Friday. It was graceful and flowing, as we often see from Chung, who is, if nothing else, a true master of drapery. Excepting one sweater (that was a little to frumpy for my taste), the collection was pervaded by several flattering silhouettes that were made even more so by her superior construction with light jersey fabrics. Outerwear incorporated furs and choice draping and puckering, while dimple dresses were made exceedingly sensual by the application of macrame cutouts.
We next went to Rag & Bone, a constant favorite of yours truly, and my liking for Neville and Wainwright's Midas' touch was by no means diminished by their Fall 2011 display. Drawing again upon their British roots, the collection apparently sought to meld classic tartans and traditional Inuit garb with a more futuristic aesthetic akin to that eponymous with Balenciaga. That said, Rag & Bone has been looking increasingly to the future for inspiration as the brand evolves, so this is not something that has me overly surprised, let alone displeased. I admit to being a little disappointed when I found out that Freja Beha would not be walking in New York (in my mind, she is to Rag & Bone what Daria Werbowy is to Balmain), but this proved to be short-lived: my priorities were set back in their proper places from the moment the show was opened by Valerija Kelava.
Vivid blue and orange was also a la mode at Nicole Miller, where futurism was explored strongly. Asymmetrical cuts were featured heavily, with colourblocking also serving to provide a feeling of jagged edges and conflict in a resulting collection that I would describe as being 'smooth as broken glass'. Miller played with textures as well, with wool, silk, and sequins all accorded their proper place in her science fiction fantasy world.
Joy Cioci presented a collection inspired by light and freedom, with colours rarely straying from a neutral palette. In keeping with the theme, capes and dresses were constructed in such a way as to offer as little inhibition as possible. Cynthia Rowley focused on combining geometric patterns with luxurious feminine fabrics like silks and velvets (Seriously guys, stop trying to make velvet happen. It's never going to happen. Well, not to the extent it's being used here, anyway.). Yellow, burned orange, and blue are clearly the colours you want for winter on top of your usual blacks, by the way. (So really, you can just recycle your spring wardrobe and add a furry parka.) Elsewhere, Sally LaPointe brought the space age back in a collection that is sure to catch the eye of the Rihannas and former-Stefani Germanottas of the world.
Threeasfour churned out a conceptual collection revolving around stringed musical instruments. Sometimes this appeared literally, with violins and tiny harps acting as accessories; at others, the theme was explored in a more cerebral manner, with the strings forming Spirograph prints on garments, or forming the necklines on halter dresses. It was a creative venture (as Threeasfour often is), but the designers managed to piss a number of people off by only giving those present glimpses and snatches of the clothes through change flashes of light in the dark presentation room. For which I offer them my applause.
The day was ended with an enormous sixty-nine-look show at extravaganza house Venexiana. Indeed, I'd venture to say the collection lacked cohesion, often a downfall of producing such a quantity of looks. Quality's the key folks; quantity, at the end of the day, will only ever be a number.
Peace, love, and floating,
Gill Ford
Photos courtesy of style.com
