Archive for the ‘Dresses’ Category
New York SS08 Fashion Week Wrapup IV
Zac Posen
I can’t BEGIN to comprehend what dear Zac meant by “Days of Heaven, the Shakers, and the wheat fields of the Great Plains,” but the “wheat field” and “great plains” does pop out at me and strikes me as interesting, as I’d never dream of using those words to describe Zac.
First impression upon seeing the opening look (far left) was…. uh, the musketeers? The outfit that resembled Orli’s costume in Pirates of the Caribbean (center) did not endear me to the collection much more, as much as I love Orli. And finding the dress (though nicely shaped, right) which looked like he stuck a model into a bundle of hay, did not help….
But for the most part it was actually a very soft, breezy and elegant collection. These outfits makes me want to go to a wheat field and spin around under a cloudless sky and just enjoy nature. And trust me, that is no easy feat.
My absolute favourite part of the collection was of course the dresses. I especially love the soft grey dress (right), with the elegant draping and the gently swaying skirt.
Then there were these dresses that are sharp in color but soft and romantic in cutting that is destined to grace the red carpet.
He ended with a series of dresses in this silky, textured blue/green material. Besides the one dress on (left) that looked like she was wearing a very stormy cloud on her shoulder (maybe a little cinching at the waist there?), I rather liked these dresses, especially the last one (right). It looked like they were nymphs walking out of the stormy sea.
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren’s 40th Anniversay collection reminded me why I loved RL so much (I remember thinking the last (or last last) collection boring). This collection embodied everything we love about RL with a sprinkle of new elements.
It started off with classic black/white pieces that were elegant, well tailored, ladylike with just the right hint of fun. The floral printed dress (center) reminded me of Chanel back in the 20s, elegant, fun and flirty. And I loved the simple but elegant style of the black dress (right) so much that I picked the white version of it and another similarly styled black dress when I was picking pictures to blog about before realizing how repetitive that would be. The cutting is just so modest yet sexy. Oh and don’t you just LOVE those hats straight from the romantic movies back in the days?
The name of the look that involves top hats, polka dots, sharp cutting and black and white colors escapes me right now (magician like? tux?), but I liked it. Very clean but fun. And I thought the striped jacket over the floral dress with the hat (far right) was just genius. Print mixing for me never works out well.
Then there were some fun pieces: floral printed dresses (though not my favourites), equestrian inspired looks with a spice of neon colors and pretty sharply colored pieces.
Absolutely adore these classic RL dresses. Simple and clean cut. And that purple is both SO RL (the purple label….) and this season. And that sharp striped jacket over the soft ruffles of white dress is just the perfect contrast.
Gorgeous gorgeous dresses……
NY fashion forecasts easy, breezy spring ’11
NEW YORK — The collective message to come out of eight days — and more than 100 runway shows — at New York Fashion Week is that there’ll be a longer, looser look to spring 2011. The buzz was about easy glamour inspired by the 1970s.
But is easy glamour easy to wear if you’re not a Lauren Hutton type?
Fashion insiders seem to think so. They say it’ll be a welcome break from the aggressive, tough-shoulder, skinny-pant style that has dominated fashion the past few seasons.
“What designers are trying to show is that people want to reach beyond where fashion has been in its hard, military protective gear,” said Joanna Coles, Marie Claire editor in chief. “Fashion is craving a more optimistic place. Fall seemed a little jaded, even if the clothes were magnificent. But we’re looking now for something lighter, fresher and younger.”
The silhouette has already started to be more fluid and languid, especially with trousers, says Colleen Sherin, women’s fashion director for Saks Fifth Avenue, but it’s confirmed moving forward into next year. Shoppers should find that the high waist and fit-and-flare legs are flattering, she said.
However, as a retailer — and a woman — the best news is the new longer, below-the-knee hemline, Sherin said. “One of the trends we’re most excited about is the ‘midi.’ It was in almost every collection.”
That mid-calf length complements the fluid and flowy dresses from the disco era. You don’t need to wear a floppy hat or oversized flower in your hair to see the shift in femininity.
A flat shoulder bag, however, might be a good place to start with accessories, Sherin notes.
The flat sandal caught the eye of InStyle editor Ariel Foxman. “There’s an idea that you can wear flats for evening, and that you can wear them with confidence,” he said. He’s hesitant to call anything from the New York catwalks a bona fide trend yet, however, because there is still so much to see in London, Paris and Milan, Italy, over the coming weeks.
Personally, though, he’s been “seduced” by all the neutral and sand colors — and the flecks of gold. “They might not be the most exciting clothes on the runway, but it really allows one to see the details, and we’ve seen a lot of really gorgeous pieces.”
The lack of flashy embellishment likely meant extra work for designers. Mastering simplicity is quite a challenge.
“It’s all about the way you cut it, the texture. … You can’t hide behind ruching and ruffles. But I love simplicity when it’s right,” designer Michael Kors said backstage just before his “Sunshine State of Mind” collection debuted on the runway.
Saks’ Sherin noted that so many fashion shows opened with a white look, “a palette cleanser” to the new, more optimistic season. There were some joyful colors — hot pink, orange, purple and green, among them, added Coles.
Coles said she’ll be excited to put the color-blocking in editorial shoots. For real women, however, they’ll need to become comfortable with the new palette. “People like color but people don’t always know what to do with it,” she said.
For those who like to be ahead of the trends, here’s a jump-start on the spring shopping list:
— Featherweight, gauzy dress that’s delicately draped and hits mid-calf.
— Trenchcoat — dressy, practical, made of linen or sheer tulle. Maybe you need multiples.
— High-waist trouser fitted through the thigh and flared out at the hem.
— Sexy silk blouse, perhaps an off-the-shoulder peasant style.
— Crafty embellishment, think macrame or something crocheted.
China Int´l Fashion Week kicks off
Models present fashions during the China International Fashion Week (2009/2010 autumn/winter series) opened in Beijing, capital of China, March 24, 2009.
A model presents a fashion during the China International Fashion Week (2009/2010 autumn/winter series) opened in Beijing, capital of China, March 24, 2009.
A model presents a fashion during the China International Fashion Week (2009/2010 autumn/winter series) opened in Beijing, capital of China, March 24, 2009.
A model presents a fashion during the China International Fashion Week (2009/2010 autumn/winter series) opened in Beijing, capital of China, March 24, 2009.
A model presents a fashion during the China International Fashion Week (2009/2010 autumn/winter series) opened in Beijing, capital of China, March 24, 2009.
A model presents a fashion during the China International Fashion Week (2009/2010 autumn/winter series) opened in Beijing, capital of China, March 24, 2009.
Models present fashions during the China International Fashion Week (2009/2010 autumn/winter series) opened in Beijing, capital of China, March 24, 2009.
A model presents a fashion during the China International Fashion Week (2009/2010 autumn/winter series) opened in Beijing, capital of China, March 24, 2009.
