Have you not noticed that as New York keeps adding more shows to the day, it only gets more luxurious and distinguished? You start to see designers creating what fashion is all about. Day one in particular seemed to be ultra-commercial compared to some of today’s collections that will only get better come Saturday.
This morning in general, I started off the day enjoying a wonderful Starbucks coffee I’ll probably end up picking up for the rest of the month to fill me with energy. I know I’m not going to be the only one consuming caffeine to stay awake from the long hours of watching runway shows and writing afterwards at midnight. I don’t mind it at all, and so won’t my Starbucks nearby. And why? Simple. If you have not yet tuned in to fashion week, now it’s the time to settle for a week (or a month) that promises to bring a series of heated debates to the shows; Prabal Gurung, Altuzarra, and Wang will be the ones to inaugurate it tomorrow.
Ever since the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, chose Jason Wu for her inaugural evening dress (not once, but twice), the designer has become a famous figure among the fashion scene. And being popular has taken him to mature his label to what was once just flirty little dresses. I’m not talking about long conservative clothes though, but instead sensual and sexy clothes made for a real Woman - with a capital W.
Day meets night is what he transmitted at his new fall 2014 presentation in much detail. He had already delivered that tactical idea in his embroidered bias-cut dresses last season, so there was nothing to be struck by here. But he did keep it refreshing, sumptuous and sensual in terrific lightly embroidered velvet and silk bias-cut dresses with spaghetti straps, sheer jacquard and velvet gowns that exposed skin, and draped dresses and skirts that were fastened with silver tie bars. These were his most valuable works of art that embraced femininity.
He opened the show with a matching black wide-leg trouser suit worn over an embroidered sheer turtleneck model, Adriana Lima, made sure to embrace its alluring and sophisticated sensuality. Something that would work great for those more conservative ladies out there who are a fan of Wu.
For outerwear, he gave away pleasing double breasted coats that came with insets of silver hardware or fur outlines that looked tacky. A gray fur pea coat was the only one I found convincing in my opinion. Either way he kept the looks enticing in rich colors like eggplant, wine, lavender, turquoise, and black; the colors of luxury.
I have to confess I’ve been a fellow fan of Carly Cushnie and Michelle Och’s, Cushnie et Ochs. Their signature has become designing sexy cut-out dresses without exceeding vulgarity. It’s hard to find something revealing that looks sophisticated and appropriate in the luxury department, but these designers have mastered it like no other.
But now, it feels they want to move into newer territories to prove they too can offer more than alluring, skin exposed dresses. Case in point: a lovely deep-v silk peplum top paired with a chic laced hemmed skirt; an invigorating fluorescent green silk bowed shirt; nicely tailored black dress pants; and an off the shoulder velvet jumpsuit that demonstrated they’re not afraid to risk it. And it spoke well of them.
Dresses on the other hand, lost that magic spark. Some splits were often too high or opened. It didn’t embody much of that trademark the ladies have stamped before. I wish they would have focused more on these minor details.
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| From left: Rebecca Minkoff shearling coat; Rag and Bone wool coat; and Suno multi-patterned prints and jacquard top. |
And for Rebecca Minkoff, she doesn’t care what critics may say of her. She doesn’t have the designer factor we all think of as a unique one of a kind, but personally I believe she’s a very smart woman who keeps the word ‘branding’ constantly in her mind.
Her new collection was practical for the everyday common girl I would picture wearing in my neighborhood. There was not that much we have not already seen before elsewhere, but a cotton shearling jacket that opened at the beginning was rewarding to see; other designers should learn from here how shearling looks amazing toned down. The collection in general was cool, easy, and super wearable; accessories were her sweet spot.
Cool was also the collection designers, Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, projected onto the Rag and Bone runway. Those buffalo-checked numbers, whacky printed sweats, and crepe engraved shirts were the “it” factors of their British tailoring meets American sportswear signature.
Suno was the one who closed the second day of fashion week in a superbly gratifying manner. “New money gypsy with techno modern flair.” Yes! Designers, Erin Beatty and Max Osterweis, have improved their label enormously.
Great clothes. Lustrous embellished prints. That’s what they paraded down the runway. Even though the collection began slightly humdrum, it got desirable by the end of the show. Among the favorites were those stunning jacquard tops and dresses, a lighthearted gold leaf ribbed sweater, and wise use of multicolored patterns that weren’t kitsch. I was intrigued by the results that came out of this collection. Seems gypsies do have a good sense of luxury as well.
Photos: Style.com
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