Catwalk beauty: New York Autumn/Winter 2011/12

The New York runway displayed a plethora of inspirational hair and make-up looks. Here are our top four beauty looks from the catwalk.

Make-up 

Thakoon 

Make-up artist Diane Kendal created a dramatic tribal look with vivid red eyes teamed with a muted lip. Kendal said of the look: “With Thakoon’s references to this idea of tribal opulence, I felt that if we were going to do “colour” it would have to be focused on the eye with one central colour theme, and nothing else. Red was a natural choice, complimenting the use of colour throughout the collection.” Using NARS products, Kendal mixed Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl with Blush in Taj Mahal, Desire and Exhibit A to create a punchy and powerful statement on the eyes.



Derek Lam

Backstage at Derek Lam make-up artist Tom Pecheux smoked up the eyes in metallic silver and shimmery black tones. Eyeshadow is worked all around the eyes creating an almond shape eye, while lips are coated in a matte nude shade.



Hair 

Ruffian 

At Ruffian, hairstylist Neil Moodie swept the models’ hair up into a high beehive, which was inspired by 80s socialite Gloria von Thurn und Taxis.



Erin Fetherston 

Models’ at Erin Fetherston displayed thick plaited wrapped around the head to form a crown. Gold thread is weaved together in the plait, adding a decorative touch to this simple hairstyle.

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Live From... New York Womenswear, Day 3

Philosophy by Alberta Ferretti

Alberta Ferretti offered undeniably pretty dresses and separates for anupbeat and positive look on autumn/winter 2011/12. “For this season’scollection I was inspired by the real young women of today. I believe inglamour and wanted to bring it back to the women,” said AlbertaFerretti.

The look: Minimal elegance
Silhouette: Clean lines and elaborate tailoring with lotsof textures and surface attention
Key items: 60s-inspired short, structured dresses and matching outerwearcreated a glamorous and elegant look. Intricate knitwear, shearling coats andfloral lace tops were key
Colour: An array of bleached winter brights gave the line a positivefeel, with shades of yellow, pink, green, blue and purple
Fabric & knit: Satin,floral lace, wool and shearling
Print & pattern: An array of plaids and checks in a subtle, delicateexecution was combined with feminine flowers and intricate knitwear patterns
Details & trims: Unfinished edges added acontemporary feel to classic silhouettes; matching lining on outwear created anensemble with dresses
Footwear: Chunky heels in satin and metallic finishes, two-tonebowling-inspired uppers

Altuzarra

Altuzarra showed one of the best collections of the day, perfectlynailing the new season’s trend for multilayered silhouettes with a grungymilitary beat and a touch of luxurious feminine guile.
The look: Luxe military grunge with a feminine edge
Silhouette: Multilayered
Key items: Rugged parkas and aviator-style jackets underpinned thispost-military grungy look, worked over slinky satin bias dresses, thigh-slashedpencil skirts and sheer tees, sexy military pencil skirts and fluid masculinepant shapes. A caped-back A1 flight jacket was a standout item, alongside a furleather-sleeved biker - both perfect with the contradiction of a high-low-hemsatin bias skirt
Colour: The season’s emerging palette was all present and correct,with cognac, grenadine and flashes of marigold yellow, with the more mundanekhaki, back, winter white and blush pink
Fabric & knit: Luxe leather and fox fur, satin charmeuse,printed satin and sheers, tweed and flannel
Print & pattern: Printed plaids and Argyles
Details & trims: High-low hems, floaty bias panels. UtilityD-rings
Footwear: Fur shoes were perhaps a step too far; vampy platformankle boots, knee-high laced boots

Kimberly Ovitz

Known for her simplesilhouettes and graphic colour-blocking, Ovitz offers an adventurous colourpalette and performance knits for autumn/winter 2011/12. “A friend of mine passed away in Brazil, soI became a bit preoccupied with it,” said Ovitz. “I found that Oscar Niemeyerwas responsible for bringing modernism to Latin America and Brasilia, so I thoughtit would be the perfect setting for my woman, and to honour my friend.”
The look: Graphic performance
Silhouette: Relaxed and sporty
Key items: A long cardigan jacket made out of bondedstretch cloth worn with matching panelled leggings created a protective secondskin. Black stretch dresses with neon yellow embroidery, along with modaldresses, had a performance nightclub vibe. Luxurious wraps and cardigans insilk cashmere and soft alpaca, worn with leather panelled leggings, weretactile and sophisticated
Colour: White, black and grey, with pops of electricyellow and royal blue
Fabric & knit: Stretch jacquard, leather, jersey, stretchmodal, alpaca, silk cashmere and lambskin
Print & pattern: Though the collection featured someelectricity-inspired prints, they were subdued, and left the focus on the knit,texture and colour-blocking
Details & trims: Neon piping added structure to simple pencilskirts, while macramé details gave basic pullover shapes a handmade look
Footwear: Chunky booties and pumps in grey, black,white and neon yellow
Accessories: Ovitz kept consistent with her sporty lookand opted for no accessories

Prabal Gurung

Pulling inspiration from Miss Havisham, Gurung washed and treated hisfabrics to have lived-in wear and tear. “I was inspired by the unravelling ofMiss Havisham from Great Expectations,” confirmed Gurung.
The look: Decayed romance
Silhouette: Modern New Look
Key items: Gurung played with hard and soft elements,pairing a rich motorcycle jacket with a romantic organza blouse and floorlengthgown, or a wool cutaway jacket over a lace shirt with metallic wool pants. Theluxurious coats and knits were given a more youthful appeal, with nubbyembellishments and fur accents. On ethereal feather and sparkly gowns, Gurungadded waist-cinching belts, bondage-style straps, studs and zippers for a tougherlook
Colour: Ombré brights in crimson, fuchsia andvermilion stand out against classic black and ivory, muted dove and blush, andmetallic gold and silver
Fabric & knit: Silk faille, crinkle chiffon, wool,chantilly lace, silk georgette, featherweight leather, silk crepe, tulle, andblends of fox fur, astrakhan, goat hair and alpaca
Print & pattern: A painted lace print was an artisticalternative
Details & trims: Exposed boning zippers and leather bows bothlarge and tiny kept the collection contemporary, while shoulder flounces gave acape shape to long jackets. Floral organza petals, feathers and Swarovskicrystals underscored the opulent theme
Footwear: Satin strappy sandals in hot pink and black
Accessories: Lace-up-look, bondage-inspired hosiery,skinny black wrap belts, opera gloves and wrist-tied finger gloves

Alexander Wang

Taking the rise out of the rich, Alexander Wang’s autumn/winter 2011/12show was all about excess and endless layers of luxury. Appropriately, the showwas streamed in Times Square, the centre of American consumer culture.
The look: Ostentatious indulgence
Silhouette: Oversized outerwear worn over skimpy loungewearand functional activewear
Key items: Leather pyjama pants worn with a whiteleather moto jacket show relaxed luxury. Hybrid outerwear pieces such as themoto-harness jacket, bomber-poncho and aviator-tailcoat jacket, worn with ascuba-knit pencil skirt or wool short, are confident and daring. Metalliccigarette pants paired with boxy mink coats are plush, rich and pleasantlyimpractical. Pastel knits worn with long bias streamer skirts softened thecollection
Colour: Black, white and grey, with pops of lemonand blush, and metallic navy, carnation and silver
Fabric & knit: Scuba knits, polar fleece, satin back crepe,taffeta, merino wool, polished felt, leather, calfskin, pony hair, and angora
Print & pattern: The collection was more about texturalelements and less about print
Details & trims: Padded quilting in outerwear and knits,utilitarian zippers, sleeve pockets, and fur trims wherever possible
Footwear: Simple strapped pumps with backflaps,knee-high leather spats, metallic pink tassel loafers and fur slippers
Accessories: Perforated gloves, goatskin leather walletsand mink wrap sunglasses

G-Star Raw

Tailored yet utilitarian, G-Star Raw’sautumn/winter 2011/12 collection pays homage to the early adventures of the1920s. “The explorers and adventurers of the 1920sinspired this winter collection,” said Shubhankar Ray, global brand director. “Our current philosophy ofcombining elegant tailoring with denim functionality continues to be evident inthis collection.”
The look: Elegant explorer
Silhouette: Structured denim
Key items: This elegantly tailored yet functional and rigid collectionwas emphasised by futuristic three-dimensional structuring. Unexpectedcombinations were reflected in extreme riding jeans, attention to the waist andexaggerated proportions, ¾ fitted denim bottoms, wool blazers,fisherman-inspired padded garments and cropped jeans, which were among the mostnotable pieces
Colour: Black, shades of grey, olive, white, navy and blue
Fabric & knit: Treated canvas, rigid denim, leather, English wooland velvet
Print & pattern: Modern, geometric take on camouflage pattern,perforated flowers
Details & trims: Elevated jean backs, elasticisedjean waist, padded knees, oversized pockets
Footwear: Classic oxfords, shiny pumps and brightly coloured booties
Accessories: Oversized denim belts, deconstructed garment scarves andleather gloves

Edun

Sharon Wauchob’ssecond collection for Edun showed just how far she has moved this label on,bringing downtown cool to its fair-trade ethics with looks that brought alittle European cachet to the New York runways.
The look: Urban rustic
Silhouette: Cocooning outerwear over feminineunderlayers
Key items: Outerwear was a strong suit in thiscollection, especially the quilt-sleeve khaki trench, a knit-sleeve shearlingaviator coat and Wauchob’s cropped military blouson, both of which added atoughened-up appeal to her romantic ruffled skirts and dresses. Trouser shapeswere slightly flared and cropped, and the designer’s roots came through in hersimple but covetable knitted dresses, Fair Isle sweaters and complex crochetskirts. A sleek contemporary look came into play with her ultramarine leathershirt dress, a leather/satin zipped-through hybrid, and the on-trendbutton-through midiskirt
Colour: Rich earthy browns, khaki and sage,old gold, ultramarine, grey, and flashes of ultraviolet in prints
Fabric & print: Fair trade doesn’t mean low-gradefabrics, and Wauchob gave vent to soft fluttering silks, fluid satins, suppleleather, lush shearling, flannel and jersey. Ribbed knits, Fair Isle and tuftedcrochet
Print & pattern: A range of swirling abstract printsin shades of blue and brown
Details & trims: Contrast sleeves (think quilt satinor sturdy ribbed knits), exposed zips, millefeuille ruffles
Footwear: Sturdy heeled ankle boots, toelessankle boots, and chunky strapped sandals
Accessories: Leather belts, knitted leggings

Mandy Coon

MandyCoon’s attempt to bring an edgy goth-punk vibe to the New York runways was notalways successful on every level - this is a look that works better on a grittyLondon off-schedule showing.
Thelook:Girly punk-goth
Silhouette: Long andflowing
Keyitems:Leather-trimmed dresses came as floor-sweeping maxis or as a short, sharpraspberry-red shift, the leather theme continuing into Coon’s fur-lined coatsand tunic tops with asymmetric high-low hemlines, or her scooped-neck beltedjacket teamed with a gothic hooded top. High-low hemlines brought in a touch ofover-styled design interest on her slim pencil skirts, and leather shell topscame teamed with fluid wide-legged pants
Colour: A low-keypalette of black on black, with warm camel and a flash of raspberry red
Fabric& print:Black leather was at the crux of this collection, offset with toning sheers,satin and jersey, with a neutral-coloured shaggy faux fur adding texture
Print& pattern:A scorched-effect stripe, python-embossed patterns
Details& trims:Contrast leather sleeves and banding details, black leather bows
Footwear: High vampyplatforms, strappy heeled sandals
Accessories: Triple-bandedbelts, fishnet tights, glittering pin brooches

Jill Stuart

            

Vivid prints andstrident colour mixes marked a change of direction from Jill Stuart, who leftbehind her signature girly-goth looks in favour of something slicker and morecontemporary, utilising longer lengths and slick silhouettes.

The look: Uptown country meets Art Deco
Silhouette: Narrow midi lengths contrasted with fantail pleats
Key items: A wide range of dress shapes offeredsomething for everyone, from the simple printed shift dress to drop-waistcolour-blocked pleated shapes - best in a pumpkin-coloured leather and suedecombo. Skirts skimmed mid-calf and came as soft pencils or button-throughA-lines, maybe teamed with a printed satin shell top, a belted Aran knit or arabbit gilet. For evening, colour-blocked Deco-inspired lamés with fan-pleatgodets were a far cry from Stuart’s signature gothic black lace
Colour: Stuart tapped heavily into theemerging trend for rich autumnal color with her palette of intense armagnac,teal, bilberry, pumpkin and marigold, shot with grounding colours ofultramarine, tan and black
Fabric & print: Silk, satin, printed and plainrabbit, suede, leather, cashmere wools, lamé
Print & pattern: Figurative animal and bird motifs -owls and foxes - were worked into dense all-overs in a palette of brights,offset with a simple painterly stripe and a small-scale abstracted geometric
Details & trims: Pleated godets, Deco-inspiredcolour-blocking
Footwear: Chunky patent platform and velvetheeled loafers, suede and leather ankle boots
Accessories: Ankle socks, knitted scarves, rabbittippets, fingerless knitted gloves, purse belts, thin belts

Gant by Michael Bastian

            

An Alpine ski theme underpinned theGant show, where the label’s signature youthful brand of casualwear teamedrugged outerwear with soft-touch après-ski knits and sportif tailoring.
The look: Collegiate kids go skiing
Silhouette: Multi-layered
Key items: Tailoring came as truncated curvy jackets and slim-legged pantsfor Gant girls, while the boys opted for cord BD blazers and classic plaidsuitings. Vivid quilted gilets and puffa jackets, cord westerns and adistressed leather aviator brought a more casual slant into play to team, withstriped rugbys, marled sweats and narrow cargo pants
Colour: Vivid brights - poppy, marigold, pumpkin - punctuated a palette ofpebble greys, warm browns, amethyst and sage green
Fabric & print: Woven checks and plaids, quilted nylon, brushed mohairknits, dark-dye denim, marled jersey and sweats, herringbone tweed, flannel,corduroy
Print & pattern: Woven checks and plaids, a mini embroidered skiermotif used as an all-over, Alpine knit motifs
Details & trims: Skier embroidery placements
Footwear: Rugged laced duck boots, long knee-length walking boots forgirls, fringed heeled sandals, walking boots with contrast laces
Accessories: Ski socks, bandannas, fingerless knitted gloves, cabled andpatterned hosiery, knitted ski hats with plaid ear flaps, striped collegiatescarves

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Live From... New York Menswear, Day 2

Perry Ellis

A truly autumnal and winterycollection, Perry Ellis’ John Crocco created quintessential cold-weatherwardrobe staples. “The inspiration this season came from the work of PhilipJohnson, and the lines and the rigid sensibility of his architecture.” Croccotold WGSN.
The look: American winter
Silhouette: Casual winter sportswear
Key items: Collegiate sportswear aesthetics underpinned this wintery, grown-upcollection, with an array of pull-over sweatshirts, shawl-collar cardigans andturtlenecks, paired with chalk-stripe trousers, wintery long johns and classicchinos. Trousers tucked into wool socks and tons of layering created an easy,relaxed and desirable collection
Colour: Shades of vintage-inspired greens were mixed with pewter, camel, oliveand charcoal shades. Crème, beige and all shades of grey were among the neutral bases
Fabric & knit: Luxury cashmere, wool and fine twill, cords and denim, goat suede andwool
Print & pattern: Minimal, all-over houndstooth and herringbone, chalkand pinstripe, plaid and an array of checks
Footwear: Rigid, lace-up winter boots
Accessories: Knit cap, fingerless gloves, taupe wool socks and a variety of ties

 

Tommy Hilfiger menswear

Tommy Hilfiger’s latestmenswear collection ticked all the season’s trend boxes, from his warm autumnalpalette to inclusion of the hot key items for the season ahead.
The look: Manhattan-meets-Vermont
Silhouette: Easy tailored silhouetteswith a country casual appeal
Key items: Easy duffel coats and cabanslayered over chunky poloneck sweaters, teamed with the casual ease of a pull-onjogger or a wide-legged pleat-front pant. Tailoring featured as 2SBs or sharpDB styling, brought down to earth when layered with mélanged knits and narrow cargopants. Outerwear came as colour-blocked cabans or blousons, fur-collaredcrombies or reversible trench coats, and a slick two-tone leather blouson.Tuxedos too were played down when teamed with pinstripe trousers and thecontrast of a casual checked shirt
Colour: A rich autumnal palette ofleafy ochres and browns, with warm berry reds, charcoal and inky blues
Fabric & knit: Traditional wools andflannels combined with chunky mélanged knits, corduroy, shearling and leather
Details & trims: Duffel toggles on knits andaccessories
Footwear: Contrast-rand boots and shoes
Accessories: Knitted cowls and scarveswith duffel-toggle trims, fishing hats, pocket hankies, fingerless gloves,cross-body satchels

Rag & Bone menswear

The sartorial elegance of theDuke of Windsor inspired many menswear collections this season, perhaps intribute to the upcoming Madonna-directed film WE. In Marcus Wainwright andDavid Neville’s capable hands, the Rag & Bone tongue-in-cheek deviation onthe Duke of Windsor style brought in touches of all-American styling.
The look: The Duke ofWindsor-meets-American collegiate
Silhouette: Multi-layered
Key items: Soft-shouldered SB tailoredjackets were teamed with pleat-front full-legged pants, quilt waistcoats(vests: US), shirts and polo-shirt knits, or alternatively came with plus foursor kilts. Less sartorial but very covetable was a cowhide duffle coat and slickbiker, the casual plaid cabans, and the colour-blocked collegiate baseballjackets with chunky cable knits
Colour: Vivid brights added awhimsical touch to this collection, with winter white offset with scarlet,olive, bright cadmium yellow and cobalt
Fabric & knit: Brushed blanket wools andchecks, classic tartans and herringbones, plaid suitings, cowhide, suede,flannels and tweed
Print & pattern: Woven plaids and checks
Details & trims: Contrast binding, nylon orleather pockets, collegiate appliquéd badges
Footwear: Exaggerated rands on classicoxfords and oxford ankle boots
Accessories: Shallow-crown bowlers,sporran bags, cravats

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