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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Live From... New York Fashion Week - Day 4

Marc Jacobs

 

Serious violins may have been playing, but Marc Jacobs was clearly influenced by the sunny 70s in designing his spring collection, which showed on a gold runway, and confirmed the flared trouser and long-length skirt as key items for the season.

The look: Daytime disco 
The silhouette: Lean and fluid with a nipped-in waist  
Key items: Gathered strapless dress; belted trench; A-line leather skirt; halter jumpsuit with cargo pockets and wide belt; satin pantsuit with flared trouser; satin jeans-style cropped jacket; satin tap short; Missoni-style knit dress; babydoll coat with oversized ruffle; wide gathered skirt with pockets; sheer black jumpsuit with dot crochet; dot crochet T-shirt; fluid organza halter; long dresses in multi-wrapped and gathered silk; sequined chiffon cape gown; liquid-silk one-shoulder dress with wide belt; cream strapless with stripes of gold and silver sequins 
Colour: Anchored in a mixed palette of powder pink, fuchsia, cream and purple, with appearances of sunny orange, peach, deep camel, burgundy, gold and black 
Fabric & knit: Silk, satin, quilted satin, silk jersey with gold lurex, chiffon, organza, leather, silk crochet 
Print & pattern: Optic dot print, dot crochet 
Details & trims: Geo-tribal gold neckline hardware, lack/gold cascade sequins, gold/silver horizontal sequin stripes, palm tree in gold sequins 
Footwear: Minimal strapped platform-wedge sandals, feather-trimmed strappy sandals 
Accessories: Floral headpices; feather-corsage chokers; extra wide-brimmed sun hats; silk headscarves; quilted clutch bags; semi-circle shaped clutch bags; retro saddle-shaped shoulder bags; concertina-construction handbags with chain straps; wide sash belts decorated with overblown corsages; sculpted leather floral belts; oversized sunglasses with graded lenses

Halston

 

Marios Schwab successfully caught the DNA of Halston in his second collection for the house, perfectly pitched at the market for red-carpet glamour.
The look: Evening glamour with a 70s feel 
Silhouette: Short and draped, or long and columnar 
Key items: The collection weighed in heavily towards dresses with a wide variety of silhouettes, from a short draped bustier to 70s-inspired cape sleeves, one-shouldered columnar silhouettes and asymmetric draped effects falling from a gold halterneck. A kimono-styled jacket teamed with a cropped cigarette pant offered an alternative after-six look 
Colour: Shades of blue, white, old gold, greyed poudre pink, vivid flame red 
Fabric & knit: Fabrics were fluid, with soft georgettes, liquid jersey and satin charmeuse,  alternated with crisp matt silk and glittering all-over sequins 
Print & pattern: An explosion of splatter prints like images of a far-off galaxy 
Details & trims: Gold metal halternecks, caped sleeves, asymmetric cuts and drapes 
Footwear: Chunky sandals with padded rouleau straps and high platforms 
Accessories: Obi-style sashes, narrow gold belts

Chris Benz

The girls at Chris Benz played vintage dress-up in a spring collection influenced by the 60s and 70s.

The look: Retro brights 
The silhouette: Belted A-line
Key items: Sleevless blouse with coloured piping to ruffles; multicolour embroidered tulle "Miro" cardigan; floral-print cropped pant; high-waist knee-length layered chiffon skirt; pleated blanket skirt; cropped and boxy tweed jacket; short leather trench with contrast piping; mid-calf gathered cotton skirt; colour-block safari shirt; long full pant 
Colour: Separate palettes of sky blue, navy, white and brown; orange, pink, purple and cream; yellow, vintage green, brown and cream; as well as bright rainbow colours mixed with taupe and ivory 
Fabric & knit: Bright tweeds, silk, chiffon, cotton, canvas, leather, tulle 
Print & pattern: Upholstery florals, block dot, blanket stripes, splash dots 
Details & trims: Contrast piping, heavy yarn embroideries 
Footwear: Extreme platform slingbacks with spike heels or wedges in woven wicker, floral-print fabric or contrast piped leather 
Accessories: Tassel belt, rope belt

Alexandre Herchcovitch
Architectural silhouettes and blocked colour defined Alexandre Herchcovitch’s spring collection, inspired by painters Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko.
"We just thought about colours this season, and we wanted people to feel that each look is like a stain of paint, so the volume of the clothing and the sleeves is something that helped us get this feeling," the designer told WGSN. 
The look: Soft-painted futurism 
The silhouette: Wide, rounded shoulders over skinny frames 
Key items: Columnar minidress with gathered cap sleeve and contrast contour seams; high-waist cigarette pant; boxy top with gathered cap sleeve; silk halter shirt; shiny architectural dress with rounded top and contour seams; black diagonally gathered minidress; sculpted and gathered degradé halter jumpsuit 
Colour: Solid shades of peach, pale pink, hot pink, black, turquoise, mint green and sky blue, as well high-shine shades of taupe, violet and pale gold, often with degradé effect 
Fabric & knit: Silk, silk satin, chiffon, cotton 
Print & pattern: Splotch print, oversized-pixel colour-block pattern, degradé pattern 
Details and trims: Gathered sculpted short sleeves, contour seaming, asymmetrical gathering and a single ruffle 
Footwear: Colour-matched covered platform courts 
Accessories: Colour-matched thumb-gloves and unisex vintage-frame sunglasses in either black, sky blue, or gold with coloured lenses, the latter from a collaboration with Mykita

Donna Karan 
Donna Karan’s romantic spring collection moved from rarefied daytime elegance - via crinkled satin and bias-draped chiffon in driftwood shades - to couture-like, hand-embroidered evening gowns.

The look: Light and wispy, couture-like romance 
The silhouette: Columnar with trailing or asymmetrical details 
Key items: Crinkled stretch-satin metallic twill jacket; long bias slip dress with front slit; asymmetrical long bias scarf dress; ribbon-tie-front canvas car coat; washed-linen and silk- jacquard smock top with fullish hem; cropped silk-canvas trouser; long-slit crushed-chiffon shirt dress; tapered pyjama pant in stretch georgette/viscose; scoop-neck gown with patches of jersey twist; stretch jersey halter shirt dress; basket-weave leather jacket; long nubuck leather skirt; pale gold filigree hand-embroidered tulle evening dress 
Colour: All-natural shades such as vanilla, jute, nude, antique cream, honey, driftwood, saffron, and, finally, pale gold 
Fabric & knit: Silk charmeuse, crushed georgette, stretch satin, linen/cupro, nylon, raw silk, mousseline, silk canvas, washed linen, silk jacquard, chiffon, gauze, tulle, leather 
Print & pattern: Shadow leaf pattern in gold filigree 
Details & trims: Signature tie bows 
Footwear: Nude-coloured heeled sandals with raffia-woven platforms and wide canvas straps; rope-tie flat sandals 
Accessories: Stacked bangles, silk leaf corsages, beaded clutch bags, wooden-slat clutch bags, soft leather tie belts with running stitch detail 

Carolina Herrera
The name Carolina Herrera is synonymous with ladylike elegance and the designer didn't disappoint for spring/summer 2011, with a collection stamped throughout with old-school glamour.

The look: Ladylike elegance 
Silhouette: Elongated and waisted 
Key items: Ladylike shift dresses tied with obi-inspired sashes or trimmed with flat obi-like bows; feminine blouses with full sleeves belted over wide-pleat pants or longer-line pencil skirts, soft belted shirt jackets, minimalist belted coats, floor-sweeping full skirts, elegant columnar gowns, full-blown red carpet dresses 
Colour: A sharp graphic mix of black and white, undercut with grey, poppy red, zingy orange, orchid pink , pale jade and pine green 
Fabric & knit: Sleek satin, organza, brocade, silk tweeds, ribbed and slubbed silks, silk jacquards, silk taffeta 
Print & pattern: Botanical flower prints as single placements; floral brocades 
Details & trims: Obi-like bows, ultra-fine ties, embroideries, asymmetric necklines, multi-top stitching, embroidered birds in flight, appliqué 
Footwear: Anglular T-bars in graphic colour-blocks; peep-toe courts with flat bow trims 
Accessories: Exaggerated crowns on straw hats; wide obi belts; narrow tie belts

Michael Bastian
A strong commercial collection from Michael Bastian, who worked a nautical theme to the max with references to the Navy Seals, scuba diving and easy beach-style living.
The look: Casually nautical 
Silhouette: A contrast of looks with streamlined scuba styling combined with multi-layering  
Key items: A strong roster of key items as Bastion revamped basics through colour or with signature design details: streamlined scuba shorts and tops with contrast piping details or vivid zip pulls; long sleeved striped rugbies and knits; marled hooded tees with cotton facings; casually styled military jackets; brightly coloured kaghoules and 4 pocket jackets; nylon blousons with quilt detailing; easy chinos and soft shorts; a classic denim Western; slick 1SB and 4DB tailoring 
Colour: A masculine palette of black, grey and khaki accented with vivid pops of colour – think canary yellow, neon orange and lime 
Fabric & knit: neoprene and performance nylons contrasted with the luxe touch of suede, fine babycord, silk, alpaca, metallic finishes, micro checks and small-scale summer plaids, herringbone tweeds and washed denim 
Print & pattern: A subtle tone-on-tone leopard print 
Details & trims: Contrast piping and zip pulls, quilted panels  
Footwear: Beach boy flip-flops, classic loafers, sporty high-tops 
Accessories: Contrast webbing belts, dog tags, plaited leather belts, bow ties, knitted ties

Perry Ellis
There was a continuation of the 50s resortwear trend that swept the European runways earlier in the season, as Perry Ellis looked to the comic films of Jacques Tati for summer inspiration.
"Inspiration came from the movies of Jacques Tati," explained designer John Crocco. "Mon Oncle inspired the colour palette while Les Vacancies de Monsieur Hulot inspiring the styling. It's about the style and sensibility of the beach but still dressed up and refined."
The look: City-boy vacation 
The silhouette: Neat masculine tailoring 
Key items: Tailoring underpinned the collection, with wide-cut DB jackets paired with tailored city shorts and casual polo shirts, 2SB suits with straight-leg pants, and short-sleeved tops including crew-neck sweaters or 50s-style open-necked vacation shirts. A solid outerwear offer saw hooded windcheaters, lightweight summer macs, a ciré baseball jacket and a cotton duffel coat 
Colour: Soft candy-colours of salmon, sky, mint and tangerine worked in contrast with bright white, coral red, stone and ash grey 
Fabric & knit: Lightweight summer suitings in windowpane checks, casual plaids and candy stripes, cotton shirtings, loose-gauge knits including cables and placement Argyles, ciré, treated cotton 
Print & pattern: Candy stripes and checks 
Details & trims: Pin-tucking, contrast-edge trims, contrast collars and cuffs, shoulder zips on sweaters, extra-long sleeves on V-neck sweaters 
Footwear: Grey plimsolls with white laces 
Accessories: Skinny neck ties, white woven leather belts, casual gardener's hats

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