Live From... New York fashion week, Day 6

marc by Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs showed a chic and grown-up collection for his autumn/winter 2011 diffusion line, full of 1970s-meets-1940s inspiration and youthful sophisticated glamour. 

The look: 1970s urban rustic
Silhouette: Neat tailoring combined with relaxed outerwear
Key items: For women, Jacobs created a confident look by mixing bold colours and textures. A herringbone shorts suit was worn with a merlot satin blouse and an oversized raccoon coat was layered with a tweed A-line skirt and nubby sweater. 70s pant shapes came as tailored tweed trousers or as a velvet pantsuit, worn with satin shell tops or skinny-knit sweaters. Ladylike shirt dresses were right on one of this week’s emerging trends, along with mid-calf gauchos and the collection’s easy dropped-shoulder unstructured coats
For men, metallic multi-stripe V-neck sweaters added contrast to classic tailoring. A fur-trimmed parka was worn over a plaid shirt and tracksuit pant, while a navy sweater coat and tweed pant had a more formal feel and there was the unexpected mix of coloured leopard print and herringbone
Colour: Autumnal hues of cinnamon, chestnut brown, jute, salsa red, coral and navy with cooler shades of plum, Gettysburg blue, navy, frost grey, Kelly green and metallic bronze and gold accents
Fabric & knit: Metallic leather, herringbone tweeds, velvet, corduroy, brushed plaids suede, cashmere, crepe de chine and satin chameuse
Print & pattern: Multicoloured chevrons, recoloured skin prints, a running antelope print, a silhouette panther motif and bold stripes
Details & trims: Plush fur trims on outerwear
Footwear: Shearling-trimmed high-heeled booties, two-toned lace-up Oxfords, snakeskin low-tops, tasselled heeled loafers and laced suede shoe-boots with a contrast metallic leather trim. Antelope appliquésAccessories: Sturdy leather satchels and hobos with gold hardware in navy, russet, brown and chestnut. Some clutches also had a playful panther or python illustration. Skinny belts with gold hardware, soft felt hats, ankle socks and oversized glasses further underscored the 70s references

Diesel Black Gold

A sexy rock vibe with a touch of military romance was embedded in the Diesel Black Gold collection, which was full of luxe fabrications, skinny silhouettes and a sassy sense of almost dishabille dressing. 

The look: Historical romance with a touch of rock-chic military
Silhouette: Skinny layers
Key items: Military-inspired silhouettes were cut into skinny proportions and layered in mismatched effects with cropped laced-side jeans in suede, leather or python, the season’s most extreme 70s bellbottoms, lean satin shirts and laced vests or leather tunics with castellated hems. Outerwear was luxe and cocooning with shearling and curly lamb
Colour: Shades of olive green and blue, dusty pink, burgundy, hits of red, black and winter white
Fabric & knit: Luxe-touch suede, leather and python combined with slinky satin and plush shearlings or curly lamb
Print & pattern: A monochrome swirling feathery print
Details & trims: Unfinished edges, gold dome buttons and corset lacing
Footwear: Lace-up ankle boots, fur-covered boots
Accessories: Silk scarves for men, leg-warmers for women, brightly coloured bags and purses

Karen Walker 

Karen Walker tapped into the 70s for her autumn/winter collection, drawing on the heady northern England soul scene, where kids danced the night away at the unromantic sounding Wigan Casino and girls took inspiration from the boy’s clean-cut Mod styling. 

The look: 70s soul with a touch of Mod
The silhouette: Easy and casual with boy-meets-girl overtones
Key items: Skirts addressed the new below-knee lengths, with full, swirling, half-circle shapes to team with neat boyish polo shirts or easy sweaters. Docker-style donkey jackets, classic Mod-style Crombies and gilets came with leather shoulder panels and the boyish Mod mood was taken one step further with Walker’s ankle-skimming straight-legged pants. She also addressed the emerging trend for shirt dresses, here with soft bow-tied necklines, and mannish full-legged pants worn with athletic dance-all-night racer-back vests contrasted with Sunday-best georgette tea dresses
Colour: All shades of blue from navy to cerulean and cobalt with accents of poppy, sunshine yellow, orange and grey
Fabric & knit: Cashmere coat weights, jersey, flannel leather trims, georgette and silk
Print & pattern: A blowsy, chintzy, floral, all-nighter badge print combined with a simple spot motif
Details & trims: Leather patched shoulderlines and pocket flaps, exposed zippered necklines, sporty ribbed welts on floral dresses and tops
Footwear: Clog-inspired laced ankle boots, mannish lace-ups
Accessories: Knitted beanie hats, weekend hold-all bags, ankle socks

Rodarte

It was Oklahoma all the way at Rodarte where the Mulleavy sisters drew on their American heritage for a collection that combined the wide open plains of the mid-west with traditional handicrafts and silhouettes inspired by the early prairie settlers. 

The look: Oklahoma
The silhouette: Historically styled, long and waisted
Key items: The prairie dress with its ankle-skimming proportions, high neckline and flounces was a recurring theme, topped with the Mulleavys’ foray into tailored outerwear with high-waisted, long, lean coats. Masculine tailored pants and vests added a paradoxical contras,t while there was a more feminine look in the full-skirted waisted dresses and patchworked bodice and skirt combos. The red carpet was addressed too in columnar draped gowns with a border of waving wheat-ears
Colour: Wheat-field neutrals and washed sky blues with accents of black and winter white, corn yellow and blood red
Fabric & knit: Silk, leather, pony skin, crochet, lace and embroidered organza, satin charmeuse, sequins, patchwork
Print & pattern: A wheat-field border print, a streaked sky print in shades of yellow, angular geometric patchworks, floral embroidery
Details & trims: Embroidery placements, patchwork
Footwear: Navajo-patterned spike-heeled boots, triple-strap high courts
 
 Narciso Rodriguez

New York’s master of minimal, architectural lines tapped into the season’s emerging trend for a looser silhouette, teaming his signature sparse lines with bold graphic colour-blocking and easy shapes. 

The look: Graphic
The silhouette: Longer length and loose
Key items: The longer length loose-fitting dress was the key item in this collection, reworked in a variety of fabrics and colour-blocked mixes. This pattern was repeated in Rodriguez’ simple colour-pieced tops and the boxy lines of his tailoring, sometimes as a collarless jacket or coat. Fluid masculine pant shapes added to the more fluid vibe, puddling the floor over flat, pointed boots
Colour: Black and winter white combined with vivid flashes of tomato red, lilac and purple, hot fuchsia pink and multiple shades of grey
Fabric & knit: Melanged flannels, silky charmeuse, sheers, sequins, plaid wools, leather
Print & pattern: An abstract painterly pattern in a collage of textures
Details & trims: Colour-blocking and spliced fabric mixes
Footwear: Flat, pointed, three-quarter boots

Halston

The bright lights of New York’s night-time cityscape could have inspired Halston’s winter collection, with its luminous dresses that sparkled and glowed as the lights dipped. 

The look: Sexy eveningwear with a futuristic vibe
Silhouette: Long and fluid
Key items: Gowns - the mainstay of a Halston collection - flipped between delicate and draped, sequinned and slinky, with exposed flashes of skin at the chest, shoulder or waist. Short options included a single-sleeved sequinned sheath, one-shouldered micro-pleated dresses and a hooded silk jersey mini with draped skirt. Outerwear was cool and minimal, with a hooded wrap coat and a long cashmere cape both offered in clean optic white. Daywear looks included a chocolate leather coat-dress, a polo-necked jersey jumpsuit topped with a curly lamb bolero and a pair of suede peg pants paired with a slicked leather blazer, layered in tonal shades of khaki
Colour: A luminous pale pistachio green, optic white, smoke grey, warm mocha, khaki and black with vivid jolts of teal and ultraviolet
Fabric & knit: Slicked leather, supple suede, Mongolian lamb, shorn fur, micro-pleated crepe, silk jersey, jersey, silk georgette, cashmere. all-over sequins, paillettes and crystals
Details & trims: Daring key-hole cut-outs at chest, shoulder and midriff, cut-away sleeves, eyelet-laced whip-stitching, all-over sequins and iridescent crystals, a bejewelled bra, knots
Footwear: Decorative T-bar strappy sandals in metallic leather, low-cut shooties with ankle strap, multi-strap sandals
Accessories: Multicoloured rhinestone and sequinned belts, skinny leather belts decorated with placement cabochons, chokers

Hervé Léger by Max Azria

The introduction of bonded leathers and fierce metal hardware upped the vampy appeal of the Hervé Léger’s iconic bandage dresses for winter, channelling a sexy warrior vibe. 

The look: Futuristic armour
Silhouette: Signature body-con with the addition of a new dropped-waist A-line
Key items: The trademark bandage dress arrived in a multitude of variations - zip-through, pieced and seamed, traced with metal hardware, featuring bondage-style harness straps, long or short sleeves - but all were cut just above the knee. The freshest update was for a dropped-waist A-line flare, which followed through to a swingy miniskirt teamed with a calfskin T-shirt. A few new separates littered the collection, including cropped trousers, an abbreviated biker, a boxy edge-to-edge jacket decorated with leather studs and a lustrous zip-through calfskin coat
Colour: A palette of sandy neutrals ranging from cream through to camel and tan, vampy black and warm white
Fabric & knit: Power mesh and elastic, houndstooth jacquard, wool, leather and glossy calfskin
Print & pattern: Scale-mixed houndstooth
Details & trims: Leather studs, leather harnesses, gold and silver chains, metal buckle rings, bondage-style straps
Footwear: Knee-high boots with cut-out sections at the side and metal toe tip, crisscross-strapped sandalsAccessories: Thin clutches with gold and silver hardware and leather quilting

Vera Wang 

Vera Wang cited American society ladies Wallis Simpson and Viscountess Thelma Furness as her muses for winter, with those 1930s references influencing her key motif, the dropped-waist dress. But this was no historical pastiche, with Wang offsetting her delicate dresses with tough urban parkas. 

The look: 1930s elegance fused with modern-day utility
Silhouette: Elongated, dropped waists
Key items: Dropped-waist pleated chiffon dresses and gowns were at the heart of the collection and arrived in a plethora of variations: long, short, high-low, with spaghetti straps or fluttering cape sleeves, as scoop-necked tanks or with frilly vintage-inspired high-necklines. Wang topped her delicate dresses with urban parkas that arrived cropped, fur-lined or sleeveless. Daywear looks incorporated panelled flannel trousers decorated with pleated fins hanging from the waistband, sheer pleated blouses and high-necked shirts and heavy-knit sweaters that were cabled or cropped
Colour: Signature black, charcoal grey and winter white for day; khaki, old gold, deep rich red, palest blush, misty grey and cigarillo brown for evening
Fabric & knit: Pleated chiffon, wool flannel, plush black fox fur, long black goat hair for trims
Details & trims: Knife pleats, stitch-down pleats, accordion pleats, pie-crust frills, fluttery cape sleeves, spaghetti straps, high-low maxi hems
Footwear: Heavy platform ankle-boots, some peep-toe
Accessories: Leather gauntlet gloves

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Live From... New York Fashion Week - Day 5

Rodarte

 

To the tune of 70s classics like the theme from the film Midnight Cowboy, Rodarte played with a variety of loose bohemian inspiration: California’s arts and crafts movement, Wild West cowboys and redwoods.
"The California redwood colours fit so perfectly with the idea of 70s suburbia and then I imagined a place of cowboys and the Wild West," Laura Mulleavy told WGSN.  "The silhouette became like armour and the porcelain idea came from the silhouette but it also went with wood carvings."
The look: Ad-hoc layers and sculpted collage 
The silhouette: Strong cut-out shoulders and panels, with wispy trailing hems 
Key items: Blouse with cut-out shoulder, layered skirt of plaid linen and trailing buffalo check, sculpted jacket with cut-out shoulder, ‘Croc’ embossed leather jacket, wrap skirt, suede crop top, leather and hammered sequin dress with asymmetric draping, denim blue plaid silk ‘Chinese’ top, high-waist slim pant, high-cropped wood panel print mock turtleneck in leather 
Colour: Anchor palette of taupe, white, cream, navy, caramel and walnut. Complementary shades of warm peach, rust, porcelain blue, denim blue, moss green, chartreuse and gold 
Fabric & knit: Guipure lace, silk, chiffon, cotton, linen, leather, hammered silk and gold lamé, buffalo checks, plaid 
Print & pattern: Wood panel print, croc-embossed leather, checks, navy/white stripe, blue porcelain Ming print and abstract dogstooth pattern
Details & trims: Ribbon embroidery and hammered sequins.   
Footwear: Gold metal heel with wood print, carved wood heel with embossed leather and carved wood wedge with Ming printed leather 
Accessories: Sheer white socks, hand-carved belt and hand-carved barrette

marc by Marc Jacobs

 

  There were plenty of prints and stand-out stripes at marc by Marc Jacobs, but the spring collection struck a more simple tone than usual. Always retro-inspired - this time taking several cues from the 70s - the clothes delivered straightforward colour and stripped-back, classic details.
The look: 70s pop prep 
The silhouette: For women, A-line with cap sleeves. For men, slim and relaxed. 
Key items: For women, multi-stripe jumpsuit with spaghetti straps; prim dark-yellow dress to mid-calf with gathered cap sleeve; multi-stripe 70s sweater; high-waist twill pant; twill safari jacket and short; belted wrap coat in khaki olive; oatmeal twill poncho; billowy dress with drawstring belt; side-ruched bikini bottom; halter dress with long neck tie; ruffled bikini top; gathered A-line striped skirt; boxy white top with red stripes; embroidered dot cap-sleeve blouse. For men, grey gabardine trench; grey cashmere sweater with white elbow patches; grey suiting plaid jacket and slim pant; red/blue thick-stripe polo shirt; wrinkled pinstripe pant 
Colour: Summer boardwalk classics such as lobster red, navy, cream and white, as well as dark yellow, orange, cinnamon and nutmeg. Barbie pink appeared in more playful beach-ready looks, while heather grey, khaki and olive were anchors 
Fabric & knit: For women, silk, cotton sateen, cotton twill, washed canvas, cashmere, cotton jersey, nylon, georgette, corduroy. For men, seersucker  
Print & pattern: For women, multi-stripe, color-block, floral, dot embroidery. For men, tonal plaid, multi-stripe, pinstripe 
Details & trims: Dot embroidery, crystal dots 
Footwear: For women, canvas sneaker wedge, Mary Jane lizard-print cork wedges, metallic striped wedge, and leather oxford wedge. For men, gold glitter lo-tops, suede lo-tops and suede hi-tops 
Accessories: For women, leather pouchette, leather drawstring bag, leather/raffia bag, and basket-weave equestrian cap. For men, vintage leather satchel, vintage leather tote, vintage leather "festival" bag, and washed canvas satchel

Jason Wu for TSE

 

Jason Wu's debut at TSE brought many covetable, chunky knits as well as clean tailoring, with a subtle blend of innovative textures.
The look: Luxe knits with subdued tailoring 
The silhouette: High-waist with lean tailored jackets 
Key items: Gauze-knit lace-up bra; cotton/satin long tuxedo blazer; black web-knit chiffon-lined pencil skirt; chiffon-knit slouchy pullover; pleated trouser short; high-waist pleated slim pant; strapless sweaterdress with contrast asymmetric panel; boxy grey jacket with leather binding and slim pant; wide-leg trouser; leather/linen cardigan; silk blouse with long neck tie 
Colour: A practical palette of black, white, heather grey, cream and taupe, with stylish touches of red, navy and yellow with copper trims 
Fabric & knit: Knitted chiffon, silk, linen, leather, cotton twill, cotton piqué, charmeuse, silk gauze, merino wool and cashmere 
Print & pattern: Latex digital brushstroke print 
Details & trims: Trims of dyed leather, horn, shell buttons and metal pins 
Footwear: Grey leather shoe-boots with low-cut heel case, high-heeled leather sandals with three wide velcro straps 
Accessories: Silver metal chokers, silver metal cuffs worn on both wrists, skinny leather belts, knitted cowl scarves

Karen Walker

 

A signature collection from Karen Walker, who hit the spot with her commercial mix of soft tailoring, feminine ruffles and casual, sporty separates.
The look: Summer in the city
Silhouette: Neatly feminine and unstructured
Key items: The slim-legged pant was a key anchor, teamed with simple SB blazers, drapey jackets or easy boxy smock tops. Dresses were cut to the knee with multi-ruffled detailing, full dirndl or crystal-pleat skirts, taking the feminine look to the max. Marled jersey tees, a coated parka and soft drawstring shorts brought a signature sportswear vibe into the mix 
Colour: A muted palette punctuated with flashes of summery brights, in line with emerging trends seen on the runway this week - think khaki, sand, navy and cement with accents of old gold, marigold, daffodil and cornflower 
Fabric & knit: Simple cottons, cotton lawn, linen and marled jersey contrasted with the more dressy looks of taffeta and silk faille 
Print & pattern: A heady bouquet of mixed florals, from small-scale all-overs and silhouette patterns to dramatic hydrangea motifs mixed with sweet bluebirds, and an offbeat giraffe pattern thrown into the mix 
Details & trims: Ladylike dressmaker details such as grosgrain edging, sporty drawstrings and pretty self ruffles 
Footwear: Cityscape loafers worked in high or flat profiles with bi-colour combinations, piping and tasselled trims  
Accessories: Pretty ruffled bags, printed clutch bags, wooden-framed bags, wooden pendants of birds and bird houses, contrast webbing belts with metal clasps, coloured resin cuffs and bangles, and bow-trimmed leather belts in shiny leathers or metallics 

Vera Wang
A more youthful look from Vera Wang this season, who left her signature romantic silhouettes behind in favour of something more sporty and urban.
The look: Urban sports with a subtle oriental twist 
Silhouette: Elongated, softened with manipulated tucks, ruching and drapes 
Key items: Long shorts and skinny pants helped give the collection an urban edge, teamed with ruched asymmetric hem tops or V-necked kimono-like shirts. The longer-line pencil sheath was the key dress shape, punctuated with manipulated draping at the hipm, asymmetric one-shouldered effects or all-over ruching. Elastic cased bloomer shorts brought a soft sense of volume, perfect to marry with slim zipped hooded tops. 
Colour: A simple Japonesque palette of black, white and grey with flashes of poppy red and single accents of pistachio, cerulean and blush for pretty sheer draped dresses with trailing hems at the back 
Fabric & knit: Silky chameuse and satin, crisp taffetas, gazar, lightweight sheers, brocade 
Print & pattern: Floral patterned brocade with an oriental feel 
Details & trims: Flat samuri-inspired quilting, zips, trailing hems 
Footwear: High-cut toeless shoe boots in satin
Accessories: Socks, belts with Turks head knotted detail. Wide waist-cinching belts 

Matthew Ames

Matthew Ames' clean, geometric signature showed especially well for spring 2011, which is looking to be a perfect season for sharp panelled dresses and angular handkerchief hems. 

"I added a lot of texture to fabrics, with new colour and shapes, in order to better define the style and sensibility of this woman, so there was a strong femininity," Ames told WGSN.

The look: Clean, shapely construction 
The silhouette: Relaxed A-line with boxy tops and shaped skirts 
Key items: Silk dupioni belted sleeveless coat dress with slit pockets; navy linen skirt with one-sided handkerchief hem; strapless mesh top; over-the-knee A-line skirt in striped raw silk; belted twill safari jacket; one-shoulder silk/linen mesh top wrapping at waist; criss-cross halter bandeau in georgette; silk dupioni short short; cropped georgette halter top; linen dress with high-side slit revealing short 
Colour: Natural shades such as white, ivory, beige and taupe complemented the collection's raw simplicity, while coral, turquoise, cactus, copper and curry shades added to its feminine feel 
Fabric & knit: Cotton twill, silk georgette, raw silk, silk dupioni, silk crepe, linen, cotton, silk mesh and suede 
Print & pattern: Stripes and color/texture blocking
Details & trims: Curved and angular hems, flat cargo pockets 
Accessories: Turquoise and bone cuff, curvy gold metal choker, spiked metal and coral pendant, silk georgette headscarf, metal ankle cuffs

Temperley London and Alice by Temperley
Alice Temperley looked to a medieval Guinevere for the chains and romantic frills in her mainline collection, while diffusion line Alice took a more lighthearted fairytale tone, à la Marie Antoinette.
"The Temperley woman is very ethereal and romantic," the designer told WGSN. "We wanted to make sure that this collection was getting back to what we are known for, because everything else goes into the diffusion line."
The look: Ruffles in chains 
The silhouette: Waist-conscious with frills 
Key items: In the mainline collection, tiered lace-trimmed ruffle strapless in powder pink, long high-waist leather strapless in black, one-shouldered draped silver dress, white and silver long-sleeved knit minidress 
Colour: Black, silver, grey, powder pink and white create a mix of hard and soft elements, while deep olive green and leopard brown touch on the summer safari trend 
Fabric & knit: Silk jersey, leather, silver foiled silk knit, chiffon, cotton and lace 
Print & pattern: Animal print, "King Arthur" floral architectural pattern 
Details & trims: Lace trimmed ruffles 
Accessories: Chain/leather harness necklaces and belts, round leather drawstring bag with gold accents, black leather bracelets and clutch bags with silver stud detail

G-Star

Utility looks are the G-Star signature, and for next summer they had a borrowed-from-the-boys appeal, with masculine jean cuts paired with layered jersey basics.
"It's the G-Star handwriting of three-dimensional jeans, but in combination with desert elements, resulting in a colour palette of off-white, beige and black-and-white," colection stylist Remco de Nijs told WGSN.

The look: Summer utility 
Silhouette: Masculine boyfriend cuts, occasional swing shapes 
Key items: Jeans: long-rise dhoti, wide-legged gaucho, slouchy boyfriend cut, tapered and cropped carrot leg, ruched straight-leg, bustier jumpsuit with wide-cut legs. Shorts/trousers: rolled boyfriend shorts worn low-slung, micro-length loose-fit hotpants, high-waisted shorts with flared leg, leather bloomers, cotton utility playsuit, exaggerated jodhpurs with leather cuffs, long john-style leggings with button-fly. Outerwear: tailored sleeveless biker jackets, windcheaters with dipped hem and assymetric zip closure, classic blue jean jacket with cropped sleeves, knee-length swing or flared coats, double-layered blazers. Tops: Western shirt, layered fine-gauge jersey tees and tanks 
Colour: Crisp white, eggshell pales, denim blues, navy, desert khaki 
Fabric & knit: Unwashed denim, treated and crumpled indigo denim, washed blue denim, lightweight techno fabrics, mercerised cottons, leather, twill, sateen, fine-gauge jersey 
Details & trims: Raw-edge denim, paper-bag waists, spliced knee panels, industrial zips, Aertex panels, traditional denim hardware including poppers and rivets 
Footwear: Thong sandal boots, sandal boots with cut-away heel case, peep-toe ankle-length sandal boots, lace-up oxford shoes
Accessories: Bag with leather single-shoulder harness and cross-body webbing strap, extra-long leather belts, webbing belts with multiple buckles, Legion caps and headscarves

Narciso Rodriguez
For spring, Narciso Rodriguez updated old-Hollywood glamour with long-length bias-cut dresses that boasted sheer panels and high, straight slits.
The look: Precision classic 
The silhouette: Slinky, long-length 
Key items: Fitted over-the-knee shift; silk bias halter dress with sheer panelling; bias silk skirt with long side slit; slim pencil pant in waxed linen; bandeau tank with sheer panel; contour-seamed bias dress; relaxed open-lapel linen jacket; bias dress embroidered with rose-gold sequins and overlaid with black chiffon cloqué
Colour: Black and white anchored the collection, with brief appearances of coral red, pale green, ash grey and blush 
Fabric & knit: Linen canvas, silk, silk crepe, compact wool, silk cloqué, chiffon cloqué, chiffon jacquard, waxed linen and fil coupé 
Print & pattern: Tonal floral jacquard, abstract embroidery 
Details & trims: Rose-gold sequins with black chiffon overlay

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