Miu Miu - Runway Review

Björk’s lyrics on the soundtrack seemed to say it all: “Violently happy!” Miuccia Prada’s Miu Miu army stomped down her lacquered beige runway in some fabulous footwear, paired with pants (the designer’s current obsession) that appeared to have migrated from the Prada runway in Milan. Plenty of whiffs of dandyism were evident in the late sixties/early seventies vibe of the garments; you could almost see Sir Paul or Mick Jagger rocking one of these androgynous suits on stage. It was a tad hipster meets classic Miuccia color palette: mustard, blue, magenta—all packaged intuitively with deco flowers. The tunic and pant ensembles cast a flattering silhouette on the body, while suede tunics embroidered with reflective sequin discs were nothing short of party-ready.

Louis Vuitton - Runway Review

Inspired by the tale of two Belle Epoque archrival divas, Marc Jacobs declared, “No girl will carry a bag this season.” Instead, each model had her own personal porter—both of whom emerged from one jaw-dropping full-scale locomotive cast in navy blue with the Louis Vuitton name emblazoned on the tank in gold lettering. Set in a temporary LV train station at the Cour Carrée du Louvre, the blasting steam was a precursor to the beautiful clothes that were to come. One by one, elegant ladies emerged in crumpled ponyskin hats and sky-high, ballet toe Mary Janes. While the bags were absolutely fantastic—sure to be a big hit come fall—the clothes held their own. And rightly so.

The classic silhouette was an elongated tri-layered look—coats worn over skirts worn over cropped pants. Lovely. There was a focus on textured fabrications, i.e. the jumbo mosaic beading, a floral ponyhair “plaid” on coats and skirts and holographic tweeds in trippy shades of green and purple. The bejeweled buttons on jackets and the cuffs of pants, meanwhile, were actually elaborate brooches.

Stella McCartney - Runway Review

Stella McCartney has officially become the go-to-designer for this generation of modern and working women. Fall 2012 comprised every trend the season has thus presented, but finessed with her lifestyle in mind. There was the presence of oversized proportions; boxy eighties-influenced shoulders, many of which were adorned with zippers, high-necked blouses and the signature chunky, textured sweater. There’s always a masculine element to Stella’s designs; this was reflected in a pair of slouchy pants. The leaf-embroidery on a series of separates and dresses she showed was feminine yet commanding; it looked particularly sharp as a crisp button down.

Salvatore Ferragamo - Runway Review

A gilded life coupled with Czarist Russia served as the starting points of Salvatore Ferragamo creative director Massimiliano Giornetti’s collection for fall. What resulted was a dramatically different aesthetic than in past season, with the strong results garnering even stronger impressions among the front row set. The strictness of the military silhouettes enveloped within a soft romance continued to propel Ferragamo beyond just a dusty accessories house. The results were favorably appealing, such as in a structured gray military coat teamed with an ultra-feminine paisley dress. There were also an abundance of super luxe outerwear pieces, including when astrakhan was used like fabric. That’s not to say there weren’t romantic moments; the flared chiffon dresses with their gold motifs were modern despite their gypsy-like profile.

Etro - Runway Review

The concept of neo-Edwardian dandy suiting, which settled in nicely as a trend during the New York shows, was more than evident at Etro, with Veronica Etro incorporating her house’s signature paisley prints into a longer, leaner, more body-conscious line as evident by the velvet evening gowns. The idea was to feminize an otherwise masculine suit; to wit, her jackets were sharply waisted and pronounced at the tips, emphasized that much more so by the superslim pants

Fendi Fall 2012 Runway Review

At Fendi, the fur is back. And more fabulous than ever. Truth be told, fur never really went away at the Roman fashion house, but Karl Lagerfeld’s use of the decadent material was so embedded in his fall show that it was hard to pay attention to much else. But there were plenty of goodies to be had.

The interplay of textures, silhouettes and colors made for a symphony of eye candy—add to that the angular shapes and patch-worked skirts and you have a truly modern collection. A clear standout was the navy crocodile skirt with both a peplum and bustle, as was the nipped-waist antelope suit with upstanding feathery “tail” perking up in the back of the jacket.

While the dresses were feminine and figure-flattering, this season it was all about the coat. Clean and fuss-free, they utilized some marvelous cutting techniques: laser-cut navy leather, slices of geometric pleating and glossed-over patent leather.

Burberry Prorsum Fall 2012 - Runway Review

The whiff of Downton Abbey we experienced at the end of New York Fashion Week courtesy of Ralph Lauren surfaced at the Burberry Prorsum show in London on Monday. Front row aside—will.i.am, Jeremy Irvine, Eddie Redmaybe and seemingly every “It” London girl—it wasn’t that far a stretch given Burberry’s heritage and brand history.

But this was no lace and crinoline affair.

Right from the get go, one could see Bailey’s new obsession with the waist. The emphasis was more than evident in the giant pockets flanking the fronts of jackets and skirts worn below the waist to create that hourglass silhouette. Keeping it all cinched together were a series of accessories, including ruched velvet ribbon belts that, when flourished with a bow, cinched those waistlines tighter still. Truly packed with outerwear, this collection cross bred country and chic—never once leaving out the chic.

And while outerwear may continue to be the Burberry brand bread-and-butter, the complementary dresses and separates spoke no less of its wearer. A charming Thirties chrysanthemum print played into the shift dresses, one of which had bows at the shoulders in lieu of the epaulets.

Accessories, meanwhile, came in the form of doctor’s bags fastened with pale gold owl-, dog-, or goose-head clasps, and the charming umbrella handles carved with similar animal motifs.

Ralph Lauren Collection - Runway Review

A little Downton Abbey—yet still classically all Ralph Lauren. The designer’s fall show, set to the popular show’s theme music, might have seen a bit direct in influence, but this show—a love fest to grand English country living—had all the cinematic qualities that have come to be synonymous with the Lauren name. Watching this show, one couldn’t help but think of shooting parties, candlelit dinners and black tie balls a la The Great Gatsby. Tweeds, Fair Isles, jodhpurs, bias-cut slips and flapper style dresses exquisitely beaded all made for a complete revolution that was, in a nice twist of fate, completely wearable in the 21st century.

Every gamut of a Ralph Lauren life was addressed. From the opening looks that featured a heavy menswear emphasis and cozy separates to a full-on glamour fest that was breathtaking. The wider leg silhouette of the trousers was simply beautiful. There were some darker moments, such as when a black moto jacket came out or a chic black skirt that featured a pleated skirt sliced with sheer panels. And for evening? Long gowns any girl could easily love; among the best, a column black velvet beaded at the neck.

Marchesa - Runway Review

Bar Refaeli, Stacy Keibler, Petra Nemcova and Taylor Momsen were the starlets front and center at the Marchesa catwalk Wednesday, where Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig presented yet another elaborate and absolutely exquisite collection that truly spoke volumes. Inspired by painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s angelic work, “A Soul Brought to Heaven,” the dresses followed the consistency of drama. Pale shades of nude, cream, ivory and blue were brushed with flowers and cascaded like feather details. The bronze and silver fabrics were all hand embroidered with gilded accents. In keeping with autumn winter’s sheer theme, shimmering skeleton body suits peaked through the dark shades of lace. A teal hand embroidered illusion dress with full tulle skirt was remarkable, as was a hand-embroidered gold and cream coat with pleated tulle bursting from underneath the hem. These gowns screamed for an Oscars moment two weeks from now.

Oscar de la Renta

Jewels were everywhere on Oscar de la Renta’s catwalk. From the blown-up versions of actual jewelry used as inspiration for his prints to the jeweled headbands in his models’ hair to the beautifully embellished cardigans and coats—and even down to the ombré sequined ankle boots—it was sparkles, sparkles, sparkles everywhere! There was plenty of black, as to be expected, but also a bevy of delightful ice blues and light pinks (two colors of the moment in New York) that will make his Ladies Who Lunch set happy. “Today’s woman doesn’t dress for seasons anymore,” said the dapper designer. Naturally, this was a show rich with the luxe and glam factor one would expect. There was Chantilly lace appliqué on chiffon blouses, a silver arctic fox collar, thick cashmere sweaters and a gown with a gold silk taffeta skirt. In his program, de la Renta included an itemized list of the kilos of jewelry his models wore, and they read like a what’s what of baubles: Russian gold, a multi topaz crystal ring, pearl and crystal earrings and so forth. As for the finale? Large and larger seemed to be the decree; tulle skirts in shades of rose, blue and silver marched out, some drawn up in the front like curtains, each one even more fabulously voluminous than the next.

Tory Burch NYFW

According to Tory Burch’s show notes, the starting point for her autumn winter collection is “the idea of a girl who’s under the spell of the wrong kind of guy. She’s an innocent, unaware of her own sex appeal.” The clothes, fittingly enough, like the bejeweled loose chignons the models wore, were what one would expect: sweet and pretty, crafted from light and delicate fabrics like tulle, lace and organza. In what was easily her most beautiful and thoughtful collection to date, Burch didn’t shy away from embellishments; they were applied beautifully on cardigans, jackets (made from tulle rose appliqués) and evening dresses that might garner Burch a red carpet credit or three.

Set against a backdrop at Lincoln Center that was made over to resemble perhaps the Pierre or Waldorf Astoria, thanks to a floral wallpaper backdrop and custom catwalk rug in pale green and white with a geometric pattern, the ambience set the mood for the tale the clothes told. “The setting? The hotel where they meet,” referenced the notes.

But back to the fabulous clothes. One-part seductive, two-parts classic, a pearl-trimmed cardigan buttoned up the neck was perfection with or without the snakeskin bag trimmed with tortoise shell a model carried. Basics in Burch’s world, including knit cardigans with just a hint of sheen, leather looks hand-painted with an abstract plaid pattern and a series of sequined blue Prince of Wales check pieces (breathtaking given this is a contemporary line at the end of the day) really stole the show. Upping the ante, Burch also sent out a handful of evening looks that banked on intriguing fabric treatments, with a sublime green dress of tulle trimmed with a single velvet band at the waist a true knockout.

Marc Jacobs Runway Review

Gigantic furry and floppy hats. A Pilgrim aesthetic by way of Dr. Seuss (courtesy Stephen Jones). Tons of layered textures sculpted on the body like art. And sparkly buckle shoes. Funny how a Web site that documents the denizens of elder New York could be the starting point for a major fashion collection. But at Marc Jacobs Monday night, it was precisely that.

Thinking of a fake winter melancholy, Jacobs devised a set comprised of decaying grottoes designed hand-in-hand by the artist Rachel Feinstein and Stefan Beckman made of paper-thin wood. As the models emerged from several staircases of varying heights, walking to “Who Will Buy (This Wonderful Morning)?” their stoles, squarish sweaters, egg-shaped dresses and fitted brocade jumpers looked part Edwardian, part uniform. The fabrics, however, were what stole the show: beautiful brocades, tweeds bonded to leather, tulle infused with sequins…all set on a somber color palette accented by major pops of bright color.

Donna Karan Collection Fall 2012

Meet Donna Karan, the intelligenista. For autumn winter Karan delved deep into her prowess for designing urban clothes that are both appealing and on the cusp; the results, shown Monday to a crowd that included Emmy Rossum, Ashley Greene and Rose McGowan, had an profound emphasis on masculine tailoring, oftentimes in bold pinstripes. These clothes screamed of confidence and allure. Set to a color palette of greys, red and black, the use of textures in the collection—mohair, jersey, among them—was a palette cleanser in an otherwise already crowded schedule. Asymmetry ruled supreme in this collection, with half-collars, side-draping and off-kilter slits playing off that iconic shoulder (“The last part of a woman’s body to age,” Karan said). Fedora by Stephen Jones only served to up the glamour quotient.

Carolina Herrera At Her Best!

This show was Carolina Herrera at her best. From the get go, with the navy and black pairings, the tonal aesthetic of the collection was set—and it only got better. It was a beautiful vignette into the rarified life Mrs. Herrera’s clients lead—one enchanted by color and luxed-up fabrics such as feather and fur. Particularly stunning was a turtleneck sweater sewn with broadtail details on the front and worn with an embroidered wool pencil skirt. From the darkness came the light—and, in this case, abstract prints by artist Joe Duke and finale haute pink ballgown. The sheath dress was also a major component for fall; they came layered up under cozy cardigans or coats. Herrera also played with proportions as subtle as they may be, pairing, for example, cropped tops with high-wasted bottoms. But the silhouettes were always kept rigid—but never uptight.

Thakoon - Runway Review

Thakoon Panichgul took a more ladylike approach for fall, the results of which, when cast in bright colors like magenta, cherry and fuchsia, made for quirky yet classic silhouettes that resonated in pieces like short dresses with three-quarter sleeves. Indeed, the collection was charming and nostalgic in more ways than one; basket-weave panels featured on many of the dresses, the subversive sexuality more than just a pretty cliché. A camel coatdress, plain from the front, revealed itself to be affixed with a leopard-printed pony collar. The crinkled patent leather was particularly successful, cast in shades of black and hot pink—the latter of which looked completely engrossing when applied on a big bow at the tail of a skirt. And while oversized sweaters laced with Mongolian fur cast a cozy mood, those looking for a more understated moment will no doubt find solace in the black halter top paired with matching wide trousers. Did we mention it’s completely backless?