Friday, February 12, 2010

NY Fashion Week #2

I'm really loving this season so far. All that '70s grooviness, the heavy knits, the fur trims, the '90s layering--it has the same luxe, slightly deconstructed feel as last season, but it somehow still feels fresh.

Cushnie et Ochs, Cushnie et Ochs, Jen Kao: There is fur EVERYWHERE. Really. Buy a fur collar or stole on eBay now. One of my favorite incarnations of the trend was at Cushnie et Ochs, with this giant fur scarf. It screams glamour and drama, but in the neutral hue and against a minimalist outfit it's still modern. '70s military/anorak shapes are also a big hit, like this boxy coat at Cushnie et Ochs. It could come across as very clunky and staid, but with the limited color palette, textural variation, and against those leather leggings that classic coat works just as well now as it did 30 years ago. While this Jen Kao is definitely a little 'inspired' by Rodarte and their deconstructed knits, I like that she tightened up the lines and added a few cutouts. It's a much more wearable way to do the post-apocalyptic knits look, and the idea of a little sweater dress totally screams '70s to me.


Organic by John Patrick, Toni Maticevski, Cynthia Steffe: The individual pieces of this John Patrick look aren't that interesting, but the whole picture is fantastic. The premise is simple, just a leather skirt, a black turtleneck, and a seriously teased ponytail, but it fuses together modern and late '60s/early '70s vibes so perfectly. Toni Maticevski had a bit of a Jason Wu moment (draped, asymmetrical polka dot chiffon look a little familiar?), but there's no denying that this look is lovely. Asymmetrical draping isn't going anywhere, and the subdued shade of grey fits nicely into the more relaxed, toned-down sex appeal that we've seen so far. Everyone needs to buy a kicky pleated skirt. That part of the '90s is coming back strong, and Cynthia Steffe did a great twist on it in leather. The combination of that retro, almost fussy shape and the inherent rebellious of leather works perfectly for a cool update on the school girl classic.


Cynthia Steffe, Bensoni, Doo.Ri: Did I mention the anoraks? Oh, the anoraks. They kill me. They're coming in all shapes, colors, and sizes this season, but the best have a rugged vibe, a fur-trimmed hood, and are thrown on over a floaty ensemble or sparkly little party dress. The anorak-over-the-going-out-dress styling trick has been around for a few seasons, but adding that bit of fur injects just the right amount of '70s luxe to finally pull the look together. I want to live in this Bensoni look. The mixture of prints and textures is fantastic, and lends the outfit that quirky, British feel that I love. The fur keeps it from being a little bag lady-ish, and the silhouette is in keeping with the slightly retro-glam movement. How hot is this Doo.Ri look? The motorcycle jacket gets an update in burnt sienna, and adds the right amount of edge to the draped mini-dress. I think the color palette is really what makes it (and again, it's insanely '70s. Yes, I'm harping on it. But I'm just so glad to see the '80s go).


Jason Wu, Jason Wu, Jenni Kayne: Oh, Jason Wu. How I love thee. His eccentric, Upper East Side ladies are my favorites. This season he injected a lot of menswear elements that helped to anchor his clothes 'whimsical femininity nicely. Again, there's a fur-trimmed anorak over a more lady-like, sweater/pencil skirt silhouette, and then a lovely, structured sweet-heart dress is softened by whisps of draped chiffon. Jenni Kayne really stepped it up this season with her equestrian inspired collection. My favorite piece is this black and white (fur?) jacket. The boyfriend-ish cut would work perfectly with menswear pieces or over insanely girly dresses, the black and white stripes are fun and expected, and almost a little folksy, and the texture of the fabric adds just enough extra visual interest.


Rag & Bone, Wayne, Lutz & Patmos: Rag & Bone had a really fantastic collection, full of their signature Victorian, menswear-inspired pieces but this time layered with tons of slightly grungy knits for a wholly new look. What I loved is that there can be tons of layers, like in this look, but it doesn't come across as bulky or clumsy. Wayne made sweat pants look crazy glamorous. I mean, that outfit looks comfy and chic. Who else is drooling to make a Starbucks run in that? And Lutz & Patmos may have finally converted me to the idea of silk pants. With that drapey sweater and circle scarf, there's something so relaxed and yet feminine about them. The gorgeous color palette doesn't hurt either.


Image Sources:
Cushnie et Ochs: style.com, Jen Kao: style.com, Organic by John Patrick: style.com, Toni Maticevski: style.com, Wayne: style.com, Rag & Bone: style.com, Jenni Kayne: style.com, Jason Wu: style.com, Doo.Ri: style.com, Bensoni: style.com, Cynthia Steffe: style.com, Lutz & Patmos: style.com.

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