TheClick

NY Fashion Week - Ports 1961 and Morgane Le Fay

The palette at Ports 1961 was more earth tones. There was a series of coffee colored dresses that were very form fitting - only to be worn by gym goers, and consistent ones, at that. They were layered with fur pieces, and in one case, a floor length black opera coat - which seems to be a NY must have for fall. And why not? How many women do you know with a floor length black coat? Everyone will have to go out and buy one. Ports showed the dresses with flat hair bows that are another huge fall trend - and their new shoe line of Mary Janes with gold tipped heels and rubber bows - very modern. These dresses are mostly worn with gloves - and the good news, they aren't very winter-y: so you can wear them in the spring, too.

Ports 1961 Runway - Fall 08 MBFW (Getty Images)

Morgane Le Fay, best known for their filmy wedding and black tie fairy-tale style dresses, showed a fall collection that was trend-on, and reminded us why these clothes are not just for nighttime. In mostly blacks, whites and reds, the skirts did volume in a more Japanese wrapped and origami way. The jackets were military and fitted and buttoned and in longer lengths than at most designer's shows - and therefore, more flattering. And the cocktail and long dresses were spectacular in their crafsmanship - floating chiffon pieces, laser cut bodices, and shoulder ties of chiffon that are dramatic and sweet at the same time. And they cost a lot less than Oscar de la Renta gowns - and weigh less, too.

Morgane Le Fay Runway - Fall 08 (Getty Images)

 

NY Fashion Week - Marc Jacobs and Doo Ri

Marc Jacobs, always the rule breaker-and inevitable rule maker - made his Marc by Marc line almost all about dresses -but a rather newish, or at least, oldish but revived look: short, tight in the bodice, belted and waisted, and then poufy and a-line but still quite short. It's sort of a bubble dress -but the hem doesn't curve in as much. It's a sweet look worn over black tights and boots - and he did them in pink and black and orange and black giant houndstooth. But if you're over 30, you might want to think twice.

Marc Jacobs Runway - Fall 08 MBFW (Getty Images)

Doo Ri, a rising star in the N.Y. firmament, showed sheaths in black or white in all manner of lengths - but the one that looked best was the slightly over the knee look - even when it had batwing eighties kimono sleeves. The short short dresses, particularly when they're tight -look a little yesterday. Some people in NY this week have been talking about a comeback of "the Robert Palmer video girls": tough overly made up girls with ballerina buns in skin tight short dresses. Doo Ri nearly got there - but it looks a little camp for the normal working woman.

Doo Ri Runway - Fall 08 MBFW - Getty Images

NY Fashion Week - Halston sees mixed success

Halston's brand new designer, Marco Zanini, also showed a variety of dresses that fell fluidly over the knee, too. This was Zanini's very first outing with the brand, which has had a variety of designers at the helm over the years -with mixed success.

Because the name Halston has been purchased by Hollywood super mogul Harvey Weinstein (whose wife Georgina Chapman designs Marchesa, an upscale dress label from London) and Jimmy Choo's Tamara Mellon, expectations were high - but results were mixed.

Women's Wear Daily and the New York Times gave it a thumbs not doing anything. But a black satin fluid turtleneck dress looked good, and do did the long cashmere stone colored long sleeved monastic dresses, that reminded us of early Donna Karan. But he should stick to dresses - his pants were cut way too tight, almost obscenely so. In an era of pop stars who don't wear panties, we don't need trousers that are anatomical - particularly in orange satin. The major pants trend for fall is either a forties style boy-trouser - or skinny and soft and black.

Halston Runway - Fall 08 MBFW (Getty Images)

NY Fashion Week - Catherine Malandrino

One of the questions that inevitably gets asked in the midst of New York Fashion Week's showing of fall collections is: what will the skirt and dress lengths be? What will the silhouettes be? Will we want to wear short or long, wide or slim?

Well, one very strong look on the New York runways this week is a short-sleeved or sleeveless square-necked sheath dress that is clingy but not excruciatingly tight, and goes over the knees. It's often belted, but other versions in knit over softer and skim the body. Catherine Malandrino showed this look in grey, black and pale mint green, often with crunchy rosettes at the hem to create a kind of "fishtail" over the knee. The dresses were the basis of the Malandrino wardrobe, and then were layered with nipped jackets and woolly sweaters - again, often belted. The look was donned with pumps and short socks, so the leg look here had the effect of a bootie. They come in solids and in prints.

Catherine Malandrino Runway - Fall 08 MBFW (Getty Images)

NY Fashion Week - Best shows so far

Some of the younger, newer names were stealing the thunder of the established big guys early into NY fashion week.

The several-year-old line Costello Tagliapietra had one of the best shows I saw; over the knee, short-sleeved, belted dresses with just a touch of print - accessorized with little bow hats and grey, multi-strap gladiator shoes.

Costello Tagliapietra - Runway - Fall 08 MBFW (Getty Images)

Alexander Wang went ultra-boy; showing slouchy but slim trousers, vests and little ski hats. Trousers are another big trend - not skinny jeans, not leggings - but good old fashioned cuff trousers that would make Kate Hepburn happy and Lauren Hutton laugh.

Alexander Wang - Runway - Fall 08 MBFW (Getty Images)

NY Fashion Week - Carolina Herrera and Tuleh

Both Carolina Herrera and Tuleh showed rich luxurious clothes in specific palettes. Herrera did dresses and gowns in a deep burgundy rust. Then she worked in mustards, ecrus and browns. Plaid took a new form in a windowpane check of a straight wool skirt - how late seventies early eighties is that?

Carolina Herrera Runway - Fall 08 MBFW (Getty Images)

Tuleh - another line of luxe expensive Park Avenue princess looks - went for a deep dark fuschia. The most striking look there was a fuschia lace a-line skirt over the knee, with a matching cashmere cable turtleneck. Very reminscent of Ralph Lauren's romantic period. Ladies, don't toss away your skirts; they're back! Long ones, straight ones, full ones; solid or printed.

Tuleh Runway - Fall 08 MBFW (Getty Images)

NY Fashion Week - Diane Von Furstenberg

One of the biggest trends of the fall 2008 shows in New York this week is color. If you remember, last fall was was all monastic black and grey. Then spring was a wild rush of colors and florals and artist-paint prints. Next fall will be a lovely combo of both of those - the best of both worlds. Diane von Furstenberg's fall collection wasn't her usual collection of slinky dresses; DVF decided to go all out into Prada and Marni territory. From Marni, she borrowed the look of the belted slim coat that doesn't close except by belt, over a chiffon dress.

And most dresses, refreshingly long sleeved, were in light floral prints - and the coats were tweed. This is a look Prada did years ago - that eclectic mix of prints and tweeds, all shown over thick black tights. (Designer runway trick: for true opaque-ness, wear two pairs at once.) Some call it "granny's closet" - it's eclectic, pairing all kinds of disparate elements together.

Diane Von Furstenberg Runway Fall 08 MBFW - Getty Images   

DVF also showed some full over the knee a-line skirts - a new fall silhouette - in white prints, paired with little sweater sets of different shades. It was nice to see the "line" of the body broken up again in two shades, after seeing dresses for so many seasons.

 

 

NY Fashion Week - Nicole Miller, Erin Fetherston, Katy Rodriguez

Three interesting female designers - Nicole Miller, Erin Fetherston and Katy Rodriguez - showed on rainy Friday night in NY. Miller is the queen of the moderate priced dress, and this time, she showed brocade cocktail dresses, striped dresses, floral dresses with long sleeves, cobalt sweaters with black dresses, and a couple of eighties style coats - one in bumblebee yellow - with short dolman batwing sleeves, over black long sleeves underneath, paired with black tights - it's very Stephen Sprouse eighties.

Erin Fetherston has so far established herself as the princess of cutesy; tiered princess style short cocktail dresses for twenty somethings with their first taste of nightlife. She did frocks once again - in print chiffons, pop and op-art prints, but added more grownup peacoats and capes, so that the feathery weight dresses got slightly winterized. But who needs to stay warm in a nightclub?

Katy Rodriguez is an L.A. designer best known for her bubble dresses; but for fall, she went super eighties, doing black mini suits with peaked shoulder details (looking like a hanger problem), and showed all her black pieces with orange tights and matching orange pumps. Kids; don't try this at home. It was a nice try to inject some electric juice into all those hard edged eighties style; but it's best left to a runway. Colored tights for fall? Yes. Orange tights ever? Mais non.

NY Fashion Week - Spotlight on Jason Wu

At young designer Jason Wu's show on Friday, it was clear that Wu is about to join the ranks of other young designers like Phillip Lim, Doo Ri, and Thakoon as the forefront names on Seventh Avenue. Wu's collection was a bit like the best of Doris Day's wardrobe from her Rock Hudson and Cary Grant movies; short sleeved cocktail sheaths, belted and over the knee; full New Look style skirts five inches past the knees, teamed with sweaters and blazers, a white floral blouse with pink and green, teamed with sharp grey Hepburn (as in Katherine) style trousers - very Faye Dunaway in "Network" - and a killer luxe pants look; a fuschia satin blouse teamed with grey lush trousers, and a full pale gray coat with a big fur shawl collars. These are serious clothes for very fun women.

Jason Wu Runway Fall 08 MBFW - Getty Images

TheClick at NY Fashion Week - Feb 3rd

Well, kids, here I am at NY Fashion Week, where the fall 08 collections have just kicked off, and we get to know the fall trends even before we buy one stitch of spring clothing! This is rather strange, but actually very helpful - because now you know what will last one season - and what will make it through at least two.

And there's a visual smorgasbord going on; there's clothes, there's boots, there's bags, there's hair and makeup (oh, the makeup!!!) - and then there's almost every chic fashion editor in the world prancing around NY in their finest finery.

The look on the street is still lots of black in still-gloomy February; black coats, black boots, black dresses. But it's the silhouttes and shapes that have shifted. The coats we're seeing on the street all have amazing shape; nipped in waists, full skirts, or low waists that suddenly flare out into mermaid shape. In fashion circles, they call it "fit n' flare." The boots are lower, close to the ankle, and folded over. And the bags are big and patent leather and are not on shoulders anymore - they're just too heavy, so fashionistas are swinging them to and fro.

And the runways? What I've seen in two days tells me clothes are growing up - finally. Gone are the babydoll dresses we've seen for yonks, and anything shapeless and loose. There is still the occassional mini - but it's got a jacket and tights with it now. Immediate trends I can tell you to get ready for; the return of brocades, the return of paisley, and the floral trend of spring sticks around for fall.