Stars & High Fashion Rule NYC Fashion Week

By Lisa Pool Content Manager | February 20, 2012 at 4:04 am | No comments | Fashion | Tags: celebrity, couture fashion, Dakota Fanning, Fashion Week, full figured, Jack McCollough, Julianne Moore, Mercedes Benz, MIck Jagger, Narcisco, NY Fashion Week, Queen Grace designer fashions, Rachel Zoe, Rodriguez, Tory Burch, Weekly Dish, Zac Posen

NYC Fashion Week closed on February 16 with mixed reviews and alot of celebrity sightings (Julianne Moore was stunning, Tory of course prim and proper, we wonder, is Rachel Zoe losing her hair? Dakota Fanning is really growing up and Mick Jagger is still hot at 60+ years old). Of all the reviews QG WD liked the takedown done by the Toronto News…

It’s customary to dissect fashion weeks according to trends. That’s the easiest way to tell people what’s going on in a cacophony of style sensibilities.

But in recent seasons, fashion has become so rife with diversity and innovation that a list of “what’s hot” isn’t right or relevant. Fashion’s dominant trend now is no trend at all.

Designers and the women they dress are engaged in a passionate love affair. It’s an intimate, romantic dialogue that reflects designers’ growing understanding of what women want and need.

A whopping 116 labels showed collections in New York with a healthy cross section; sure, some collections were similar: there was colour, digital prints, lots of leather, plenty of shine and sensational evening wear that left more to the imagination were just some of the recurring themes at play. But the word for the season — really, for the way we’re all dressing now — is eclecticism. That made for a joyful week.

“It’s really all about feeling cosy and sexy,” said Michael Kors, just before his show.

It’s about feeling rich, too. Stock in Kors’ company has more than doubled in price over the past two months. The realization that the company is now worth roughly $8 billion is mind-boggling. Maybe it’s no surprise: Kors was one of the first designers I met who was intent on listening to his customers. And among his many talents is his ability to put glamourous spins on classic items.

For fall, Kors showed lots of red and black buffalo checks and plaid. Capes and ponchos were perfect for cuddling up in front of a ski-chalet fire. A-line skirts and delicate lace skirts were paired with chunky sweaters and sleeveless pea coats. Fur coats and vests, leather trenches, tweed and herringbone added to the collection’s luxurious feel, while slinky, sparkly gowns and big furry bags created an air of decadent drama.

It’s hard to say what I found more impressive backstage at Oscar de la Renta: the sumptuous clothes hanging from the racks, or the legendary designer himself, who turns 80 this July yet remains as humble as he is creative.

Many garments featured large, digital prints of heirloom brooches and giant crystals. Inspiring plays on texture included rich, sparkling tweeds and fine Chantilly lace appliquéd on nude chiffon. Sporty little fur jackets and vests added luxury to a youthful collection, while pastel shades of soft pink and icy blue never looked so rich.

Zac Posen’s stellar collection was inspired by the time Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, spent living in Asia before moving to Britain. Geisha makeup and updos with spiky crests were dramatic, but the impeccable cuts of Posen’s gorgeous cocktail and evening wear speak volumes on their own. Body-conscious dresses in satin and brocade, dressy retro suits and breathtaking gowns told Posen’s story of sophisticated old world glamour. It’s easy to see why Tinseltown has embraced the talented designer.

Marc Jacobs paid homage to eccentricity with a collection that was spirited yet sophisticated. Fabrics were luxe, shapes sculptural and the hates — courtesy of British milliner Steven Jones — big and crazy. Pilgrim-style shoes with big crystal buckles anchored the whimsical looks. Jacob’s palette included rich shades of purple, green and red, but it was the black cocktail dresses that made the most elegant statement.

For his younger, more accessible Marc by Marc collection, Jacobs showed fuller, below-the-knee skirts in felt, lame and velvet. Flat little boots gave the look a combat feel. Plaid coats and a little plaid cape, print dresses, a leggy romper and trim tweed pants surfaced.

If the Marc Jacobs girls had a cool, wayward vibe, the age-defying Betsey Johnson delighted in giving her girls a sweet, upbeat direction and an enchanting history lesson. Her collection channelled the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, a spirited romp through some of pop fashion’s best moments. From a black and white windowpane check coat to a plaid cape to a pink and black striped pantsuit to great little tweed suits, Johnson’s eclectic pieces charmed, as did she.

Experimentation was key for Narciso Rodriguez, another designer passionate about pushing his own boundaries. His fall collection played with bonded fabrics to create exciting new patterns and textures. Rodriguez dished out voluminous, sculptural coats and slinky silk dresses in rich russet, tangerine and chartreuse. Fabrics folded and layered in imaginative, asymmetrical ways gave the collection a Japanese edge.

Exotic destinations have often informed Proenza Schouler collections. Designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez found inspiration in Bhutan and Everest. True to the duo’s spirit of experimentation, they attempted to create a collection without a trace of wool or cashmere. Their resulting black, cobalt and crimson garments were beautiful, with ties and zips used to hold some together. Matching boots and shoes completed many of the looks, with high and low chunky black boots lending a punky-chic edge.

Marchesa’s Georgina Chapman found inspiration in an 1878 plaiting. William Adolphe Bouguereaus’ “A Soul Brought to Heaven” might be esoteric, but Chapman her partner Karen Craig took romantic, spiritual imagery in that work of art and hit it out of the park with a collection of lighter than air dresses that took our breath away.

There were angelic wing-like embroideries and feather embellishments, some tucked under hemlines, in heavenly white and cream, gold, red and silver blue. My favourite dress: a cream tulle skirt with peacock-blue embroidery on its transparent mesh top.

High-end fantasy fashion aside, the best news about fall is that there will enough out there to satisfy everybody’s needs, and at affordable price points too.

J. Crew is positioning itself as one of the best mix-master labels in the business. The great little pieces that will update our wardrobe are only an online order away. For fall, J. Crew showed various fabrications, eye-popping colour and unusual pairing of separates. Judging from the brand’s spirited presentation, half the fun of fashion is simply mixing it all up.

As Jenna Lyons, the retailer’s president and creative director, says, “Styling is paramount. That’s what it’s all about.”

All we need now is a little encouragement and willingness to throw caution to the wind and experiment. This fall, tools and inspiration for that creative exercise will definitely be there. Queen Grace will be right there with you sharing all our latest spring arrive styles – stay tuned, summer frocks coming June 2012!