What better than to look at India and its vibrant colors, enbroidery and its love of gold embellishments. For this spring Marchesa's Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig took a look at this country and really embraced its glory. They also cited the Sixties, when the Beatles turned to the Maharishi for their spiritual guru, as their inspiration.
Chapman and Craig approached India which was inspiring yet was a touch too literal. Draped dresses with elaborate adornments, saris, and midriff-exposing ghagra choli were shown and it was expected that some Bollywood musical would take place.
The collection did have its high points for sure. Many pieces were exquisite. One of which was a languid, white draped gown worn with gold embroidered illusion tights and the last dress in silver embroidery.
There is no mistake that Marchesa is supreme in eveningwear. It has an established reputation in high fashion and today anyone knows Marchesa and what it stands for. Beautiful clothes.
Kate and Laura Mulleavy that make up Rodarte, made up a wonderful collection that had a quality of dark mixed with romantic that looked dynamic, powerful and sexy. Kink seemed to be channeled as well. "Its not subdued at all," said Laura a few days before the show. "Its about medieval play and role-playing games." Sounds good to me.
There were references to armored warriors and perhaps road warriors. The wonderful thing about this show is that there was a wonderful mixture of beauty that celebrated femininity and its strength, which was perfect. Short, strapless dresses shown layered over tight, printed turtlenecks had bodices shaped like partial octagons that jutted away from the body like a breastplate.
Waistlines were embellished in chains and corset like metal embroidery were on long fluid skirts that were less aggressive and more romantic. There were some biker bitch influences which were fabulous in leather. This includes lace-up pants and quilted jackets with ample fringe and colorful silk trim.
The silhouettes that were dominant were short, structured dresses, boxy tops worn over skinny pants.
The mixture of textiles and construction showed that there was a lot of handwork. An example of this is the guipere lace that worked like chain mail and the woven jaquards and brocades. All this and more are the marvelous touches that make Rodarte recognized as smart, intelligent and creative designers.
Michael Kors looked at architectural geniuses Lautner and Neutra funneling their geometric bravado through his own optimistic viewpoint. "We're West coast dreaming," he said in a preview. In other words he expressed a burst of graphic zest with bold color statements and the blue sky was an optimistic presence on photo printed pants.
Kors opened with a girl-guy pair both in striped sweaters, hers a red-and-navy bodysuit, paired with a crisp, zipped-to-the-waist gaberdine skirt. This led into a great line up that was done with class and had a confidence in the way geometrics and colors were blended with each other.
Shifts in primary colors were fresh, color blocked dresses popped, a swimsuit in bold stripes, red and navy on top, green and navy on bottom were audacious. The sporty lady looks were mostly sleek, structured coats, suits, and dresses in bright white and brighter solids (red, green, canary yellow).
At night it all got quiet with a trio of classy, sexy black crepe gowns with tastefully done cut outs.
This is a collection that was clean and polished and had a nice twist to what classic and modern American sportwear and only Michael Kors can do it well.
A fantastical collection for spring! The lights dimmed at Avery Fisher Hall terrace and Etta James' "Sunday Kind of Love" started to play and created a romantic mood in the air. The collection presentation for spring by Zac Posen begins.
Several looks displayed this romanticism which began with pretty day dresses such as a muted floral silk and chiffon one and a pleated rose-print style cinched at the waist. Posen continues the rose inspiration in a beautiful embroidery on a navy bustier worn with a long satin skirt.
In the past Posen would get carried away, but this time he really reigned it in and did keep things a bit light. His more elaborate gowns were a feast for the eyes and displayed an extravagance of modern elegance. There were just a couple of gowns that leaned more on a too extravagant side. The finale tiered ballgown worn by Coco Rocha was one of those that were one of them yet it was beautifully designed and constructed.
Zac Posen has a great eye for smart draping and sharp construction and he is great in creating silhouettes that exude power, sensuality, elegance and modern class. Overall the designs were impeccable and I am certain that spring welcomes his entire collection with open arms!
An energetic spring collection that is sportswear on steroids. The line up was sophisticated, tasteful, powerful and relaxed. Alexander Wang is a dynamic designer who never runs out of ideas which are always in motion and get to be expressed with a passionate energy.
This minimalist sport collection had "hockey jerseys" worn over tailored shorts that came in skinny or bermuda styles. Wang created the collection mostly in black and white. There were some shots of beige leather and grays. The silhouette was more spare and crisp, in stark cotton and exotics, such as karung snakeskin, than previous iterations yet nothing was plain.
Wang said that austerity was a focus when it came to structure and volume. He played with the idea of suspension and tension through embroidery techniques. Garments were sliced up and tacked back together with a fishing-line type of thread, creating bare strips. Precise pieces of fabrics were cut and sewn into the shape of a croc spine down the back of a shirt, which Wang likened to a graphic eyelet effect. One of the most interesting treatments was the bugle bead embroidery done on the vertical, in a pattern that imitated crocodile skin in 3-D.
There were boyish cuts charged with a racy undercurrent. The sexual energy was turned up high with curvy dresses such as the silver embroidered V-neck dress with a slit up each thigh. Shoes were banded up to the knee tying in with the suspension-dissection motif.
The finale was presented with nine models, all acid blonde dressed in ivory variations of looks that have already been shown. They took their places on the cement runway. The lights went down and the clothes which were glow in the dark, lit up.
This is Alexander Wang in his element. He continues to dazzle and is notably a darling in New York's fashion world with his creative abilities. Keep it going, Alexander!
Carolina Herrera expressed "lightness" and "fluidity," the buzzwords in her spring show notes. There was a concentration on slim silhouettes with some light and fluid fabrics like chiffon, organza, tulle, organza and georgette, which all achieved her goal.
An ivory crepe halter dress with a cowl neckline and a white gown column gown done in tonal jacquards with a caped shoulder were a couple of examples of simplicity which was one of the element in the collection. They were quite light and beautiful.
There was a variation of an abstract print in some strange combinations of pastels with flashes of orange and black. There were also some odd pairings of polished jackets and flounced silk shorts. These clothes seem to be a bit confusing because they were not going hand in hand with Herrera's breezy designs which were elegant. These were pin tucked and embroidered.
Some results were lace shirt dresses, sheer and cut below the knee, and some white numbers with great touches of gold embellishments.
Although this collection had a bit of a confusing moments, Carolina Herrera always has the touch of elegance in all her designs. It is always a pleasure to witness and enjoy.
Donna Karan created a breathtaking collection for this spring season. This was a turn around from the men's wear tailoring for fall. This time the romantic Donna was a real treat with mesmerizing colors cold-dyed to feign nature
Her exquisite pieces in muted hues set the tone. The folded jackets over full skirts, and empire silhouettes, such as the oyster linen and jersey dress and jacket that opened the show were some examples. It was all beautiful as everything else that followed.
Karan played with volume via construction. A gorgeous transparent georgette dress almost cascaded down from a stricter jersey bralike top.
Evening was stunning. Karan draped several beautiful dresses. There was a sea foam embroidered and sequined dress that just floated by like an under water creature. All so elegantly rendered.
This collection served to mask Karan's perfect sense of control. So sublime was it that almost every piece was elaborately constructed, draped, tiered and tweaked and gave an overall effect that remained poetically beautiful. Donna Karan still remains a great American designer who really knows how to design for any woman. How can any woman not resist??
Vera Wang has been making sure that her natural aesthetic, which is artistic, is more commercially savvy. She did a wonderful job in doing so. For this spring she looked at India for inspiration and the result was beautiful. White, moody colors and some rich embellishments were added to create stunners.
The body conscious silhouette that Wang was committed to was kept interesting and had a freshness that was on the cusp of eccentric.
Wang started the show with whites, that included curvy jackets over voluminous skirts incorporating intricate tonal soutache treatments. This was indeed refreshing but once the colors came out it lifted Wang up some more.
The wonderful deep blue, purple and dark green had a certain mystery. The short, off the shoulder dresses with bell sleeves were very charming and the lace sheaths with intensely jeweled medallions at the waist were magnificent.
What Vera Wang is capable of is that she is versatile and always coming up with designs that are extremely fresh and modern and most of all super elegant. That is the Vera Wang stamp.
Joseph Altuzarra knew that the stakes were high this time around. What he came up for this spring 2013 season was a fine collection that was sophisticated, full of form fitting shapes, strong with draping and embroidery that had a great Parisian flair.
Altuzarra was inspired by the movie "Orlando." Its hero, in a quest for eternal youth, travels through British history, existing as both a man and a woman for centuries. He picked up on the traveling gender crossing spirit from the first few men's wear-inspired looks. a rail-road stripe cotton coat with arm vents with a contrasting pencil skirt, and a striped patchwork dress that seemed, as he put it "a little Oshkoshy."
Altazurra created fabulous harem pants with reworked Art Deco prints and mixed them with other fabrics, such as in a slim dress with a shirt top and a patterned skirt. Their were some great exotic touches that is Morrocan with gold fringe spiraling around skirts.
The finale of the elaborately draped, embroidered and fringed scarf dresses were knock outs.
The collection was young, modern and elegant with details and touches that were unique and chic which all showed what Altuzarra is capable of.
You can always count on Diane von Furstenberg to design clothes that will make a woman feel sexy, feminine and elegant. We all know when von Furstenberg's story began as a princess. "I became a princess, then it was on to Rome to Marrakesh to Jaipur - to all of that." The princess moment in her life served as this season's inspiration for her collection which involved many pretty colors, bold prints and a great amount of embellishment.
Working with creative director Yvan Mispelaere, she layered several dresses over pants, including a draped one-shoulder version with trousers in the same colorful print, and linear navy halter dress over fluid orange pants. An example of her many adorned pieces is a suit with a top in little metal spheres. Glamorous were the draped blouses with billowing sleeves and palazzo pants. "She is a rebel princess who dresses up, but at the same time she can't wait to sneak out clubbing," von Furstenberg said.
That sounds like her back n the day as a princess. Good for you Diane!
This is a dedication to delicatesse by Elie Saab. He celebrated it so nicely by creating designs that offered a light and graceful mood by exploring degrees of transparency. Saab sprinkled his signature crystalline embroideries across fragile tulle and airy crinoline dresses, in hourglass and fishtail columns, and on new flaring Fifties shapes.
Everything was kept in a pale palette of ivory, pinks, icy blues and hot coral and spots of black. There were areas that were free of embroidery providing a clear view of the shoulders which were the designer's favorite body part of the season. Dense embroideries were clustered around the waists and trickled down to the hem of the skirts.
This collection is such a delightful display, full of wonderful confections that are perfect for the red carpet or for any other special occasion. One should not miss out in getting a dress that is an Elie Saab creation. The perfection of these dresses are most admirable because they speak of light and grace and delicatesse.
Within the space of the Grand Palais there were unseen birds singing in the dense forest of oak trees and pines. Wide plank steps led to the circular amphitheater within. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is the perfect inspiration for the guideline of this collection. Shakespeare would be quite amused, I'm sure. Karl Lagerfeld hit the note of haute in haute couture this season with a magnificent collection for Chanel. Clothes exquisite as can be with the usual craftsmanship of the petits mains that only can execute such high quality work with such finish that is perfection.
The setting was romantic and had an underlying mystery. Models wore piles of falling chiffon leaves in their hair and their eyes were encircled with feathered lashes. The standout for this line up was a message that Lagerfeld gave to make a point and that is: framed shoulders. This was a recurring theme in the collection and done in many different ways. Lagerfeld said "It brings life to the face." Exquisite tailored looks opened the show which included a pretty group of pale ribbon tweeds and a black dress with an embroidered yoke and collar.
Not only was there a focus on the framed shoulder but there was a diversity in the line up as well. Most of the day looks - like those beautiful ribbon tweeds - were short with volume, yet out came a trio of looks that had skirts falling to mid-calf.
Evening was quite a fest. Lagerfeld continued to do the shoulder thing as well with floral fluffiness on sleeves, a flurry of white flowers on a black sheath. There were some dense floral embroideries on some structured confections that intended to look like prints and were quite precise in its workmanship.
The finale looked like a dreamy story that was told. A pair of cutaway feathered beauties, one pink, one dusty green, worn with black leather gauntlets and boots came out. Following that were twin brides that looked delicate and diaphanous in aged white gowns and a ring bearer (Lagerfeld's godson). This is shown as gay marriage is being debated fiercely in France right now.
Why not now? The world has changed significantly and it is changing fiercely now. So why not now? It is the perfect time. Especially if you have the right dress and feel graceful especially when it comes from Chanel!
Valentino creative team Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli came up with an astonishing collection. There were some fine touches like the spaghetti-like embroideries coiled on coats and dresses. There was a model that stepped out in a black, birdcage-like cape made out of fabric tubes and the entire audience broke out in a spontaneous applause. Chiuri and Piccioli celebrated the feminine with grace and demonstrated intoxicating haute couture craftsmanship and beauty.
The cuts were precision and resolutely modern. Suits and coats were structured and conveyed a futuristic gloss doing away of any prim and proper air of what a suit is thought to be. One beautiful long sleeved gown was made in a glossy wool of a blush faint rose and had almost no detail but a high bud-like neckline and fabric just opening like petals in the back.
Going beyond flowers these designers created labyrinths on a Fifties skirt in strips of lace and dresses that would be exquisite statements for the spring. Beautiful embroidery depicts the spring season and it is all done poetically.
According to the program notes, it took 600 hours in the atelier on a dress that has a frothy bustier, with a skirt of black tulle with an outline of silvery birds flurrying against the sky. Piccioli and Chiuri wished to convey the lightness and the beauty of a garden, forgetting the labor that goes into creating the pieces.
Valentino Garavani embraced his two successors showing that they are continuing his fashion legacy. What a long way they have come! They deserve to have many, many flowers thrown to them.
According to Jean Paul Gaultier "It feels like a new beginning." He has many reasons to feel that way, including his recently signed deal with Gibo Co. SpA to again produce his women's ready-to-wear (the designer launched with Gibo 32 years ago). The couture collection he showed suggested an impressive creative refresh as well. Gaultier decided to be taken seriously while creating designs that made him a star in the first place.
Indian Gypsies helped Gaultier to manifest his collection for spring season. He stayed away from the cartoonish and gimmicky to convey the message of haute couture. Plenty of elegance flowed down the runway. A beautiful one shouldered black and white dress that celebrated the signature Gaultier sailor stripes was an example.
A calmer side of Gaultier was expressed as well with a voluminous white tunic and pants and a shantung trench over a sating gown. Yet there was a burst of color through lavish embroideries and patchwork that have the power to gather joyful attention. A stunner was a gold gown with black transparent insets topped with a vest of gold and black fringe and a crystal embroidered skirt that put an Indian spin on Mondrian.
Gaultier continued to add his signatures like the trench, the smoking, cone bra as well in subdued ways. What is a Jean Paul Gaultier collection without them anyways? I think we would be somewhat bored and it is always great to see so many different versions of them. Especially from Gaultier.
Stéphane Rolland has once again created a colleciton that is absolutely full of artwork that is unique, smooth and clean. A dreamlike quality always seem to be the aura in all of his designs. This season he decided to be more monocharamtic and the Palais de Tokyo contemporary art museum was the perfect place to show this collection. Some of these designs may be worn at the Cannes Film Festival this year. I am sure that Paz Vega, who was sitting in the front row, will wear one of the gowns with a dramatic fishtail. Many of Rolland's designs will be great for editorials for sure.
There were more structured pieces that were perfect to wear for some use and would make an amazing statement like a black trouser suit with stiff ruffles running across both sleeves. For the finale the oldest model in the world and yet a striking beauty, Carmen, came out in a beautiful white number with a flowing cape that made her look ravishing with her white hair pulled back.
Stéphane Rolland is one of a kind and so are his designs. Haute Couture has been good for him and he has been wonderful with Haute Couture. He is never a loss for design and concept. He is a wonderful talent and that is all there is in his being.
What can be said for Alexandre Vauthier? What came to mind for his spring couture collection was the word "tuxedo". It all started very strong when the first look opened the show. The line up was sleek, elegant and had a touch of glamour that came in forms of clean-cut tuxedos and satin catsuits that were lightly draped. Straight cut pants were topped with rich mink tops with bare backs.
It was all going fabulously until some evening gowns and dresses came out that were exposing a boob here and a boob there and was neither functional nor chic-fully done. Alexandre Vaultier lost his restraint and just did not finish strong. The end just had no appeal whatsoever. If there was a bit more fabric then there would be something to be left for the imagination and a lady can feel like a lady.
