Archive for February, 2006
Key Takeaways: The final four designers of the popular reality show for fashion groupies each showcased a collection – but only three of them will be accounted for on the season’s finale. The standouts for each designer are as follows: Santino Rice: unexpected clean looks from the over-the-top designer; Daniel Vosovic: frosty looks of femininity; Kara Janx: suburban granola-eating bohemian; Chloe Dao: sexy society girl who actual has a career.
Color Palette: Santino Rice: Heavy use of browns accented with the occasional autumnal reds and blues; Daniel Vosovic: Blacks, whites, browns and grays glossed with subdued light blues; Kara Janx: very fall, but lighter: fun reds, oranges, browns kissed with sky blues; Chloe Dao: besides the regular use of neutrals – deep greens, endearing blues, and confident pinks.
Silhouettes: With all designers, there was an ongoing theme of high waists. Other than that…Santino Rice: the use of delicate fabrics accentuates the very feminine outlines, but still, there is a very dormant edge. Daniel Vosovic: a balanced look of straight lines and curvy forms – strong shouldered jackets reflect off of perfectly formed skirts, while the casual wear is smoothly straight. Kara Janx: very thoughtful use of the high waist – a nice mix of informal whimsy and feminine flowiness. The dresses and skirts cascade down the body, and her slim cut pant suits shadow the body to a tee. Chloe Dao: a wonderful mix of puffy sleeves and diversified tailoring emphasizes different body parts in the most endearing ways.
Accessories Report: Santino, despite using a cape here and a coat there, barely accessorized. On the other hand, Daniel V. included a quirky, yet stylish, figure 8-handled handbag with one of his pieces. Chloe didn’t have anything, but her pieces were strong. Kara had a topical beanie-hat thing with each piece that looked like an everlasting gobstopper.
What’s Wearable: Each designer brought something to the table – Santino’s dresses are luxurious pieces for day parties and cocktail soirees. Daniel clearly designed for the working woman. His coats stand out as key pieces – very technical, yet creative. He also showed this exquisite pleated white skirt that was like vanilla pudding – simply delicious. Kara had a good handful of mix and match, street-friendly pieces of blazers and slacks that weren’t over the top. Chloe’s nice prints and fine tailoring give women great day-to-evening wear. One of her best pieces was a pinkish skirt with a detailed pleat adorned on the bottom – very chic.
What’s Not Wearable: For the most part, nearly all the pieces in the collection are wearable – and that may pose a problem. There wasn’t a real sense of fashion-forwardness woven into these collections – Kara’s collection may be the closest thing. Nonetheless, Santino had this corset, puffy sleeved thing that looked like a Victorian S&M costume. Many of Daniel’s pieces were too Banana Republic and even though Kara’s was pretty forward, there was this layered dress that made the model look like a pregnant cupcake. As for Chloe (my money is on her for the win), she made this unflattering, baggy debutant dress – it was very pre-glamorous drug-addicted Courtney Love.
February 13th, 2006
Name: Jeenjoo
Found: 150 Post Street in front of H&M.
Style Philosophy: Don’t follow others. Wear what you want!
Wardrobe Staples: Hats, cargo/military pants.
Where I Shop: H&M, Club Monaco.
If I could save only one item from my closet it would be: Blue Jeans!
February 13th, 2006
Key Takeaways: A study in textures, shown almost exclusively in black. Key trends included: (1) sheer and solid fabrics combos, (2) chevron detailing, (3) bubble skirts, (4) hemlines at mid-calf, (5) fur detailing, (6) cutouts, and (7) long, thin scarves.
Color Palette: Black…and more black, with occasional splashes of red.
Silhouettes: 3/4 length jackets, high waisted styles, deep-v necklines, long sleeved styles, hemlines at mid-calf, bubble skirts, cutouts, and a lot of layering of sheers over solids.
Accessories Report: Thin belts with ingot hardware detailing, and long, thin, scarves.
What’s Wearable: We appreciated the concept of layering sheers over solids, but we found the execution lacking in most cases. Where it worked the best: a blazer with thin lapels over a sheer blouse and scarf over a bikini top (shown above). Another winner: the hip-length jacket with oversized collar and cuffs.
What’s Not Wearable: The super sheer outfits don’t leave enough to the imagination–I can see these being flagged down by the Fashion Police. The mid-calf length skirt lengths aren’t all that flattering either, save for the tallest of girls.
February 13th, 2006
Key Takeaways: Definitely not Vera’s best collection. She riffs on trends seen on the other runways: (1) high waisted styles, (2) bubble shapes, (3) a-line jackets, (4) sleeved styles, (5) chevron detailing, (6) long gloves, and (7) belts placed high on the torso.
Color Palette: Blacks, greys, browns, and blues.
Silhouettes: Silhouettes were all over the place–we saw high waisted styles, bubble skirts, long cardigans, wrap styles, short sleeved outfits, sheer draped dresses, oversized collars, 3/4 sleeved styles, a-line jackets, and dresses with pockets.
Accessories Report: High brimmed hats, belts placed high on the torso, long gloves, and a feather necklace.
What’s Wearable: We especially liked a classic black dress with a subtle bubble shaped skirt (shown above).
What’s Not Wearable: A yellow-green number with oddly-placed pleats, ruffles, and feathery straps.
February 13th, 2006
Photo Credit: NY Metro
Key Takeaways: This collection only reinforces why Zac Posen is one of the hottest new designers and why Sean “Diddy†Combs has a financial interest in the hip label. Swanky evening gowns demand the utmost attention, especially at the bottom where they drape dramatically. Zac has spiced up the traditional skirt suit, button-down white shirt, minidress, knit sweater, hooded sweatshirt, and tube top dress.
Color Palette: A Zac Posen girl would definitely not stand out because of her use of color. Every color used – navy blue, brown, black, ivory, white – is dimmed down.
Silhouettes: Zac takes the term wide and makes it even bigger. Long dresses are slim at the bodice and extremely baggy at the base. The classic white button-down shirt has been also expanded in the arms. Pantsuits are tailored close to the body and have slightly high shoulders. A Tarzan-style dress, cropped jackets, and high waists are also present.
Accessories Report: Leather belts, mini clutches, knit caps perched at the back of the head, and satchel-style bags made noise on the runway.
What’s Wearable: The jackets, pantsuits, and some simple dresses are worthy of sporting.
What’s Not Wearable: The wide-bottomed evening gowns are a bit too fancy even for the Oscars, while white shirt with large sleeves is too theatrical for non-actresses.
February 13th, 2006
Photo Credit: NY Metro
Key Takeaways: Fur is everywhere in this collection, and it serves as outerwear, trimming, and collars. Fur coats show up both long and cropped and are two-toned. Dramatic dresses were also prevalent, most long and movable.
Color Palette: Everything from black, blue, yellow, brown, fuchsia, off-white, green, and silver.
Silhouettes: Most pieces, especially the gowns, don’t cling to the body. There were many spaghetti-strapped short dresses, oversized coats, skirt suits, and an occasional tight trouser.
Accessories Report: Leggings made their comeback. Gloves and clutch purses also were seen. Some models carried (yes, carried) pashmina scarves. Long and thin silver necklaces had a pencil-thin silver object at the base. Arm warmers were also in sight.
What’s Wearable: The fur coats will keep anyone cozy on a chilly night. Many of the skirt suits can double as office and going-out wear. Only a handful of the dresses could pass as cocktail-wear.
What’s Not Wearable: A tiered lace shrug looks more like a peacock’s wings than an article of clothing. White tube dresses with a strap extending from one shoulder to the back of the neck looked like an Easter Sunday dress gone bad. Sure, it’s innovative for the runway, but doesn’t translate well into the streets.
February 13th, 2006
Photo Credit: NY Metro
Key Takeaways: Phi has taken the shoulder pad to a whole new level. Instead of sitting straight on the shoulder like most of them do, this collection’s exaggerated shoulders make the model’s sporting the blazers and coats look as if they are shrugging their shoulders. Alongside the black, Phi has fused patterns that are busy yet serious.
Color Palette: Mostly black, with white, green, and purple patterns.
Silhouettes: We see more knee-length flowy dresses than we do trousers. Although the dresses are loose, they give more of a night vibe with their puffy sleeves and collars.
Accessories Report: Black lace-up boots paired with dresses mean business. A black leather handbag held from the bulky strap is simple but has a strong presence.
What’s Wearable: The exaggerated shoulder may be dissonant to the ears of those who despise shoulder pads, but this look is very subtle and can be worn on fancy occasions. The black trousers are comfortable and loose: perfect for work. A black knee-length coat with white trimming and large buttons is also suitable for work and going out.
What’s Not Wearable: Some of the asymmetrical patterns and matronly silhouettes are too loud for the streets. Some look like they belong on “A Little House on the Prairie†cast members. One royal purple skirt suit might even be too conservative for a nun.
February 13th, 2006
Photo Credit: NY Metro
Key Takeaways: Vivienne Tam has once again created a modern fusion of East and West dressing.
Color Palette: Black wool, grey herringbone, leopard fur, electric blue, plum, purple and cream.
Silhouettes: Blouses, skirts and jackets emblazoned with the signature VT logo; fur-trimmed, belted sheath dresses; frocks topped with sequined dragon patterns; fitted wool skirt suits.
Accessories Report: Hair pulled half-back into severe buns, black hosiery and gold, chain-link purses.
What’s Wearable: Trench coats constructed out of traditional Asian floral jacquards.
What’s Not Wearable: A plush black coat that would likely serve better as a bathroom rug.
February 12th, 2006
Photo Credit: NY Metro
Key Takeaways: In addition to the expected black-tie gowns and fur coats, Gilles Mendel attempted to add more of an urban look to his collection with pieces like leather jacquard jackets and knit skullcaps.
Color Palette: Black, pewter, slate grey, garnet, plum, burgundy, brown, taupe, aubergine, gold, off-white.
Silhouettes: Cocktail dresses hemmed in fur; leather jacquard coats; wrap dresses with a sheer chiffon trim; tiered column dresses, long, kimono-style dresses with sheer lantern sleeves.
Accessories Report: Knit skull caps, leather and suede gloves, knee-high boots, black-rimmed eyes, a complete absence of jewelry.
What’s Wearable: Our favorite J. Mendel dress was a flowy, silver silk column dress gathered at the bust as a lopsided bow.
What’s Not Wearable: The odd-looking and pointless fur-hemmed cocktail dresses. Why not wear a fabulous fur coat instead?
February 12th, 2006
Photo Credit: NY Metro
Key Takeaways:
Pamella Roland has mastered the art of seductive formalwear. Her new
collection is sure to make more than a few appearances on the red
carpet.
Color Palette: Typical eveningwear colors–black,
chocolate brown, bronze, winter white, cream, grey, burgundy,
and navy–some in monotone jacquard or multicolored paisley prints.
Silhouettes: Plunging
V necklines anchored with satin bows, strapless sweetheart necklines,
high-waisted mermaid skirts, fur-trimmed leather jackets, and
wide lapel collars on everything from a tie-waist
wool jacket to a paisley-print brocade coat.
Accessories Report: Wide belts with large buckles; sporty squarish shades; berry lips and smoky eyes.
What’s Wearable:
A halter top with a ruffled keyhole neckline is the perfect change of pace for nighttime.
What’s Not Wearable: A floor-sweeping, hooded black fur coat, unless you want to look like black bear.
February 12th, 2006
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