Posts filed under 'Runway Reviews'
Photo Credit: NY Magazine
Key Takeaways: For Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, Spring 2008 is all about the waist. Belts circled the natural waistlines of the primitive, yet refined tribal-inspired collection. Key looks included: vest-over-vest layering, oversized collars, short short skirts, the kimono sleeve, and the belt.
Color Palette: Upon a palette of blacks, whites, tans, and greys, the collection reached out to golden olive, a primal red, and metallics–gold leaf and a green tinged silver. Small geometric prints worked to create a tribal feel to the collection.
Silhouettes: The military-tinged Proenza Schouler silhouette centers on the waistline and the legs. Short skirts, high heels, and the belt placed at the natural waistline combine to create the illusion of two-mile-long legs. Key classifications included: the short short skirt, the vest, the poufy skirt, the kimono sleeve, the oversized collar, and the belt.
Accessories Report: Round oversized sunglasses, belts sitting at the nautral waist, and cavalry hats from milliner Albertus Swanepoel.
What’s Wearable: The vest-over-vest layering is great for short-waisted women, as it visually elongates the torso. And the belt at the waistline works wonders for women with boyish figures, as it helps to create that waistline.
What’s Not Wearable: Short short skirts are tough for those with less-than-perfect legs. And be careful with the gold leaf garments. They’re beautiful, yes, but oh-so-hard to wear–for your figure and your pocketbook.
Previous Proenza Schouler Fashion Week Coverage from Omiru:
Fall 2007 Fashion Week Runway Review: Proenza Schouler
Spring 2007 Fashion Week Runway Review: Proenza Schouler
Fall 2006 Fashion Week Runway Review: Proenza Schouler
Spring 2006 Fashion Week Runway Review: Proenza Schouler
September 9th, 2007
Photo Credit: Dan Lecca for Mercedez Benz
Key Takeaways: Inspired by ancient Rome, Vera Wang’s Spring 2008 collection was as notable for its draping and loose silhouette as it was for not neatly fitting into Spring 2008’s bucket of trends. Key points from Vera’s collection included draping, pleating, a dropped waistline, and artfully controlled volume.
Color Palette: Felt more like Fall than Spring, with blacks, browns, and olives accented by royal blue, dusky pink, and bronze.
Silhouettes: Silhouettes were cut loose, though the volume was often anchored at one point on the dress–be it the waistline or the shoulder. Draping and pleating, along with the dropped waistline, befit the ancient Roman theme of the collection. Classifications included tunics, bubble hemmed tops, column dresses, and drapey togas.
Accessories Report: Ornate, blocky tiled necklaces adorned the models’ necks.
What’s Wearable: The best pieces in the collection were, as expected, Vera’s eveningwear. Of note was a beautifully draped chiffon floor-length gown, black in front, and a yellow-olive in back.
What’s Not Wearable: Be careful with all-over metallics and satins–as they’re unforgiving on the figure.
Previous Vera Wang Fashion Week Coverage from Omiru:
Spring 2007 Fashion Week Runway Review: Vera Wang
Fall 2006 Fashion Week Runway Review: Vera Wang
Spring 2006 Fashion Week Runway Review: Vera Wang
September 9th, 2007
Photo Credit: Dan Lecca for Mercedes Benz
Key Takeaways: Easy-to-wear combinations of skirts, blouses, sweaters, and dresses in vivid shades of preppy pinks, greens, and corals. Key trends included: mini dresses, maxi dresses, square shaped jackets, dresses with pockets, and colorblocking.
Color Palette: Building on a neutral palette, the collection alternated between preppy greens and pinks, noble greys, corals, and blues.
Silhouettes: Dresses, dresses, dresses. Mini dresses, maxi dresses, tunic dresses, shirtdresses, tulip skirt dresses, sheath dresses, and even smock-like dropped waist dresses. While dresses dominated the collection, skirts also made a strong showing. Of note were the prairie-style tops and skirts, skirts and dresses with pockets, and the square shaped jackets.
Accessories Report: Minimal. Models sported sandal shoes befitting the light, fluid collection.
What’s Wearable: A square shaped jacket over a day dress is always chic. You also can’t go wrong with a dress with pockets.
What’s Not Wearable: Mid-calf length skirts and dresses are difficult to wear.
Previous Cynthia Steffe Fashion Week Coverage from Omiru:
Fall 2007 Fashion Week Runway Review: Cynthia Steffe
Spring 2007 Fashion Week Runway Review: Cynthia Steffe
Spring 2007 Backstage Interview: Cynthia Steffe
Fall 2006 Fashion Week Runway Review: Cynthia Steffe
September 7th, 2007
Photo Credit: Dan Lecca for Mercedes Benz
Key Takeaways: Steven Cox and Daniel Silver of Duckie Brown are firm believers that menswear can be exciting and colorful. While their looks are fairly wearable, their flirtation with color and pattern show their sense of humor–and style. Spring 2008 merged the athletic with the preppy, with key trends including the just-above-the-knee short, 70s style pointed collars, the cotton trenchcoat, and an emphasis on formality with the three piece suit.
Color Palette: Experimenting with shine, Cox and Silver played with shiny satins–and what appears to be gold lamé. A neutral palette of creamy whites, tans, greys, and black was splashed with color: bright reds, oranges, and yellows. Loud, colorful floral prints also creeped their way into the collection.
Silhouettes: Key looks included the just-above-the-knee short, button-down shirts with 70s style exaggerated pointed collars, cotton trenchcoats, and the 3 piece suit (echoing Fall 2007’s return to formality). Preppy looks included blazers with shorts and the three-piece suits. Athletic looks included a just-stepped-off-the-court wifebeater paired with shorts and a gauzy grey hooded sweater. Trousers were more accurately described as slacks, with their loose fit, while the shorts were cut with a slimmer fit. Most jackets were oversized and sack shaped, but Duckie Brown featured a couple of slim-cut styles: a shrunken blazer and a motocross jacket.
Accessories Report: Duckie Brown’s signature accessory: colorful, striped socks. Cox and Silver also showed beanie hats, sneakers, and patent leather loafers.
What’s Wearable: The just-above-the-knee short is a winner, as are the splashes of color from the accessories.
What’s Not Wearable: Forget about the flowery pants. We’re going to pretend we didn’t just see that.
Previous Duckie Brown Fashion Week Coverage from Omiru:
Fall 2007 Fashion Week Runway Review: Duckie Brown
Spring 2007 Fashion Week Runway Review: Duckie Brown
Fall 2006 Fashion Week Runway Review: Duckie Brown
Spring 2006 Fashion Week Runway Review: Duckie Brown
September 6th, 2007
Photo Credit: NY Magazine
Key Takeaways: Vena Cava’s Spring 2008 collection vacillated between the 1930s and the 1970s, with classic depression-era silhouettes (think: drapey bias cuts and nipped in waists) interspersed with styles of the 70s (think: empire waistlines, the mini, and the maxi). Key trends included high-waisted pants and skirts, emphasis on the waistline, the minidress, the maxi dress, belts, ruffles, and the color purple.
Color Palette: Neutrals with shorts of yellow-green, seafoam, dusky rose, and shades of purple.
Silhouettes: Bottoms were high-waisted and were loosely cut for a voluminous look. Ruffled louses and tie-neck tops followed suit with the volume theme, while belts provided a counterpart to the volume and defined the waistline. Dresses largely fell under either the mini or maxi category, but 30s style knee-length dresses also made an appearance. Vena Cava’s jackets were either cut cropped (often with elbow-length sleeves) or long and sleeveless.
Accessories Report: Belts played a key role in Vena Cava’s collection–of note were the thin, drapey, multistranded belts. Tights replaced leggings for Spring.
What’s Wearable: Favorite pieces include a seafoam green blouse with an asymmetrical gather at the neckline and an art deco style black column dress. The perfect casual chic look? A white, empire-waist minidress paired with an olive cropped closureless jacket.
What’s Not Wearable: Maxi dresses aren’t inherently unwearable, but they’re tough to pull off without looking like you just walked out of the 70s. Same goes for the drapey palazzo-style pants.
Previous Vena Cava Fashion Week Coverage from Omiru:
Backstage Interview with Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock of Vena Cava
Spring 2007 Fashion Week Runway Review: Vena Cava
September 6th, 2007
Photo Credit: Dan Lecca for Mercedes Benz
Key Takeaways: Distinctly nautical, with a casual beach town vibe. Textures and fabrics, rather than silhouette, were key to this collection.
Color Palette: Sunset colors–yellows and flashes of orange–accompanied a palette of muted neutrals. Shades of brown and tan were seen alongside creams, greys, and "sail" white. Patterns included horizontal stripes (a dominant theme) and plaids.
Silhouettes: Knee-length shorts, thin lightweight sweaters, turtlenecks, beachy linen pants, cuffed trousers, hoodies, and loosely fitted blazers.
Accessories Report: Deck shoes, white sneakers, and big sunglasses.
What’s Wearable: We love the casual chic of a loosely fitted cardigan and plain white tee over knee-length shorts. Style points for men who layer textures: knit sweaters and hoodies over woven button-down shirts–or under sack-shaped blazers.
What’s Not Wearable: Don’t try the plaid short shorts at home. Ditto for the see-through sweaters.
Previous Perry Ellis Fashion Week Coverage from Omiru:
Fall 2007 Fashion Week Runway Review: Perry Ellis
Spring 2007 Fashion Week Runway Review: Perry Ellis
Spring 2006 Fashion Week Runway Review: Perry Ellis
September 6th, 2007
By Priyanka Ghosh and Julie Gulfer
Key Takeaways: Munthe plus Simonsen’s use of leather, lace and chiffon made for a collection that exuded urban femininity. Key trends included: pleated skirts, the china neck collar, luxe sweaters, the military jacket, and ruffles. And true to their roots, Munthe plus Simonsen featured copious amounts of ethnic detailing and bohemian prints.
Color Palette: Can we say blue? Peacock, navy, indigo, azure and turquoise were complemented by black and charcoal.
Silhouettes: Big over small: Lacy Renaissance style blouses over black skinny pants in leather and denim and slim knee-length shorts. Big over big: Airy puffy sleeved caftans over sagging wide leg trousers and calf-length pleated asymmetrical skirts.
Accessories Report: Black leather galore—thigh high boots, newsboy caps, long gloves and wide wrap-around belts. Also of note was the short boy-cut hair on all of the models.
What’s Wearable: We loved the collection of loose flirty tops, from simple monochrome satin blouses to intricately embroidered tunics and caftans. The subtly tailored floaty fabric flatters women of all shapes.
What’s Not Wearable: The calf-length pleated skirts in stiff fabrics enlarged the hips and managed to make the lithe models look boxy and frumpy. And while we liked the relaxed style of the wide leg trousers, we do not recommend sagging them from the hips.
March 11th, 2007
By Priyanka Ghosh and Julie Gulfer
Key Takeaways: The title of this Mads Nørgaard show was Speak Up, and the theme was that “what you wear should support you in your ways and beliefs.†This 80s and 90s inspired collection stayed true to its theme with a range of provocative statement-making fashion geared towards the liberal-minded urban youth of Europe. Key trends included: the mini skirt, logo tees, mock-neck and turtleneck collars, color blocking and off-the-shoulder tops.
Color Palette: Three color schemes dominated: (1) Basic black, white and grey, (2) Bright primary colors of yellow, blue, green and red, and (3) Metallics.
Silhouettes: In a fashion week characterized by volume and layering, Mads Nørgaard’s collection felt pointedly slim and sleek. Straight hip-hugging mini skirts were paired with seamless mock-neck zip jackets. Snug long-sleeved cotton tunics were slipped on over neon leggings and tights. Light jersey knit sweatshirts worn off the shoulder were worn with high-waisted patent leather skinny pants.
Accessories Report: Leggy models strutted down the runway in short skirts and tight tops, while their necks and heads were covered in the politically charged black hijab veil. This accessory demanded that the audience acknowledge the undeniable intersection between fashion and politics. Other accessories included leg warmers, ski caps and scarves tied around the neck in a bandit-like fashion.
What’s Wearable: We adored the black jersey tunic worn with one sleeve off the shoulder, as the off-the-shoulder style can elongate even the shortest of necks.
What’s Not Wearable: Steer clear of the neon yellow and orange spandex tights, as they are liable to super-size legs and thighs.
March 11th, 2007
By Priyanka Ghosh and Julie Gulfer
Key Takeaways: Clean lines and soft fabrics made for a very wearable collection. Elise Gug’s conservative yet chic collection is reminiscent of the innocent elegance of young Audrey Hepburn (down to her signature up do). The monochromatic collection featured key trends of cashmere knits, quilted top coats, tapered trousers, and pencil skirts in lightweight silk taffeta.
Color Palette: Black and chocolate, along with earth tones—brown, tan, beige, sandy taupe and some burnt orange—dominated the runway. Soft heather grey also made an appearance.
Silhouettes: Sleek, tailored pieces such as slim cut, straight legged trousers and high-waisted pleated skirts contrasted with breezy lightweight dresses and loose fitting A-line winter coats. We also took note of the collection of black evening gowns with voluminous skirts and cinched waists accented by oversized sash-tie bows.
Accessories Report: Mufflers and gloves with dark fur trim and neutral colored pashminas acknowledged the cold autumn temperatures of Scandinavia. We also spotted chunky-heeled platform boots and skinny belts in worn black and brown leather.
What’s Wearable: We loved Elise Gug’s collection of loosely belted jersey dresses with natural waistlines. Gug’s dresses hug the right curves without clinging to the wrong ones. The loose three-quarter length sleeves hide large arms, while the U collar flatters the neckline.
What’s Not Wearable: While the plunging, v-shaped backs on the evening gowns looked exquisite on the models, this revealing cut requires women to have uber-toned backs with blemish free skin and flawless posture.
March 10th, 2007
By Priyanka Ghosh and Julie Gulfer
Key Takeaways: Inwear’s Autumn 2007 collection explored the dichotomous nature of femininity. The Inwear woman is strong and sexy sporting menswear that boldly outlines her curves, while soft and sensual wearing sheer blouses and frilly skirts. Key trends included: plaid bottoms and outerwear, sweater jackets, laser cut detailing, lace, and geometric patterns.
Color Palette: Lots of black, along with somber grey, purple, navy and burgundy
Silhouettes: Silhouettes were sculpted and ranged from slim to voluminous. Precisely tailored power suits created a long and lean look perfect for the office. Belted knit cardigans were worn over high-waisted pencil skirts with sexy front-center slits. Evening wear consisted of slinky knee-length sheaths in rich silk and satin along with lace-trimmed 50s style poodle skirt dresses.
Accessories Report: Patent leather ankle boots, leather shoulder bags with gold buckles and zippers, fingerless biker gloves, fishnet stockings, striped knit scarves and chunky art deco necklaces.
What’s Wearable: This collection produced some basic knits that every woman should own: the burgundy keyhole shirt, the heather grey belted cardigan and the crème colored cowl neck sweater. We also adored the navy double-breasted trench dress because of its extreme versatility and cute oversized buttons.
What’s Not Wearable: Most of this collection was very wearable, though we would stay away from some of the short-short printed boy shorts that cling to the caboose and look like underwear.
March 10th, 2007
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