Posts filed under 'Runway Reviews'
Background on Paala: Former graphic designer Janna Stark created Paala, inspired by the idea that the same dresses can function for day as well as night.
Photo Credit: Cary Wun
Key Takeaways: While feminine, the collection was not overtly sexy. Stark focused on girly details such as poufed and ruffled sleeves, flowy skirts made of printed chiffon and tie-neck tops.
Color Palette: Yellows, browns, greens, pinks and purples, many in used ombre patterns.
Silhouettes: Ruffled dresses made of chiffon with high-neck collars or styled off-the-shoulder; tie-neck silk tops with gaucho trousers. Many of the dresses had rows of button detail on the side and back.
Photo Credit: Cary Wun
Accessories Report: Wild hair extensions.
What’s Wearable: An off-the-shoulder dress made of sheer silk with a debossed floral print in crushed velvet. Who wouldn’t feel pretty, oh so pretty?
Our favorite top from the show:
Photo Credit: Cary Wun
October 18th, 2005
Background on GENES: Combine
San Francisco native Genes Sotto with former Zang Toi assistant
designer Fleur Lidwine-Louis and what you get is GENES. The clothing
line, which is based in New York, is designed with the sexy, urban
woman in mind.
Key Takeaways: This
collection, created by Genes Sotto and Fleur Lidwine-Louis, was a bit
retro, a bit classic, a bit urban, and rather youthful all at the same
time. Classic shapes make Genes highly wearable, while colorblock
designs evoke an element of retro youthfulness.
Color Palette: Canary yellow, teal, turquoise and gold.
Silhouettes:
Most of the collection was dedicated to lustrous silks, which weighed
flatteringly on models in the form of circle skirts, ruched dresses and
blouson tops.
Accessories Report: Side ponytails, dewy faces and lace-up stilettos.
What’s Wearable: Dresses covered in pailettes.
The latest way to show off a toned midsection:
October 17th, 2005
Key Takeaways: Ethereal 1960s chic for the modern woman. Some looks evoked the ladylike Jackie O, while others appeared more fit for Twiggy. Graceful fashions for the modern elegant.
Color Palette: Predominantly white and cream, with black, beige, and light grey. Jolts of color were added with bright blues, greens, and yellows.
Silhouettes: High waistlines, babydoll dresses, and A-line shapes. Necklines were either high on the neck or strappy and low. Dresses were beautifully draped and tailored, and many featured the idea of controlled volume. Coats were oversized, and they were matched with Jackie O-inspired embellished sunglasses.
Accessories Report: The notable accessory of the show was the embellished sunglasses.
What’s Wearable: Almost everything. We loved the 60s style big coats, the babydoll dresses, and the unexpected patterned fabric that was integral to the show’s success.
What’s Not Wearable: A particularly blousy dress with an exaggerated lapel. It even made the model look chubby.
September 24th, 2005
Key Takeaways: While much of this collection catered to the gala dinner set–J Mendel’s primary clientele–it also featured unusual pairings (shearling with sheer pleats) and cocktail dresses with barely-there layers that will no doubt show up on A-list celebrities this spring.
Color Palette: Ice Queen colors–pearly pastel blue, pink and purple–and beiges.
Silhouettes: Fitted jackets with dress shorts or flowy skirts; wispy gowns; shearling jackets; ruffled column dresses.
Accessories Report: With barely-there dresses, skin was the accessory of choice.
What’s Wearable: The singular suit of the collection, a brocade, half-sleeve skirt suit.
What’s Not Wearable: Tank tops with randomly attached fur.
September 24th, 2005
Key Takeaways: While Lam is considered one of fashion’s fastest-rising stars, we were disappointed with this boring collection. We expected to see something new and exciting, and what we got was a lot of childlike dresses in dowdy shapes.
Color Palette: Lam’s collection was focused on white, with black and neutrals as supporting colors.
Silhouettes: Babydoll dresses and shift dresses. We didn’t know what to think about the Overgrown-Easter-Sunday-Dress look.
Accessories Report: Our favorite accessory was the fresh-faced makeup seen on Lam’s runway models. They possessed a dewy, youthful look.
What’s Wearable: Lam’s fortuny pleasts–they were one of the few highlights of this collection.
What’s Not Wearable: Babydoll dresses. We don’t want to revisit the early nineties.
September 23rd, 2005
Key Takeaways: Eclectic collection touching on a number of themes from past seasons: ethnic & embellishment, military, and nautical, to name a few.
Color Palette: Neutrals were accompanied by yellows, oranges, mint green, and forest green.
Silhouettes: The big story here was belted looks. Gwen Stefani showed a number of long straight skirts on dresses, shorts hitting at the knee.
Accessories Report: Belts were huge. Also important were slouchy boots, belted boots, knit caps, and fedoras.
What’s Wearable: We appreciated Stefani’s colorblocked drapey dresses in particular.
What’s Not Wearable: See through dresses (clearly). Or being covered in logos from head to toe. Stefani’s collection was styled theatrically for dramatic effect—if you try any of these outfits head to toe, you’ll likely come off looking more like a fashion victim than fashion forward.
September 20th, 2005
Key Takeaways: Detail-oriented sportswear collection featuring classic silhouettes in neutral colors.
Color Palette: Neutrals such as white, grey, beige, brown, and black, were interspersed with bright primary colors: red, yellow, and blue.
Silhouettes: Mostly fitted skirts, skinny pants and shorts, with a couple of more voluminous skirts thrown in for good measure. On top, fitted bodices alternated with slightly more blousy styles, in line with the controlled volume theme.
What’s Wearable: Absolutely everything. Reyes didn’t stray far from classic shapes.
September 20th, 2005
Key Takeaways: Max Azria combined elements of minimalism with the exuberant embellishment of the last few seasons. Our favorite runway looks included a Marilyn Monroe style halter dress with a full skirt, and a blousy top over short shorts with a sweatercoat coverup.
Color Palette: Neutrals included black, white, beige, and greyed out colors. Azria added to this neutral palette primary colors—red, blue, yellow, as well as purple and gold.
Silhouettes: Key trends out of this show included controlled volume on blouses, skirts, and even shorts, short shorts, wrap styles, and horizontal stripe detailing.
What’s Wearable: Blousy tops tend to be forgiving, and we love that Azria’s tops aren’t shapeless.
What’s Not Wearable: Be careful with wide horizontal stripes, even if you’re Amazingly Tall. More petite women, in particular, should opt for narrower lines that don’t visually cut the body into sections.
On another note, short shorts should only be worn with toned legs.
September 19th, 2005
Key Takeaways: A ladylike collection of eveningwear and cocktail-appropriate dresses. Lhuillier’s collection had an old-world type of charm–very pretty, but not overly embellished. While she clearly follows in the footsteps of Vera Wang, some of her cocktail numbers channeled Oscar de la Renta.
Color Palette: Neutrals (white, black, and shades of beige) were accompanied by yellow, lilac, sky blue, moss, and fuschia.
Silhouettes: Cocktail wear featured fitted bodices and mostly A-line skirts. Lhuillier showed bodices in three classic shapes: high-necked, strapless, and bra-top styles. Evening gowns ranged from drapey bias-cut styles to poufy voluminous looks.
What’s Wearable: Just about everything. We’ll no doubt be seeing some of these looks on the red carpet.
More specifically, we’re a big fan of the A-line skirt’s almost universal figure flattery. Also, Lhuillier’s monochromatic high-necked styles will be flattering to petite women for their elongated vertical line.
What’s Not Wearable: Watch your step in Lhuillier’s poufy evening gowns. For tall girls only.
September 19th, 2005
Key Takeaways: Karan’s collection was inspired by art, such as Pollack abstract expressionism and Mondrian colors. She also experimented with combining volume and strong, geometric shapes.
Color Palette: Black, red, yellow, beige, brown, navy.
Silhouettes: Pleated, full skirts; dresses with tulip skirts; cropped jackets; jackets tied with bows, empire waists.
Accessories Report: Dramatic cat-eye makeup, hairbows, and oversized necklaces of linking geometric shapes:
What’s Wearable: Deconstructed jackets and cocktail dresses.
What’s Not Wearable: The oversized, overly geometric necklaces.
September 17th, 2005
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