Latest Fashion Trends

When studying the latest fashion trends, you need to look at the world around you. People are hustling this way and that. Most people today want clothes that are comfortable and easy to wear. This means no ironing or time spent keeping them looking good. They want wash and wear and easy access. The latest fashion trends are coming in every color under the sun and run with bigger sizes. These clothes are great for working or wearing to the beach especially in the summer. So hit up your neighbor or family and see what the latest fashion trends are this year. You might be surprised.

Many of today’s styles are colored with bright and vivid colors. Most of the greens, pinks, yellows, blues, and oranges are very bright or pastel in color. Wear the blues and pinks as shirts and pants, save the orange for your shoes. These will make a very enthusiastic outfit.

Just make sure you match your colors well with the use of a purse. A plaid purse does not go well with a polka dot suit or dress. Some people can’t match colors very well and wind up looking like a rainbow. Ask for help if you are unsure.

Polka dot fashion has come back again. You are seeing them everywhere – shorts, pants, dresses, tunics, and shoes. They are an old fashion trend that comes back every five to six years. The look will never go out of style.

The tribal look is also popular today. The dark browns, yellows, reds, and blacks cause the prints to be more noticeable. Earth tones like sepia and beiges bring out the black characters. Dull metals will help accent this ensemble as well. Bracelets and necklaces will be perfect to wear. Tribal jewelry is also a big trend now. Whether it is using bone, wood, or metal to make the unique pieces of jewelry, they will all bring out the clothing and your complexion. Jewelry pieces can be very huge or very small depending on what you are looking to match with your outfit.

Jumpers and jumpsuits are the rage today. These jumpers and jumpsuits are easy to wear and quite comfortable. The jumpers you can wear alone or with a shirt. The jumpsuits also come in the shorts variety. These can also be wore alone or with a shirt. They also come in denim and cotton. There is great choice out there concerning jumpers and jumpsuits.

Even shoes and formal wear are getting in on the rage. Dressy type sandals are now the thing with formal attire. No back or strap, just a dressy pair of sandals to wear is all you need. Many people go out and buy designer shoes and clothes. You can spend much less with a simple look and a simple pair of shoes. Look around and pick a pair that will go with all your different styles. Maybe a gold or silver pair will work, or try white or black. Many times you can find a great style in different colors.

Check out your best friend’s attire and ask her where she gets her clothes. You ma get another great place to shop for the latest trends. You just have to ask around or go to the best clothing store in your town and see what they have to offer. Above all, make sure you like the pieces, and you are comfortable in them.

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Truly Stylish: Fashion Dangle Earrings

If you pick up a fashion magazine and study the accessories on the female models, you are apt to note the presence of many fashion dangle earrings. The smart woman makes certain to keep a few such items in her jewelry box. She knows that men love to see such earpieces bouncing around in the region of a woman’s neck.

Some simple dangles feature a combination of two different tones. Sometimes that is achieved through utilization of more than one metal. Silver and gold combine to create the alluring look in the latest leaf earrings.

When beads get added to dangles, they can appear in a single long line, or a series of short lines. The beaded hoop has become increasingly popular. It features a set of parallel lines with colored beads covering each one. The two ends of each line attach to the dangling hoop.

Sometimes a gemstone is placed at each end of a dangle. That is the case with a dangle that contains both gold and diamonds. The top and bottom section of that impressive line-up displays a green cubic zirconium.

While a dangling earring is a stylish accessory, it can make a woman’s face even more alluring if it contains a bit of sparkle. Consequently, gemstones often decorate a hanging earpiece. If it is an earpiece that copies the shape of a long oval, then it features a diamond on its bottom section.

Still, an eye catching accessory does not have to contain a gemstone. A skillful artisan can design metal in a manner that helps it to attract looks for men. That experienced metal working expert might shape two pieces of metal into two hooks. Then that same expert might hang a cluster of circles from that hook.

In the above accessory, the cluster hangs down from an open design. That pattern can be reversed. A cluster can cover an ear lobe while a piece of metal hangs underneath. Fashion conscious women often elect to wear pair of earpieces in which pearls have been clustered at the top. Metal hoops would hangs from those clustered pearls.

As women take to showing more and more neck, they give fashion magazines a greater number of reasons for publishing photos of fashion dangle earrings. At the same time, those photos help to emphasize the importance of the dangling accessories. They show the extent to which the proper accessory can make an outfit appear a bit more stylish.

While most such earpieces are meant to go in a pierced lobe, some of them can clip onto that cartilaginous tissue. Of course, the woman who buys and wears such an item needs to avoid shaking her head vigorously. That action could loosen a clip on earring and facilitate its dislocation from its intended location. Until new fashion term dictate the stylish nature of a single accessorized ear, the loss of a single earpiece should be avoided. Therefore, the woman with pierced ears is the one most apt to spend time looking for a pair of dangling earpieces.

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Pandora Bracelets – Making a Personal Fashion Statement

Whether you are looking for the perfect gift to give as a wedding, birthday, or anniversary present, you can tell the special women in your life how much they mean to you by giving them Pandora bracelets made of either gold or silver. The choice to include a bead or two with the bracelets, signifying the event for which you purchased the bracelet, will add to the meaning of the gift. Then, she will be able to personalize her new favorite piece of jewelry for years to come as she celebrates important events in her life.

There are many occasions for buying Pandora bracelets. The way you choose to fill it with beads will make it mean something to you. Life-changing events like a wedding, the birth of a baby are all things you want to keep close to your heart by adding a new accessory to your Pandora bracelet. These beautiful trinkets are of a high quality and fun to wear, and they also act as great conversation starters. As you explain to a friend what each bead means to you, you will keep the events and people that mean most to you on the forefront of your mind. What other piece of jewelry can help you accomplish such a task?

Different people build their Pandora bracelets in different ways. Some people are concerned about making them look symmetrical with patterns in the colors and the kinds of beads they use. Others enjoy the mishmash of charms that go chronologically from the time they were given their bracelet to the most recent event that spurred the purchase or gift of a new bead. With hundreds of bead choices made from various materials and in numerous styles, you can make your bracelet different from anyone else’s in the world. You must simply be willing to make the investment for each bead designed for these bracelets.

After all, each bead is handmade and constructed out of high quality materials like sterling silver, 14K gold, precious stones, Murano glass, and cultured pearls. Some are basic in shape and design while others are highly intricate with dangling parts and tiny sculpted images. Creating the perfect Pandora bracelets for every occasion is easy when you have such a selection of beads. Whatever you prefer in color or style, you can have it with the basic silver and gold colors or brightly patterned glass beads. No two Pandora bracelets are identical as no two people are identical.

Official website: www.pandora.net

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All About Fashion Shows

A fashion designer’s showcase for his or her upcoming line of clothing in a different fashion and style is the fashion show events. Models of the typical fashion show do walk in the form that they have given and dressed. They do a catwalk dressed in the attire they have given by the designers of the attire. Only at times these fashion shows takes the form of installations when the models do stand in a static position or sitting in a constructed environment. These fashion shows do have an obscure history from the year of 1800s, where in Paris couture salons do periodically keep the fashion parades.

Fashion refers to dressing styles that are popular in a culture at any given time. These styles of dress may seem changing quickly, and fashion in the more sense refers to the latest version of these styles. Natural in the term is the idea, which states that the mode will change faster than the culture as a whole. So such a fashion needs to be pronounced in a better way to the people who walk in it, it is the fashion shows that brings and throws light in these changing trends of fashion. Such fashion shows do have a beautiful history as follows.

Fashion shows are done on stages with ramp walks and cat walks. It was mainly featured to show off the beauty along with the costume styles of those beauties. Some thing looking beautiful attracts more. With this concept in mind the fashion shows are held by the designers to show off their costume styles dressed up for beauties.

This concept of Fashion show from Paris has been imported by the American retailers in the early 1900s. In 1903 was the first American fashion show likely took place in the New York City store Ehrlich Brothers. And next in the flow of following, the large department stores such as Wanamaker’s in New York City and Philadelphia were also staging fashion shows.

When it was taken from Paris to America it showed a little higher in its way of procure. The events that are followed by these stores showed couture gowns from Paris or the store’s copies of them. Their main aim was as to demonstrate the owners’ better taste and to bring the attention of female shoppers.

And after that, by 1920’s all other retailers of USA started to have their own fashion shows, showing off their theatrical presents with narratives and of course it was organized around a theme. And this theme may be Persian, Russian or Chinese. These shows attracted thousands of customers and pass bys. And obviously the fashion shows started to enjoy the better popularity throughout the mid-centuries.

Following in the 1970s and 1980s, the fashion shows of the American designers began to hold in private spaces apart from such retailers. With this they started to gain their personal popularity, rather than depending on the retailers. So now in this world of fashion one could basically find a huge of fashion shows held in many places. Most of the money is spend on the advertisement media, as to attract the people to their designs. One such way of advertisement is the fashion shows given by the most of designers nowadays.

A lot of fashion magazines do complement these fashion shows giving the events and the designers talents are expressed in the wordily forms.

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World’s Fashion Capitals

France had the fashion industry to be the most important and cultural export. France is considered to be one of the world’s fashion capitals and this city is the home or headquarters to many of the premier fashion houses. The Paris fashion housed attracts many foreign designers. The expression “Haute couture”- in France, is an officially confined name, this is to assure certain quality standards. In Paris you can find the Paris Fashion week take place twice a year, after the London Fashion week. Paris attracts fashion firms through out the world. The world greatest jewelers are all in Paris creating fashion to the peak in jewelry too. A lot of affordable fashionable clothes from various famous brands could be found in one that Paris does not miss.

The full-size shopping centers in and on Paris, gives the occasion to meet average Frenchmen and discern some of Paris fashion. While in Paris, you can also attend a fashion show, which introduces fashion to the rest of the world. In the last few centuries, the French are said to have the ultimate word when it comes to fashion and style-Parisian, hang on to its fundamental nature of what is the height of fashion design with its distinguishing looks and eternal affix of wardrobe and accessories. But, it’s not necessary for one to live in Paris to show off their cosmopolitan elegance for dress.

French fashion is known for its black dress. And also other fashion innovations, that includes the two-tone sling back pump, the two-piece tweed suit and a range of clothing that is both elegant and unconstrained. French fashion had a crave for black dress as the reason that a single black dress can be worn casually with flats and a sweater or may be changed into evening wear with high heels and a gaudy handbag or scarf. There are many dress mode existing today, but French women normally choose clothing that is close apt, but not astringent. Black and white clothing is craze for French women, to be worn seasonally. The white blouse in its many incarnation from classic button-down to peasant-like Bohemian can be added to the costume all together or worn with a pair of black pants-consider glossy black denim or black suede.

With French fashion, in shape of the clothing is awfully important. Whatever your body type, be sure to wear clothing that fits you quite good, and this is a hallmark of French style. On average, most of an outfit spins in the order of a dominant color, like black, with even other neutral colors are also been introduced. A three-piece collection might include a brown leopard-print skirt, a white blouse, and a beige cardigan. When in nights in town French fashion do take in lavender cocktail dress adorned magenta-colored scarf and amethyst-beaded handbag. Tone on tone colors is typical a Paris color choices for everyday wear.

French women do like to have lingerie and a range of camisoles is a staple in the Parisian woman’s cabinet. In Paris most of the neutral colors-beige, white, black, or navy are only for daily wear, whilst reds, purples, or more gaudy garments are worn only at night. When talking on the French fashion accessories do include the black leather belts-one with silver and one with gold buckles-black and white high heels and black and white handbags. One important point on the French fashion is that the French woman to look on the quality with good quantity, when she opts for clothing.

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Look Good And Don’t Make These Fashion Mistakes

If you want to look and feel your best, you should keep track not only of the hottest and latest trends of the fashion industry, but also what types of fashion mistakes to avoid. Regardless of the latest trends, it is important to follow fashion rules for certain situations, and if you do, you are sure to always look great. Don’t make these fashion mistakes, including choosing colors and clothing that make you look older and larger than you are, chipped nail polish, and the wrong attire for the office. Avoiding these fashion mistakes, and many others outlined in the article, will ensure that you always look stylish and polished.

The fashion world is an ever-changing entity. One year you may be the hottest thing wearing a dress over jeans with a pair of great flats to the next year fizzling out with the same ensemble. Some trends come and go as quickly as the days change and others, like the little black dress, have proven that they can stand the test of time. Regardless of what the latest fashion trends are, there are a few rules to go by, which can help you stay in the “safe” zone when it comes to fashion. In order to keep looking so great, always be sure that you don’t make these fashion mistakes.

Avoiding these fashion mistakes will help you look your best day in and day out. First and foremost, you should always wear colors that complement your skin tone, which will give you a healthy glow. Wearing the wrong colors can make you appear sickly and older than you really are. Additionally, you should never wear too much makeup. Wearing too much makeup can also give you an older appearance and pronounce any fine lines and imperfections.

Your appearance as a whole is very important to fashion as well as your grooming habits, which is why you should also never keep chipped nail polish on. Furthermore, your appearance is always the first impression that others will have of you, so be sure to keep your hair neat and modern. Lose an old-fashioned or messy hairstyle whenever possible. If you color your hair, make sure that your roots are maintained.

Another tip to look your best is to always make sure that your clothing fits well. Clothing that is too small will make you look larger than you are and clothing that is too large will make you look dumpy. In order to look fashionable, you should always look put-together by also avoiding bras and bra straps that show as well as mismatched pantyhose. Your hose should always match your skirt, pants, or shoes. And while we are on the topic of shoes, it is best to avoid wearing the wrong shoes for your outfit or messy shoes. Shoes complete the look of your outfit, so keep that in mind.

A very serious fashion mistake to avoid is wearing inappropriate clothing. If you are going to work be sure to dress that way. If you are going to a special event, dress the part. When dressing for the office, be sure to follow these suggestions to avoid making fashion mistakes at work. Always be sure to wear the appropriate length skirt – no miniskirts! Always dress in an appropriate manner to ensure successful yet fashionable look at work. If any clothing item is questionable as to whether or not you should wear it to work, save it for a night on the town or lunch with friends.

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History of Fashion

Fashion is something that is more popular than most people think. It controls the way people dress and the trends that are popular. It even helps to determine the way that you dress each day. Fashion has come a long way over the years. It’s important to understand the history of fashion in order to better understand its influence on the world. Take a look at the following information, to learn more about the history of fashion.

In the past, clothing and accessories were used to determine wealth and status. Depending on what was worn on a daily basis showed your current status. If you had poor materials and didn’t accessories, you didn’t make much money and weren’t high up in society.

You were also treated negatively if you were poor or not as socially known. On the other hand, if you wore rich materials and items, you were known for your money and social status. You were also treated better.

As time progressed, this was no longer the case. Fashion and clothing were meant as a way to be expressive. If you wanted to wear certain items or products, you were free to do so. Fashion was a way for you to experiment with new looks. While certain trends were becoming more popular during certain time periods, everyone was now free to wear what they wanted.

As fashion became more popular, so did things such as fashion shows. These shows were developed to help showcase current trends and looks. Fashion designers would showcase their latest clothing lines in order to draw attention. A variety of people choose to attend fashion shows. A lot about fashion and clothing can be learned here.

Currently, fashion is very popular. It helps to set the stage for current trends and looks. If you flip through any magazine, you will likely read something about fashion. The clothes that you purchase in any clothing store are inspired by current fashion trends. Fashion is going nowhere anytime soon. It will just continue to evolve and grow.

The history of fashion has made an impact on today’s fashion choices. While some looks come and go, there will always be a place for the fashion world. There will also always be new trends. It will be interesting to see how fashion changes over the years.

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Luxury Watches are Rich

Did you know that jewelry has a rich history? Did you also know that jewelry and fashion go well together? Jewelry and fashion go together as well as peanut butter and jelly .It is possible, even probable that people know all of these tidbits. However, it could be the case that people have different ideas on what jewelry is to them.People probably consider rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and pins to be jewelry.

However, due to the fact that watches are necessary for telling time and keeping people on schedule, people might overlook them as true jewelry pieces. This is a misguided assumption about watches. In fact, watches are jewelry and there are many types of watches. There are everyday watches and there are dress watches. Moreover, there are luxury watches that are the crème de la crème of watches. Therefore luxury watches are rich. Let’s discuss watches.

A watch is a timepiece that is worn on a person. Moreover, the person is usually wearing a wrist watch. This might be common knowledge but, a wristwatch is worn on the wrist with a strap or bracelet. It might be interesting to note that along with the time, modern watches often display the day, date, month, and year. Plus, electronic watches may have many more functions than analog watches. Did you know that most inexpensive and medium priced watches used primarily for timekeeping are electronic watches with quartz movements? On the other hand, expensive and collectible watches are known more for their workmanship and aesthetic appeal rather than their timekeeping skills.

In addition, these types of timepieces have purely mechanical movements and are powered by springs. Another interesting tidbit about watches involves pocket watches. It is a fact that before wristwatches became popular in the 1920s, most watches were pocket watches.

These watches were often had covers and were in often carried in a pocket. Moreover, they were attached to a watch chain or watch fob. It could be the case that today pocket watches are considered luxury watches. This is because they are hard to find and they are associated with England and English men. Plus, they are probably collector’s items today. Let’s discuss a particular brand of luxury watch.

It could be the case that the crème de la crème of luxury watches are Rolex watches. This is because these watches have a rich history. Do you know the origins of Rolex watches? The origins of Rolex watches are Swiss. These Swiss timepieces are considered high-quality wristwatches. Rolex watches are also considered luxury watches. This makes sense because Switzerland is well-known for its rich chocolate and rich cheese. Did you know that these luxury watches are also known as status symbols? Rolex also has watches for scuba divers and watches for space travel. It might also been nice to know that about 2,000 Rolex watches are produced per day. In addition to Rolex watches, there are other luxury watch brands. However, it could be the case that Rolex watches are the most recognized luxury watch brand. Luxury watches are rich.

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Are Rectangle Eyeglasses Right for You?

The old adage, “Boys don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses” can safely be laid to rest. The advances in the eyewear industry have made glasses more like a fashion accessory than social stigma. Today’s lenses are light an easy to wear, making them a more socially acceptable fashion accessory. There are countless subcategories of frames—from construction to shape and color, there are endless styles to choose from. So what’s best for your face? Should you choose round frames, metal frames, frameless or rectangle glasses? Frame choices are a matter of taste, really, but some shapes suit some faces better than others. Rectangle eyeglasses are suitable for a range of face-shapes. Read on to learn more.

Just about any face can look good with rectangle eyeglasses. Round and heart shaped faces both look fantastic with this type of eyewear. And because oval and oblong faces can handle a wide variety of spectacle shapes, the rectangle is an option for this crowd as well. In fact, the only group that should steer clear is our square-faced friends. Because they already have strong facial features, a round or oval frame will help soften their features, while the strong lines of a rectangle shape will wind up looking clunky and awkward.

Rectangle eyeglasses come in a variety of colors with varying details and construction materials. The wearer will enjoy a fresh, young look when the right details are chosen to enhance their natural features.

For example, a heavy and chunky frame gives your style an instant makeover without changing your wardrobe. In this instance, a petite face may be overpowered by the heavy looking frame. A petite face that meets all other criteria for wearing rectangles well might have the best luck with a lighter looking metal frame. Metal frames also don a sophisticated and smart look. It’s all in the details, really.

And because rectangle eyeglasses make such a fashion statement, they have become a popular choice for cosmetic glasses as well. This means that individuals that don’t need prescription lenses often choose this type of frame for no other reason than making a fashion statement. Even celebrities have been spotted wearing this popular frame choice.

The likes of Denise Richards, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Amber Rose have all been spotted donning this star-studded look in eyewear. If you are in the market for a new pair of eyeglasses, whether to see better or just to make a statement, consider the rectangle frame.

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Vera Wang Fine Jewelry – Beautiful Designer Jewelry

Vera Wang is a designer of many things including jewelry. Vera Wang Fine Jewelry is carried in fine jewelry establishments all over the United States. Lovely necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are available from Vera Wang. She creates unique jewelry pieces that stand out against other designer jewelry. She uses lots of colors in her jewelry.

The bridal and wedding lines are unlike any other. That is where Vera Wang began her designs in jewelry. From there the designs expanded into a large collection of fine jewelry. She has a special delicate and feminine style that tends to be bold at the same time. Her designs depart from the traditional but are loved among all jewelry designs.

The Vera Wang Candy Collection is a line of big bold gemstone jewelry. It definitely departs from traditional engagement ring fare. The gems are large and highly colored, resembling rings made of candy. They are luminescent and eye catching. They may not be a great choice for the shy or reserved. The designs are set in 18k yellow gold which complements the color of the gemstones. The most popular of the Candy Collection is the rings, but designs also come in pendants, earrings, and bracelets.

The Princess Collection is another distinctive line of Vera Wang Fine Jewelry. The special style of Vera Wang shows through in these pieces as well. These too are created in 18k yellow or white gold and diamonds. Hearts and crowns are common motifs in the collection.

Gemstones are cut in heart shapes and gold is fashioned in heart shapes. Charms resembling crowns also make this line unique. Diamond bracelets are also a part of this line. These are stunning and become heirlooms that last more than a lifetime for the lucky owner.

Vera Wang Fine Jewelry has a vast amount of micro pave technique. The technique involves the placing of tiny diamonds in a piece of jewelry aided by a computer. The effect is a dainty and delicate diamond piece that complements many other styles and stones. Micro pave adds some glitter and sparkle in all the right places and make the piece of jewelry a masterpiece. The way Vera Wang uses micro pave is distinctive. It makes up some of the best Vera Wang jewelry. It also makes some of the most sought after jewelry in the world. A Vera Wang piece brings a lifetime of pleasure.

Vera Wang official website: www.verawang.com

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Seoul Mates

Calvin Klein's event in Seoul, South Korea, last night was all about making connections—digital and analog. For realization of the concept, the destination had to be special. And, yes, the rooftop party zone above Seoul Station did surprise, kitted out as it was with a long gray carpet, bars, lounges, and media galleries, as well as a terrace overlooking a 23-story building across the street. Projected onto the structure's facade was an installation by New York-based digital artist Rafaël Rozendaal, MuchBetterThanThis.Com, featuring multicolored silhouettes of people kissing.

Adding to the evening's glamour quotient were Kate Bosworth and Chloë Moretz, making rare appearances in Korea. Moretz, star of the new Dark Shadows, said it was her mother who got her into wearing Calvin Klein. And there was no shortage of Korean celebrities, either—from Lee Hyori, Yoon Eun-hye, and Go Ara to supermodel Lee Hyun Yi and the K-pop band EXO-K—all dressed in minimalist Calvin Klein.

Creative director Francisco Costa worked the crowd with Lara Stone on his arm. Having visited South Korea a few times already, the globe-trotting designer was optimistic about the future: "We chose Seoul Station, an important landmark in the world's most digitally advanced country," he said, because "we wanted to show our global connectivity through media, art, and fashion."

Speaking of connectivity, in addition to Rozendaal's installation, the media artist Scott Snibbe and the collective Flightphase, in collaboration with New York's New Museum of Contemporary Art, showed their works against a presentation of the Fall 2012 offerings from all of the Calvin Klein lines. The night's most popular spot was where top model Matthew Terry posed in nothing but the brand's signature briefs. Let's just say it was the smartphones doing the talking.

—Ines Cho

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Camilla and Marc

Maybe it has something to do with the way the seasons work down under, but Sydney-based designers Camilla Freeman-Topper and Marc Freeman came to Fall '12 with a spring in their step. The new Camilla and Marc collection was positively giddy with color—never mind the somewhat obligatory blacks, of which there were plenty, because the standouts here were undoubtedly the dazzling floral print and hand-painted jacquard numbers. In large part, that had to do with the luxury of the fabrics: Freeman and Freeman-Topper have really exerted themselves, in terms of their materials, applying the floral print to silk cotton that had been pleated and fused and developing a wide-wale jacquard with an almost velvety texture. (They also developed a denim jacquard, which proved more compelling in person than it comes off in pictures.) The punchiness of the patterned items was nicely complemented by sculptural pastel dresses and the signature wide-leg Camilla and Marc trouser, this time turned out in hot pink, blush, and peach. The Freeman siblings didn't turn an entirely blind eye to the usual winter prerogatives, however; the shearlings this season were extra sharp-looking.
—Maya Singer

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Opening Ceremony

Two seasons in, it was tempting to wonder whether Humberto Leon and Carol Lim's commitment to Kenzo would suck any of the creative energy out of Opening Ceremony. But as the brand's latest outing proves, O.C. commands a seemingly bottomless reservoir of ideas. This wasn't necessarily a standout collection, but it was so full of the usual charm and so well stocked with desirable pieces that it would be mean-spirited to complain.


Typically, there was a lot going on here, with the key themes being chunky knits, felted wools, quilted and puffer-style outerwear inspired by Patagonia, sporty piping and color blocking, and a wide variety of metallics, including some very good metallic leathers. The real story, though, was texture. The Opening Ceremony team has developed a fetish for all things nubby and fuzzy: Fur made an appearance in the classic O.C. flare coat, and there were tufted fabrics everywhere. One of Lim and Leon's more interesting ideas was to use a fuzzy fleece material in tailored pieces such as a body-hugging dress with a mesh inset. The tactility extended to those chunky knits as well as to shiny brocades and pieces dappled with coinlike paillettes. Meanwhile, O.C. continued to explore Argentina, its country of choice this year, via gaucho pants and a winning painterly print abstracted from an aerial photograph of the Andes. All in all, this collection may have erred a little too much toward "cute"—Lim and Leon may indeed be saving their more sophisticated creations for Kenzo. Then again, given that Opening Ceremony just opened its second store in Japan, that was probably a canny, or perhaps kawaii, choice.
—Maya Singer

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Collette Dinnigan

Collette Dinnigan opened her show to Blondie's "One Way or Another," an indication that the designer's usual prettiness was getting a punk makeover. The tip panned out, but for the most part it was the result of styling (though a little silver beaded shift did give you an edgy Joan of Arc-meets-Balmain vibe). Dinnigan finished her parade of dresses with the wayward touch of little back-seamed lace socks dotted with winking crystals and slouched into killer studded Louboutin pumps.


"This stuff can all get a bit too ethereal-fairyland, and it's like floating in too much mystery," she explained after the show, which was curiously called Fairy Tale. But some tales are more believable than others. Mystery was kept to a minimum in Dinnigan's mostly un-tricky silhouettes that let the material and embellishment speak for themselves.


And they did. No amount of the Undertones and Garbage on a soundtrack can distract from the fact that these dresses are made from exquisite stuff, particularly the custom laces. Check out the perfectly engineered placement of scallops on Dinnigan's lace tees, and the polka-dot motif at the hem of a dress that echoed the paillettes at the neckline. One aberration was the woolly yarn-loop embroidery that would appear to be a nod to winter in this rather un-wintry collection, but felt a bit crafty and wrong in this context. To stay warm, a better choice was the velvety black coat with a barely there trim of lace petals on the pockets and back. It's the kind of thing that might be chosen by Stevie Nicks—a woman who knows how to work romance with a different brand of darkness.
—Meenal Mistry

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Rogan

As a general matter, Rogan and Chanel aren't brands with much in common. This season, however, Karl Lagerfeld and Rogan Gregory have found themselves plowing the same furrow, creating collections that are crystal-inspired and knitwear-focused. Weird. Anyway, if Chanel's extravaganza in Paris was the maximalist, über-luxury expression of those themes, the new Rogan collection gave us the affordable, minimalist flip side. The crystal reference was primarily elaborated here via brushstroke prints, the best of which was done in black and white on crepe georgette; Gregory played with layering the print against itself, creating palimpsest effects. That made for several striking pieces. Elsewhere, the standouts were the collection's draped knits, in particular a long, asymmetric skirt, and a clever halter-neck sweater that flashed decorous amounts of skin. Gregory's tailoring was also quite strong this time out, with taut dresses featuring paneled construction and natty takes on outerwear staples such as the trench and frock coat.

In terms of the men's collection, Gregory didn't do much to advance on his signatures. That said, his hemp cotton jerseys will find a lot of takers, and the plaited cotton shawl-neck sweater and low-waist short mac made for nice refinements of his relaxed take on urbanity.
—Maya Singer

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Wendy Nichol

Wendy Nichol operates her studio out of a room at the back of her Soho boutique—a room so petite, it's hard to believe the amount of stuff that comes out of it. Nichol designs jewelry and bags, and as of last season, clothes; the fact that she sees fit to spin all those plates out of a small, serviceable space is telling, somehow. Simply put, she doesn't have room for the extraneous.


The designer's new collection of ready-to-wear is thus appropriately concise. In general, she's focused on outerwear, all studiously well cut. A sharp black trench trimmed in leather, with a detachable lining embroidered in a crocodile pattern, was a standout; so too the blanket coat, with its high collar, and the fringed cream leather blazer. Elsewhere, Nichol refined and updated a few of her key silhouettes from Spring, including her apron dress and boyish button-downs. Her clothes don't jump out at you—even a sheer shirtdress in French lace had a quiet, almost monastic quality—but their details make them sing. To wit, that blanket coat, which was done in a very rich cashmere blend, trimmed in leather, and fully lined in wool taffeta. You get the sense that Nichol is so committed to keeping her range of product small because she wants to give each individual piece its due. That's an admirable stance.
—Maya Singer

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Erdem

Erdem Moralioglu's designs recently crossed over into the heady realm of wronged-woman court attire, courtesy of the floral dress worn by Linda Evangelista on the last day of her child support hearing in Manhattan. It felt so right for the Erdem ethos: an outfit proper enough to persuade a judge, but with an undercurrent of emotional excess. Of course, "rightness" isn't an Erdem ideal. As he talked through his new pre-collection yesterday, he was clearly still enraptured by the wrong. Acid pink lace appliquéd to a black neoprene sheath certainly filled that requirement, as did a serious coat—its tweed threaded with gold lamé—whose collar and cuffs were crusted with distinctly unserious plastic flowers and doodads. "Scooby-Doo inserts," Erdem called them. "It's always so tasteful and controlled. Mixing in the gummy plastic things felt new."



Did that hint of control-related ennui imply a designer on the brink of a breakout? Not really. Propriety still ruled, even if its grip on the collection wavered here and there. Erdem cited the Amish as a starting point, as well as a photo essay called Las Mujeres Flores, about a German settlement in Mexico. (His bookshelves are always laden with such fascinating ephemera.) What both shared was the idea of a closed world where craftsmanship thrives, a little like haute couture, actually. In fact, Erdem joked that his collection was Amish couture. "There's a human hand to it," he added. "That's what I find interesting."



The reference was most obvious in the hexagonal patchworking that recalled Amish quilts, but if that sounds just about as proper as proper gets, consider that it was most striking in the weird glamour of a midnight navy suit: tone-on-tone lace appliqué, worn-looking lamé sleeves, and big jeweled buttons that glittered darkly. Perhaps it was the folksiness of the patchwork contrasted with the sophistication of the components that made a shift stitched from hexagons of tweed and silk crepe jacquard appear so unhinged. The patchwork looked heavy, especially in comparison to the airy charm of something like a cotton poplin blouse with a print in Venetian blue that could have been rococo Rorschach blots. Erdem likes the tension of opposites, but here, heavy and light were pulling too hard. All that crepe contributed to a retro mood. (Even Erdem's first foray into bathing suits had a fifties squareness.) Looking for something breezier, there were sweater and skirt sets, those languid gowns will always be winners, and, ultimately, Erdem's pursuit of the off-kilter can't help but yield a peculiar beauty.
—Tim Blanks

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Surface to Air

It's never been just about the clothes at Surface to Air. Since its beginnings in 2000, the cult Parisian creative collaborative has offered its urban hipster clientele an appealing lifestyle brew that is equal parts fashion, music (S2A has partnered in recent seasons with artists like Kim Gordon, Kid Cudi, and Justice), interior design, and film. For brand founder Jeremie Rozan, the video he directed for the latest lineup is just as important as the merchandise itself.


Shot on a walkable roller coaster in Duisburg, Germany, and set to the Rapture song "Roller Coaster," the short film depicts a young couple chasing after each other along the ride's empty tracks. The girl is dressed like any insouciantly cool university student—picture, for example, Léa Seydoux in the 2008 French flick La Belle Personne. She wears rugged yet refined parka jackets, slick stovepipes, and platform sneakers from Fall. There are flashes of both grunge and glam in the form of beanie hats and Bowie-esque silver leggings. According to creative director Aldric Speer, the S2A customer never wants to appear as though her style is too studied or deliberate. She stays current by taking in new exhibitions and bands, instead of taking cues from the glossies. Still, the new collection nodded to a few of-the-moment trends, including coats and the still-happening varsity jacket.
—Brittany Adams

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Oscar de la Renta

At his show in February, Oscar de la Renta solicited design tips from the audience. Today, at his Resort presentation, his program notes announced that the green and white silk sequin baseball T-shirt he sent down the runway with a gingham skirt in billowy tulle and organza would be available for preorder immediately on TheFancy.com. The designer has embraced social media, and the neon streaks in the models' hair were further proof that he has his compass pointed toward the future.



That said, he never let you forget you were at an Oscar show. The familiar de la Renta-isms—the skirtsuit, the sleeveless day dress, the double-face coat, the perfect pair of high-waisted trousers—were all here, rendered in sharp, graphic pops of black and white. And there were flowers galore, from lush embroideries on party dresses to blown-up photo prints on silk tunics and cropped pants. Florals are part of the house repertoire, but if the appliqués were tried and true, the photorealistic patterns, having bloomed on other designers' runways for several seasons now, felt a bit me-too.



The dress that made everyone sit up and take notice was a strapless evergreen silk faille gown. It was classic Oscar—as elegant and ladylike as they come. And with a generous peplum at the waist it was equally of the moment.
—Nicole Phelps

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Chanel

Karl Lagerfeld was exultant. Twelve months of planning for Chanel's 2013 Cruise presentation and, the week before the big day, current events conspired to completely recontextualize the show, injecting a delicious layer of irony into the time and place. His succinct summation—"Versailles in a Socialist France"—said it all. Up until last week's election, which restored a left-wing government to power, Lagerfeld's collection was a gleeful mash-up of hip-hop edge—à la his favorite Azealia Banks or M.I.A.—and Louis Quatorze's eighteenth-century court at Versailles, the focal point of a period that history recognizes as France's last Golden Age, with Louis the Sun King at its pinnacle. Soundmeister Michel Gaubert dubbed the hybrid "Ghetto royale." He obliged Karl with an M.I.A. track whose refrain, "Live fast, die young/Bad girls do it well," might have been Marie Antoinette's musical signature if she'd lived a couple centuries later. She might even have joined Alice Dellal and Karla Lagerfeldas, who played an exuberantly retro-punk set at the post-show cocktail.

Lagerfeld has proved himself a master of this high-low hybrid in recent times. Here, formal eighteenth-century details, like panniers and fichus, were re-created in casual twenty-first-century fabrics—chambray, tech denims, even plastics—dressed up with frothy lace ruffles and cuffs, and dressed down with gold platform trainers and short shorts. Occasionally awkward though it may have been, the lightness, the girlishness, of the clothes had a balletic quality, reflective perhaps of Louis' own love of dance. Lagerfeld said he wanted something floating and frivolous. "Frivolity is a healthy attitude," he said after the show. "I know people who were saved by frivolity."

But the levity of that declaration was lent some provocative weight by the election. Clearly equating President-elect François Hollande's incoming government with a general shriveling of the French jeu d'esprit (although that is, in itself, something of a myth), Lagerfeld went on to say, "I don't want the rest of the world to think of France as a sad, gloomy country. They won't come to buy our products." A worrying prospect for someone who never fails to crowd his catwalk with an overabundance of clothing and accessories. "Too many ideas," wailed Inès de la Fressange jokily as she leaned in to bestow a congratulatory kiss. "Too creative." Lagerfeld glazed one tweed in gold, sequined another in pale blue, embroidered a tiny sundress with gold bullion, and applied the most delicate floral beading to snowy white handkerchief linen. Watercolor florals suggested Watteau maidens; male models Brad Kroenig and Jon Kortajarena were dressed in britches as their swains. "It's nothing that literal," Lagerfeld insisted, but the Rococo echoes added some charm.

The show took place around three of the furiously spouting fountains for which Versailles is famous. Guests then trained through the grounds to the cocktail at the Bosquet des Rocailles, where Louis staged theatrical productions. (Could it be true that Marie Antoinette's "farm," the private playpen where she'd go to play-act ordinary folks, was just through the trellised fence?) Speaking of imperial whim, look no further than the gall of the guy who persisted with plans for a ginormous outdoor spectacle while the heavens were blessing Paris with six weeks of nonstop rain. Guess what? Glorious Sol came out on cue. So who's the Sun King now?
—Tim Blanks

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Juicy Couture

Juicy Couture might be a bit like the most popular girl in your high school class. She earned a reputation for being uninhibitedly feminine and assertive—with a penchant for the color pink. But get to know her a bit better, and you'll realize that there's substance behind the Juicy girl's velour jumpsuit facade. Chief creative officer LeAnn Nealz has been working hard for several seasons to build up the contemporary label's fashion credibility, and there was plenty to be optimistic about at yesterday's Fall presentation, which drew a turnout of starlets including Emma Roberts, Kate Mara, and Anna Faris. Nealz described the youthful collection as "Sunset Strip in the seventies meets London mod squad." The eye jumped from printed paisley silk trousers to a peppy floral, slightly padded jacket with matching skinny jeans to a full-on Technicolor brocade pantsuit that hit on one of the season's biggest trends. Outerwear was a focus here, with swingy bell-shaped coats and faux fur capes adding a polished touch. Of course, Juicy nodded to its bread-and-butter leisurewear but smartly traded in those over-and-done-with sweats for leather track pants that we could imagine both casual Californians and their New York counterparts wearing for weekend errand runs.
—Brittany Adams

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Kenneth Cole Collection

Kenneth Cole's company will be turning 30 next year, and the founder of the global brand is reflecting on its heritage with a new, higher-end line. "Kenneth Cole Collection is made for our same modern, urban customer," the designer explained at a launch preview last night, "but elevated in quality of construction, materials, and styling." The presentation at Cedar Lake featured life-size video installations of models along with recordings of their voices delivering the kind of bons mots that Cole has made his calling card over the years. "Some are attractive. Some are sexy. Few are available," said one. Highlights for women included a slick patent leather bomber jacket, deep oxblood haircalf pencil skirts and peplum belts, and a crocodile-print shift. On another exotic note, a cobalt blue python backpack was sporty chic at its best. The street-ready menswear had a slight military influence to it, seen in quilted wool parkas and lace-up leather boots. Few contemporary labels manage to strike the on-trend-but-not-too-trendy balance as well as Cole has here.
—Brittany Adams

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Markus Lupfer

What with his affection for loudmouth graphics and his co-dependent relationship with his BeDazzler, Markus Lupfer sometimes gets written off as a young person's designer. Now, the kids do love Markus—and chances are they're the customers keeping his line in the black—but Lupfer's latest outing deserves a look-see from grown-up girls, too. The best part of the new collection comprised tailored dresses, cigarette pants, and circle skirts made from rich, jewel-colored brocades and cut with a sporty mien. The material played well with Lupfer's black leather looks and slightly hallucinogenic oil-spill print, too. Per usual, the collection wasn't short on punchy knits—sequined, this time out, in sayings like "Carpe diem"—and they gave the collection some of that signature Lupfer comic kick. All in all, though, this felt like a pretty sophisticated affair.
—Maya Singer

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Tucker

There's something insistently cheerful about Gaby Basora's line Tucker. Basora specializes in eye-popping prints, which she uses in easy-to-wear clothes, typically made from silk, that have a slightly vintage mien. She's leveraged that design strategy into a pretty booming business, and the psychology of the Tucker clothes has a lot to do with that: Basora makes pieces that, no matter how low a girl is feeling, are keen to paste a smile on her face. Bad breakup? Maybe it's this season's track pants in a pastel wallpaper floral that will do the trick. Job got you down? A tea dress in a bright doe print ought to cushion the blow of yet another endless spreadsheet. Rain again? Throw on a robelike coat in a painterly pink and purple print. Etc. Tucker collections are like a closet pep squad.


Do they need to be more than that? Not really. And Basora doesn't complicate matters by attempting any particularly challenging silhouettes. This season, she emphasized longer lengths and ladylike cuts and detailing. In general, with the exception of a tailored pencil skirt or a sleek silk jumpsuit, she erred—as usual—on the side of clothes that are eminently toss-on-able. Also as usual, she's done a grab bag of eye-opening prints, ranging from the trendily twee (that pastel floral) to a Marni-esque graphic check. All in all, a typically boisterous outing.
—Maya Singer

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Todd Snyder

"Emerging" demands context. When the CFDA Award nominations were announced earlier this month, menswear designer Todd Snyder found himself up for the Swarovski Award, given annually to an emerging designer. Snyder's label is now in its third season. Recent enough. His menswear career, on the other hand, is past its second decade, cruising toward a third.



Snyder is a veteran of Ralph Lauren and of J.Crew, where he was instrumental in steering the retailer from starchy prep to the weather-beaten, Americana look it is still honing and refining today. It's a look, in fact, that's had enormous purchase not only at J.Crew but in American menswear across the board, and it endures at Snyder's own line. What Todd Snyder lacks in shock of the new, in other words, he comes by honestly. He's been doing it since long before many of his competitors, whatever appearances may suggest. It's the name that's now emerging.



The look as Snyder describes it is American classic meets London's Jermyn Street: Workwear meets tailored elegance. Those words are threatening to disintegrate from overuse by men's editors. Suffice it to say in Snyder's case, details vintage (flatlock stitching on the sleeves of a waffle tee) and modern (a shirt placket slightly shrunk, shirt buttons slightly enlarged) serve to differentiate his collection from the crowd. So does its reasonable price point, thanks to global production at many of the same producers Snyder first discovered when working for the megabrands. That means leather jackets made in China but at factories that emphasize handwork; tailoring in collaboration with Southwick, the historic Massachusetts label now owned by Brooks Brothers. It's been a slow entrance to the market for Snyder, who left J.Crew in 2008. "I turned 40; it was time for me to pursue my dream," he said. Dreams and global financial meltdowns don't mix easily, hence the slight delay. But Snyder has proven worth the wait. "Emerging," at last.
—Matthew Schneier

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Bottega Veneta

"I always start with color first," said Tomas Maier, explaining his design process. "Color, then material, then shape." That attention to palette came through in his engaging new cruise collection for Bottega Veneta, which kicked off Resort season here in New York today. Inspired by the frescoes of Tiepolo and Veronese, the designer worked with shades of yellow, peach, and mint green, made all the more intense by the way he showed them top to toe in monochrome looks. The soles of a pair of bow-front pumps, for example, were the same bold shade of peach as their leather uppers, which in turn matched the cashmere double-breasted peacoat and wide-legged trousers.

As for materials, Maier looked toward the past and the future. On the one hand, a slim day clutch was made from a type of silk leather that the Italian house used in the seventies; on the other, the label's signature intrecciato bags were woven from a Japanese paper and metal and its large cabat bag from organic black rubber with aluminum embellishments. "If you don't want a leather bag, I don't understand why you want a fake leather bag," he said, and so he sought more original alternatives for the house's usual luscious skins.

Maier gets off on the intersection of the artisanal and the high tech, and he was in full control of the mix here. Clingy jersey gowns were fused with tiny beads rather than embroidered, and larger beads were knit directly into the seams of a pair of stretchy black dresses. There were innovations in terms of shape, too. Maier said he was thinking a lot about the weekend issue—as in, what does the BV woman want to wear on her days off? What he came up with was a pair of true-blue color-blocked tracksuits.
—Nicole Phelps

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Sophomore

Social magnet-turned-creative director Chrissie Miller is the kind of easygoing girl we'd love to karaoke with, and Sophomore's Fall video just might be the next best thing. In the two-minute short, a band of Miller's gal pals, including Jessica Stam, Lonneke Engel, and Cory Kennedy, take turns belting out Fleetwood Mac's sing-along staple "Dreams." The assorted group—let's just say there's a wide range of both musical talent and personal style represented here—models the downtown label's latest lineup of casual jersey separates. This season, Miller and head designer Madeleine von Froomer updated their standard T-shirts and maxi dresses with celestial screen-prints. Other mystical motifs included a Ouija board and one look that could be described as Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon cover meets the Star of David. Sophomore continues to add and experiment with pieces like a dip-dyed, washed silk tube skirt with a high slit as well as oversized henleys, but at the end of the day, fans come back to Sophomore for its novelty tees.
—Brittany Adams

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MP Massimo Piombo

There's something enchantingly arcane about Massimo Piombo, gentleman, scholar, natural aristocrat, citizen of the world. All of that is in his collections, newly relabeled MP Massimo Piombo
in light of some upsets that compelled his departure from the Business Formerly Known as Piombo. In that guise, Massimo galvanized a serious cult following, and there's no reason to think that MP won't keep the story humming along, especially because the clothes are now manufactured by Kiton. Which means Massimo's tendency toward eccentric extravagance is now tempered by peerless technique, a winning combination by any stretch of the imagination.

And it is imagination that separates MP from its classic-with-a-twist peers. The label may have changed, but Massimo insists there's been no change in his philosophy, which might best be defined as "around the world in 80 cloths." Hence, Irish tweed, Austrian herringbone, Italian oxford cloth (printed in Lyon, France), scarves in silk from India and mohair from Scotland, one coat trimmed with Moroccan embroidery, another cut from fabric woven in a Canadian mill that once made fabrics for L.L.Bean. A lot of history, so many stories. Massimo himself is something of a tale spinner, which is what you'd expect from an Italian dilettante who keeps his collection of books in a library on the shores of a Scottish loch. You might equally expect he'd be wearing a shawl-collared dinner jacket in Black Watch tartan as he paged through a precious tome. That's MP's most winning quality. Like Piombo before it, it opens doors into a world where the right amount of classic is infused with just enough exotica and a hint of aristocratic decadence. A recipe, perhaps, for aspiration.
—Tim Blanks

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MM6 Maison Martin Margiela

MM6 Maison Martin Margiela, not unlike the house's signature collection, takes a humorous approach to fashion. In the Fall lineup, you'll find a dove gray sweatshirt with unique Fair Isle-patterned laser cutouts, light wash jeans with skinned-knee-proof leather patches, and a range of whimsical accessories featuring neon "scooby strings" accents that should bring you right back to the arts and crafts table at summer camp. But having a laugh is just part of the MM6 MO. The collection is chock-full of practical, multifunctional daywear. The bottom of a puffy parka coat, for example, zips off to create an alternative, cropped look; apparently, with a little imagination, you can also style the detached part as a scarf. The functionality extends to footwear, too. Another serviceable zipper transforms a pair of comfortable wedge booties into knee-high numbers. The only off note: exaggerated, thick wool pullover sweaters that seemed quite cumbersome compared to the collection's clever, utilitarian pieces.
—Brittany Adams

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Creatures of Comfort

Creatures of Comfort impresario Jade Lai has made impressive strides since she launched her store's namesake brand in 2010. Initially, the Creatures of Comfort label comprised ultra-basic jersey pieces plus a smattering of long skirts, appealingly awkward jumpsuits, and buttoned-up button-downs that hit the nail on the head of the then emergent mumsy hipster aesthetic. (Think Alexa Chung.) This collection, Lai's sixth, proves that Creatures of Comfort has grown up and grown out: Though she still has her finger on the Bedford Avenue/Shoreditch High Street pulse, Lai has broadened her clothes' appeal. To wit, the tailored shorts and trousers in a luxe silk wool blend were accessibly sophisticated; the pieces in white, in particular, looked really chic.



Elsewhere, she's added a flirtatious note, with schoolgirl minis, fitted knits, and peekaboo dévoré velvet polka dots. (The dots were a theme; the collection included a variety.) There was still a sense here that Lai remains overfond of the purposefully awkward silhouette—some of her dresses were a touch shapeless—but she's gotten better at adding the grace notes that give a covered-up look verve. On a simple shirtdress, for instance, the dropped waist counted for a lot; likewise the waterfall effect on a dotted mid-calf skirt. Here's hoping that Lai doesn't outgrow her awkwardness entirely—it's idiomatic to the Creatures of Comfort brand and the reason the most straightforward pieces in this collection still stood out. But it's nice to see her giving her ugly ducklings permission to be swans.
—Maya Singer

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Barbara Casasola

Barbara Casasola is an interesting case. She hails from Brazil and launched her label there three seasons ago. She lives in London. As of this season, she presents her collection privately in Paris. And yet, in some ways, she occupies a planet of her own. It's hard to think of another young designer specializing in formalwear who possesses her nerve to be simple: There's nary a bead or sequin to be found in her Fall '12 collection, which is composed largely of elongated dresses of an almost monastic cleanness. That sounds unappealing, but it's emphatically not. A veteran of Lanvin and Cavalli, Casasola comes at her clothes with a confidence in construction and a refined sense of detail; here, she deployed a bare minimum of tricks to conjure a collection that was sophisticated, sexy, and sui generis.


The most obvious trick was her architectural use of color and fabric—one dress in black and ocher, for instance, made a big impact just by setting its two high-contrast colors against each other in a coolly geometric way that flattered the curves of the body. Elsewhere, she used strapping, cutouts, and sheer organza to similar graphic ends. Closer inspection of the clothes likewise revealed the intelligence of Casasola's method—her signature stapled seams let some light, and some skin, into silhouettes that could otherwise have been forbidding, and she made luxurious use of fabric, draping it generously and eschewing side seams. Overall, the collection's affect was regal with a sporty kick—a tone pretty much unique in dress-up clothes. Casasola has emerged with a fully formed point of view; the only question is what she chooses to do with it.
—Maya Singer

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Banana Republic

Day-to-evening dressing is hardly an original concept, but it's one that is particularly relevant for Banana Republic's practical yet polished customer who needs multitasking separates. At the Fall presentation last night, creative director Simon Kneen described the season as the time of year when women are perhaps returning from holidays and diving back into the hustle and bustle of their busy work and social schedules. They don't necessarily have the time or interest to decipher what's fashionable, so BR eliminates the guesswork, effectively repackaging the latest trends (the label has the big advantage of showing a month after the final Paris runways).



"It's all about the cropped trouser," Kneen said, gesturing toward the ankles on display. The best look included those cigarette pants, a slim turtleneck, and a double-face wool wrap coat—all done in au courant crimson. The label gets bonus points for the monochromatic color scheme. Other highlights included a selection of smart capelets trimmed in leather as well as faux fur pieces like a chubby vest cinched with a wide belt. Styled with tasseled clutches and broguish booties, the collection had an equestrian undertone. For the men, double-breasted car coats, shawl-collar sweaters, and tailored suits in heritage tweed and herringbone delivered a dapper message. All in all, it'll be difficult to go wrong with most of this lineup.
—Brittany Adams

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United Bamboo

If there was one surefire hit in this season's United Bamboo collection, it had to be the neon green parka. Or maybe the cobalt blue parka. And possibly the orange one. Frankly, United Bamboo designer Thuy Pham is sick of making the damn parkas, as he admitted at a walk-through of the collection. But he keeps at it. "The people I know mostly want to wear clothes that are nice but, you know, a little boring," Pham said. "So I keep myself interested by playing with the details."


When Pham and his partner Miho Aoki get the details right—as they did, a few seasons back, with their now signature parka—they knock it out of the park. And there were more than a few looks here that, if not quite home runs, made for solid plays. Riffing off preppy—and more specifically, the way English punk kids wore their preppy school uniforms back in the day—Pham and Aoki turned out a number of strong, precisely tailored pieces in green and red plaids, and elaborated the theme in plaid knits. Super-dense and nicely oversize, the knits were a definite winner. Elsewhere, Pham and Aoki integrated some femme into the look with waterfall ruffles and microdot silks. The punchiest pieces were done in a hand-painted landscape print. Overall, as Pham would acknowledge, there was nothing too groundbreaking here, just a nicely twisted take on the conventional.
—Maya Singer

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Daryl K

Daryl Kerrigan's decision to close her East Village store at the end of March after withdrawing from New York fashion week in February may have led some to believe that things were changing for the designer—and not for the better. But a preview of her latest Daryl K collection says otherwise. The Dublin-born industry vet's cool yet sophisticated aesthetic remains the same. "The downtown attitude that's synonymous with fashion has always been my signature look," explained Kerrigan. "Most of the things you see here have existed before." Still, every woman's day-to-day wardrobe requires a bit of sprucing up, Kerrigan's customer included, and the inspiration this time around was a "girl in a stable yard."



That vision translated into a tailored wool jacket with leather and velvet accents that was nipped in a bit at the waist, just the thing for pairing with Kerrigan's leather leggings, this time done in black with a contrasting red sideways stitch. Trousers are a thing for the designer, who has playfully dubbed her label "Pants-R-Us." New for Fall were a cropped leather boot-cut style and a wide-leg pair with a zipper detail. And for the girl who doesn't like pants? With this collection's silk "9 to 9" (as opposed to 9 to 5) dress, complete with an elastic waistband, Kerrigan's got her covered, too.
—Jessica Minkoff

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Jasmin Shokrian Draft No. 17

Jasmin Shokrian launched her main line ten years ago, and she used her Draft No. 17 collection this season to celebrate the anniversary. The clothes here were self-reflective in a witty way: Shokrian used trompe l'oeil-like color blocking on shift dresses to suggest old silhouettes and created a similar effect using sheer overlays on blouses. (A "Xerox" technique, she explained.) In essence, she was quoting herself.

But then, Shokrian is always sort of quoting herself: As a designer, she hews very close to her signatures, such as circular patternmaking, geometric color, and loose, cropped trouser silhouettes. This collection featured all of the above. But it was also atypically expansive, thanks largely to Shokrian's new emphasis on outerwear—a wool duster and burgundy anorak were particularly striking—and her focused detailing. To wit, the leather tie on a pair of karate pants, the petal collar on a button-down, or the slit up the back of a silk tee. She also turned out one seriously cool evening dress—a loose-fitting job in red that was cut down the front, up the leg, and along the side to make for a much sexier item than its shrugged-on silhouette would suggest. All in all, this collection proved that, after ten years, Shokrian hasn't run out of new tricks.
—Maya Singer

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Just Cavalli

Roberto Cavalli is an insatiable jet-setter. While he and his glamorous gowns have been turning up on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, the designer's new Resort range for his lower-priced Just Cavalli line is a passage to India. One of the first things that comes to mind with regards to the subcontinent is the abundance of vibrant, saturated color, which is also a Cavalli calling card. This season, he experimented with print blocking by mixing mirrored hothouse florals (Venus flytraps and "Garden of Eden" palms) and his signature animal prints. Sure, the impact was characteristically over-the-top, but then again, the lineup was described as nodding to hip-hop culture, and you can absolutely picture someone like M.I.A. wearing these clothes in her next music video—particularly when styled with the big gold hoops and embellished trucker hats seen in the lookbook.



The most refreshing moment here was a string of pale outfits inspired by albino tigers and the ornate chalk ceilings found in Hindu sanctuaries. Rendered in monochromatic icy hues, they were more minimal than what we're accustomed to from Cavalli, but the use of innovative fabrics maintained that familiar touch of extravagance. For example, denim pants were plated with rubber for a cracked ceramic appearance, and a tailored tuxedo came in on-trend, croc-embossed jacquard. The all-white section in particular gave the entire line a more grown-up mood.
—Brittany Adams

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