New York Fashion Week is now over with some 200 designers having showcased their collections for Spring 2010. Some made artistic statements. Some offered full collections. Others presented a “line review.” An artistic statement isn’t designed to be worn anywhere other than the runway. Like an original work of art, it’s shown to generate excitement, garner publicity and create awareness. The designer then gets down to business by showing retail buyers related but not-so-over-the-top clothes in a calm showroom. Most big-name designers in Europe use this approach- as did a few Americans recently. Words by DW
On the matter of sophistication, continuing her ode to a wandering gypsy girl with vivid mixes and layers of print, pattern and color, Diane Von Furstenberg had her girls accessorized to the nines, with crowns of golden leaves threaded into crimped ‘dos and stacks of woven bangles inching up both arms to the elbow, while Carolina Herrera’s Japanese basket fascination revealed itself in endless fabric treatments- raffia, burlap, open weaves, even tree-bark-like jacquards
Silhouettes were architectural, but had an innate softness, as in geometric-motif dresses with draped necklines or jackets with distinctively folded lapels. The future looks bright for Frank Tell, who sent out a tight lineup of shiny, futuristic looks in metallic crushed cotton tunic dresses in gorgeous silver to copper tones.
Despite the economic down-turn and consequently what it has meant for the fashion industry, designers, through their work this season, remained optimistic and vibrant.
Marc Jacobs, with his fantastical Coppélia-meets-Pierrot-meets-G.I.Joe-meets-Geisha-meets-Americana-meets-Comme des Garçons collection for the Marc Jacobs line, explained that his “dreamy” frothy fantasies, layered on top with ladies’ undergarments, were strictly meant to “romanticize about.” While the collection itself was a continuation and certainly a fleshing out of some of his older work, individually, the pieces were very wearable and striking; ruffles, brocades, sequins and over-lay were the order of the day. His Marc by Marc Jacobs line was more toned down but was arguably just as strong- self-assured in its use of colour, it looked to the 80’s (namely Madonna) for its inspiration.
For her collection, Vera Wang deconstructed fabric by twisting and torturing organza and tulle, then adding aggressive jewels and feathers. The collection seemed to have been modeled after how the designer herself dresses, seemingly veering away from the usual luxurious sensibility of the label.
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