Today’s round up includes, Donna Karan, Milly, Zac Posen, Tommy Hilfiger, Theory, Dennis Basso, The Row, Carolina Herrera and 3.1 Phillip Lim.
DENNIS BASSO NYFE FALL/WINTER 2014
As expected the Dennis Basso show was full of beautiful furs and elegant gowns. The furs were mainly neutral with touches of red, purple, and blue. Basso showed heavy furs overtop long silk dresses and small fur capettes paired with big ballgowns. Both of which are trends we are seeing go down the runway. Overall, it was a great collection.
THEORY NYFW FALL/WINTER 214
Minimalism at its best. Olivier Theyskens collection was modern and simplistic in approach. He paired beautiful knits with sheer flowing skirts, belted blazers with silk skirts, and embellished blazers and cigarette pants. Overall the looks were smart and feminine.
TOMMY HILFIGER NYFW FALL/WINTER 2014
Tommy Hilfiger turned the Park Avenue Armory into the Swiss- Alps. The show was full of adorable ski ready looks. There were plaids in vibrant and bright colors. Each look was topped off with adorable pom-pom hats. He showed fluffy shearling jackets and a few poncho jackets ( a reoccurring trend this season). Overall the collection was fun and sporty!
ZAC POSEN NYFW FALL/WINTER 2014
Zac Posen once again proved his mastery of accentuating the feminine figure in all of the right ways with his Fall/Winter 2014 collection. Each look exuded utter elegance with Posen’s sleek, fit-to-perfection structural minimalism. From a ladylike start to Posen’s signature array of show-stopping gowns, the collection was poised, polished and accented with just the right sculptural details. Immaculate cape-backed gowns sashayed between different takes on the perfect waist-accentuating drape, necklines that went from demure sophistication to knockout, and masterful fit, flare and folds in rich colors and decadent fabrics ruled the runway. From a floor sweeping number in brazen red-orange, to structured, full-skirted turquoise iridescence, and black on black mixed in textures, fabrics and shapes, the color palette was bold and varied. In it’s breadth, the collection that had a statement ensemble for every woman, from the more avant-garde, to sassy, retro vibes, and of course a few dresses nothing short of absolute regality. As always, Posen delivered wow after wow, showcasing his undisputable ability to make every woman the belle of the ball. Woman everywhere surely found a gown to dream about, and stylists preparing for red carpet season were undoubtedly taking note.
–Sarah Bertness is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer covering the arts, music, fashion and culture. She has a love for all things avant-garde, late night rock and roll, wanderlust, and a good dose of fringe and gold sequins. You can follow her musings on Twitter @sarahbertness
DONNA KARAN NYFE FALL/WINTER 2014
Donna Karan delivered the sizzle, smolder and sophisticated sex appeal for her highly-anticipated 30th anniversary show. Karan’s Fall/Winter 2014 looks were all about the luxé layering, adding blazers atop beaded tulle and belted winter jackets over sheer, sequined ball gown skirts. True to it’s New York namesake, the color scheme stuck to the ultimate city girl palette of black on black with elegant pops of white, gold, and finale head-to-toe ravishing red. Decadent details reigned, with every sort of sparkly embellishment, opulent furs, Klimt-esque gold accents, sultry sheer sleeves and skirt panels, and a promise that chic geometric cutouts aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Necklines plunged, hemlines were dramatic (both super-short and floor skimming), and classics got mixed, matched and made utterly covetable. Each and every item from the collection stands out on it’s own as a true investment wardrobe piece made for the modern day woman. Her woman is a well-versed risk taker who knows what she likes and isn’t afraid to go after it. She’s confident, she’s competent, and she’s got all of New York City as her playground. Donna Karan brought the glamour back to city life, and we couldn’t be more enamored.
–Sarah Bertness is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer covering the arts, music, fashion and culture. She has a love for all things avant-garde, late night rock and roll, wanderlust, and a good dose of fringe and gold sequins. You can follow her musings on Twitter @sarahbertness
MILLY NYFW FALL/WINTER 2014
The ballerina “off-duty” was the inspiration behind the soft, feminine and covetable ensembles Michelle Smith presented today for her A/W 2014 collection.
Intermingling with ease, masculine and feminine played with soft and hard elements as tweed blazers were paired with reinterpreted tu-tu’s of silk and tulle while quilted leather sweaters found themselves matched up with shimmering lace. A sweet and delicate palette of basic creams, whisper pinks, various greys and leotard black provided the backdrop for splashes of metallic and layers of fringe to stand out. Meanwhile, Mongolian lamb fur sweaters and jackets cinched at the waist dangerously tempted the audience to rip them off the runway so they could immediately be worn outside on such a chilly day. As the show came to a close, Smith sealed the deal as she featured multiple textures together in the color best known as New York City’s uniform, proving that this will no doubt be a difficult collection to wait the better part of a year to purchase.
–by: Jillian Magenheim
Jillian Magenheim is a writer, editor and a digital media/PR consultant for multiple fashion and beauty brands. You can follow her thoughts on twitter @Magenhaz
THE ROW NYFW FALL/WINTER 2014
Looking at the cowl-necked cashmere sweaters and understated, loose skirts, it’s easy to forget that the Olsen twins grew up in a fame and fortune whirlwind. Their latest offering for brand The Row was simple, and a majority of it, hand-knitted. The focus was clear; shapes, size and draping. Vionnet herself would’ve struggled to keep a smile from her face if she knew that her drapery genius had been passed down to generations, and designers, as young and sharp as the Olsens. The materials and shapes themselves – everything from cocoon dresses to floaty scarf cape types – made the lack of detail more than acceptable. It still carried an undeniable air of drama, even without embroidery. The ankle socks and polished, sharp bags gave that final Olsen touch, perfect for their fall collection.
By: Sarah Kwong
Sarah is a features writer for a women’s weekly magazine and is based in London. Prior to this, she worked for Cosmopolitan UK magazine, and has freelanced for a variety of National magazines and websites, including The Times Magazine, Glamour and Cosmopolitan.co.uk, among others. She also blogs on the Huffington Post.
CAROLINA HERRERA NYFW FALL/WINTER 2014
Fall, with its typical dark, dull colour palette, often relies upon the art of shape. But Carolina Herrera’s collection managed to intertwine shape with print, and match the darker, muted colours with deep, rich tones. Part eccentric, and part ladylike, the collection carried a mixed message. Model extraordinaire Karlie Kloss, her ponytail pulled back, emerged from backstage in a black pencil skirt and rounded wool coat, enveloping her entire shoulder area. Soft with hard, especially with the sunglasses. But it wasn’t all theatrics. A lot of the looks were soft, swinging. Most notably the deep burgundy ball-gown type number, and the pillar-box red jumper, fitted with a fur block at the bottom. The designer’s ability to blend city chic work wear with bright, print ensembles impressed yet again.
By: Sarah Kwong
Sarah is a features writer for a women’s weekly magazine and is based in London. Prior to this, she worked for Cosmopolitan UK magazine, and has freelanced for a variety of National magazines and websites, including The Times Magazine, Glamour and Cosmopolitan.co.uk, among others. She also blogs on the Huffington Post.
3.1 PHILLIP LIM NYFW FALL/WINTER 2014
When Phillip Lim named his imaginary muse “Soleil” this season, he described her as “a fun and culturally curious woman,” of which he interpreted precisely by mixing and matching patchworks of fabrics, colors and textures that injected an abundance of energy into his Fall 2014 collection.
This animated spirit was initially provided by pastels in lavender, teal and sea green in pop art prints of floral and geometric gridlines, which stood on swirls of black, white and grey. It wasn’t long before the collection seeped into sophisticated silhouettes full of luxurious coats, boxy blazers and mid-length skirts found in moody purples, midnight blues and black, perfectly rounding out the entire collection. For extended texture, ruffled layers of knit added interest to oversized sweaters while rough and smooth were brought together by splicing leather with wool jersey and silk. With so many individual pieces that will easily coordinate with almost any woman’s closet, Phillip Lim has – not surprisingly – another winning collection on his hands.
by: Jillian Magenheim
Jillian Magenheim is a writer, editor and a digital media/PR consultant for multiple fashion and beauty brands. You can follow her thoughts on twitter @Magenhaz