Fashion Week: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Nanette Lepore, Isaac Mizrahi
Calvin Klein for spring 2011.
NEW YORK (AP) — Here’s a round-up of the shows that wrapped up spring 2011 Fashion Week.
CALVIN KLEIN
Easy, fluid and chic have been three of the favorite words at New York Fashion Week — and that was before the Calvin Klein collection debuted. Now, you can add sexy, smart and glamorous.
Minimal has long been the mantra of Calvin Klein, but Franciso Costa made the most for spring of each fold of fabric. He showed a masterful understanding of how clothes look on the body, and how to use that to the wearer’s advantage. A delicate little tie hugged the models wearing pleated dresses, and the silk crepe V-neck dress was evocative of a slinky-yet-sophisticated robe.
The one potential misstep was the extra chunk of fabric added to already long-length trousers. But one reminder of the back-wrap silk halter dress that opened the show, and all is forgiven.
And those racer-back gowns were oh-so sultry. Will we see front-row guest Katie Holmes in one of them soon?
Costa doesn’t normally pay much attention to trends but this time he nailed the defining look of the season.
Ralph Lauren for spring 2011.
RALPH LAUREN
Ralph Lauren’s romance with the American West continues. The twists on this runway were the silver sparkle, the ultra-luxe deerskin and sheer fabrics turning up in unexpected places.
Lauren employed traditional touches, such as leather fringe and oversized belt buckles, but there was a freshness and femininity to the clothes, especially the lace pieces.
A beautiful tulle embroidered blouse with a high neck, worn with an off-white leather fringed jacket and off-white linen shorts with crochet stripes down the side, kicked off the show and set the mood. Lauren’s days at the ranch are far more glamorous than your typical cowboy — there might be a need for a deerskin, beaded vest or fringed pants.
For evening, there was a honey-colored beaded, fringed long skirt with an embroidered blouse with hand crochet details, and a blush-pink georgette gown with gentle ruffles and unfinished edges around the V-neck.
Isaac Mizrahi for spring 2011.
ISAAC MIZRAHI
Isaac Mizrahi couldn’t be bothered with little details — bows, buttons, pockets and the like — for his spring styles?
Mizrahi called his collection “IM Xerox,” and most of the embellishment, save the sequins, were printed onto the fabric.
The opening look had those scan-effect pockets and buttons, another outfit had a faux corsage. A fashion-forward celebrity could wear the black strapless column gown with the illusion bow around the bust and generate some headlines.
Mizrahi then substituted collars and cuffs with jewelry. It was typical playful, inventive Mizrahi.
Then there were the styles that largely fit into this season, the sheer blush-colored coat over a ladylike strapless dress, the pajama pants-and-tunic combination in a pink floral print and the tuxedo, his done with a short jacket and polka-dot pants.
Proenza Schouler for spring 2011.
PROENZA SCHOULER
From day to the dark of night, Proenza Schouler has its girls covered.
The spring collection presented Wednesday night by designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez moved almost seamlessly from tweed suits to bra tops, only skipping a few beats with a loose dress or two with some misplaced ruffles around the middle.
The skirt suits stayed youthful thanks to strategic flashes of neon brights and mix-and-match textures, while the lingerie looks were always above board because they were romantic — even suggestive — but not bawdy. A languid trouser was paired with a black-and-white tweed chiffon jacket, and some blouson dresses featured an ink-blot print.
The duo hit many of the must-haves to come out of these spring previews: the pants of the season, the mismatched textures, a hint of the boudoir, said Kristina O’Neill, Harper Bazaar’s executive editor, “but they nailed the trends in a very Proenza way.”
Nanette Lepore for spring 2011.
NANETTE LEPORE
Nanette Lepore gave the weary fashion crowd the respite they were looking for: soothing music, thanks to John Forte and his three-man band; wearable, adorable clothes and an overall relaxed vibe.
No thumping, pumping sounds, nothing complicated or fussy on the runway.
Lepore’s spring collection furthered the upbeat attitude of this round of previews, but hers perhaps was one of the most relatable shows for consumers. The model in the rose beaded sundress could have just continued off that catwalk, caught a cab and gone shopping or to a museum or to meet a friend. The friend, perhaps, was in the shell drawstring coat and striped sweater dress.
Lepore, by nature, seems not to be a big risktaker, but she knows what her fans like and she does it well and with consistency. She hit on the retooling of the ‘70s and the tropical palette that have emerged as trends
Fashion Week spring 2010: Elie Tahari
Elie Tahair spring 2010 runway show in New York.(AP PHOTO)
Here’s a Fashion Wire Daily report on the Elie Tahari spring 2010 show.
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If you really want to get a handle on what American women might be wearing next spring then a good place to start is with Elie Tahari, whose latest crisp and clean collection suggested that practical elegance will be a fashion buzz term of 2010.
Tahari has never been a super directional designer, but when it comes to interpreting affordable chic, he has an extremely good track record. His latest ideas were largely inspired by North Africa, so Saharan hues dominated in this collection, presented in his mid town Manhattan headquarters on Thursday, the first official day of the eight-day New York runway season.
“I was seeing Morocco, its desert colors, its romance,” Tahari explained to FWD as a swarm of retailers and editors swung by to see the presentation. Unveiled on a sandy colored catwalk, the collection was all about natty American sportswear, with lots of cool, clever and approachable looks that did not demand too much nerve for women to wear.
His best ideas were low-slung trousers, cut with forgiving curves but never too much attitude, great little linen shorts paired with super light boucle bolero jackets, and jodhpur style pants with fabric belts, shown with crisp cotton tanks. Finished with lots of gold, in liquid looking tunics or splashed on to T-shirts and ruffle shirts, and complimented with cork high heels and purses, this was a smooth statement of plausible style.
Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)
Tahari also showed men’s looks in this collection, and though not as strong as his women’s ideas, there were plenty of hip new looks. Men’s wear designers have been conjuring up sporty nylon bomber jackets with semi-transparent fabrics for q couple of seasons without, however, really convincing that many men to actual wear them. Tahari, however, sent out a series of off-on-a-date and on-to-the-nightclub looks that will win plenty of fans among downtown gents.
“We’ve been working hard to respond to the market, either by reducing our price points or creating clothes in colors like sand and beige that will be longer wearing,” added Tahari, who expects this collection to retail in 300 locations.
Giving the people what they want is sometimes derided in fashion circles as being predictable, but in the current climate it seems to make lots of sense, especially, as was the case in this show, the clothes flatter and fall with an admirably jaunty aplomb.
Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)
Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)
Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)
Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)
Fashion Week spring 2010: John Bartlett
Claiborne by John Bartlett for spring 2010.
Guys, get read to show some color for spring. John Bartlett dipped into his box of crayons and came up with oranges, blues, pinksand greens for his Claiborne by John Bartlett collection.
Claiborne by John Bartlett for spring 2010.
Claiborne by John Bartlett for spring 2010.
Claiborne by John Bartlett for spring 2010.
Shoe designer Donald Pliner coming to Dillard’s
Donald J. Pliner, footwear and handbag designer
Mark your calendar. Shoe and handbag designer Donald Pliner is coming to Dillard’s, Penn Square, on Oct. 30. This is big news. The store is buzzing.
I interviewd Pliner more than 10 years ago when he made a personal appearance at Balliet’s. I’m looking forward to interviewing him again. Even better, I’ve been invited to have dinner with him.
Tulsa native and supermodel Amber Valletta to launch clothing line
Supermodel Amber Valletta
Supermodel Amber Valletta, who grew up in Tulsa, will launch her own clothing line in November.
She’s collaborating with Los Angeles contemporary label Monrow. Called Amber Valleta for Monrow, the first collection will include thin layering T-shirts and tanks, day dressses, tailored blazers and a fringed cape in a navy, cream, black, light gray and pale blush palette, Women’s Wear Daily reports.
“I’m not interested in making clothes that are not accessible … I really believe that the more expensive things should be gems that you keep in your closet, not trends,”Valletta told WWD.
Retail prices aren’t available yet; wholesale prices are from $65 to $80.
While Valletta will be adding designer to her resume, she’s staying busy as an actress, too. Her next film, “The Spy Next Door” with Jackie Chan, George Lopez and Billy Ray Cyrus, opens in January 2010.
John Galliano for Dior … inspiring collection
John Galliano for Dior's haute couture fall 2009 fashion collection, presented in Paris.
John Galliano, designer for Christian Dior, got a lot of help with his haute couture fall show in Paris. His inspiration was photos of an earlier generation of models. He happened upon archive photos featuring Monsieur Dior with a group of his favorite models in various sages of undress, according to The Daily Fix.
“We even discovered an image of Marlene Dietrich in a tuxedo with suspender straps attached to the bottom, the better to keep the jacket perfectly tight. Once I saw that, I was flying,” laughed Galliano, dressed in dark Brioni three-piece suit.
The result was a spectacular show staged in the upstairs salon of Dior’s classic headquarters on avenue Montaigne, where half the models appeared in tights with underwear, knickers, panties, straps or corsets in flesh tones or polkadots. Worn with a series of boleros, trench-dresses and reefer jackets, the overall look was sinfully racy, said The Daily Fix.
Galliano also enjoyed a great assist from hatter Stephen Jones, who created enormous bow-tie hats and feathered numbers.
Read the entire story from The Daily Fix here.
From John Galliano for Dior's haute couture fall 2009 show.AP PHOTO
John Galliano for Dior's haute couture fall 2009. AP PHOTO
John Galliano for Dior haute couture fall 2009. AP PHOTO
John Galliano for Dior haute couture fall 2009. AP PHOTO
Paris fashion designer Christian Lacroix files for bankruptcy
French fashion designer Christian Lacroix.
Hard times continue to impact high-end fashion businesses. Designer Christian Lacroix has filed for bankruptcy protection. Here’s the story from Fashion Week Daily.
(NEW YORK) Christian Lacroix has filed for court protection from creditors, equivalent to a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in the U.S. The company, a former LVMH brand founded in 1987 by Lacroix and Bernard Arnault, was sold in 1995 to the Florida-based Falic Group, owners of duty free chain Duty Free Americas. “We think it’s very well positioned,” chairman Simon Falic told WWD at the time of the acquisition. “So much money has been invested in this brand, and Mr Lacroix is such a highly-regarded talent in the fashion industry. I honestly believe we can double the sales volume in five years, maybe sooner.”
Lacroix’s reputation as one of Paris’ most relevant couturiers led the company to focus directly on the luxury market, a move that offers little for customers looking increasingly towards bridge collections. “Since the acquisition of Christian Lacroix SNC, we have been committed to the brand and to its high-end development,” said Lacroix CEO Nicolas Topiol in a statement released today. “We will continue to do so but the sharp downturn of the luxury market has significantly hurt our revenues.”
The company has pledged to continue producing both couture and ready-to-wear collections, even promising to show a small couture collection during July’s couture season, but the future of the Lacroix is in limbo. Ready-to-wear sales for the Fall 2009 season were down 35 percent, with 2008 losses of $14 million on overall revenues of approximately $42 million. Plans to strengthen the company by way of financial partners and investors have been put on hold. Topiol’s statement continued, “this process, which was in its final phase, was directly hit by the conditions of the financial markets and could not be finalized prior to the filing.”
In addition to Christian Lacroix’s fashion business, the brand has branched out into other projects, from decor for the French TGV to hotel interiors and uniforms for Air France. It is unknown whether the company will continue to participate in these other projects.
Anna Sui limited-edition collection comes to Target
Anna Sui at Target? If you’re thinking only in your dreams, wake up. Anna Sui is coming to Target.
Target reeled in Anna Sui in the second series of Designer Collaborations, an initiative that features well-established designers who draw inspiration from a collaborative partner, muse or creative element. The Anna Sui for Target collection is inspired from the female characters on televison’s wildly popular series “Gossip Girl.”
The collection will launch at 500 Target stores nationwide and on target.com on Sept. 13, and will be in stores through Oct. 17.
The first Designer Collaboration was with Alexander McQueen.
Designers look at ways to control their brand, prices, discounts
Sales have been rampant for months and months. Deep discounts since before Christmas. Even now new merchandise comes into the stores and is immediately marked down. Shoppers are getting used to not paying full price, but some designers have had enough. Here’s an interesting read in the Wall Street Journal about how some designers are trying to take back control of their products and their prices.
Carmen Marc Valvo Home to launch on QVC on April 18
Carmen Marc Valvo Home collection will launch April 18 on QVC.
Fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo will launch his new home decor collection on QVC on April 18.
Carmen Marc Valvo Home , created exclusively for the QVC, will debut at 10 a.m. with an eclectic assortment of tablewear, serving pieces and decorative accents with prices ranging from $20 to $150.
Much of the colleciton was inspired by Valvo’s own Hamptons beach house, which has been featured in several magazines.
“I believe that the home, like fashion, is an extension of a person’s personality,” he said. “My collection was designed to work with the natural aesthetic of the living space while allowing for the homeowner’s individual style to shine through.”
Signature pieces include a decorative beaded mosaic pillow, set of two cottonwood nesting bowls and four-piece stackable glass vase set.
For more information, go online to www.qvc.com.
