Thakoon.

Sun. 02/09/2014.

Thakoon.

Sometimes when you look at a Collection you invariably have to ask a rather Salient Question. 

Who Is This Woman? Where Is She Going?

That was forefront in the mind watching Thakoon Panichgul's Fall 2014 Collection! Who IS he designing for? Where does this Woman Exist? The collection did nothing to clarify that answer, It did in fact the opposite, it obscured it even further. What exactly Panichgul wanted to achieve was barely discernible. I was still left wondering. Sweater tops that worked as Tight little capelets that looked like the Bicep and Shoulders were wearing Knit Snowcaps were A Mystery of Fashion! Why? Then the thrown over the shoulder looking Scarf-Cum-Sweater... Indecipherably Strange! 

These pieces of consternation dominated the whole of the collection, pulling a scrim of incomprehension across the more beautiful and wearable selections! A simple Sweater and Dress in Two tones of Blue at Exit No. 4 was Powerful in it's Austerity and that it was Happily free from trickery. The Pantsuit at Exit No. 5 that followed was also Winning Points for it was Supremely Beautiful! Exit No. 18, A dress comprising a Solid Bodice and long sleeves with a slender skirt of a Gloriously Pretty floral Print that criss-crossed and wrapped around the torso was Simple and Complex all in the same breath! And Was STUNNING! The hazy Rose Quartz coloured Coat and Pant ensemble that followed that dress was Scintillating as well, For Sure! 

One nagging factor that could not be escaped was how much this collection Aped from Raf Simons Chez Dior! The feeling was Unshakable that Panichgul was KEENLY aware of what is going on at La Maison that Christian Built. That Awareness didn't Illuminate anything about this collection, That's For Damn Sure! When it was all Gladly over, One was left scratching their Noggin... What was it that was just witnessed? 

Is this what Panichgul Call Fashion? Is it even able to BE Called Fashion? 

With Questions Like that Hanging in the Air and no clear answers to be found anywhere, that only leaves Confusion. And I, Am left totally enmeshed in Confusion!

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Custo Barcelona.

Sun. 021/08/2014.

Custo Barcelona.

Has Custo Dalmau Lost his Ever Loving Mind? Fall 2014 was a Bewildering affair that no words could possibly do justice in explaining. Everything was Off, The Styling, The Hair, The Makeup, THE CLOTHES!! And The EDIT! 70 Exits? 70!?!?! That could have been shorn by at least 2/3, Truly it could have! It was a Crazy mix of clothes that didn't really look like they belonged on a runway, or if they did, A runway in the Late 80's or Early 90's! 

Going into detail about the 80's inspired messes on presented is a complete waste of words, there was just something Tacky and Atavistic here that left a definite unpleasant taste in one's mouth! Were there a few pieces to comment on that didn't look Horribly of the wrong time??? Not really, in all truth. Each piece was more unfortunate than the one before it. Again, The Less Said The Better! and with that This Review Comes to It's End! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Tracy Reese.

Sun. 02/09/2014.

Tracy Reese.

Being a Hometown Girl from the Big "D!" I naturally have scads of affection for One Ms. Tracy Reese! I adore her and I adore her work. She has kept herself in the game while not being an Everyday Name, Although she has had a larger profile develop now owing that the FLOTUS Has Worn publicly some of her pieces. However, she keeps things on the calmer side of the fence of fashion and is a Business Woman as well as a Great Designer! 

Her Fall 2014 Collection was one her more accomplished efforts and was Quite Successful in many areas, but the thing that always seems to creep in is her Wanderlust! Reese seems to gravitate in too many directions sometimes and her view alights on perhaps a few too many ideas sometimes, Mercurially so! This leads to a slight sense of disharmony among all the voices singing at once. Fall 2014 was no different an affair than usual, but the Jetes and Arabesques that moved away from the central themes were never so much as to detract from the whole as a Solid Unit. 

Reese's General conceit was that "There's more than One Way to wear a Dress" and Reese is famously known for being a Damn Marvel at making dresses! Focusing on dresses didn't mean Reese forgot about Separates. It was there we found actually most of the best pieces. A Long Coat-like Mustard Chevron Knit Cardigan at Exit No. 3, worn with a Printed Pant and Top it looked as Office Ready as it did for Strolling in An Apple Orchard on the Weekend! A Delicate Nude Frock with Crystal embroidery at Exit No. 11 was so Fragile and Wispy, it looked like it was sourced from some Vintage Store! It spoke Magic! 

Reese does know how to cut a dress, and they virtually all were winners! This was a Great outing for Reese, With a few tiny chinks in the edit (some pieces could have been Mercifully Excised and would have Made things more cohesive, But that's Nitpicking!) and continued the Dialogue with her Loyal Clientele in a Fine Manner. There was nothing to be mad at here, and that's as good as a Home Run, in the Fashion World! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

DKNY.

Sun. 02/08/2014.

DKNY.

After a Blockbuster of a 25th Anniversary Celebration collection for Spring, in which Donna Karan Kinda outdid herself for DKNY and was so Amazing It was almost a Best Of collection and one that was Full of Wit and Charm and Fierce Strength and FUN, We find ourselves here in February wondering where all those elements went? Those key elements that always made Donna Karan's work (Especially A La Maison de DKNY) so Magical! That Fun Girly Spirit that no matter how Tough the Woman on the Outside was (and being an Urban Woman, In NY No Less, requires TOUGHNESS) she retained that Giddy Girly Esprit on the inside! That has been lost to a Major degree in both her Donna Karan Collection and DKNY over the years as for her main collection she has sank into this Earth Mother-Hippy-Bohemian-Arsty Fartsy Schtick that has done nothing to elevate the clothes and at DKNY it has just been lost in TRYING to BE Young instead of TRULY BEING Young, Not in age, but At Heart! 

Suffice it to say, That feeling of That Giddy Girly Spirit was warmly welcomed back in September... But she seems to have, POOF! Disappeared again, Mercurial as a Fairy in Oberon's Court, She Showered her Tinkly dust over the preceding collection and then, Quick as Starshine, She whisked herself back to The land of Magic leaving Fall 2014 DKNY a Startlingly good collection, but missing the spark that made Spring so Brilliant.

Let it be said though, Fall 2014 was, MAY-JUR! Ok!? It was a Thoroughly Bountiful offering of all the things a Contemporary City Woman and Man need for traversing the Concrete Jungle! Make no mistake, If Spring was more Fun, this was more FASHION! Setting the show up in seeming sections of specific colours more so than themes, Karan first showed Black and White in the first section yielding goodies aplenty! This section also felt somewhat indebted to a Modern Grunge Idea which wasn't bad, but wasn't elevating things particularly but could be glossed over readily! 

In this section, A techno fabric Anorak with fur accents thrown over a Sharp Tailored Pantsuit at Exit No. 5 was too good to miss, As was the Skunky looking shaggy Fur coat at Exit No. 19 worn over a "D" Varsity sweater and Swirling Buttery soft Leather A-Line Skirt. Near the end of this section Karan injected some Taxi Yellow into the mix as well as beginning to phase in the next colour, Grey, which would be the major theme of the next Section, more on that in a Bit. The Yellow though, added a Dash of life, looking great in Tiger/Camo Stripes and as a Varsity Jacket! 

Next Up, Black and Grey, A brief soujourn to be sure, but wonderful nonetheless, afterwards, Onward to a Mash-Up of Purplish Blues and Wine-y Reds contrasting to the Black and Grey. This section gave up some Memorable moments, most distinctly some Men's Suits that were making my breath shorten! Finally, Karan's Last stop was a Section of Banker Grey, with a TOUCH of Punkish Highlighter Pink thrown in to Keep it Alive and Fresh! A Quasi Tuxedo Look at Exit No. 49 was Screaming Whimsical Chic, while Sasha Luss looked Every bit a 90's Grunge Goddess in a Grey Mixed Media Slip gown to end the Show! 

I won't bother mentioning Donna's Choice of Street Casting, It, to me, Added absolutely ZERO to the show! It detracted more than anything, but not so severely as to Mar the collection, but it came dubiously close! However, the clothes spoke more volumes than in the Library of Congress. It was a typical, of now, DKNY Collection. It didn't capture that Ephemeral Bliss of Spring, but it stood on it's own terms and was making no apologies. That alone, made the effort more than worthwhile! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Derek Lam.

Sun. 02/09/2014.

Derek Lam.

Derek Lam produced one of my Favorite collections for Spring 2014. It was Perfectly Controlled and Conceived and was a Highlight of a season already Rife with Spectacular showings. Fall 2014 did not meet the same Breath-Caught-In-Chest Kind of Frisson but was still one of those collections in which you felt you had witnessed something profound transpiring and left you thinking about well after it was over! Lam's collection was Subtly Reserved, But not Restrained. There was a Quiet Extroversion to the Deftly Luxurious clothes being gazed upon. 

Lam's Colour palette was to be remarked upon, Clashing combinations were De Rigueur for the day, Bottle Green with Curry and Oatmeal in the opening exit were quite the unexpected Pairing. From there Lam gave us everything from Cornflower Blue, Kelly Green, Chocolate and bits and pieces of Clover Green, Coral and Aqua. 

Lam's Selection of clothing as well turned up the Covet Quotient with Fine Tailoring and Luscious Pieces. A White Suit at Exit No. 8 Moved with the Graceful spirit of a 70's era Faye Dunaway but would look just as Key on a Woman of Charlize Theron's Majesty! The Giant Grey coat that followed was just another Exceptional piece in the already overweight Cavalcade of Incredible coats this season!

I can't spend lines and lines of text Gushing over all the Phenomenal work and pieces here, so I am limiting myself severely. Hanae Gaby looked So LONG and LEAN and TALL in the Black Suede Jumpsuit with the T-Shirt bodice at Exit No. 13 and Black Lace strapless number at Exit No. 27 on had a little Dior in it's mind. Finishing Strong with a Trio of dresses in slashed Seaming with tiny Gold Studs interspersed in the fabric made quite the Racy and Daring statement as much more skin than one would imagine visible from the relatively Austere dresses! The White One on Sasha Luss, Exit No. 31 Positively Purred! 

Lam is hitting his Stride with Bold Confidence and after viewing this Collection Daring! It's Paying off, He has a New Investor and some capital to work with... Lam has Secured his place in the books as one of NY Fashion, Globa; Fashion., Major Players! He's a Big Name in the Making and will become, for the New Generation of Fashion Heavy Hitters he stands with, like the Michael and Mark and Calvin and Ralph and Donna of the next era. With Lam at the Helm, NY Fashion is in Steady Hands! 

That's All.

Bye4Now! 

Yigal Azrouel.

Sun. 02/09/2014.

Yigal Azrouel.

Remarkable in it's Anonymity. Those were the words that came to mind watching Yigal Azrouel's Fall 2014 collection. These are not Anonymous clothes to be sure... but they are the kind of Fashionable wears that a woman of this century can Camouflage herself and look Stylish, but not be a Cause Celebre! Azrouel projected sense of Quietude in his clothes this season and a Luxury of Understatement and Restraint. 

Starting with Warm, Inviting Neutrals, Azrouel was surely working a Cozy theme. A hooded pullover with a Leather and Mohair plaid wrap skirt at Exit No. 4 was Casual and Special! A motif that worked also, a Drop Pleated Skirt dress worked a few different ways was Fresh Looking and Easy to incorporate into a Woman's already bulging wardrobe. It looked Mighty Fine in Spruce Green with a Mock Neck and Short Sleeves at Exit No. 22. Both graphic prints that Azrouel used Sparingly were welcome additions to the mostly Neutral Palette of Ivory, Spruce, Ink Blue Black and Salt-And-Pepper Grey. 

The final passage of offerings with complicated workings of the sleeves felt out of place and worked against the previous Clean easiness of the earlier pieces. But they were Interesting, if not very effective. Azrouel came up with a winning formula this season and Showed a Very wearable collection with Longevity to spare! Who Could Ask For Anything More? 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Public School.

Sun. 02/09/2014.

Public School.

As winners of Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund Award last year, Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow made quite the Entree into the Fashion Sphere! Stardom soon followed and Empress of the Known Galaxy, Anna Wintour was singing their praises! All that should have conspired to make for a Splashy Maiden Voyage into the choppy waters of Women's Designer Fashion. Owing as these guys have all the right assets... It made for far more than Splashy, it was an Unqualified Home Run! 

Osborne and Chen spoke about the Women's Pieces intergrated in with the Men's wear and said that they did not want to make clothes for the "Girlfriend" of the Public School Man, in fact they were dressing his Female Counterpart, the Woman who thinks like the Public School Man! It was a Interesting conceit and one that was committed to with utmost Dedication and Vision! Seeing how the Public School Man dresses, why would a Woman want anything less than that Said Same Aesthetic translated to suit her!?!? 

Since this was their dipping of a Toe (Maybe more like a Foot) into the pool of Women's Design, it would be natural that Osborne and Chow lean more on their Men's wear show and show a minute edit of Women's wear, No faults there. This can be scary territory even for the experienced. It must be said firmly that the Menswear that was shown was SPECTACULAR! Covetous! Desirable! Addictive! NECESSARY! 

The collection was giving Amish Gangsta! I mean that in only the best possible of ways. There was The Duo's Dashing Urban Man meeting Brother Jebediah and his Kin in the Barn and trying on each others clothes and seeing how they mixed so well together! I know the duo called them "New Pioneers" But I, Was feeling That at any Minute Kelly McGillis and Alexander Goudonov were going to peek out from the Silo! In saying that, I WANT EVERY PIECE! 

On the Women's Side, this innate Coolness was transferred in a seemingly effortless manner! With only 13 Exits out of the 37, These women's pieces had to make an Impact that was Surely Felt! From Jac Jagaciak's opening salvo in All Black to Grace Mahary in a Bordeaux Coloured Cape coat at Exit No. 17 which was a Show Stealer, I Tell You! Or, How about Yumi Lambert in a Simple Combo of a Herringbone Tweed Top coat and Black Culottes that was as much Urban Warrior as it was Urban Office at Exit No. 21!? 

With this Awesome Segue into Women's wear being so well done and Ready to strut down the Runway of Life, Osborne and Chow are staking their claim, marking their turf and letting it be known, they intend to make good on the promise seen in them by The CFDA and Vogue and show no signs that they will disappoint them! Here's to hoping their futures are Bright and Brilliant! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Delpozo

Sun. 02/09/2010.

Delpozo.

In just one season of showing during NY Fashion Week, Josep Font has Catapulted the Spanish house of Delpozo into the Fashion Stratosphere and made a near Superstar of Mr. Font. Rightfully so! Font has presented something so Unique and Precious during NYFW, Something so Rare on that Calendar, that it's almost as if one has been invited into some Grand Vault to view The Rarest of Rarities... A Jewel of Incomparable Stature, An unknown Van Gogh, An Unpublished Beethoven... 

For Fall 2014, Font was caught up in a Multi-Layered Conception that comprised the Futuristic Novel "Logan's Run" Artist Duilio Barnabe (Google That One!) and "To create something Unattached to the Body that flows" Process all that together and Voila! You Get a Stunning Piece of Fashion Wonderment! Font's work straddles the Line (Somewhat like Ralph Rucci) between Super Deluxe Pret-A-Porter and Haute Couture. The attention to detail is Rather Astounding and Meticulous as to be Taxing, But never seems to swim in those waters!

One thing must be mentioned as well... These clothes are not Easily Digested and Palatable to the everyday Fashion Spectator or Enthusiast. There is something so Viciously Modern in Font's Approach that even sometimes (most times) it looks Romantic and Atavistic, It is Resolutely Modern, almost conceived in the same Spirit that Raf Simons' Imbues Dior with Now! Take these pieces apart from their respective Outfits or simply pay keen attention to them and one realizes how Futuristic these works are, Nostalgic seeming, Mayhaps, but Very much Looking towards the next evolution of fashion! No one said Future Fashion HAD to Be Clinical and Cold, Now did they?

Analyzing Outfits would be a Fools Errand, The clothes are too Esoteric for Apt Analysis. One can say to just simply Marvel at the pieces that stand out even more resoundingly from the pack, A Undulating Porcelain Blue dress at Exit No. 8 Was just The Zenith of Refinement and Grace, Or the two Ecstatically coloured Blanket Plaid Mohair coats of Exit Nos. 21 and 22 which were Buzzingly Vibrant! How about the Dreamy, Airy embroidered Mauve shot Storm Blue gown on Ming Xi at Exit No. 33? Perfection!

Font has quickened the pulse of many a Fashion Insider and is quickly making Delpozo a Can't Miss Epic during Fashion Week. If he keeps fascinating with collections such as this and Last Spring's, He'll be Fashion Royalty In No Time Flat!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Victoria Beckham.

Sun. 02/09/2014.

Victoria Beckham.

Fall 2014 found The Always Flawlessly Turned Out Victoria Beckham exploring her Tailored side with a collection that seemed to focus less on the thing that made her Famous, her Sleek, Sinfully Sculpted Evening gowns. Beckham is making a name for herself in the Luxury Sportswear arena and is offering up a Unique voice amongst the already Congested Throng. So Far, So Good! 

Fall found Beckham culling a lot of ideas into one collection and not all of them congealed together to make the entire unit work as one. The two opening coats were Very Right and played with opposites by being cut in Ivory and Black. Both had a Substantial Gold Chain closure instead of a Button and was a nice accent that added a interesting bit of newness to the pieces and the collection as a whole! 

From that point on... things became a little unfocused. Crafts-y Flounces, Pleating in places it really shouldn't have been, the simpler she kept things the better. A White Turtleneck and Softly belled skirt at Exit No. 9 was Gleaming Perfection. The less Beckham dabbled in Experimentation the more rewards were reaped. Near the end... things began to Roller Coaster out of control and didn't reach an Oasis until the last Two pleated Gowns which were rather Sumptuous in an Minimal Way. 

Beckham has long ago proven her chops, She was seen as something of a Novelty in the beginning, A Fashionista with an Awesome sense of Personal Style thought she could be a Designer... Well she has BECOME A Designer, and One Helluva Designer at that! She should keep up the Risk taking, It's not always going to be a Winner, but the Risk keeps a Designer on their toes and makes for sometimes Great Work. No Risk, No Reward! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Alexander Wang.

Sat. 02/08/2014.

Alexander Wang.

Truly, Leave it to Alexander Wang to take the Whole Sporty premise that has seemed to Suffuse itself to the Face of Fashion as of late like Fashion was John Hurt down on Planet LV-426 and Run with it to it's most Extreme degree. Wang was concerned with "Extreme Conditions and Survival" and that meant he was referencing all manner of Outdoor Adventuring. Mountain Climbing, Hunting, Hiking, But for the Urban Adventurer! Within this construct, it wasn't Typical Wang, and in stepping out of his Comfort Zone, It produced some uneven results, Though, when it was Strong, It was Atlas-like in it's Strength! 

Opening with Odes to Multifunctionalism, the first set of pieces were laden with Snap Pockets and pen holders and little compartments for holding all the Urban Necessities but Applied to Strict Chic pieces made for the woman on the Go! It didn't look like Prototypical Wang, but it did look Wildly Good, Especially Exit No. 3, A cardigan like Coat. These were mutated and transformed in multiple ways, culminating in a Caramel Coloured topcoat of Sensational Measure! 

One thing was apparent was that Wang was working his Tailoring Skills out hard on this go-round! From some Sharp Suits to Crisp Outerwear. Wang Loves a good Knit too, and showed an abundance of differing ones, from Oversized mulitcolour Tape Style knits, to Fluo Zig-Zags and more! There was also a Full-On assault of Outerwear that fluctuated between Zippy Mountaineer jackets with Wide Banded trim to Puffy Anoraks Hand-Painted with Rocky mountain scenes To Ragged Hem Suede/Shearling pieces that looked like Caveman pelts Transmogrified in the most Refined of ways! 

This all culminated with A awesome trick of High-Tech Fabric Development... The finale pieces all looked to be Black Leather and the Final dozen models stood on a rotating portion of the Runway, and moved in front of Heat Blowing vents stationed in front of them... as the heat warmed the Leather, they Changed into Vibrant Hues of Delicate Lace-Like patterns in Acid Yellow and Ultraviolet Purple, And a Brio shade of Aqua! It was a Magical Moment that could only be achieved in our Highly Technological age. It was a Brilliant and Outstanding Display! 

Wang secured his place in the Fashion Power Player Cognoscenti some while ago, but will continue to keep his place Solidly Locked with further masterpieces like this! It wasn't Clothing wise, his most Spellbinding Outing, Per Se, But it was an achievement of Immense Talent. We can surely expect more of the same in the future! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Monique L'Huillier.

Sat. 02/08/2014.

Monique L'Huillier.

It was a pleasant turn of affairs that Monique L'Huillier showed Honest to goodness Daywear, even though it may still have been a rather Luxe-y Version of Day wear it was decidedly less Evening Skewed than usual. Whereas in the past her Day pieces could pass for Early Evening/Cocktail pieces, here they were more subdued and less pointed in the Evening direction. That, Is a Good Thing!

The only failure in this is that for Fall 2014 these Happy Day pieces were anything but graceful or for that matter forward looking. They looked a little... Shall we say... Dowdy! Even when cut out of very technical and interesting Modern Fabrics, like Tweed printed Vinyl that looked like Tortoiseshell or that same Vinyl worked to look like Lace. Even a Floral print that was made to look like a Tweed was Printed Neoprene. The longish hemlines gave a Grandmamma Feel to the clothes and they looked dated to a certain degree. But there were a few that surprised, A Black Chiffon blouse with a strict Pencil skirt in that Printed Vinyl, at Exit No. 3 was Giving Sexy Secretary but in a Modern way with only the barest look back to another era. A Pink dress with a Black Net Overlay at Exit No. 14 was Subtly Sexy and Chic!

As always, it was Evening where L'Huillier Shined. There was a Gothic overtone to the pieces, Lots of Black and L'Huillier even injected some Skulls into her Lace and Embroideries to magnify that Gothic impulse, but she was far more effective when she kept things ebullient and Fairy-Tale Like, even if it was a Dark Fairy Tale! Some of the Best... A Black crepe Gown with a Shocking Pink lining at Exit No 35 on Maria Borges was Slaying it! The Showstopper was the Silk Canvas strapless Ballgown in the Confetti Petal print with a Huge Train at Exit No. 36 was giving Couture Worthy Grandeur!

Concluding with a Black pair of gowns with Fuschia Trellis Embroidery lavished over them (Exit No. 41 a Buoyant Ballgown with Hi-Lo hem was Particularly Special!) L'Huillier proved that in her Metier, She is hard to top. She just needs now to exude that same fearless confidence in her Day wear and all will be Golden. This was a Good Start!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Tibi.

Sat. 02/08/2014.










Tibi,

Quaker Boho? Um... Excuse Moi? That was the vibe being felt at Amy Smilovic's Fall 2014 Collection for Tibi. Those Hats were Saying Oatmeal whilst the clothes were saying Granola! It was a Enigmatic and Not altogether convincing mixture that didn't Yield much in the way of Wow or of Excitement. There was a Plethora of Items that will keep a woman's closet chic into 2015 and beyond, especially some lovely coats (More about that in a moment) but paired as they were here, No one's really going to notice them until they're on the rack at your Department store of Choice!

A few coats stood out for all the right reasons, the Baby Blue opener was a good choice for any woman to make come this Fall, while the Swingy Black crop Jacket/Coat at Exit No. 4 was also an easy piece to gravitate to! After this... Things devolved into a Droopy Affair of Layers and Slouchiness that just never coalesced into something specific or flattering. Smilovic's Usual sense of Pared Down Luxe never showed up here and GOD, Could that Editing Eye been helpful!

By no means a Tragic Affair, Tibi Fall 2014 isn't Going to get the Fashion Juices flowing for any but the Stalwart fans of the house.










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Altuzarra.

Sat. 02/08/2014.

Altuzarra.

Breathtaking. Simply, Breathtaking! Joseph Altuzarra Made a Statement for Fall 2014 of Quiet Luxury that Rang from the Bell Towers with Clarion Precision! Altuzarra Channeled all of the Best qualities of Narciso Rodriguez, Donna Karan, Michael Kors and even a Little of Calvin Klein in the Minimalist 90's and Synthesized that into an Elixir so Potent and so Artfully Joseph Altuzarra that it caused an almost Physical Shock to see such Masterful Cross-Pollination! 

Purity. Quality and Severity Coalesced together into something so Radiant, so Acutely Perfect, that one had to really double take to believe what they were seeing. In a brief edit of only 30 pieces, Altuzarra made an impact of Herculean importance! Starting off with that Magical Blue-On-Blue Statement coat that had the DNA of Old School DK running through it. Simple as the Night is Dark, It was a Jaw Dropper! The contrast of Cadet Blue against the more Searing Lapis Collar was to become the Trademark Trope of the Clothes Story... Sober Colour Outside, Flamboyant Colour Inside! It made me think of Isaac Mizrahi's Fall 1992 Collection that he Called "Hidden Riches" where all the Colour and Extroversion were Hidden inside the Clothing... This was a Modern 21st Century riff on that idea! 

This collection would have been an abject Failure if Altuzarra's Tailoring Skills were not TOP NOTCH! When things are this Subdued and Quiet, Your Technique is the only thing that saves it, otherwise it would look simply Desperate and Shoddy instead of Confident and Peerless! Everything here was Covetably Precise! Gaze upon a Spruce Green Wrap coat, Exit No. 10... So Divinely Flawless it positively ached with Ascetic Pureness. 

Altuzarra also let his more Wild side show... Kinda like letting his Freak Flag Peek Out a little rather than Fly at Full Mast. The multicolour woven pieces Hand Loomed by NY Textile Artisans were clearly more Extrovert and Flashy, but They Complemented the Stark nature of the rest of the collection and gave it a Much needed injection of Surprise and Risk! The Hand Painted Shearling coats at Exit Nos. 21 and 22 were Psychedelically Trippy and Vibrant (Most Notably No. 21 which was Retina Bursting in it's Vivacious Hues!) and were also of the Risky Ilk! 

When it was All over, It had seemed like a Mirage... Happening in all of about 8 minutes, You were transported to an Isle of Sleek, Modern, DEVASTATING Chic. Joseph Altuzarra not only Created a Collection that will Skyrocket him into the Fashion Consciousness All over the Globe, But he might have also just Changed the game in Fashion. This was a Shot heard round the Planet and It will be the High Point of the season. It Just might be a Collection that will live On in Fashion History, Forever! 

That's All.

\

Bye4Now!

Christian Siriano.

Sat. 02/08/2014.

Christian Siriano.

It's a Rich Vein to mine, Irving and Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn. VERY Rich, indeed. As anyone who is Vaguely aware of or interested in The Greatest of the Greats of Fashion, these two iconic Names are right up there with Chanel, Dior, YSL, Vionnet, Avedon, Vreeland, The Luminaries! It's a ballsy move to try and Conjure those two Perfectly Matched Firebrands... But would certainly make for fascinating Fashion! That was the Starting Point for Christian Siriano for Fall 2014.

This inspiration can pose tricky problems for the simple fact that the clothes can easily develop into Costume and in a certain sense, they did. The Problem... Siriano is in a sense the Spiritual Twin of Zac Posen. Both are Wizards with Fabric manipulation and Creating shape in the most Sculptural of ways, and in saying that, both are prone to Extremes. Those extremes at times can get the best of both designers and blur the innate Purity and Brilliance of their work as they get caught up in the Majesty of their own Design Aesthetic.

After a particularly Strong Spring collection, Siriano's Fall Collection was Perhaps Stronger, but also far more uneven. The affectation of Fonssagrives-Penn was Captured Down Pat, and lent a magnificent Old World Elegance and Gravitas to the clothes. As the show continued though, that very same Gravitas began to work against the clothes.

In the early moments of the Show, The Vibe was Strong and looked Deeply Appealing. A pair of Cocoon Coats in Fir Green and Plum Purple Mohair were Strong and Retro while looking up-to-the-minute. A Tulip Hem wrap Dress at Exit No. 13 was Hella Sexy but in a Smouldering Sort of way and was Cut to PERFECTION! A Strapless White Wiggle Dress at Exit No. 17 with a fold over cuff at the top of the bust was channeling Severe, but not Austere!

By the halfway point though the Theme had overtaken the clothes and they began to become Leaden and Overwrought with Overdesign, Weighed down. A swirling Marble Print Lame fabric was a Bad Choice, mainly because, it looked Cheap. In Purple it looked Horribly Tacky, and should have been stricken from the Collection. It added nothing, in fact, It detracted in an almost Perilous Way!

One last Sticking Point... Why Design a MASTERPIECE Of Couture Showmanship as The Black Gown at Exit No. 40 which was Shockingly Marvellous, and then end the show with the piece that he did which was unflattering in countless ways...??? It was Bewildering! Siriano made quite the impression with this collection, It was in places, Flawless. In other places, Confusing! One can only hope in the next iteration Siriano will edit a little more Strictly and Keep the Excesses reigned in. He made his name in Glorious Excess, But now needs to Temper that with Keener Attention to the Larger Picture!










That's All.









Bye4Now!

Herve Leger By Max Azria.

Sat. 02/08/2014.

Herve Leger By Max Axria.

Fall 2014 saw Max and Lubov Azria getting into some Fetishistic Fashion with Bondage and Zippers and Buckles and Corsets, OH MY! The other distinct impression was that they were also invoking L'Esprit De Gianni Versace Circa 1992 Fall with his Famous "Bondage" Cowboys and Indians Collection that is so (In)Famous! But Versace-isms seemed to abound in this collection, Gianni AND Donatella. It did a world of good for the House which has suffered some Massive Indignities under the helm of the Azria's!

Sublimated Sexy was the Theme Du Jour. Sasha Luss with here Slick Show Ponytail slinked the catwalk to open in a Dress with a Cage effect and Trompe L'Oeil Corset jutting off the sides that was Strong and Sexy while being quite Modest. Attached Cutout Corsets and Caging effects dominated the opening exits and so did Major Fur, Especially the Hybrid Fur and Leather Cape/Coat on Arlenis Sosa at Exit No. 10!

Channeling The Herve Leger of old was a dress the colour Chocolate Mousse on Jasmine Tookes at Exit No. 13 that was Scintillating! So was a Fiery Tomato Red Number At Exit No. 21! The Final Trio of dresses seemed to be aping Donatella Versace's signature Spliced dresses of Patched together Sheer and Solid and Beading but done in an altogether Leger way and worked Beautifully and Sexily! The Final dress, again on Sasha Luss, was Particularly Special! 

This was a Smashing turn of events for the Leger House and perhaps Max and Lubov have gotten the train back on the tracks and hopefully this will set them on the path of continued success in this manner!

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Rebecca Taylor.

Sat. 02/08/2014.










Rebecca Taylor.

Perusing Rebecca Taylor's Fall 2014 collection, There wasn't much to be thrilled with. It was a pretty mundane affair with a few blips on the sonar that were noteworthy. Even though Taylor said she was inspired by a French Artist whose work is done entirely in Chalk and the fleeting ephemerality of those artworks, the clothes gave nothing to back up such an idiosyncratic impulse.

Sometimes the pieces were interesting and well worth seeking out for they were quite covetous, but thrown together in the Mish-Mash that they were combined with lent them little more than Supporting acts in the confused drama. Exit No. 12 was a prime example of Less being More. A simple Salt-And-Pepper Tweed trapeze top and A-Line skirt showing off a sliver of Net swathed midriff made total sense and was unique. Nothing much else matched up to that High Point.

Baldly, there wasn't anything terribly wrong with the collection, it was just bathed in a Patina of Ordinariness. And sometimes, Ordinary is the Worst Offence!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Prabal Gurung.

Sat. 02/08/2014.

Prabal Gurung.

Let us take a Trip, Shall We? A trip back to September 2013. When Prabal Gurung showed his Wiggle-Licious Spring 2014 collection that bordered on Amazing and then Flash Forward to February 2014 and.... EXCUSE THE HELL OUTTA ME?!?!? What? Could this be the same designer? It just cannot possibly Be? Has Prabal Gurung been taken by the Pod People? I am Agog! 

This collection was not just Awful, It was INCONCEIVABLE! Hideous! Tragic! Stupefying! I don't know what Gurung was aiming to achieve here, but whatever it was, no good came of it! Messy would be far too tame and moreover, KIND a word to describe this Unfortunate, Dismal Affair! Since I have extended myself perhaps too far into the realm of Hyperbole, I shall distill this down to it's concentrated essence, for I could find myself travelling in the lands of Prolixity if I did not! 

Finding himself in the Land of Mustang, A remote little niche in the Himalayas between Nepal (Gurung's Homeland) and Tibet. Inspired by their Native Dress, he came back with what can only be described as a testament to dishevelment. There was an Incoherence that bordered on Hysteria in these clothes. Let's get out of the way that there are some AMAZINGLY Beautiful Luxe Pieces here, especially concerning the Outerwear, but the great number of pieces that were Beauties were smothered in Shambolic Haberdashery! Those Leggy draped skirts that opened the show aren't going to work in the Fall or Winter anywhere but perhaps Tahiti! And those Mysteriously destroyed Jackets and Blazers showing Skin in Askew ways... I cannot begin to relate how Unfathomably wrong they were! 

The Cape Collar coats that were shown were speaking Loud and Clear as Masterpieces, especially the Doubleface one in Chili Pepper Red and Carrot Orange At Exit No. 17. The finale Quartet of Chiffon Gowns as well were hitting the High Notes Like Renee Fleming and were Interestingly Beautiful mainly because of their uniqueness! 

Setting those beautiful pieces aside, everything else just fell into an abyss of Horror. Some may find it Experimental, Edgy, Unique, Artistic even, but coming from someone of Gurung's Copious talent, it was nothing less than a Catastrophe. 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Jill Stuart.

Sat. 02/08/2014.

Jill Stuart.

A Jill Stuart fashion show can always be something of an unpredictable affair. It can either be... Mediocre or Dismal or Underwhelming. Sometimes she manages to put out more good pieces than bad, but always there's an inconsistency that bogs the proceedings down to things simply being unmemorable. No one is going to scream out at the woman on the street or in the Office or anywhere "You're Wearing Jill Stuart!!!" with that Glint in the eye of Lustful Recognition! Maybe that's how Stuart prefers to create,  but this also creates a certain Anonymity to her clothes. 

Fall 2014 saw Stuart operating at a Higher pitch than usual, and the selection of clothes were much more Interesting than usual, and thankfully MUCH more Grown-Up... That is for the first half, The latter half... more on that later. Opening the show with a Shaggy fur coat lined in Leather over a Micro Crystal studded dress was a winning move. It looked Fierce and Memorable. Exit No. 2 Doubled Down on the Fierce and was one of those moments where your jaw goes involuntarily slack in Awe, Those Pants Came from another Dimension! We simply aren't ready for such Gorgeousness! 

There was much to Marvel at in this first half, from the Oversized Coat that looked like a Giant Tweedy, Cuddly Teddy Bear was giving the Wafer thin Model a Huge Hug at Exit No. 4 And Exit No. 12 was Invoking the Spirit of Gianfranco Ferre to a T! Things followed this path of Excellence until about the halfway point...

Where the Train kinda jumped the Tracks. Stuart began to refer back to her old tricks and produce clothes that looked more suited to a Woman-Child trying her damnedest to look like half her age by Shopping at Forever 21 and failing miserably at the job. These pieces also had the unfortunate curse of being lavished with Arts-And-Crafts-y Embroideries that made the clothes look even more juvenile. A couple of Net Pieces with Feathery embroidery looked good but the rest just felt as if it belonged in some other collection. They didn't have the Cool Fierce girl look of the preceding Outfits. 

This was a halfway spectacular showing from Stuart, Full of Confident, Sexy, Even slightly Dangerous Clothes! It was a Dark Breath of Fresh Air that was deflated by some curiously misjudged duds. But with the Marvellously strong Opening, these aberrations of design can be mercifully forgiven!

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Adam Lippes.

Sat. 02/08/2014.

Adam Lippes.

Adam Lippes has gone Urban Boho! There was a delightful restrained Eccentricity to his City ready Outfits that gave them an extra added quotient of noticeability amongst the throng, And don't all fashionistas want to be noticed? Well, Look no further, Proud Fashion Peacocks! Lippes' Fall 2014 outing was perhaps his most Daring and Risky, and in taking that risk was also not as solid a lineup as past collections, dim the lustre it did, but only in the most marginal of senses. However, Better the risk than Stagnation!

The Boho affect came via Lippes Inspiration for Fall, The Grateful Dead. Stating that, he himself is a Dedicated DeadHead, Lippes looked towards the Hippy inflection of the Dead Culture and translated that (With MUCH Recalibration) into something City Chic with a Bohemian twist, Envisage the Urban Hippy juxtaposition of a Slim lined Black toggle coat worn over a Lace Dress at Look No. 7 that could take a Woman through Spring to Fall with ease, While Look No. 16 was Channeling Diane Keaton as "Annie Hall" and as herself NOW in a Mannish Plaid Pairing of a pullover "Vest" and Pants and a White Blouse.

Lippes' Slender Edit was Powerful in it's Laser Precise vision of his Woman.and will continue keeping his name on the lips of fashionable women across the Globe. As I spoke of last season about Lippes and Deborah Lloyd that both are producing collections better than many of the houses showing on the runways during NY Fashion week. They need to, Lippes ESPECIALLY, who has shown on the runway before, Do formal Shows and get the attention they so richly deserve. Lippes is a Force Majeur in the making, He needs to start taking the steps to realize that Destiny!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Lacoste.

Sat. 02/08/2014.

Lacoste.

Felipe Oliveira Baptista's Lacoste shows have become Must-See Fashion during NY Fashion Week, And rightly so! Baptista's Play on Sportif Luxe is Insatiably Addictive and Desirable. Baptista knows how to tweak the Lacoste Heritage and mold it into something Modern but still classical in it's perception! He has taken a Label that was not even on the Fringes of High Fashion and elevated it to Something now seen as a serious Bastion of Style. Not an easy task, to be sure!

Fall 2014 saw Baptista in Fabulous Form Chez Lacoste, Citing an Inspire gleaned from the Golf legacy hidden in the background of the Lacoste Family as well as Baptista's own lineage. Vague as that inspiration may be, what was culled from it and made into Garments was pretty nifty! Merging Sportif and Utilitarian has been the big trend the past couple seasons On the playing field of Fashion, and Lacoste is perhaps one of it's finest purveyors.

There was something Sleekly Minimalist also, about the wares Baptista was sending down the runway. from an Inky Blue zip-front jacket with a belted waist at Exit No. 2 that Had a vaguely Militaristic feel to it but toed the Sporty Luxe line brilliantly as it was cut in Suede! There was a Definite mannish Curveball thrown into the mix that paralleled the Achingly Wearable Men's Pieces shown alongside. Take the Mannish Topcoat on Grace Mahary at Exit No. 16 paired with matching Pants and a Claret coloured Hoodie, combine this with the Sport touches like Snaps and Zips and Drawstrings and the Juxtaposition was just too Good to not like!

After a mostly Rich and Deeply coloured 2/3 of the collection, Baptista Switched into Soft Powdery neutrals splashed in amongst the Bordeaux and Spinach and Violet colours, Buff and Sage were the primary focuses. especially Gorgeous in a Sage dress and matching anorak at Exit No. 31! Around this part of the show, Baptista got into a groove with some of the most Exceptional Men's Coats that made me wish Winter was here just to be able to wear one those masterpieces (Exit No. 43 was TO DIE!)

Baptistia has given so much fodder for a Riveting and Fresh Wardrobe come Fall that the potential customer will be spoiled for choice! Yet, with choices like these abound, Let the Spoiling begin!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Suno.

Fri. 02/07/2014.

Suno.

All the things that usually work in Favor for Erin Beatty and Max Osterweis at their Label Suno, sadly failed them and belaboured their Fall 2014 collection. Where their usual Multi-Ethnic smorgasbord yields results that bring a smile to one's face, This outing they just looked Cluttered and Messy. Joyless also was a word to use. The Colours and Patterns combined to make a Drab and Mirthless collection! This wasn't a case of the collection being Awful, but it wasn't Exalting either.

High spots were few and far between... but were evident. A Melange Grey ensemble comprising a Long Sleeveless Jacket/Tunic over wide leg pants was Fetching in the Utmost At Exit No. 8. Also scoring points was a Long Knit dress with a Vaguely Kente Print in Deep Grape at Exit No. 17. From there on though... things became increasingly, muddled without a through line coherence to keep all the balls in the air. 

This wasn't one of the best outings for the Suno Duo. It lacked Clarity and felt Jumbled, as if pieces from 2-3 different jigsaw puzzles were strewn about on the table and Beatty and Osterweis were trying to complete the puzzle with these disparate pieces. There will be pieces, Those Natty Hooded Popovers are Winners to be sure, that will keep them relevant, but when all is said and done, They Could have seriously done better! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Helmut Lang.

Fri. 02/07/2014.

Helmut Lang.

There was something Inherently and Fundamentally Shocking about the pairing of Subdued Camel and the most Searing shade of Lipstick Red which opened the Helmut Lang Fall 2014 Show that it caused an almost Physical Jolt. That it was on the Blonde Goddess Sasha Luss only Exacerbated the Shock factor, Her Luminous Paleness And Alien Beauty only Highlighting the Distracting Colour combination! It was an Instant Success!

Nicole and Michael Colovos produced a Collection for Fall 2014 that Buzzed with Sharp, Precise and Deftly Luxurious clothing. Nicole Colovos said that they wanted to "Flip on it's head" the "Flat, Clean, Crisp fabrics of Spring" and make something more Cozy and Textural. There was Texture Abound too, Fluffy, Nubby, Fuzzy, Nuzzly, Smooth. Also. keeping the Colour palette mainly Neutral with that Energetic blast of Red aided the collection in being grounded and rooted in reality.

Mohair provided most of the tactile interest and was as feathery as Swan's Down. Even the Suede and Leather pieces were imbued with Gravitas but not excessive weight. Witness the Dichotomy of a Mohair Funnel neck sweater tunic over a Wrapped Leather skirt both in Suntan at Exit No. 9 was Luxurious but for Everyday, not a Special occasion! Street Luxe! Bear witness as well to the Mountainous Fluffy Fur pullover at Exit No. 11 as well that just Screamed Cozy!

One of the hallmarks of the Helmut Lang DNA is Inventive and Sharp Tailoring, The Colovoses have taken that ball and ran Far and Deep with it, and their skills at cutting a Blazer is Legendary. This collection showed they had not left that facet of the Helmut Lang brand unpolished, but that it was being somewhat more sublimated for the sake of the overarching idea than highlighted. As the show progressed we were given some Intellectual flights of fancy that worked with the whole of the collection while also being individually separate feeling. The Prints based on pictures of Mars taken from the Rover splashed in Flame hues were a Spicy insert and gave a bit of Subverse whimsy to a collection that was otherwise Sober in it's Seriousness.

By the end, One was left with an Overwhelming sense that something very intense had been witnessed. These Clothes are not just Runway showpieces, these are the clothes that Women live their lives in or even more so, WANT to live their lives in. The Colovoses have Hit Pay Dirt with the line they have been walking as of late, Let's just hope they Continue Plowing that Furrow with the same success!









That's All.









Bye4Now!

Nicole Miller.

Fri. 02/07/2014.

Nicole Miller.

Sad to say, Nicole Miller is stuck in the Good Old Nineties. Seeing as their has been a bit of a '90's revival as of late, that may have worked in  her favour, Unfortunately, It did not. In fact, It bogged the collection of Fall 2014 down to the point that it suffered greatly, From Under-Design and uninspiring design to boot! Miller did not manage to turn the temperature to anything above a gentle Simmer.

The first bad move was the Colour Palette. It was All Wrong. Dark, Lifeless Colours conspired with retro, simplistic underwhelming design to Dreadful effect. There was no Vivre to the clothes. Some pieces worked better than others but nothing really was elevated beyond the everyday. Miller offered nothing that couldn't convincingly be found at Forever 21 or Victorias's Secret!

A few good looks, Exit No. 6, A Mock Neck top with Net Mesh sleeves in Black and a Multicolour feather mini was fun, if not exactly the freshest idea. Exit No. 24 was also a great piece, A Slim Black Wool coat with Leather Panels was Haute and Chic in the Easiest of ways! But these pieces alone cannot make a collection a Whole, and the unfortunate retro look of the clothes dragged a collection that will surely find it's fans among Miller's client base to the more mid-market level than the High end. It's sad, Miller has assuredly kept her fan base happy by recycling here greatest hits over and over again, however it has left her stagnant and perhaps afraid to explore more risky territory. That, Sadly, is the most deadly sin to commit in Fashion!











That's All.










Bye4Now!

Rag & Bone.

Fri. 02/07/2014.

Rag & Bone.

Something Mystical, Magical, WONDERFUL Happened Today... Marcus Wainwright and David Neville Actually produced a... Wait For It...

................

GREAT COLLECTION! (Oh, Aunt Mavis... pass the Smelling Salts!) For their Fall 2014 Rag & Bone Collection, Neville and Wainwright showed a collection that wasn't mired in Tragic Miscalculations and Horrific Styling! Over the last few seasons they have produced some of the most markedly awful shows, but this is a definite showing of the style that made them so loved in the beginning. It wasn't Completely Free from distress, but it was mercifully less horrendous than in recent seasons. 

Let's see... Taking something of the, Shall we Say, Redneck approach to their design aesthetic (Bowling shirts with the Model's Name Stitched on them, Factory Worker fuzzy shearlings, Buffalo Plaid and Deer hunting hooded Pullovers and such) lent a Whimsical, Acerbic comic air to the clothes, And in this instance it works. There was a distinct and characteristic Masc/Fem Juxtaposing going on that worked in favor of the clothes. Take Exit No. 17, A Buffalo plaid coat with a funnel collar that took the Masculine Plaid and mixed it with a Curvy Feminine Shape!

There was a Playful Sense of Luxury afoot as the duo mixed high and low to at times delightful effect. It was cause to Celebrate, Neville and Wainwright have in a sense redeemed themselves from some fashion Tragedies in the past few seasons. Let's Pray that this continues forth and that those terrible collections remain in the past. Buried Deep In the Past!









That's All.










Bye4Now!

Nonoo.

Fri. 02/07/2014.

Nonoo.

Misha Nonoo is rolling along with the momentum of being a Vogue Fashion Fund Nominee/Finalist last year and is quickly establishing herself in the Fashion Firmament. Yet, perhaps most disconcertingly, Unlike some of her other Fashion Fund Finalists, Ryan Lobo and Ramon Martin of Tome, namely, she hasn't evolved much in the following few months. In fact, her Fall 2014 collection may be seen as regression. It had a gawky sensibility that was hard to shake and difficult to reconcile. 

Some nice pieces were on display, but All-in-All... it was an uneven and puzzling mix. The open "Woven" hems of the coats and skirts which was meant to be a Stylistic trope, looked confusing when it should have been an interesting Design idea. The best ideas were the simplest, When Nonoo let her her Penchant for eccentricity rest, she produced some winners, A Inky Blue sleek shift of a dress with a printed panel down the front at Exit No. 11 was quite a winner. As was Pimp-Tastic Plaid Pantsuit with an asymmetric fur collar at Exit No. 14.

From there, Hit or Miss was the Special of the day, nothing propelled the Nonoo Label forward any, It left the collection right where it was to start with, and in this day and age, Stagnation is as bad as regression. Misha Nonoo has talent, No Doubt there, but it's gonna take her digging deeper next time! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Cushnie Et Ochs.

Fri. 02/07/2014.

Cushnie Et Ochs.

Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs are just one Blockbuster Movie Star moment from jumping off the precipice in to Superstardom! They are already Major Forces in the American and International Fashion Circles but are Trembling in the doorway of Being Household names and Power players in the Fashion industry. All I can say is that it needs to happen and Quick! Get J-Lo, STAT! 

Now, for Fall 2014, The Cushnie Et Ochs Duo got more Body-Con that they have been in the last couple seasons where they have been testing the waters (With Utter Success) at evolving their typically Figure-Accentuating Silhouettes, citing last Spring '14 and Fall '13 that has been nothing but good for their work and that experimentation is still being shown here, But it was definitely a return to their roots with this Stick-To-The-Ribs Selection of items. This is always a Positive thing at CetD, because One thing (among the many) that Carly and Michelle do well is Body Hugging and making it look Chic... AND SEXY! 

One Staple of the CetD brand is Black, and it's anything but Basic. After a Sexy Opening that positively OOZED itself down the runway poured over Karolina Kurkova's Curves. Afterward, things were more sedate and perhaps... Modest, which is the main avenue the CetD Team have been travelling as of late and have incorporated that idea nicely into their DNA, Witness Exit No. 4, Restrained, Yes, Sexless... Hardly! The perfect distillation of this idea happened early and should be cloaked about the Perfect form of someone like a Charlize Theron or Angelina Jolie, Exit No. 10, A Snow White Patent Leather and Jersey body-skimming Column Gown. A Triumph! 

Another Dream of an outfit, Betty Adewole in a Wrap Trench in Black with wide Black Mink cuffs at Exit No. 25, A Marvel! These were but only a few of the Numerous high points amongst a collection of many Incredible pieces. I am just waiting for that Firecracker Moment that is going to cause the Duo of Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs to Explode into the Stratosphere. They already show with limitless talent that they have the goods to do just that! In my opinion, It can't happen soon enough! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Rebecca Minkoff.

Fri. 02/07/2016.

Rebecca Minkoff.

"It's about taking Menswear-Inspired silhouettes and translating them into Feminine colours and silhouettes" Rebecca Minkoff said about her Fall 2014 offering. Well, Ok! Sadly, That came off more like a uninspiring mess. Minkoff's show held little to be gleaned for the modern Woman's Needs for a Contemporary wardrobe and combined the emerging ubiquitous continuation of last seasons Grunge trend with More Plaid than a "Nirvana" Revival Concert, Ski Caps and Messy layering that the collection just died on the table about 10 Exits in! 

Were there pieces hidden underneath all the Garbled Garbage, I am sure, But one was going to have to dig deep to find it. Those Awkward Cutaway Skirts didn't advance the Style meter any further into the Red, nor sloppy simplicity of some of the outfits. A Sole, Lone Exit shone with a real sparkle and that was just before the end of the show, Exit No. 27, A Pinstripe jacket in Navy with Red Stripes over a Pale sheer Gold Lame Dress. It was quite fetching. But it was far too far along in the proceedings to give any hope of saving the collection as a Whole. Better Luck Next Season, Rebecca Minkoff! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Jason Wu.

Fri. 02/07/2014.

Jason Wu.

I Like Jason Wu. A LOT. No, I LOVE Jason Wu! He has the potential, with his design aesthetic, to become his Generations Oscar De La Renta. However, that won't happen unless he Hones and Sharpens his Aesthetic and becomes sure of what he wants and who he IS as a Designer, for otherwise he shall continue to produce the uneven messes he has shown of late that are, putting it in the kindest form, Dismaying in the Utmost! 

Perhaps there is some sort of Identity Crisis going on in Wu's Head? The Young Wu versus the Maturing Wu and what that ultimately means conceptual-wise as to what his Voice as a Designer IS? Is it the Firebrand of Quirky, Upscale Luxe of Olde or the New Madison Avenue Richesse Reserve trope/tripe he's been plying? The last Three collections (including Fall 2014) have been disappointing for various reasons, chief among them, they have found all the things that made Wu an industry darling, Failing him Mightily as he surges forth trying to adapt his ideas to new areas and genres and not quite finding his footing. It's been this tackling of a new persona that he has been trying to inject in his clothing that has lost all sense of connection to the True heart of what Makes Jason Wu... JASON WU! This is a Critical point for him to stop and evaluate what it is that matters most to him. If it his hallmarks, then focus on evolving those in new manners and not trying to become someone different, You have Hugo Boss for that now. If it IS about recalibration, then Wu needs to take pause and stock of what he is doing and find a better way to arrive at this destination! 

Fall 2014 was another Head Scratcher... Less so than Last Fall, and less Awkward than Spring 2014, but confusing nonetheless! The opening Pantsuit didn't feel right, and didn't look all that right either. But, I fault Adriana Lima for that. She's EXQUISITE, but she's not, I Repeat, NOT a High End Model. She's too Curvy, Fleshy and Too, PRETTY, And that's It! She's nothing more than a pretty face! For Vicky's Secret... that's Awesome, for NY Fashion week, it's a Detriment. For NYFW, She's as bland as a Paper Grocery Bag. And it was Wu's HORRIBLE Mistake for casting her. It kinda of set the collection into the wrong gear as a start. It could also have been that the Blazer looked too tight and the pants too wide... A Mess.

Boiling things down to their essence, When Jason let his inner Wu do the talking, things were great, A Black Bustier and Pant Ensemble at Exit No. 5 was that inner voice speaking Loud and Clear. As was the Velvet Curve Hugger of a Dress on Feline model Pauline Hoarau that had a Sensual Sheen to it! A Bordeaux Coat that had something of a Mugler/Montana Vibe to it thrown over an Merlot Pantsuit at Exit No. 18 was also Killing it! There were further Hits and some Definite Misses... Someone PLEASE, For the Love of God and Creation Tell me what in Nature's Name was he trying to get at with those Long Drape front Skirts? Hideous doesn't come nearly close enough to describe them! 

And one last Backhanded Criticism... As Lovely as they were, and Yes, they assuredly were Lovely, Why did Wu feel we needed to hop in Doc Brown's Delorean and Travel back to 1996 or so and Plunder Donna Karan's Workroom for her Devore Velvet castoffs? You cannot tell me you did not get a Demi Moore Flashback? I mean, Really Jason? It's Not as if Bias cut Devore Velvet Goddess gowns are the strict domain of Miss K, but you know you are going to run the risk of comparison when they are so BLATANTLY Similar! I don't Know, Perhaps it's Me! Put it this way, Gorgeous though they may have been... Donna Does it better! Let's Leave It At That! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Kate Spade New York.

Fri. 02/07/2014.










Kate Spade New York.

Tokyo. Shanghai. Evocative Names of places that conjure up Exoticism and Modernity all in the same mindset. The love of Travel and the Frisson of packing and buying clothes to travel in and to is an Irresistible notion to gravitate towards. For Fall 2014, Deborah Lloyd at Kate Spade New York did just that and found herself on a flight of Beautiful Fancy. With presentations as such, Deborah Lloyd really needs to take her stuff to the Runway. The collections she has been creating have been strong enough to contend with the big names and as it is are far better than many of the shows being presented during the week!

Starting in Tokyo, Lloyd worked in Chic separates and Fluo Colour, From Crisp Spearmint Green and Electric Blue to Hot Pink and Pear Green. Highlights from this section included a Trim Spearmint jacket and Electric Blue Pegged pants at Look No. 2 and a little Bubble shape Strapless Cocktail dress in Multicolour that looked as if Kenny Scharf and Lacroix were working together at Look No. 8!

Shanghai was more subdued with a concentration on Black and Neutral tonalities. This was the most sedate of the Three sections and benefited from this Subdued element, it gave the clothes a Seriousness amongst the Whimsy. The best outfits in this section included a Somewhat Sly nod to the Michael Kors Signature in a FABULOUS Glen Plaid topper over a Putty Turtleneck sweater dress at Look No. 15 that shouted Elegance and Ease in the same breath! Another was Look No. 18, A Figured Tweed coat in an oversized Hound's Tooth coloured in Nutmeg and Deep Mauve with Rose Pink sweater and pants.

For her Final Section, Lloyd was not concerned so much with a Specific Place as with the Joy of Travelling and the clothes that come with jetting about. This was the most outwardly extrovert of the sections, But was the most Minimal in colouration, Achieved primarily in Midnight Blue with Touch of Porcelain Pink, it also kind of served as the "Evening" Section of the collection, a Bow Neck Shadow Plaid topcoat was worn over a Midnight Blue sequined dress at Look No. 21 or the Near perfect Belted Embroidered Coat with a Fluffy skirt of Ostrich Feathers at Look No. 23. Another Perfect Pairing, the Porcelain Pink embellished coat and skirt with the sleeveless White blouse with Ostrich Feather turtleneck at Look No. 24 was Festive and Luxe!

Lloyd brought her A-Game and exhibited some of the most covetous looks of Fall 2014. They were Chic, Fun, Bright and Incredibly Wearable. Not to mention Original to Lloyd's own Aesthetic and Voice. An aesthetic which should be shown in a Brighter and Bigger Light next season, When Lloyd should show she can run neck and neck with the Big Dogs and Perhaps, with this kind of talent, Surpass them!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Peter Som.

Fri. 02/07/2014.









Peter Som.

Peter Som is back in Fighting Shape! His Fall 2014 Collection was a thing of Singular Quirky Beauty! Coming back from a strong but not particularly assured collection in the Spring, this collection wove together the signature threads of what makes Peter Som... Peter Som! There were all the signature Offbeat qualities and Chic Quirkiness indicative of Som, plus the Sharp Tailoring that defines Som at his best. That Simple formula was at the root of his opening exit, A belted waist coat in Cadet Blue that was the Picture of Perfection. Cut to within a Micrometer of it's life, It was Covtable in the Extreme.

This was followed by a few more pieces in that Cadet Blue led into a Brief Sojourn into Leopard and then into a Warm Butterscotch and Pumpkin Spice Passage that offered a Leather T-Shirt dress at Exit No. 9 that surely will cause an Instant Craving amongst his Clientele and Beyond. Som offered one of the finest floral prints seen in seasons, a Blurred rose print that he got plenty of Mileage out of and never wore out it's welcome. Seen in White on a pair of Charcoal Toppers or most Vividly on a Pair of Colour Blocked dresses in  Stone, Black and a Softer shade of Safety Orange. He showed just how awesome his Quirkiness is in that same Orange print in a long sleeve dress with a HUGE Pom Pom hem of Ostrich Feathers at Exit No. 19!

There was Plenty More Peaks in this Stellar collection along the way to the Finale of Blurry floral print gowns that gave a 90's Grunge style sense of Romance but made current. A Mock Turtleneck version at Exit No. 34 was more than Fetching but it was the Slack Jaw Drama of the Simplest Charcoal Grey Sheath of a gown at Exit No. 36 that got the Blood to Boil! Som got it SO Right with this collection that it was just a Joyous occasion to witness. Fashion Fans Rejoice!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Juan Carlos Obando.

Thurs. 02/06/2014.










Juan Carlos Obando.

Loving that Juan Carlos Obando is such a Gentle, Kind person with an awesome personality, it pains me in the gravest sense to admit that I found his Fall 2014 Collection, Lacking. The show was Mercifully Brief, but that seemed to compound the underwhelming aspect. The clothes were complicated in it's layering effects and flattered not one drop in their droopiness. Another demerit must be given for the simple reason that there was no Daywear. All evening wear shows, in my estimation, already start 65% Weaker because simply watching one confection after another is Dulling and Boring. Here that fact was heightened by the less than Glamourous Clothes.

The proceedings did not get off to a good start, and it wasn't until Exit No. 10 that things even began to look up, A Mallard Teal Satin gown that was Giving Great Flou. As an aside, the outfits that were Pajama-like, tops worn with Fluid Pants, looked far too casual, and awkward with their One long sleeve. The Best of the Bunch was a Creamy White long sleeve blouse worn with a long Column skirt in Deep Caramel at Exit No. 17.

It's saddening, The potential is there and Obando already has a healthy client base, but this collection isn't going to propel him any further in the business, Obando needs to sharpen his aesthetic. The one he's working now is not the stuff that Super Stars are made of!









That's All.










Bye4Now!

Tome.

Thurs. 02/06/2014.

Tome.

No Sophomore Slump Here, Folks! For their second Defile, Ryan Lobo and Ramon Martin produced a collection of Incredible Depth and Breadth and Fabulous Design! Lobo and Martin are bringing that rarest of rarities to the NY Fashion arena... An Original Voice! Something New, Something Different. The Tome show was for One, Very Beautiful and Luxe, and for Two, had an individual spirit all it's own. The Prettiness Factor in this show was one of it's strongest points, for it was Terribly Pretty, what rescued it was that it wasn't Saccharine or Treacly.

Opening with a Cafe au Lait shift dress on Grace Mahary with asymmetrical seaming that was giving a feeling of the Hubert de Givenchy "Chemise" but pirouetted into the 21st Century. An Impactful opening to be sure, sounding the alarm for Chicness in one fell swoop! The chic dial was further ratcheted up with a Stunning coat in pale Khaki Beige lined in Lacquer Red at Exit No. 4 that was truly SUMPTUOUS! Further Proof of Innate Chicness... The Black Caban Coat at Exit No. 18 that truly had "Desire" Written all over it. Even More Desirable... the Exit on Ajak Deng, No. 26 of an asymmetric cutaway Fur Gilet over a Glorious pale Crystal Mauve Sequined dress overlayed with Lavish Black lace! DIVINITY WALKING!

This was a spectacular showing for the Duo and in a season of emerging Future Fashion Power Duos, Lobo and Martin are standing on a precipice of future greatness, with the added bonus of being Vogue Fashion Fund Nominees last year, they are picking up momentum in a big way. It seems that they are going to make the absolute very best of that momentum and have the brightest of futures on the horizon.










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Costello Tagliapietra.

Thurs. 02/06/2014.

Costello Tagliapietra.

How awesome is it that Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra could simply look to their obviously Amazingly well dressed friends and derive a collection from that. Not only derive a collection from it, but create a particularly Impactful and Wonderful assemblage of pieces. A Costello Tagliapietra Collection is never about reinvention, it's about a development, an evolution of their signature trademarks. Within that construct, The duo are also stretching their wings and trying to embrace new things and incorporate them into the Costello Tagliapietra DNA while remaining essentially true to their aesthetic. 

As mentioned above, The duo was fascinated with how their female friends appropriate the duos Chunky and Hearty Cardigans and throw them over their own feminine items and make them a part of her wardrobe. Working from that jumping off point, Costello and Tagliapietra showed a typically brief Edit that was spare in it's concision but felt rich and fully realized. The opening Trio of exits had Sexy 70's Secretary written all over them, Sleek, Shiny, Silky Shantung-Y Pants paired with suggestively sensual blouses, they trod the line between Sexy and Demure without being Boring or Vampy. 

Next up, the house Signature, drapey Jersey! The fact must be made known that very few designers have mastered the use of this Material in the great tradition of Halston better than these Two! Their capabilities are Legion when it comes to Jersey and they know how to make the fabric Limn the body in such a way as to accentuate and heighten in equal measure! Those Cardigans came in the midst of this Jersey Brigade and looked Cozy as could be and lent a sort of chic that was Approachable, Quirky, Comfortable. The best was a Deep Green at version at Exit No. 10 that was in a Brushed Alpaca that could so easily pass for Fur that it was Ridiculously Desirable!  

The rest of the collection was about distilling the essence of their Jersey dress and fracturing their signature by the introduction of some Eye-Catching Separates. Of course the Figure Hugging, dress in a Kiwi Green Marble print at Exit No. 11 was every ounce a Winner, As was the Clover Green dress at Exit No. 16 that had that extra bit if Swoosh in it's liquid hem! But also Winning... A topcoat at Exit No. 21 in Mushroom that also had the aforementioned Marbleized print and was one of the chicest looking pieces perhaps to be seen this season and the Moonlight Grey Pantsuit at Exit No. 27 showed the duos immense skills at Tailleur! 

A finale gown of Minimalist Luxe in a Grape-ish shade of, What Else, JERSEY, was A Stellar Evening Option from West to East Coast and Back! Jeffery and Robert gave an as always, Distinct and Impressive Lineup of clothes. It is always Fascinating to see them Recalibrate and Tweak their Aesthetic by Microns and yet still change the eye in doing so. They never go for the Grandiose Statement but still manage to produce something... Grand! It's a Quiet Grandeur as befitting of the Burly, Yet Gentle Bearish guys that they are! They have stuck to their guns without becoming, Stuck! It's a tricky Highwire act that they seem to have mastered and I am sure their clientele are extremely happy for their delicate manoeuvres! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Tadashi Shoji.

Thurs. 02/06/2014.

Tadashi Shoji,

Tadashi Shoji produced a Typically Beautiful collection for Fall 2014, Typical, though not Exciting. The collection had it's share of riches, but to be brutally honest, the usage of colour in the collection rendered some of the pieces a less than rich (Read: Cheap) Appeal. The colour was too Vivid, almost searing in places, (especially the Cornea Burning Reds) and did not help to elevate the pieces they were applied to. 

Shoji said the he was taking the path from "Africa to Europe" and passed by Moorish Architecture and applied that design motif to some of the clothes, This was obvious in the opening Exits rife with Intricate cutwork that looked like Moorish Tiles and Wrought Iron Gates, But again the Colouring Betrayed Richness and they came off more Banal than they should have. While when this was done a few Exits later in Lace it looked Fresher. Where it was most successful early on, A FABULOUS Mantle in Red on Black positively LAVISHED with Crewel Embroidery over a Ascetic White lace gown at Exit No. 10! 

There were some assuredly pretty pieces to follow, however pretty is not enough. Nothing really stood out or stood out for the wrong reasons. Frankly, there was nothing glaringly Terrible, also nothing was Terribly Outstanding. It was Predictable, Safe, Pretty. Just not very Interesting. 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Tocca.

Thurs. 02/06/2014.

Tocca.

And what is this? The answer to that Question is WHO THE HELL KNOWS!? The question IN Question is What is this Emma Fletcher is presenting to us for Tocca Fall 2014??? Was it "Klute" meets Bloomsbury? Was it some Weird Play on Jodie Foster in "Taxi Driver"? Less mercifully it played like some trashy rehash of Prada circa 1990-something or 2000-ish other and felt comically and woefully pathetic for the underwhelming, nee, Disastrous effort! 

The Misguided permutations that unfurled upon the catwalk were to be laughable if that had not been so uncomically devoid of Taste. Juxtaposing Heavy, Leaden pieces with Sheer, Scandalously whorish pieces gave not a confused, but a frightfully incoherent message. And then the awkward cuts of the pieces, especially a Tank-Cum-Harness top with a plunge front that simply was queasily Ill-Conceived! Throw in Psychedelic coloured floral prints, Granny Cardigans and Sweaters, Clownish Patchworking and many other offenses and you get this Horror Story in Fabric. 

I can't offer much more in the way of criticism or find anything to praise, Emma Fletcher missed the boat as tragically as she did for Spring. Maybe even more so. She has completely flailed so far and one hopes she gets her act together, or else there will be further atrocities committed under Fletcher's hand. And one can not imagine it getting any worse...

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Duckie Brown.

Thurs. 02/06/2014.

Duckie Brown.

Judging collections where designers show both Men and Women, Especially if the house started as a Menswear house, are sometimes a Mixed Bag. This is basically a problem to be faced in NY and not so much as abroad, during Fashion Week as so many houses present shows and many Men's Designers get the urge with all that Feminine Frippery floating about, that they should dip their Proverbial Toe in the water... How that works out is often... Problematic. In this milleu, coming from Men's to Women's design is Fraught with Peril, and Debut collections are more prone to the most difficulties. Duckie Brown's Designers Daniel Silver and Steven Cox traversed some of the Freshman foibles capably but suffered under the weight of their first Soujourn into Women's. 

The Main Sticking Point... As Menswear designers, the pair have a Distinct Eccentric streak, one that is somewhat shocking even still, in the their Men's Designs, Trouble is, where that would have given their Women's ideas some Artistic Push, in trying to be less Extrovert, The Women's clothes were mundane by even the most lax of standards. Taken separately, there were attractive pieces, to be sure, thrown together the way that Silver and Cox pieced together those elements, lacked intensity or purpose. The first Women's Exit, A Patchwork Coat had the Vibrancy to bring the noise, Yet as the show progressed the compositions felt more Hausfrau than Haute. 

Take the Baseball jacket and Warp print skirt at Exit No. 12, it exuded no Chicness or Sophistication nor did the few exits that followed. Things seemed to turn around and garner a little taste of Chic by Exit No. 25 and 26 which had a Disheveled Soignee attitude inherent in NY Fashion. 

On the Men's Side the show was Quirky and Eccentric, As typical for the house and certainly raised the bar on their men's ideas. As for the Women's... it was a Tentative inroad into the tricky arena of Womenswear, But one that was not a sterling success. They have built some momentum with some pieces with serious Hangar appeal, but will have to concentrate harder come Spring 2015 with their efforts. 

That's All.

Bye4Now!