We asked two of our super stylists to write about their thoughts and experiences this show season:
New York – written by Sonia Genders
So, here are my highlights from the first and biggest of all the fashion weeks: New York.
Marc Jacobs referenced frat parties, Burning Man and the shores of Gotham city for a subversive collection that rejected the cliche of Spring / Summer altogether and featured a dark colour palette of black, brown, claret and bottle green. The antithesis of the 90s minimal trend prevalent at the New York shows this season, this was a “celebration of decorative and things you don’t need.”Ā This is Marc Jacobs all over and one of the reasons I admire him. He’s a leader in fashion, forging ahead with his own vision regardless of popular trends.Ā
The beautifully appliquƩd and tasselled jackets looked like historical museum pieces. Matching shorts gave these a younger, fresher look but the dresses were the standout pieces for me: Wow Dresses with elements of gothic Victoriana and 40s cocktail silhouettes with print, embroidery, appliquƩ, metallics, sequins, chiffon and silk piled on and then piled on some more. Worn with sweaters over them, flat boots, short choppy wigs and a whatevs attitude these looked super cool on models with tuff grrl swag like Sky Ferreira and Charlotte Free. The Frow was stuffed with long time Marc devotees from 90s It Girls Drew Barrymore and Winona Ryder to Karen Elson and Christina Ricci.
Speaking of the 90s, one word to describe Alexander Wang’s show, LOGOMANIA! This was a tongue in cheek reference to the 90s heyday of the logo and Wang gave it a fresh spin for 2014 with clever cut outs of his name on to leather, neoprene and silk, jackets, tops, skirts, shorts, dresses and gloves. This collection was a more street influenced take on his signature luxe sportswear style with cropped sweaters (sorry muffin tops these ain’t going anywhere!) butt skimming skirts and men’s shirts for the ladies.
Wang always does great accessories and this season was no exception. Fabulous oversized clutches and doctor style bags and a futuristic take on the Mary Jane will have fans fighting over them. Please put me on the waiting list for those shoes now! Hair and make up was natural and barely touched and adding to the easy going vibe was the fresh colour palette of grey, white, lilac, tan and like Marc black. Frow watch at Wang was A list all the way baby from Kanye, Solange and Courtney Love to Terry Richardson and Carine Roitfeld. Fashion kudos.Ā
They say never meet your idols…well Jeremy Scott is pretty much my idol and I was lucky enough to meet him last year. He didn’t disappoint in the flesh and was a total dude and his ‘Teenagers From Mars’ SS14 collection didn’t disappoint either. This was classic Jeremy Scott; young, wild and fun. The massively bouffanted models swayed down the runway like 50s B Movie bad girls in technicolor. Dresses were short and tight with lashings of latex and vinyl.
The crazy cartoonish jumpers with cute slogans like ‘I’m a Mess’ and ‘Earth Sucks’ will be the big sellers and I can see his celeb fans like our Cara and Rita rocking these. Top marks for the fab menswear pieces too. It will take a special kind of guy to pull off the vinyl trousers but I’m guessing A$AP Rocky, who was on the Frow with fellow fashion crazy Nicki Minaj, could do it no sweat.Ā
For the first time ever my fave New York fashion boutique Opening Ceremony showed at fashion week. Founders of the label Humberto Leon and Carole Lim are really at the zeitgeist of fashion with their mega revamping of Kenzo, successful collaboration with Chloe Sevigny and their own line going from strength to strength. In typical Opening Ceremony style this was no ordinary fashion show. Inside a specially erected mini mall complete with hot dog stand, nail bar and pop up shops, models climbed out of sports cars which whizzed round the track that made up the runway.Ā
Again this label looked to the street for inspiration fusing LA drag race culture with traditional Korean garments and prints. Hero pieces were the crepe tyre track printed tops and dresses with seat belt style belts and the cross strapped tops and floral printed culottes and shorts (again!). It’s these fun details that give the label it’s charm and guarantee the likes of party loving pop royalty Rihanna and Justin Bieber on the Front Row.
So that’s my best of the shows in New York. See you next season, on the Frow š Xxx
