Contrary to what you may have
read, seen, or heard, exaggerated volume, flat shoes or boots,
and Eastern European (notably Russian) inspired clothing are
NOT the only trends that marked the fall/winter 2005 New York
Collections (nor are they even the most
important ones). This was, as it has increasingly become, another
season defined by amazing variety, many choices
and endless options for the customer who is as savvy as can be and highly knowledgeable
about fashion (thanks in large part to all the endless interest and
coverage by the media AND of course, the internet, which brings information
to her at breakneck speed). Women, as I have long pointed out, do
not go out and shop for new wardrobes each season- who has the time,
inclination, OR the money? Most of us simply
add desirable pieces to spruce things up and add some excitement. And based on what
was shown in the past 8 days, there is truly something for everyone,
with each designer thankfully doing what he/she does best and
enabling us to tap into different sides of our lives and personalities
through our clothing.
It’s impossible to talk about Olympus Fashion
Week without mentioning the celebrity factor. Fashion
Weeks in general (not just here in New York, but around the
world) provide endless photo ops for invited guests which include
bold face names (A- list stars, athletes, socialites), and it seems
that each season, the star quotient is upped one notch -if that
is possible- which contributes to the overall surrealistic feeling.
Of course, it was truly ‘upped’ this
season as one of the biggest stars (though still a ‘Grade B’ actress
in my opinion), Jennifer Lopez,
not only showed up at the Tents, but also showed up as a designer launching
her Sweetface Collection, manufactured by Tommy Hilfiger. And
she not only presented her line of young, luxurious, streetwise
and sexy sportswear (which was preceded by more hype and speculation
than anything I’ve seen), but did it in a style befitting
a true diva: she ended the week (hers was the last show- well,
actually, next to the last, right before As
Four), literally
shut down the Tents (access was extremely limited only those with
tickets), and she did it following on the heels of Ralph
Rucci’s breathtaking
7 p.m. collection- possibly the best
of his career (talk about going ‘from
the sublime to the ridiculous’).
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The members of the audience mirrored the runways in the sense that
when all is said and done, in the end, what really looks
the best are not the tricky, costumey things, that seem forced
and contrived, but rather, natural, spontaneous, highly personal
and individual takes on classics-
eclectically and offhandedly mixed to add personality. Let’s
face it, there are certain things that cannot be improved upon- new
is NOT always improved (impeccable, rigorous tailoring;
well thought out design; architectural details; distinctive outerwear;
trenchcoats; equestrian and military inspired jackets; supple leathers
and shearling; great fur pieces; gusty hand knits; menswear touches;
lavish embellishment; breathtaking evening clothes. All of these,
and more, were there in spades during the New York Collections.
Here are some of the Categories for New York Autumn
2005
The Master Tailors Forget
about tricks, trends du jour, bells and whistles. Don’t be bullied
into thinking you have to make an outrageous fashion statement
in order to be ‘au courant’ or ‘in style’.
After years of covering fashion and most recently, sitting through
8 days of shows, I always come to the same conclusion: that the
most appealing collections are ultimately those that are grounded
in styles that always looks best- clothes that are flattering,
impeccably tailored, look just ‘right’, and don’t
need an explanation. These are items you will literally want to
hold onto for a lifetime, will always enjoy, and can be pulled
out of the closet and relied upon for any occasion- anywhere in
the world. I don’t mean to diminish the merit of innovation,
artistic measures, designers who take risks, experiment, and push
the envelope (we need that). In fact, the bottom line is that everything
has its place (and knowing the right time and place to wear something
is part of the equation). But take my word for it- forever chic,
classic styles don’t have to be dull, uninspired, or boring,
as proven by these modern thinking master craftsmen who are very
routed in the 21 st century.
French to the Core (This group
was admittedly inspired by the 'City of Lights' for their fall
collections).
Generation 'Next' These young
stars have already proved themselves as
talents, and gained an important place in the fashion world, but of course,
only time will tell if they have the staying power of Donna, Ralph, Michael,
Oscar, Carolina, etc.
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