The Big Round Up Womenswear FW 2013 Part 2

This is the second part of our round up regarding the fall 2013 collections, which focuses on Prints, Fabrics and the designers’ favorite coming season: checks.

CHECK SHOCK

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From left to right: N21, Junya Watanabe, Céline, Jesús Del Pozo, Rag & Bone

A mash up of Scottish tweeds, plaids, checks, Prince of Wales suiting and hounds tooth jacquards. Classic, twisted, cut up, patched or blown up to grandiose proportions. These are definitely all from the now – heritage inspired, college prep, BCBG, archetypal and iconic but reinvigorated – rejuvenating tradition at N21 and Rag & Bone, adding a punk coded sense of rebellion at Junya Watanabe or with artful tailoring at Céline and Jesús Del Pozo. Check marks everywhere!

 

TEXTILE ART

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From left to right: Comme des Garçons, Chanel, Hermès, Fendi, Lanvin

Free floating freedom and fun. Cascading swatches of fabrics, rosettes, bows, thick serpentines and bold biomorphic shapes at Comme des Garçons. Rounded flounced belle Époque bustles are a joyful explosion of extravagance at Chanel. Crafted spontaneity at Hermès, fringed skins at Fendi and butterflies appliquéd at Lanvin. All with techno-barbarian enthousiasm. These are exercises in pure texture.

 

PRINT STORY

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From left to right: Mary Katrantzou, Rodarte, Tom Ford, Peter Pilotto

Welcome to the catwalk circus. Exalted excess in a cultural cross over ranging from glam, to disco, pop to op and manga to Marvel. Fantastical shadowy landscapes in misty monochromes at Mary Katrantzou and cross-cultural multi ethnic Flash! and Bang! at Tom Ford. The very personal folksy mysticism of Rodarte and the cartoonish verve of Peter Pilotto. We are talking maximalism here!

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

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The Big Round Up Womenswear FW 2013 Part 1

Nothing as rewarding as summarizing after a grand series of shows. First of all you just note likeness and all similarities. Starting to pick out the headlines it becomes clear that there is always something really exiting to spot! Same procedure for fall 2013. Next to continuous retrospection there was introspection – designers looking inward to find a personal way of expression and re-finding their personal signature. The ones who did, did not dive into trends, the trodden paths of competition, but sourced for their most intimate inspirations. The happy aftereffect is that we met moments of sincere emotion and passion. The most beautiful quote to conclude this was coming from Miuccia Prada: “Who cares about the dress?” she said, this is about “Stories of women and life,”, Phoebe Philo declared backstage after her show for Céline: “It was coming from a place of emotion and intimacy, something instinctive. There was softness and desire, to create something emotionally engaged.”

Some collections might not have had the shock of the new and many showed that swift notion of the mid-century modern. Most interesting it was when a faint whiff of nostalgia was balanced with nowness. A lingering trend we spotted was the eccentric mixture of nostalgic wallpaper florals, art nouveau, Scottish heritage, Art Deco and Liberty blooms. All simmering in romance.

The buzz words where: intimate, feminine, elegance and emotion. Not just the collections played their roll. In some cases the interest in settings and sceneries became predominant. The Vuitton show unrolled like a silent movie. The mood was the 1920s, as the models came through each door on the corridor that was the hotel set. An atmosphere just as cinematic was the Film Noir setting at Prada – a spinning ceiling fan, shadows cast by blinds, a woman silhouetted in a doorway, waiting for…? All by means of an artful back projection. Miuccia launched her exercise in fashion as cinema.

Another hot topic was warmth generated by tactile softness. Cuddly, fluffy and sheltering. The number of soft and brushed looks grew steadily during this catwalk season. Especially coats where cuddly and generous in proportion. For some designers softness was the covering theme. Hernandez for Proenza Schouler stated: “It was all just soft, that’s the one word we were thinking about. Softness of form, softness of color, softness of texture.”

To wrap this up we point out that coats took the lead. Generally and globally this item won when it came to presence and quantity as well as quality of design. So passion, warmth, softness and coats. Setting the stage for an ice age!

We picked the frozen cherries for you, straight off the international catwalks in New York, Milan and Paris.

FEMINITY REVEALED

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From left to right: Rodarte, Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Chloé and Prada

From pure exposure to more subtle revelations – intimacy exposed at Saint Laurent, emerging womanhood at Chloé, modern romance at Rodarte and passionate nostalgia at Vuitton and Prada. Sensuality and emotions unraveled in cinematic atmospheres showed femininity ‘under cover’ – soft lace hidden under long tweed coats, fluffy sweaters came with a slip of a skirt and velvet dresses had a swoop of neckline.

CALM ELEGANCE

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From left to right: Jil Sander, Victoria Beckham, Hermès, Rochas, Ports 1961

A true timeless elegance flooded the catwalks at Jil Sander, Victoria Beckham, Hermès, Rochas and Ports 1961. Much more serene, feminine and sensual then the calm sobriety we faced seasons before. All soft and rounded. The skirts flaring just below the knee, showing true elegance in New Look proportions. Jackets elongated and slightly suppressed at the waist and coats – mannish and reassuringly oversize. All breathed calmness with lasting value in an esprit ranging from ‘Bon Chic Bon Genre’ to Film Noir allure. Slow, calm, quiet and with lasting value.

GREY MOOD

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From left to right: Alexander Wang, Stella McCartney, Céline, J.W. Anderson, Lacoste

Concrete caught by the fuzz. Grayed-out and foggy marls were key for fall 2013. Brushed mohair, heathery and airy fleeces, compact felts and tarmac shaded double-face and bonded materials. This all added up to strange and sculptural beautiful cloths. Asphalt fleece and mohair knits are paved with iridescence at Alexander Wang, Stella McCartney wrapped her models in pinstripes, where Céline knotted hers in felt touch woolens. Monastic tunics at J.W. Anderson and fossil florals at Ports 1961.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

 

 

 

 

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First View New York Womenswear FW2013: Fabulous Coats

February 16, 2013 by  
Filed under Fashion, Featured Items, New York, Stijlspot, Stylespot, Trends, womenswear

It’s been a big week for coats. Remarkable that an item that independent of the weather gradually lost its position in the stores, is now THE canvas for fashion statements.

A myriad of coat styles crossed the runways – from traditional camel capes, pea coats and prep Prince of Wales jackets to decadent furs, plastic trenches and an impressive series of stern and rigid, broad shouldered power coats with nipped and belted waists. From prim tailored trenches, reinterpreted smokings to rugged utilitarian parkas.

Most obvious where the numerous terrific coats that where stripped down and traditional, inspired by menswear suiting and tailoring.

Alexander Wang cut his coats oversize and dropped the waist inspired by boxing. Phillip Lim referenced bikers; showing  motorcycle jackets, ragged shearling but also super trenches. Michael Kors themed urban warriors; fast-paced, sporty and chic in bold, boxy, sculptural shapes and Calvin Klein buckles up and goes large; with mannish shoulders in dense cloth.

Though the coat’s references are mannish the looks are generally sensual.

Great tools of empowerment.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

 

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Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear New York FW2013

February 16, 2013 by  
Filed under Fashion, New York, womenswear

For the set of his show Marc Jacobs got inspired by the ‘Weather Project’ of artist Olafur Eliasson’s, a huge hot sun that shone intensely on the models. Jacobs started his show under the sun’s low frequency light that removed all color, everything seemed black, gray and sepia. Then the light changed and it revealed a beautiful palette of neutrals and soft colors, poink, blue, deep burgundy and green. It was a simple collection without any techno-fabrics. Jacobs choose traditional materials like cashmere and alpaca, silk and fur. For day there were chic skirt looks and coats in blue alpaca and pink cashmere.The shine came via an embroidered fishnet motif on sensual pajama looks, and fox-collared tulle jackets covered in big, loose paillettes, some over-sequined gowns.

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Ralph Lauren Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear New York FW2013

February 16, 2013 by  
Filed under Fashion, Featured Items, New York, womenswear

Designer Ralph Lauren looked at Russia for his fall 2013 collection, but also took some inspiration from Paris.

Lauren’s day looks drew from naval motifs, particularly an array of outerwear, from pea-coats to officer’s caots. These came in various proportions, sometimes cut away. Though most were black or navy, Lauren lightened the lineup with a roomy ivory topper. He also showed knits and poetic shirts with billowing sleeves.

As for the pants, Lauren went for a classic sailor motif in skinny stovepipes. His other favorites were Cossack pants shown in burgundy and navy, sometimes pleated for extra volume.

Lauren broke up the mannish influence with lovely fluid dresses in deep-toned velvets and a beautiful series of evening-gowns.

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First View New York Womenswear FW2013: an Englishman in New York

Here is a very clear and retail-friendly trend to spot. Classic English tailoring, menswear suiting materials and silhouettes referencing collegiate prep. Not that we have never seen this before. This is all about comfort and ease, not so much in the fit but more in mindset – looking good, no shock, no unease and absolutely no risk. Luckily there are some designers to give this look a twist. By adding a touch of futurism in bonded materials or a quiet but brave re-proportioning of the silhouette. But mostly this is about referencing the classic, the authentic and re-viving as well as re-living tradition in Peacoats and double-breasted coats and blazers combined with abbreviated minis.

Tommy Hilfiger stays close to its preppy roots with Prince of Wales checks and hound’s-tooth checks and plaids. Rag & Bone, adds modernity by re-proportioning and mixing materials and textures. Victoria Beckham layers her skin-tight and sexy dresses with mannish but nevertheless sensual coats. Then have a look at Marc by Marc Jacobs, Y3 and Thom Browne to see how they manage to merge these icons of tailoring with their personal signature.

Hail to history and now back to the future please!

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

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Oscar de la Renta Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear New York FW2013

February 14, 2013 by  
Filed under Fashion, New York, womenswear

Was this fall-collection of Oscar de La Renta a collaboration with John Galliano or not? Not one will know for sure. The American designer took the bow at the end and Galliano stayed backstage. Certain looks seemed to bear the Englishman’s hand, especially the opening jackets and  also the marcelled locks and deeply shaded, greasy eyes were familiar from his Paris days. Other pieces seemed more like vintage de la Renta, and that was good.

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Anna Sui Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear New York FW2013

February 14, 2013 by  
Filed under Fashion, Featured Items, New York, womenswear

Please enjoy our pictures for now, our review will follow shortly.

 

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Michael Kors Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear New York FW2013

February 14, 2013 by  
Filed under Fashion, Featured Items, New York, womenswear

Michael Kors went for the urban and sporty for his fall 2013-collection. He took the yellow and orange from the New York streets and mixed them the city’s favorite dress-color: black. Many of the tailored pieces seemed built for speed with rounded shoulders and aerodynamic construction. Black patent trim and taped gave it all a vibe of fast sport like car racing.  Kors also used all sorts of camouflage, most luxuriously in multicolor mink.
Kors’ idea for evening are a fitted minidress with a long peplum overskirt.

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Streetfashion New York Womenswear FW2013 Day 6

February 14, 2013 by  
Filed under Featured Items, New York, People, Streetwear

What are you wearing during the fashionweeks? Your Celine-shoes, your latest Raf Simons-sweater or that vintage Gucci? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: New York Fashion Week fall/winter 2013.

 

 

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