Marc by Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2011

There was a forties meets seventies feeling in the collection of Marc Jacobs’ second line, Marc by Marc Jacobs. What that translated into was a primmer, nerdier version of the Seventies, but with Jacobs’ vibe. This came across in the glassy, polished blouses and dresses that left practically everything to the imagination. This was not a sexy collection, nor was it sexless, it just maintained a more professional, adult mentality. The chunky knits, effortless dresses and sizable pants in muddy fall colours of orange and brown had a thrifted, serious quality to them. It somteimes reminded of Annie Hall. Also attractive was the Navajo-style ethnic prints on jackets and a long poncho.

This was a very commercial and dressed collection, but done in a casual way. Elegant dressing the easy way. Don’t we all want that?

First View New York FW2011: Strict Lace

Retro revenge with a leading role for lace. Who mentioned retro was passé and that it is time to look ahead? There is no future without history though.

This retro-style looks truly inspiring and stunning in a lovely mixture of fabrics. Sober suiting, chaste high-collared blouses in pretty patterns and prints and lots of super positioned lace. The silhouettes are stern yet graceful, severe yet curvaceous. Where Prada fancied the 50’s for previous winter, Vuitton touched the frivolous edges of the 20’s and 30’s for summer. Now both Jason Wu and Marc Jacobs confirm this perpetual fancy for retro, both framing their looks in lace.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

Streetfashion New York Womenswear FW2011 Day 5

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Prada-shoes, your latest Jil Sander-dress or that vintage Yves St. Laurent? 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.

Carolina Herrera Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2011

There were not a lot surprises at the Carolina Herrera fashion show. It was a classic womenswear collection full of beautiful designs, yet it didn’t feel very fresh. The models were dressed properly but it all appeared very tame.

The models did look very elegant and feminine in their pencils skirts and tight dresses, accentuating their hourglass figures. Their sequined tops seemed perfect for a nice cocktail party and the enormous cuffs gave some looks an unexpected twist (though not very practical).

Some designs in orange, turquoise and blue, added towards the end of the collection, looked lovely and slightly younger that the first few looks. The colors of Karlie Kloss’ evening gown were daring, yet worked perfect together and made up for a Oscar worthy A-list look.

But we think Caroline Herrera doesn’t even need those celebrities to wear her clothes. We guess she has more than enough loyal customers who will immediately fall in love with this new collection. ‘Cause one thing’s for certain Carolina Herrera knows the woman she designs for all too well and always sticks to her (winning) code.

An Anna dello Russo moment at Marc Jacobs

Streetfashion New York Womenswear FW2011 Day 4

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Prada-shoes, your latest Jil Sander-dress or that vintage Yves St. Laurent? 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.

Thom Browne Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2011

Thom Browne’s first proper show of his women’s collection was a special kind of spectacle. He transformed the New York Public Library into a church with a convent’s worth of models dressed like nuns. Finally Browne found a way to mix his Catholic upbringing and his fascination for uniforms. His nuns marched in covered up except for the gigantic fake eyelashes peeking out from beneath their habits. One by one the girls were liberated from their cloaks by a pair of altar boys, only to reveal clothes that were the real cross to bear.

Underneath there were elements of Browne’s menswear vocabulary: checks, extreme proportions, difficult layering, and an absolute upending of red-white-and-blue tradition. Browne encased each woman in ultra-stiff, tailored layers done in exaggerated proportions with a preppy, varsity theme. There were shrunken suits in mismatched plaids,  blazers with giant peplums and layered maxi coats with shirttail hems, some of which will be wearable once the look is dismantled.

There was absolutely no sex in this collection, restriction was everywhere: the models walked without moving their arms, turtlenecks were pulled up over their mouths, and molded bubble skirts and tops looked about as comfortable as a straight jacket. That seemed precisely the point. One of the finale looks actually included a skirt made out of a cage of red and blue ribbon.

Donna Karan Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2011

Donna Karan loves to work with contradictions. Masculine-feminine, natural and urban, soft and rough, satin and fur. She continued last season’s pale palette, now  pearl gray and taupe instead of ivory-beige.

As for the clothes, except two pairs of high-waisted draped jersey pants, Karan showed dresses, skirtsuits, and coats, along with a few filmy blouses with draped necklines that sometimes doubled as head scarves. Every look, without exception, had a nipped waist. Karan was at her best in terms of cut, decorating the clothes not with extra stuff but with elegant drapes and folds. One dress was tucked on a soft diagonal and wrapped in front; another fell into a gently  cowl. The jacket of a slim suit had sleeves that tapered from wide, puffed shoulders. Another big hit of this collection were the shearlings and coats.

Often the looks were accessorized with flowing chiffon headscarves worn with a mysterious air of the runway variety, exquisite pearl necklaces and long gloves with deep, dramatic fur cuffs.

Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2011

It was all about polka dots and  looking polished at Marc Jacobs. Again, but now two decades later Marc Jacobs decided to use his favorite print again. It was a big step from his YSL/Seventies inspired spring-collection, but the designer couldn’t care less. He told WWD he’d thought about all things he’d done in the past and what he’d loved. He ran through all of his collections and presented his description of classic. From the trompe l’oeil to the polka dots to the glam collection that had the rubber, and the sweats that he’d done, all those crazy American classics. He just wanted to have fun.

We’re familiar with his mood-swings now, so it’s goodbye to gentle fluidity and hello to an austere line that was sliver thin and had a couture-like precision but also a girlish charm. The dots came small, medium and large; matt and shiny; flat and 3D and in an various fabrics: prints and embroideries, rubber and pailettes, fur and fake fur. Often Jacobs started with a white shirt as a first layer under  a boxy sweatshirt or curvy jacket over slim, sexy skirts. He also showed  sweaters, a men’s coat,  sailor pants and romantic lace dresses detailed with  jabots.

As for accessories, spotted socks, mini-berets and a range of slush-busting snow boots completed the collection. Plus handbags in vibrant car-paint.

First View New York FW2011: Mix Mash

It sure is a happy start of Stijlinstituut Amsterdam Stylespot. New York Fashion Week presented us during the first days a hyper-color riot of mixed expressive prints, contrasting textures and various techniques. And that’s quite a new trend we spotted.

Where Preen shows it modern and tech, Libertine goes for a more poetic spirit, Ragbone takes the craft route where Thakoon and DKNY go graphic and regimental. These combined patterns and colors in gentle conflict give a new creative and upbeat flavor to the season and offer a great inspiration for upcoming fashion developments.

It underlines the growing interest in creative crafts and techniques and expresses brave optimism.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

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