photo courtesy of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 2010
This week marks the first full week of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City. There are certain designers that always tickle my shopping bone and send me out to the nearest mall if at most to glance at the latest collections. Fashion week is almost like a national holiday for some and I am no exception. I will be updating with my favorite designers and their collections revealed this week.
Shows on Monday included Zac Posen, Carolina Herrera, Monique Lhuillier, Jill Stuart and Marc Jacobs.
Zac Posen set the stage for the day with neutral tones and stunning layered pieces. Trendy blazers made an appearance as well as high shoulder dresses. Floral prints are also in high demand for fall lines. Short hemlines were common with this show especially seen in the floral and velvet mini-dresses.
Carolina Herrera made a splash with deep red dresses and fur-lined coats. Her collection echoed elegance as her formal dresses are sure to be seen on the red carpet at the Oscars in two weeks. The combination of red and gray made a perfect balance making this dress pop on the runway. My personal favorite was the layered red dress topped with a skinny black belt, which reminded me of the dress Heidi Klum wore to the 2008 Oscars.
Jill Stuart went for a more gothic glam with heavy black pieces and killer over-the-knee-boots. The only problem I had was with the large top hat worn with a few of the items. It looked to me like a gothic cat-in-the-hat type deal. The coat collection in this show was spectacular. Classic pea coats and heavy scarves were a staple on the runway, helping to accent the fall look.
Monique Lhuillier’s collection offered the most variety as her color palette ranged from deep red to seaweed green. Lhuillier is known for dressing many stars at the Oscars and these dresses are no exception. The formal gowns displayed on the runway such as this classic black empire waist would be a perfect fit for maybe a Penelope Cruz or an Angelina Jolie, but then again Angelina did black last year. One shoulder gowns also got a lot of attention, especially this gorgeous piece. The classic black seen here seems like it is channeling Audrey Hepburn with the simple black and high neckline.
Last but not least my personal favorite Marc Jacobs. His collection debuted on Monday evening and it is already receiving high praise from bloggers and news outlets. Some are saying that this is quite possibly the best show of his career. Although I was not present at the show (if I was then I was probably dreaming), I am hearing the buzz over the Internet about how Marc started the show. Apparently he took to the stage in a simple black Bottega Veneta suit and tore off ceiling length brown paper to reveal numerous models waiting in a giant crate like contraption.
According to fashion blogs, the show was extremely low key with only a few recognizable faces like Vogue editor at large Andre Leon Talley. Recently, Marc Jacobs was in the news for banning celebrities from coming to his fashion shows. It seems as though even without the A-list clients his collection is still a hit. Marc told the New York Post he felt as though having celebrities at his shows is “boring” and he was streaming his show online in order to increase his audience.
The collection included many two-piece items, offering a classic elegance to the line. Every look had a working girl type feel to them with neutral tones and grays. The A-line skirts were a hot item on the runway. Mary Jane shoes were popular with almost every piece modeled, offering a 1920’s look to the collection. Fur was also very popular with Marc Jacobs. My favorite look included a fox fur dress ensemble that looked stunning with long evening gloves. It seems as though PETA will have their work cut out for them after the presentation of all the fall fashion lines.
Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
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I love this time of year when designers debut collections for the next season and suggest what is in (and out of) style. What better place to kick off the fashion week events than New York City?
Although I cannot afford high-end fashion on a college student budget or travel to the “big four,” I look forward to obtaining high-end designer-inspired pieces from places such as Express, J. Crew, Nordstrom and other more reasonably-priced retail stores. This is why I commend Marc Jacobs for taking a stand against relying on celebrities to create buzz around his fashion shows. In fact, Jacobs is humanizing the whole idea of the runway show by offering the average Joe access to footage that may otherwise be unavailable.
On the other hand, Jacobs should probably be careful not to “bite the hand(s) that feed him.” He has taken a strong stance and bluntly spoken out against celebrities – particularly Madonna – at his shows. I wonder if Jacobs will face backlash from celebrities who could retaliate and chose not to promote (wear) his fashions, which could be detrimental during the current awards show season.