Narciso Rodriguez Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

Narciso Rodriguez used his strong construction skills, layering together different colors and fabrics for pieces with a Japanese feel, like the draped kimono effect on an orange silk top with a deep red skirt that was wrapped. Sometimes it seemed like two dresses were layered into one. His new accessories collection, which made its debut on the runway, was a strong addition and featured color-blocked gloves and functional handbags in exotic skins and suede.

Micheal Kors Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

Michael Kors chose a rustic-luxe cabin in the woods in wintertime as his location, what collection will fit there we all can guess.  Buffalo checks and fox fur. His trick, as always, was to filter it all through his glamorous yet practical lens. Manhattan meets Aspen, besides lots of fur women who prefer their outerwear on the tamer side Kors, showed tartan chesterfields and striped blanket ponchos with deep fringe.

Daywear was all about the mix: an almost conservative midi-length skirt paired with a knit lace tank bustier, or black leather adding edge to a gray plaid dress. Cocktail hour continued to match country with city—like the ivory fisherman sweater and the gold lace skirt.

Oscar de la Renta Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

There was a youthful feeling in the collection of Oscar de la Renta. Still precious , but most of the clothes were short, full-skirted silhouettes; in baby-pink and powder blue;  ribbons in the models hair. But it was the photo prints of jewels that gave this show its younger streak.
Of course De la rente presented  skirtsuits and twinsets, but they weren’t the focus. Embellishment was all around, even by day. Ladylike suits came in gold lace jacquard and silvery metallic tweed. Pants looked sporty, sometimes tucked into boots dripping with fur. The playful mood continued into evening, where the emphasis was on cocktail dresses.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

For his second line Marc by Marc Jacobs, the designer mixed milirairy influences with a youthful style. Lot of dresses, from a red satin onewith purple appliqués and a gathered waist  to  smock dresses. Two-tone A-line pleated skirts reminded of schoolgirls. Knits were slouchy and cosy, and jackets ranged from the fuzzy double-breasted coat to more linear, car coats to parkas with a furry hood.

Silhouettes were practical and cool, nothing overly trendy, just foundation pieces for a smart looking wardrobe.

 

Rodarte Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

This season the Mulleavy-sisters of Rodarte turned to Australia and its natives for inspiration. The result was a very feminin collection, with references to the red-earth of this continent, Aboriginal art, sheep and British heritage like fishermens coats and sweaters. There were leather jackets lined with shearling, chunky, cropped  sweaters, and a rust-colored skirt-suit. Native influences peeked through in some of their dresses, like a floor-length dress with  ruffles that mixed an aboriginal print with a lace collar.  Some dresses had a boxier, relaxed cut with sloped shoulders, dolman sleeves, and exaggeratedly ladylike Victorian collars, while others in black and white leather were lean and strong.

New were  the accessories, including star brooches buried in the models’ hair, and the debut of their own shoes, many with buckles and straps and lucite heels filled with sand.

 

Y-3 Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

Yohji Yamamoto’s Y-3 looked tougher than usual. His inspiration came from  the nomadic cultures of Central Asia, and the collection was a mixture of ethnic pieces (capes, ponchos and harem pants) and Americana (parkas, hooded vests and long, striped pullovers) shown in brights and a gray-to-black palette.

Phillip Lim Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

Phillip Lim challenged himself this time with a graphic collection in mostly black and white, with some added neutral tones and some brights at the end. The suiting was beautifully tailored, the perfect middle ground between nonchalant and professional. The tapered trousers and soft blazers remained. Lim started with the idea of comic books, which resulted in a duality of shapes, creating a slimming, curvaceous tromp l’oeil silhouette. It also played out well with the  houndstooth pattern.

Lim  introduced chunky knits and tweedy greys. More texture was developed through cable detailing on sweaters, filmy transparent panels,  , and sheeny damask.  Towards the end, Lim welcomed colors, like blues, deep green and tangerine.

Donna Karan Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

Donna Karan returned to chic urbanity for coming fall. The collection focused on a thin silhouette and men’s tailoring, often in pinstripes. Karan incorporated her signature a-symmetric style — half-collars, side-draping, off-kilter slits — and dared to revive an audacious shoulder. The dresses shown had an architectural, sculpted feel, as though the fabric – black matte crepes – had been simply moulded around the models’ bodies. She finished everything off with fabulous asymmetric hats. Eveningwear looked  fresh with lean, constructed gowns and a nice mix of felted jersey and sequins on sheer fabrics.

Marc Jacobs Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

It was a spectacular set at the Marc Jacobs’ show yesterday. The designers’ friend artist Rachel Weinstein was responsible for this paper construction looking like “a broken castle. Marie Antoinette’s version of ruins”, she told the press. But nothing reminded of 18th century France. It was more like modern streetstyle meeting 17th century – and it was clearly a celebration of fashion and clothes.

The models wore pilgrim shoes with giant shiny buckles,and large furry hats. It was magical and poetic. A cacophony of textures and colours, Jacobs evoked a strange sort of folkloristic glamour. There was a continuation of the past two season’ fascination with contrasting fabrications. Wool stoles were buttoned over wool coats worn on top of patchwork skirts above cropped pants. Prints ranged from oversize paisleys to floral pencil drawings, and holographic appliqués dripped off dresses. Volumes were turned up to, including padded hips.

 

Derek Lam Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

That was a clear and solid collection Derek Lam presented yesterday. The core clothes were chic, minimalist separates warmed up with American classics, such as a navy peacoat and cable knits, all of which were boosted by exceptional details and fabrics. Leather was a mainstay, whether on fitted baseball jackets with knit trims and streamlined shells, or as an accent, as in the black lambskin shoulders on a long ivory silk gown. It gave the collection a luxurious edge.

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