Alexander Wang Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

That was a dark show and a tough and sharp fall-collection Alexander Wang presented yesterday. Again Wang played with perceptions by manipulating his fabrics.

Fabrics looked stiff and shiny, the palette was white, black and a bit of oxblood. The silhouette was graphic, with lacquered merino wool tweeds, waxed suedes and shrink wrapped-jacquard knits. The first look was a boxy, white lacquered tweed raincoat with a round helmet of a hood. Under it, a fishnet turtleneck was pulled up over the model’s mouth. Sometimes it reflected a mood of chic aggression.

After the models took their final walk, the lights changed and out came a more elite and elder pack of models, including Shalom Harlow, Karolina Kurkova and Gisele Bündchen as the finale. The looks they wore were the same but with less shine, more refinement and more tailoring.

Prabal Gurung Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

In Prabal Gurung’s fall collection Hell and Heaven came together, starting off with all black, followed by a blue period, and culminating in a finale of gold and ivory.  To the press the designer talked about his own spiritual quest, about embracing both the dark and the light within.
The show went from dark to light, beginning with all-black looks on brunette/black models, then a blue section on girls with light brown hair, followed by the ivory and gold finale shown on blondes. With this collection Gurung moved away from the ladyfied looks that got him noticed in the first place.

A sense of precision was revealed in well-defined lines: sculpted coats, tunics and sexy bootleg trousers; a black neoprene dress with sheer tulle inserts at the waist and neck accessorized with a patent-leather spine harness. Bold variations on spring’s Rorschach-like prints turned up, as did the flounced-skirt silhouette.

Peter Som Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

There was a lot of peplum-stuff going on at Peter Som. With this major seasonal trend Som payed homage to Hollywood icons like Marlene Dietrich and Katherine Hepburn. The designer was also inspired by the industrial shapes of 20th century sculptors Chamberlain and Brancusi. Stiff fabrics added an architectural element to the clothes. The designer explored just about every use of the peplum from skirt-like overlays on top of narrow trousers to a frill on the rear of a beautiful, leather burgundy pencil skirt to a long, flowing floor-length chiffon train on a black nylon organza dress. Prints were almost absent, but the colors were interesting: bottle green, burgundy, muddy brown and flashes of neon pink.

Doo.Ri Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

From the first model that stepped at the catwalk at Doo.Ri it was obvious the collection was influenced by modern dance. The washed out faces, the slicked-back buns with headbands and the jersey draping. And hey, draping seems to be the strongest point of designer Doo-Ri Chung – so there was much to enjoy. From the twist-top blouses and dresses,  high necks, and ink-blue wrap dresses with a twist top. The most interesting idea was to create jackets and coats that looked like two overlapping garments. Colors were like poetry: the tonal combinations of pale pink and shades of brown and eggplant looked fresh.

Jason Wu Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2012

For the first time Jason Wu took his heritage – Asia – as a theme for his collection. Fall 2012 is all about Mao meets the Qing dynasty and Shanghai Express. Luckily no cliche-clothes, but a savvy and sophisticated collection. A belted, army green puffy jacket was quilted at the shoulders with a black lace overlay everywhere else except the big military pockets. Opulent embroideries, fur sleeves and collars gave the sharp tailoring a regal air. Variations on the cheongsam dress were beautiful precision-cut sheaths, some with alluring keyhole necklines, others with lavish embroideries. For evening, Wu recharged a Golden Age glamour silhouette with a strong shoulder, high neck and lean skirt that draped around the body with a dramatic slit.

Back in the Big Apple

We’re back in the Big Apple, ready for a brand new season of fashionshows. Already fall winter 2012/2013. Expect daily updates on shows and streetwear.

This was Amsterdam Fashion Week FW2012

Fashion is vaporized. All cameras are packed. Make up dissolved. The stage disappeared. This 16th edition of Amsterdam Fashion Week attracted almost 20.000 people. Visitors enjoyed the vibe and nice shows, to name some highlights: the openingnight with Bas Kosters and Sjaak Hullekes, the Lab-shows, Sage & Ivy-show, SIS by Spijkers & Spijkers, Jan Boelo and the Cast Iron-show. A special thanks to the organization of Amsterdam Fashionweek who made it all work out smoothly.

We’re on our way already to the next fashionweeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris.

So we’ll meet again.

 

 

SuperTrash Catwalk Fashion Show Amsterdam FW2012

All the ingredients for the perfect SuperTrash show were there Saturday night. A great show area (Passenger Terminal), an enormous crowd (incl. a front row full of Dutch celebs) and an absolute party vibe.

Olcay Gulsen, head designer of Supertrash, and her team put attention in every little detail. All guests were welcomed by ladies dressed in golden SuperTrash pants and printed tees and everyone in the front row had someone waiting for them with a sailor cap on, with their names written on it.

Yet though we expected a nautical theme in the collection as well, we couldn’t spot it in the clothes. The collection was – as always – super sexy and feminine. Gorgeous long curly haired models showed silhouette accentuating dresses, playful skirts, sparkling pants and floor sweeping gowns. All looks styled off perfectly by chunky shiny bracelets and high silver heels.

After a first few looks in off white, beige and sand colored shades, the color palette changed into more earthy tones. An ethnic print, shown on a strong tough jacket/dress looked like perfection. The bright colored zigzag print that was  introduced (on a pair of pants, a long dress, top and jumpsuit ) later on felt a little too summer-ish for FW2012. But Olcay made up for with her finale of long sexy dresses. Those goddess gowns came in sparkly brown, beige, turquoise, purple and black and were the cherries on the pie for this fall/winter collection.

But no SuperTrash finale without designer Olcay showing  off her fabulous looks on stage, of course. This time it was an extra special appearance since Olcay did a small performance (in the style of Beyoncés Billboard awards show last year) while launching her first perfume ‘Phenomenal’.

A great collection out, a first perfume on the market and an enormous fashion crowd,who loves it all. What more can a designer wish for?

Olcay Gulsen doesn’t hold a SuperTrash fashion show every season, but when she does, she sure does it right!

Tony Cohen Frontrow Catwalk Fashion Show Amsterdam FW2012

Check out the front row at the Tony Cohen-show. Who was sitting next to whom?

Custo Barcelona Catwalk Fashion Show Amsterdam FW2012

Spanish label Custo Barcelona is back. After a few years of absence the womens label, from the two brothers Custo and David Dalmau, is trying to capture the European market with their bold prints and colors.

It’s absolutely clear, these two brothers are global orientated and like to travel. They get inspired by all the different countries they visit, the diverse cultures they get to know and the colorful and innovative prints they see along the way. And it showed in the whole collection. The Custo Barcelona women likes to go for a long journey and explore the world, but always in style. This time the label seem to be mostly inspired by the old, native Americans, like the Indians and cowboys. But they gave it a modern, luxurious twist, which results in a lot of mixed looks. We saw some faux fur mixed with woolen vests, camel hats, fringe and sequin dresses, rough leather jackets,  a geometric shirt (like a cape) with a printed picture of nature and tweed knee- high boots with patent leather moccasins details.

Between the splash of color, their trademark, and animal prints there were also some toned- down, desert colors like sand, dark brown and military green.

Although some pieces made you want to pack your backs and go travel yourself, most looks seem too much of everything. Too much different prints, layers, shiny fabrics, small details and bright colors used in one look. Less is more definitely doesn’t count for this collection.

by Eva Dusch

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