Tag Archives: SS2011

Sophie Theallet SS2011

Sophie Theallet, one of Michelle Obama’s favorite designers, turned out more of her signature feminine looks for spring, with Frida Kahlo as her muse.

Love this mix of fall colors. (more…)

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Marc by Marc Jacobs SS2011

There’s a very practical reason to go to a Marc by Marc show: to see what we’ll all be wearing next season. Though the high-end designer shows are an interesting indication of where fashion is going, Marc by Marc Jacobs is a line that many people can actually afford. Thank God the designer doesn’t reserve all his ingenuity for his more expensive labels. Marc by Marc for spring included more ’70s silhouettes of his namesake label, infused with the bright colors of the early ’80s, hitting the sweet spot right between the two eras. Outside, many of the guests wore equally upbeat daywear.

Fabulously avant garde platform shoes. (more…)

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Marc Jacobs SS2011

One of the biggest adrenaline rushes of New York Fashion Week is the Marc Jacobs show, even now that it’s mostly celebrity-free. This may be due to the fact that the designer is now mercilessly punctual after receiving complaints about show delays several seasons ago, starting the show at exactly 8pm no matter who hasn’t made it inside yet. The result can be a mad dash for the door in evening clothes.

Prescient in her attire: Marc Jacobs showed ’70s looks for spring in retro colors and long, louche silhouettes like this one. Start wrapping your mind around brown for spring now, because it’s been in several collections. (more…)

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Donna Karan SS2011

Quintessential New York designer Donna Karan received rave reviews for her last collection, and her latest show this past Monday was a big draw on the fashion week circuit. Chic business attire was the look for this weekday show.


“Greige” is slated to be the It color for fall 2010, as with this grayish-beige dress with sculptural folds, bag and knotted sandals. (more…)

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Diane von Furstenberg SS 2011

The weather turned distinctly autumnal on the Sunday of New York Fashion Week, as rain came down on Lincoln Center Plaza before the Diane von Furstenberg show. Umbrellas and trench coats were put to good use.

Kate Lanphear. I know you’ve seen this outfit in the previous post, but I liked this portrait of her. While most of us just “dare to be different” some of the time, she has a distinct sense of style rooted in Goth otherness – this one combines a vintage rocker tee with a sleeveless trench. It reaffirms the importance of experimentation in fashion, instead of just following what everyone else is doing. (more…)

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Elise Overland SS 2011

Norwegian-born designer Elise Øverland is known for body-con leather designs that look great on the models that attended her show this Sunday. But some of the best new designs on the runway were tiered silk dresses and blouses and long, flowy pants – a great new silhouette for spring that would look good even on non-models.

Violinist Hanh Bin, who performed on the runway, warmed up before the show in PVC leggings and platform heels. (more…)

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Elise Overland: Backstage Beauty with Napoleon Perdis

Makeup artist Napoleon Perdis got his start in Australia, where he first learned to apply makeup by getting his mother ready for a party. Self-taught and successful, he set up a studio at age 21 then went on to launch his own makeup line and a diffusion line with Target. We sat down with him for a few moments as dozens of makeup artists and hair stylists prepped models for the show.

Gastro Chic: What are the major color trends for spring?

Napoleon Perdis: One of the big trends is matte foundation and priming the skin so that the skin is flawless and perfect. Blue with a teal twist is still interesting. Smoky eyes have a metallic edge to them, it’s a little pop ‘80s. Blush is no longer just in the cheek, it’s actually more contoured, and lipstick is back in every form of color. (more…)

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Alexander Wang SS2011

It’s always an interesting crowd outside the Alexander Wang show. Like Marc Jacobs especially in the early years, this designer attracts some die-hard fashion groupies as well as the usual roster of fashion show attendees. Some guests took a n0-holds-barred approach and dressed in absolutely outlandish outfits. If there was anywhere to do it, it would be for the fashion person’s fashion person, Alexander Wang.

This choice of clothes proved prescient – Wang showed many all-white looks for spring and no black at all. (more…)

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Vivienne Tam SS2011

One Asian designer who has been in the game for a while now is Vivienne Tam. Though her designs are quite striking, they are not so trendy that you can’t wear them year after year. Even her dresses from 10 years ago still look current. Her spring collection, with its emphasis on ivory crochet and a romantic, gypsy girl feel, should be no exception.

More neutrals with a neon pop of color. The all-white look is still great for sunny days in early fall. (more…)

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Prabal Gurung SS2011

Prabal Gurung has been named one to watch by many influential fashion editors, and his show for spring, full of bright, color blocked looks and high tech materials, lived up to his promise. A number of high-power fans, buyers and stylists came to the show.

Lynn Yaeger in a billowy, boho skirt. Loved her recent article on how she deliberates so much over each purchase that at one point, salespeople burst into applause when she finally bought something. (more…)

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Fashion’s Night Out, September 2010

As amazing as the fashion is at the official Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, you can’t help be struck by the lack of diversity at Lincoln Center. Intentionally or not, Anna Wintour’s Fashion’s Night Out this past Friday opened up the playing field to African Americans, who dressed for the occasion in everything from designer labels to club clothes. (See Eric Wilson’s article on the changing demographics of the New York fashion world – still about a generation behind the diversification of American colleges.) On Prince street, throw in an Intermix party hosted by socialite Byrdie Bell and attended by several more socialites and you got a sense of the actual demographics of New York fashion – a true melting pot of style.

Maximalist style: a leopard jumpsuit and turban with lots of accessories. (more…)

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Nautica Men’s SS2011: The Guests

For men in particular, a lot of sportswear seems to be aspirational. You can dream of that Slim Aarons way of life without stepping foot in many of the locales if you just dress the part. So the job of selling that dream to the public comes down to these editors, buyers and taste makers that attended the show.

Patrick McDonald may not seem like the prototypical coverboy for Nautica, but he has always had a flair for taking traditional menswear and giving it a spin that’s distinctly his own – here with a conservative three-piece suit mixed with purple suede shoes and an oversize gray fedora. (more…)

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Nautica Men’s SS2011: The Presentation

Actual sailors find the fashion world’s idea of what constitutes “the nautical look” pretty hilarious. In editorial spreads and advertising, it’s always a sunny, warm day when you’re on a boat, the men are often shirtless and wearing white short shorts, and women wear perhaps a nautically striped mini dress, designer oversized sunglasses and heels. In reality, dressing for the water – yes, even yachts – means preparing for exposure to the elements – think board shorts, breathable rain gear, shirts that fend off the wind, and non-marking deck shoes.

So Nautica’s practical approach to sportswear is a welcome relief. Even if you aren’t on a boat, these clothes will protect you from the elements come spring – lashing rain, or even a cloudy cool day or two. And when you’re ready to hit the water, board shorts are the way to go, not white Euro shorty bathing suits that would tear at the first encounter with rigging – oh my. (more…)

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Fashion Week Goes to Lincoln Center

Though fashion and the Upper West Side seemed an incongruous concept at first, Lincoln Center has surpassed expectations as a new setting for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York. No wonder this spot still inspires some to dress in black tie even in denim-clad times: the soaring facade of the Met, open plaza and dramatic fountain in the center provide the perfect backdrop for an equally dramatic ensemble.

Making an entrance. (more…)

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