Fashion Week S/S 2010: Our Opinion

Written By Parlour
It happens twice a year, a seven-day celebration touting a multitude of events that increase the pace of both fashion and New York’s. Editors, celebrities, photographers, socialites, stylists, fashionistas and buyers descend upon Bryant Park for the highly anticipated Fashion Week to preview the latest designer collections. It is in these tents (and off site locations) where the magic happens, the “new pink” arrives, models walk, crowds watch, and we, the industry, watch fashion come alive. We live it, we love it, and we indulge in Fashion Week.
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The Spring 2010 collections feel much like the season itself; hopeful, promising, colorful, bright, better than last spring, and unknown, but desirable. Designers either did one of three things; stayed true to themselves and presented a similar but satisfying line, went left and disappointed, or attempted to work within a theme and go against the grain successfully (pictured: Ports 1961 Asian inspired collection). These designer choices also represent the state of the clothing industry in a way. Some, like Lacoste, played it safe and stayed true to their traditional customer, while others, such as Nicole Miller, pushed the envelope and stepped out of their usual collection and dared to be different.

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l: BCBG, r: Herve Leger

In Ready-To-Wear, many of the collections heavily focused on party dresses, formal gowns, and show pieces. There were lots of asymmetrical dresses (Michael Kors), new takes on the LBD (Herve Leger), beautiful and mismatch prints (Tracy Reese, the collections from the Arise Magazine presentation, Diane Von Furstenberg), and lots of lace and nude fabrics. Black, white and grey set the neutral tone, and back and shoulder detailed pieces dominated the runways. It seems that key pieces were all over the runway. Designers are more conscious of the fashion market, and realize that people aren’t buying full wardrobes, but rather special and exciting pieces. The collections reflected the current recessionista who doesn’t have as much as to spend, but will still purchase the right piece.

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l: Boy, r: Diane Von Furstenberg

Overall, if I had to rate this year’s collections; I’d say a B+. It’s not quite an A yet.

The best word to describe many of the collections is surprise. Some of my favorite designers decided to go a different route and disappointed me. Herve Leger, who is known for his sexy, formfitting dresses, did nothing in a bright color for Spring. Instead, he opted for black, white, pewter and some denim patchwork akin to urban market designers like Baby Phat or Pepe Jeans some years ago. I was under whelmed.

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Even Tracy Reese, who I adore as designer, was a disappointment and her collection, despite a few pretty prints was not up to her usual standard.  There were very little must-have moments and none of the overall pieces wowed me.

It’s clear that the fashion world is in limbo. In fact, Style.com likened this year’s collections to falling off of a cliff like the cartoon character Willie Coyote; you haven’t quite hit the bottom but as you float, you enjoy the unknown, the surprise, the colors, and the scenery. Still, you look forward to beginning again and seeing the new collections on the horizon. Until February!

-Chris Law of FresherThanChris

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