Eveningwear is MEANT for the runway, and is truly showcased in its true form by being able to witness it move and glimmer on the body. This season, it was quite clear to me that three major trends in eveningwear were unfolding: all-over metallic, vibrant red, and heavy, heavy embellishment.
Walk with me through some of the fabulous pieces that represent the trend, with some combining several of them into one garment. It was also lovely to see longer sleeve lengths on gowns, making the distinction that the fall/winter season can be a bit on the chilly side, and looking ravishingly soigné can mean not having to have the pashmina in tow.
Let’s see if the premier red carpet event, this year’s Oscars, pay homage to these trends…we have a feeling that they certainly will!
METALLIC:
[Images via ELLE.com]
Gathering some medieval inspiration, Carmen Marc Valvo, didn’t go literally in that direction, and instead used metallic, that had an almost foil-like appearance to bring opulence to the source.
Although the gold represented Diane von Furstenberg‘s 40th anniversary, she wouldn’t have put out a handful of gold cocktail dresses unless she flelt they were absolutely au courant, like this stunner worn by Karlie Kloss.
Alon Livnè showed shades of champagne and blush burnished with ornate gold trim, channeling old Hollywood glamour of the silent film era.
Reem Acra never disappoints in the eveningwear department, and this dress perfectly melds the metallic and embellishment trends, showing a masterful understanding of form and fit.
Very little context is needed for this floor-length skimming gown by KAUFMANFRANCO showing that the right texture can be a total game changer.
VIBRANT RED:
It’s always hard to choose a favorite look of the season, however Marissa Webb defined effortlessly cool this time around, perfectly matching the saturated red hue in different fabrications, which to her credit, is incredibly difficult to do with such a striking hue.
Vivienne Tam always offers something up in this brilliant shade, however for fall, the execution of it, combined with the precision of patterning, made for a memorable showing.
Monique Lhullier went a bit more pink than red, to dazzling effect, mixing it up with a moderate neckline and short sleeves, still keeping it playful and fresh within her eveningwear category.
Making it darker, but letting it SHINE was how Dennis Basso treated the shade this season, mixing exotic skin and fur with silken flowing fabric, which is the ultimate way of modern dressing in the mixing of the hard with the soft.
Carolina Herrera is never one to shy away from a full skirt, and in this instance adding some bodice interest with asymmetrical lines, providing for a certainly memorable red gown.
Again, we see a full skirt, but this time the neckline is brought up to dazzling effect, with the usage of mesh and embellishment at Lie Sang Bong.
HEAVY EMBELLISHMENT:
Leading into this category, it’s easy to see how the use of adornment takes this Jenny Packham red dress from something already note worthy to merely taking our breathe away!
Hervé Leger followed the curves of the body with accentuated jewels, proving that regardless of the hem length and silhouette, the details win the day.
Badgely Mischka always knows when and where to add the right amount of embellishment, and in this instance, precisely mimicking the patterning of the skirt with beading on the bodice is why this design duo is just so incredibly GOOD with what they do.
[Image via Style.com]
[…] down the runway—and so, so very poised. After perusing the dramatically cut dresses at DKNY, DVF, Hugo Boss, Jenny Packham, Suno, and Tory Burch, there’s no doubt you’ll be inspired. And, if […]