September 15, 2010
It seems hard to do, but for the past few seasons, Tory Burch just keeps out doing herself. It is definitely unanimous that her collections are for everyone, veering on the line between classic and on-trend. Although we do love our blood orange Reva Jelly Flats, we’re glad to see more footwear variety and can’t wait to get our hands on the bags, or jewelry designed by Justin Giunta!
-Julia DiNardo
September 15, 2010
Back in my college days, when wearing my newest pair of Victoria’s Secret lounge pants was the height of my dressiness on any given morning, I’m sure I made a few sleep-deprived statements about how sweatpants would eventually become the new slacks. But does that mean I actually thought it would happen? Not a chance! So imagine my surprise when I began recently flipping through fall catalogs and spotting sweatpants disguising themselves as trendy cropped trousers — and actually succeeding!
I don’t know whose idea it was, but sweatpants are suddenly passing as acceptable dress pants. Pair them with a blouse, tailored blazer and a pair of pumps and you’re ready for work (what?!), or throw on a sequined tank and some lace-up booties and you’re ready to hit the club (less shocking, but still — what?!). While my inner lazy college kid is practically salivating at the idea, and I’ve seen plenty of ultra-chic examples of the look (after all, they don’t look sloppy when done right), I still don’t think I’d have the guts to pull off such a frowned-upon fabric in a dressy situation. What do you think; am I too old-fashioned, or am I right to be skeptical of sweatpants-turned-slacks?
From left to right: J. Crew Sunday Pant, L’Agence Drawstring Sweatpant, Monrow Vintage Sweatpants, and Oonagh by Nanette Lepore Marciano French Terry Pant in Black.
– Alex Gambardella
Save on Cropped Trouser Sweat Pants at Revolve.com from TheFind.com’s coupon site
September 15, 2010
[Images via Style.com]
Michael Angel
Light and dark, soft and hard, thesis and antithesis…having contrasts can be a great thing. They bring dimension and diversity, adding that Je ne sais quoi where it was previously non-existent. Michael Angel‘s Spring 2011 collection was full of them: hidden vs revealed, inspired by a recent trip to Rome, bursting prints vs matte, transparent latex, buttoned-up collars vs. skirts with daring slits. Throughout it all, the designer kept his trademark prints yet somehow managed to present a simple, minimalist collection that was at times, appropriately austere and lush.
[Images via Style.com]
Buckler
If the models on Buckler’s Spring runway looked like fresh-faced Eastern European athletes, that look was intentional. Designer Andrew Buckler, whose self-proclaimed design concept is “English bloke meets New York,” said he was inspired by Bauhaus, as well as the 1936 Olympics. “The guys have sort of just come in off the running field,” the designer shared with FPD in a quick post-show interview. There was a weathered elegance to the pieces, with a splash of sportiness and a pinch of rock and roll. I’d like to think that if Kafka was around, he might pick up a Buckler piece or two on the way to the library, or the gym.
[Images via thebudgetbabe.com]
Nautica
For Nautica, Spring 2011 is all about the water , the people and the places of the American Southern Coast: easy, charming, vibrant, authentic. A great showing of casual, yet put-together menswear echoed the sentiments of spring 2011: variations of khaki with a burst of color here and there is the way to go.
[Images via the Sally LaPointe Facebook page]
Sally LaPointe
“A mix of beauty and distortion, the collection is inspired by the intoxication of accepting madness.” This is the opening statement on Sally LaPointe’s Spring 2011 run-of-show. What followed was beautiful and distorted alright, with exaggerated shoulders and hips, and rose-embellished moon boots with billowing, amorphous dresses. It was foreign and bright, with lots of shimmering silver and patches of black, much like what you imagine a trip to the moon might be.
[Images via Kaci Hamilton]
Luis Valenzuela
Eco-friendly fashionistas out there, prepare to be blown away by Luis Valenzuela’s Spring 2011 collection. The artist and designer was inspired by, of all people, his grandfather, to create a women’s collection made from existing materials: a lamp shade, men’s trousers, an old chandelier. The result was a whole new take on “masculine” women’s wear. Valenzuela still managed to evoke Victorian drama even when you could see the waistband and belt loops of a pair of men’s pants as the back of a model’s dress.
-Kaci Hamilton
September 14, 2010
Rachel Antonoff
Rachel Antonoff’s Spring/Summer 2011 Presentation was truly something out of a storybook. Following the life of an adolescent girl through all of the most cherished childhood experiences, the collection was carefree and flirty. In a palette largely made up of pastels, each item was enticingly feminine and doll-like in design. Fun prints, plaids, and fluid silk fabrics were paired beautifully with charming oxfords, creating a wonderfully inspired collection unlike any other!
Yuna Yang
Shaped by the era of the 1960’s housewife, Yuna Yang’s 2011 collection linked the traditionally feminine with the luxurious. Each piece was sophisticated and elegant, yet by no means overdone. The line was made up of classic silhouettes, embellished with eye-catching sequins and black lace. Made in rich chiffons and silks, her showing included detailed draping and playful ruffles in shades of blue, pink, gray, black, and even ivory. This collection truly embodied the spirit of old Hollywood glamour!
-Claire Schmidt
