ricardo seco

by Danielle Moreno

The Show: Bibhu Mohapatra

The Theme: An Elegant Take on Natural Elements

The Color Palette: Mix of earth tones (black, white, green, brown), metallic (silver, gold, copper), an assortment of purples (violet, maroon, lavender) and pops of rich colors (red, mustard yellow)

The Signature Look of the Collection: Bibhu Mohapatra may have used a wide array of colors in this season’s collection but the one motif that remained constant throughout were the elements of luxury and glamour displayed in each and every look.  Mohapatra juxtaposed his use of earth tones by pairing them with delicate satin and rich furs. The colors used in some of his pieces were reminiscent of a mountain landscape, which would make sense in that the designer credited being inspired by the countries of Mongolia and Tibet this season.

The most standout piece from the collection was the designer’s last look. The dress had a fitted, almost corset-like bodice and subtly flared out at the bottom. It was the ideal piece to close the collection since the dress was the perfect encapsulation of Mohapatra’s entire show; subdued and natural glamour.

The Show: Ricardo Seco

The Theme: Americana, the ’60s Reinterpreted

The Color Palette: black, gray, white, pops of pastels (light pink, lavender, baby blue)

The Signature Look of the Collection: Ricardo Seco’s inspiration for his fall/winter 2014 collection was the timelessness of the ’60s. Entitled “Forever,” the show proved that certain silhouettes have the ability to stay relevant and nonetheless chic through the decades. Seco’s reinterpretation of the past was undeniably cool, from the silk scarves tied around the models’ shoulders to the leather jackets draped over the men’s shoulders.

Former first lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis was a major theme in the designer’s collection as well, for her face was screen-printed on both the scarves and T-shirts that were sent down the runway. Ultimately, the collection achieved the sense of classic timelessness that Seco sought to create and these pieces too will be able to transcend the fads of the future.

The Show: Timo Weiland

The Theme: Low Key Grunge Done in a Cool Girl Way

The Color Palette: Black, white, blues, grays, maroon

The Signature Look of the Collection: Designers Timo Weiland, Alan Eckstein, and Donna Kang sent an assortment of prints down the runway this season, from checkered patterns to horizontal and zig- zag stripes. The incorporation of fringe, leather, and pumped up metallic also proved that the designers were willing to go out on a limb this season, texturally speaking. The silhouettes of the garments also varied. One of the first looks of the collection was a tightly fitted peplum dress, while later looks included slouchy sweater dresses and pleated knee length skirts.

The small black-and-white checks that adorned many of the garments, in particular the slim fit cigarette pants, gave a nod to the ’90s grunge era. However, any element of harshness that the grunge look can be associated with was toned down by each model’s seemingly nude face and sleek, simple hairstyle.  Ultimately, the entire collection exuded a sense of effortless cool, a look that many will certainly try and recreate this upcoming fall.