Oscar de la Renta NYFW Spring 2014

As I said about Ralph Rucci, I say the same here; when you are expectant of any designer... in a good way, and then the expectation is fulfilled, one walks away with a great sense of contentment.  Such is the case at Oscar de la Renta for Spring 2014.

 

Mr. de la Renta is amongst the elite group of designers who delivers the goods season after season; the only variance is in what degree of success.  For those of us who have a resume longer than 20 minutes and a memory that spans decades and not days, Mr. de la Renta delivered a COLLECTION in its truest sense … yes Virginia there is such a thing as a real collection and not just another pile of clothes!!  Hard as it is to believe there were day clothes, cocktail clothes and then evening which all my sound like an anachronism but it is the concept that built this business, let alone was the framework of all fashion shows.

 

Despite what the references/inspirations are, a subject that frankly bores me, when it comes to any designer, the end result is what counts and this was pure Oscar.  The clothes were just divine and the appeal as broad as ever.  Mr. de la Renta is a rare breed of designer who has bridged the gap between the ladies who lunched and the 21^st century social who is far younger and no longer lunches as those oh so famous gals once did on a daily basis.  In essence there is something for everyone here whether it be a suit or dress, daytime or evening and all it reeks of the OdlR DNA…………… HOW REFRESHING!!

 

Rather than detail the beauties, have a look at the slideshow and the clothes will speak for themselves.  It’s a good thing that the shop on Madison Avenue has just completed its expansion and renovation; they will need a lot more fitting rooms!!

 

P.S. a few things... I am not a fan of below the knee or tea length.. never have been … Odlr was a show of great restraint in every sense of the word, from designs to accessories.. It was all about the clothes… great colors… the lace things was a bit de trop but since there was so much; it was a blip….a literal souk of silhouettes

Reem Acra NYFW Spring 2014

How wonderful it is to see a collection that is at all times exuberant and demonstrative of a designer who has redefined her place in the fashion continuum.  Ms. Acra was well established as a bridal designer when she decided to try her hand at what one can only deem a “regular” collection, meaning non-bridal.  How refreshing to see that she has indeed accomplished what she set out do and with great élan.

The Spring 2014 collection might be construed at 70’s disco madness but I prefer to see it as a collection of beautiful and fun clothes that are not pretending to be anything other than what they are.  In a time when too many designers are too busy spewing all this arcane garbage about inspiration and such, Ms. Acra just went ahead and made great clothes that women can wear… what a concept!

The colors are vibrantly Spring and silhouettes vary throughout but what remains constant is that these clothes were designed to sell and not just to women of a certain age but to women who might not have been exposed to the glory days of Studio 54 and have only dreamed or read about them.

Please do not misconstrue my words and think that I am skirting the retro idea as I truly do not find these clothes reeking of retro; if anything there are clean, crisp and cool for women who love clothes and love looking good today.

 
But I  am sure that all of these qualities will not meet the current criteria for today’s media who seem to think that only clothes that have an edge, test the boundaries of good taste and are trend driven are worthy of attention ... These clothes are the real deal... They require no road map of explanation and they are unapologetically commercial without being mundane or boring

Thom Browne NYFW Spring 2014

Every season there is a presentation of a seasonal collection.  Every season there are reviews where reviewers try to explain and decode the message that Mr. Browne is espousing; of course none of that can happen without a press release as I am reasonably confident that not a single reviewer has the perspective, capability or imagination to really dissect what is presented.

The facts are reasonably indisputable.  Fact... the clothes are absolutely visual feasts that evoke amazement and awe for reasons that can most closely be related to that of Haute Couture.  The clothes are veritable masterpieces of workmanship and atelier abilities.  Fact… the business sis about selling clothes and yet these clothes bear no relation to anything that people wear other than if you dissect them down to the most common denominator.  Fact… Thom Browne is in possession of a creative mind that is at all times boundless, imaginative, and somewhat perverse and with few equals.  Fact ... each seasonal presentation  is as shocking as it is meant to be and achieves all the media hype that one can only assume is its raison d’etre.

The question remains as to why exactly collections like this are shown as part of a week where retailers are trying to fill racks with clothes that they will hopefully sell for the designated season.  These are clothes that are museum worthy and not retail worthy.  If the intention is attract as much media as possible with the idea that there is no such thing as bad press ... well then, he is the winner and still champion!!  These shows have certainly boosted his brand recognition far beyond the scope of just a shrunken men’s suit.

Donna Karan NYFW Spring 2014

Well, it is Donna doing Donna... but not the sinuous sexy Donna but the tribal/jungle Donna.  Correct me if I am wrong but at least once a year she takes to her tribal/Zen roots and presents a collection with some sort of prints that whispers of African tribal themes.  Admittedly, I am usually not a fan of thee collections but this season she seems to struck a vein with me.

The clothes are that loosey goosey thing she does but she has combined that with some beautifully sexy and closer to the body pieces and it all works... well, most of it anyway.  The big top white shirt, which also came in chambray, will be a blockbuster for her and everyone else who copies it as here is a shirt that one can wear and actually feel comfortable wearing.  The problem will be that few will wear pressed and starched within a hair’s breadth of its life.

There are dresses of every kind and the layering is taken to extremes as only Donna can do.  The feel is most definitely relaxed and tends to be what one would want to wear once the temperatures climb and one does not want to feel constricted by tightly fitting garments of any kind.  The earthy palette is oddly appealing and extremely well done which is more than I can say about the tribal /ethnic jewelry.

Is this one of the best... well no! It is certainly a lot better than one in particular where everything had full circle skirts in a very harsh print and the overall feel was as bulky as a puff jacket on steroids.  It’s thumbs up for her this season which I am pretty sure her ladies will agree with.

P.S. the hats were a bit de trop and the collection is a reflection of Ms.  Karan’s own particular and personal way of dressing

Zac Posen .. NYFW Spring 2014

With a palette that can only be described as menopausal... no offense ladies, but what the hell are you thinking Zac Posen?  The man knows his was around a gown. I must give him some credit but this collection sparks emotions that span from ho hum to WTF are you drinking?

 

There were a few signature mermaid shapes and then there was a pile of dresses that looked as though some had fallen out of the wardrobe department from 20^th Century Fox.  Retro does not even begin to describe some pieces as they really looked like wardrobe for the extras in some crowd scene; none of any great beauty.

 

Then we have a plethora of styles that are so over the top and so over wrought and so silly as to make one laugh at their very existence.  It is a harsh view but c’mon get your s—t together and be real ... unless of course one is only making clothes for either editorial or red carpet and in  that case, I would think these fall far short of those categories as well.

 

One has to believe that with all the workmanship and skills that have been lavished upon the styles of this collection that the end result surely could have been far better.  It’s a shame really, that Mr. Posen, after all these years has yet to get one clear cut message across when he presents his seasonal collections.  The question remains... “Is he running out of options?”

 

P.S. “where is Kal Ruttenstein when you need him?”

Ralph Rucci NYFW Spring 2014

One of the issues with a designer of this caliber is that every season you expect to see brilliance and so when it is delivered you feel satisfied in knowing that there is such a thing as consistency in the ever changing word of fashion. Ralph Rucci has always said that his journey and body of work are evolutionary and not revolutionary and this is a fact that cannot be disputed.

 

This was seismic event and not an earthquake but just enough to let you know the earth shook a bit and the ground moved. This was a 3.5 or 4 on the Richter scale. The mood at the brand is shifting and to the trained eye, one might notice that the play of proportions is at the front and while shapes are a bit leaner, the laser sharpness continues and yet there is layering in ways that can only be described as “light of hand.”  The apron layer was a big element as was the ever present “streamers” that have become part of the Rucci vocabulary and DNA.

 

The palette is superb with shots of coral and another Rucci “element”... tobacco.  A bit of color blocking, a touch of signature prints, and the omnipresent handwork that is only duplicated in the world of Haute Couture and of course his own manipulation of special effects whether they be matte paillettes or holographic opalescent eyelash fringe or one awe inspiring way he can turn fabric in an eighth wonder of the world.  The tulle inserts have been played in a different less linear fashion and the zippers have become a greater design presence.

 

The photos will really tell the story (not as much as I hoped) but trust me when I say that very few can make white matte python look chic.  The feathered pieces are lighter than air and the de rigeur ball gown as soigne as ever.  Ponder how this designer can send out countless pieces in white chiffon and make them all look divine without ever crossing over to that horrible moment when you think ...”OH it looks like a nightgown!”

 

I leave you with these thoughts and you may need to really dig deep but I want to know what designer has ever managed to make a turtleneck in chiffon and have it stand up without hugging the neck with choking tightness.. (see photo). He alone conceives and dreams and he alone achieves what most never even entertain the thought of!  Lastly let’s say the collection is not younger but more modern as I find that much more descriptive to the caliber of these clothes; the change is subtle and the DNA is intact!

Katya Leonovich ..NYFW ..Spring 2014

Well it is very rewarding when a designer that you have continued to watch season after season finally comes of age.  With the Spring 2014 collection, one can say that Ms. Leonovich has hit her stride and really needs to continue on this path in the future.

 

Everything about the collection has grown up whether it be fabrication or looks and most certainly the make and finish of the clothes.  The latter speaks volumes in the development of the designer.  The fabrics were indeed more geared to a more sophisticated audience as was the choice of prints.  The shapes are more grown up and the gimmicks have been minimized to the point where what was once seen as a gimmick might now be considered part of her design DNA.

 

Make no mistake, these are not clothes for everyone and believe me, the errors in judgment are minute as compared to previous forays.  One of the most jarring to me was the when all of sudden we went from short lengths to a below the knee length which wasn’t really necessary as an in-between length would have sufficed.  These nuances will come in time as have so many already occurred within this collection.

 

All in all this is now a designer to continue to watch and you can be sure I will be doing just  and expecting better and better every season.  Kudos to you Katya!!

http://www.mbfashionweek.com/designers/katya_leonovich/