Front Row — Page 42

Georgine Fall 2017

February 12, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

In a season where many designers/brands looked to politics and cultural rebellion for inspiration, Georgine used famous hotel dwellers as a reference point. Who are these iconic hotel dwellers via the locations you might ask? Consider Coco Chanel’s suite at The Ritz and Oscar Wilde’s chambers at Hotel d’Alsace, to Howard Hughes bungalow at The Beverly Hills Hotel, and Edie Sedgwick’s room at The Chelsea Hotel.

Though the fall 2017 collection conjures up images of the classic, iconic hotel dwellers, the garments in the collection are named after the hotels or dwelling locations—The Bowery Hotel, The Savoy, Chateau Marmont, The Beekman, Hotel California, The Ritz, The Peninsula, Copacabana Palace, and Viceroy. And fittingly so, in that the garments in this fall 2017 collection reflected what modern consumers would wear in those iconic locales.

This season Georgine borrowed from the past and fused those iconic looks with a modern sensibility and accessibility. There were several trends in the collection from the metallic trend to diaphanous sheers; and those continuing trends helped keep the collection fun, frolicky, youthful and accessible.

In contrast to some collections this season, Georgine ingeniously understood how to take vintage looks with a darker color palette and inject the clothes with a youthful vigor and freshness. Georgine accomplished this by including diaphanous sheers where appropriate and displayed little glimpses of skin in the right places.

After only five years on the fashion scene, Georgine is establishing itself as a go-to brand for that fashion consumer who wants garments that go beyond the stand fare of what might be conceived as American luxury. There is always a twist with each collection, elevating each collection beyond clothes that appeal to women from a certain economic demographic. (Remember, sometimes that edgy fashionista has deep pockets.)

Each season Georgine broadens its demographic, and this season was perhaps the most expansive and inclusive. Where in previous seasons the Georgine’s demographic was definitely that fashionable downtown fashion girl, this season the collection embraced more silhouettes and shapes and dressed their woman at every jointure of her day.

Images courtesy of Mao PR

Though many of the party looks in the collection would work mostly for a youthful audience, there were several separates in this outing that would appeal to a larger demographic. That said; Georgine did not veer away from their signature looks of the chicly dressed down girl. Still, the Georgine design duo worked in garments, particular the outerwear that would interest a variety of women.

—William S. Gooch

Rinat Brodach Fall 2017

February 11, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

Rinat Brodach looked to the delicacy of human existence for her fall 2017 collection. Experiencing the raw emotion of her mother’s battle with cancer, Brodach delved into the emotions of love, loss, fear, sorrow, and ultimately triumphant heroism and evolution.

Rinat Brodach has always looked to how fabric can mold on the body when left to its own path. With that perspective in place, oftentimes Brodach’s garments are inexplicably supportive of how the body naturally moves, silhouetting the physique, but not dictating the form or expression. What seems so natural is actually the result of a brilliant calculated manipulation. Manipulated to simulate effortlessness, or less is more. And it works.

For this collection Brodach employs bold color and luxurious wools masterfully draped around the natural flow of the body. In this outing, Brodach also includes menswear looks, which is first for her.

This inclusion is a natural progression in this collection, melding beautifully into several of the androgynous pieces in this fall 2017 outing. In this collection there is almost no male or female with most of the looks working well on either feminine or masculine bodies. Brodach made this point of view manifest by including man skirts, gender fluid suits, and tops that work well on any sex.

Though the most prominent and customer-friendly garments in the collection were Brodach’s outerwear, there were many looks, particularly the separates, that could appeal to a wider demographic. And with this collection Brodach is closer to expanding her audience appeal to consumer outside of just the urban dweller market.

Images courtesy of Supreme Publicity

Like many designers this season, Brodach also looked to revolutionary influences. This revolutionary spirit is expressed in Brodach’s nod to David Bowie and punk style. (By special attend to the brand’s coats with safety pins for buttons.)

Standout looks in the collection include the Japanese wool black ‘Jackie” coat, black long coat with black Japanese wool twist skirt, the terracotta ‘Johnny I’ jacket, and the black ‘Bowie’ dress.

—William S. Gooch

Maison the Faux Fall 2017

February 11, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

The fall 2017 fashion season was a season of retrospection. A season of seeing what worked in the past and reinventing those tried-and-true formulas for contemporary audiences; in other words finding successful fashion moments that have relevancy for today’s consumers.

Maison the Faux employed this look-back perspective, well, sort of!! Maison the Faux took fashion industry professionals back to the wild, runway shows of the 1990s and early 2000s when fashion shows were theatrical presentations and the models brought sass, drama, and irreverent charm. (No other models brought irreverent charm to the runway more than Kristen McMenamy, Stacy Mckenzie, and Linda Evangelista.)

Maison the Faux presented a runway show that was fashion forward, outré and, above all irreverent. And that is a good thing!! In a season full of gimmicks and runway tricks ad nauseam, Maison the Faux runway theatrics helped pushed the editorial story forward, adding to the runway drama, but not distracting from the clothes.

For the fall 2017 collection, models strutted down the runway carrying bags of trash and second-day floral bouquets. They also brilliantly showed off zig-zagged stitched peplum jackets and pants, cinched-in-the-waist bubble coats, bubble jumpsuits, off-the-shoulder bubble coats, all paired with thigh-high stiletto boots and distressed, asymmetrical skirts, dresses, blouses and shirts.

Now combine all this outré fashion with smeared make-up and some gender fluidity and theatrics and you have a very fun runway presentation. And surprisingly, viewers still could feast on the clothes and not be overwhelmed by the carnival going on.

In spite of the theatrics, many of the looks in this fall 2017 show had great editorial value and could appeal to a niche audience. And that niche audience is that consumer is not afraid to take some risks with their clothes and has a penchant for bubble coats and gender fluidity in all its many variations.

Images courtesy of EB Consults

Maison the Faux demonstrated in its fall 2017 collection that you can combine over-the-top drama with fashion and not sacrifice the accessibility of the garments. The fashion community needs more of this!! Rock on Maison the Faux!!

—William S. Gooch

Erin Fetherston Fall 2017

February 11, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

Erin Fetherston’s fall 2017 collection references the bohemian world traveler. Fetherston’s woman sips tea in Marrakech, dances Flamenco is Seville, lives her fantasies in Paris, but at her core she is an American young woman who probably live in Laurel Canyon, California.

Fetherston has evolved her woman from an ethereal creature who has a penchant for wispy, diaphanous fabrics to a bohemian traveler with a predilection for comfortable, travel-friendly clothes. Though the garments are not fitted clothes that show off the feminine physique with a nod toward sheer fabrics, she is more grown up and ventures outside of her usual world.

For fall 2017, Fetherston’s woman is a romantic creature whose clothing choices lean toward billowy sleeves and Indian-inspired prints. Like many designers this season Fetherston incorporates metallic fibers and velvet into her fall 2017 collection. And Fetherston carries over the continuing trends of fringe and lower heels from her spring 2017 collection.

Fetherston in this collection solidifies the notion that her consumer is a woman of the world and is comfortable with world population though her heart is rooted in her homeland. Interestingly, Fetherston contributed to the political mood of the fall 2017 collections by putting Planned Parenthood pins in the gift bags. This motivation demonstrates that the Fetherston woman, though a world traveler, is connected to political movements in her own country.

Images courtesy of Marcus Tondo/vogue.com

Standout looks include the brand’s burgundy velvet blazer with flounced chiffon gown, rose paisley silk jacquard tiered poet dress, rose fringed cape and skirt, and chestnut paisley silk jacquard poet sleeve gown.

—William S. Gooch

Michael Costello Fall 2017

February 10, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

Without a doubt sexy, feminine clothes makes up Michael Costello’s oeuvre; there is no argument about that. The bigger question is if Michael Costello can turn his obsession with sexy into a viable collection that has retail value and appeals to a wider female demographic. Costello almost achieved this with his debut spring 2015 collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and he got even closer with his spring 2016 outing during New York Fashion Week: The Shows.

Sometimes, with Costello there is inconsistency. Some seasons Costello’s brand of sexy is projected toward consumers that want to show all their physical gifts, giving a strong nod to decadent profundity. Other seasons there is more restraint with a healthy mix of sensuality, charm, and innovation.

Still, every season Costello gets close to the goal of achieving that special balance of sensual charm and boldness paired with innovative sensibility. Costello’s fall 2017 collection manifests that combination better than any outing thus far.

Everything is almost there in Costello’s fall 2017 collection. There is more sophistication, possible wider consumer appeal, some vintage mixed with now and next, and of course Costello’s brand of sexy is front and center.

Inspired by that powerful woman whose cool style sets her apart from other women, Costello’s ‘Histoire D’Amour’ collection presents this powerful woman at the height of sensual allure and influence. This woman’s charisma is so compelling that all who encounter her charm want to be associated with her and document the many loves of her life.

“The story of this collection was a vixen’s love story,” explains Charlotte Welch, stylist for Michael Costello’s fall 2017 collection. “This is the cool girl who falls in love, and the styling had to support that idea. We have to keep the girl cool and edgy so I went sunglasses, belts, some cool jewelry, and hat accessories to forward Michael’s story of that cool girl.”

True to form, Costello’s fall 2017 collection is a cornucopia of plunging décolletage, diaphanous sheers, high slits and form-fitting silhouettes. What set this collection apart from other Costello collections that employ similar elements are some sensual restraint and overall more compelling silhouettes. Costello’s va va voom is still a primary focus of this fall 2017 outing; however, Costello has pared down his penchant for overt sexiness to appeal to a wider demographic.

Costello also references certain eras of American sexiness in this collection. From 50s mermaid silhouettes to 70s disco glam to 80s power woman structured silhouettes, Costello finds a way to stir all this seemingly disparate feminine silhouettes into one pot and render a relatively cohesive collection.

Images courtesy of wwd.com

At first glance, Costello’s predilection for a white color palette with floral and lace embellishments conjures up images of bridal collections. However, with the specific styling of the collection, Costello elevates his penchant for white beyond bridal. “I knew going into this show that Michael was going to use a lot of white, which can mean bridal, so that was my styling challenge. So I had to use styling, makeup and hair to take the collection out of a bridal aesthetic. Of course, brides can wear many of the garments, but that is not the reference point of this collection,” detailed Welch. “We have brought in a lot of trends to elevate the collection of a bridal aesthetic. We have the rose gold trend, belting at the waist—brought back from the nineties—, and chunky jewelry.”

With this fall 2017 collection, Costello boldly responds to the question of market viability and an expanding demographic with a resounding yes. May the magic continue!!

—William S. Gooch

Desigual Fall 2017

February 10, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

It can be argued that fashion reflects life. If ever observed the British fashion of the late 70s and early 80s that embraced the punk lifestyle that was a direct opposition to the austerity of the Thatcher regime or the feminine power suit of the mid-80s paired with oversized jewelry, reflecting the excesses of the 1980s, there is not doubt that fashion in a microcosm of life.

Whether fashion brands comment on mainstream cultures or subcultures, at its core fashion is not separate from culture. That said; Desigual was inspired by the subcultures of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. (Think the 60s liberation movements, 70s punk culture, and 80s nightclub culture.)

For Desigual the counterculture represents the underground vogue dance craze of 1980s, and Sunset Strip’s rock culture of the 70s, and psychedelic of the late 60s. What once considers counter culture is now mainstream, and Desigual in this outing sought to take consumers back to what was once outré, concentrating on elements of the counter culture movements that are wearable and consumer friendly.

As always, Desigual’s genius is in its separates and for its fall 2017 collection its outerwear is perhaps its best distillation on outerwear ever. Layering also plays a key role in Desigual’s style DNA and works extremely well with its celebration of counter cultures.

Though this collection is perhaps a homage to the past subcultures, the collection is not weighted down by this reference point. The garments have a youthfulness and freshness that though giving a nod to the past is totally accessible to modern consumers.

Images courtesy of Getty Images

If there is one drawback to this collection, as in seasons past, some of the best pieces in Desigual’s collections never end up in retails stores. This fall 2017 is chocked full of great garments and hopefully many of these great looks will be accessible to consumers.

—William S. Gooch

Nicholas K Fall 2017

February 10, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

Don’t you know
They’re talkin’ ’bout a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
Don’t you know
They’re talkin’ about a revolution

—Tracy Chapman

Nicholas K is talking about a revolution, a revolution of sorts in their approach to their design aesthetic. And it is not a whisper, but an in-your-face political expression made evident in their fall 2017 collection.

Nicholas K has established itself as a brand that has successfully married a nomadic chic aesthetic with an urban chic style. For over one decade Nicholas K has revisited their design DNA, finding new and interesting ways to expand upon a signature looks that immediately identifiable. And for fall 2017 the brand’s signature aesthetic is still in place. However, Nicholas K’s fall 2017 collection does not begin and finish with their nomadic chic aesthetic.

Realizing that fashion is a microcosm of society and culture in real time, Nicholas K’s fall 2017 collection drew heavily from revolutionary movements of the last 50 years, seen through the prism of the current political landscape of uncertainty, xenophobia, isolationism, and retraction. And though this revolutionary-inspired collection at its core pays homage to the hip-hop movement of the 1990s with its community building and solidarity-infused musical messages—think Arrested Development, Erykah Badu, and Soul II Soul—, those musical messages had their roots in the liberation movements of the 60s and 70s.

This intersectionality of music, movement, and political uncertainties is expressed in fall 2017 collection that celebrates determined, powerful women who have a clear fashion voice and wear their humanity and political convictions on their bodies. And in this collection that woman is sexy, fashion-forward and oh so chic! In common language, this season the Nicholas K woman is a powerful, bad ass b*tch!!

Nicholas K in their fall 2017 collection brought back some iconic and interesting fashion elements—you could say some vintage looks. This vintage looks were detailed, layered, and paired in ways that expressed a modern woman’s ability to combine sensuality, consciousness, and style. These fashion adjectives are no longer disparate bedfellows, but meet at the intersection of how the current style diva expresses her raison d’etre.

Images courtesy of Agentry PR

With 90s hip-hop style-music featuring Latasha Alcindor blaring in the background, the opening looks—Black Power berets, metallic trench coats, crush velvet jackets, and leather wrap dresses— creative directors Christopher and Nicholas Kuntz demonstrated that they have their pulses on the current wave of fashion meeting political influences. Standout looks in the collection, and there were many, include the brand’s gold metallic shearling coat with gold beret and gold metallic skirt, red leather wrap dress with red beret, burnt orange crush velvet jacket with burnt orange crush velvet breeches, and tan wrap blouse with tan oversized parka.

—William S. Gooch

Rich by Richie Rich Fall 2017

February 9, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

Richie Rich is back on the New York Fashion Week calendar. After several years away for the New York Fashion scene, Richie Rich used Style Fashion Week as the venue to re-introduce himself and his new fashion brand, Rich by Richie Rich to industry professionals.

One would have hoped that is the five years since Richie Rich has presented a collection in New York City that Richie would have evolved his design aesthetic. In some respects he has; however, there was still a lot of off-the-beaten-path, crazy club clothes in this “Popoganda” collection. In fact, many garments in this collection that might conjure up images of club clothes are no longer club clothes for the current generation of club goers.

Richie Rich did attempt to dress his woman at her point in her day. There were leather color-blocked skirts that might work for daywear, some hoodies with logos that might reflect street wear and metallic body suites and leotards that could be deemed club clothes. Still, overall this was a disjointed collection that reflects what Richie Rich created when was a co-creator with Heatherette. However, the Heatherette days are over and consumers want something more than a party on the runway. (And this wasn’t even much of party; mostly it was a circus.) They want clothes that they can actually wear.

Images courtesy of wwd.com

Richie Rich should look to brands like The Blonds, Telfar, and Libertine who, though not everyone’s taste, over the years have established a loyal base of consumers who anticipate new collections. Richie Rich take notice!!

—William S. Gooch

General Idea Men’s Fall 2017

February 4, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

General Idea is back!! After a few seasons of rather lackluster collections, General Idea for fall 2017 has found its oeuvre. Always recognized as a brand that really has its fingers on the pulse of how stylish men want to dress, particularly when it came to outerwear, it appeared that for a few collections General Idea had lost its way.

For fall 2017 General Idea went back to some basics that defined the brand since its inception. The fall 2017 collection was practically a dissertation on what has worked for General Idea over the past decade; updated street wear looks, oversized coats, innovative embellishments, and layering of different fabrications.

Creative Director Bumsuk Choi went back to the brand’s penchant for street wear for this collection. Over the past two decades it seems that some Asian designers—Kye, 87MM, D.GNAK by KANG.D, and Concept Korea collectives—have developed an innate ability to reinterpret American street wear fashion, inject some Asia influences, causing industry professionals to experience street wear in new and interesting ways.

With this fall 2017 outing General Idea adopted the ‘less is more’ concept, and while some looks did have much of an impact on the runway, there were a wide array of outerwear looks that would appeal to American consumers, both male and female. In fact, several of the more gender non-specific looks in the collection helped the brand to expand its audience to include more female consumers. This is a very smart move in in a retail market that is in sharp decline.

Bumsuk Choi did make his more simple looks have more punch by adding big zippers and grommets and other innovative hardware. However, the genius of this collection was in the fabric choices and layering.

Fabric choices that stood out the most was the boxy furry fleece and faux calf hair. And the color standout of this fall 2017 collection was Choi’s choice of the deep forest green.

Images courtesy of wwd.com

Standout looks include the grey wool oversized coat with wool knit turtleneck, navy cotton shirt with zipper detail with grey wool pants with eyelet belt detail, burgundy faux hair coat with eyelet detail, green wool biker jacket, and black wool coat with eyelet tape detail.

—William S. Gooch

Loris Diran Men’s Fall 2017

February 3, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

Sometimes, it just takes time. Loris Diran has been a part of the fashion industry for two decades now. And though many industry professionals may be aware of Loris Diran for his women’s wear, Diran has always had a presence in the menswear market.

For fall 2017 Loris Diran looked to his travels in India and China. (Diran is the creative director of a menswear brand in China.) In this collection entitled “Back 2 Black,” the melding of East meets West was perhaps the most dominant overarching theme, other than Diran’s obsession with the monochromatic neutral tones of black, grey, steel grey, pewter, navy blue and the occasional white layered tee shirt.

For several seasons industry professionals have been anxiously waiting for Diran to find his menswear oeuvre. It has been obvious to those fashion insiders who know Loris Diran well that the talent and potential was there. It just needed to be unearthed. Finally, in this men’s fall 2017 outing Diran’s gift for creating contemporary garments that a wide men’s demographic could relate to met his potential for next and now menswear. There is something in this collection for almost every man, suiting, athleisure wear, casual urban chic menswear, and contemporary office attire.

Though many of the looks and combinations of garments in this collection we had seen before, in this collection Diran managed to present menswear that was current while still projecting toward the future. Never isolating the male consumer looking for great separates to compliment their wardrobe.

Images courtesy of WWD/REX/Shutterstock

Diran also ingeniously paired recognizable Asian influences—variations on Mandarin jackets and military wool field coats combined with ankle-grazing palazzo slacks—with fitted pants and leggings and comfortable color blocked sweaters in neutral tones. Another successful element in this collection was Diran’s separates and layering. And though Diran’s use of slogans in white type of tee shirts was a bit and gimmicky, reflecting a trend many menswear designers are using this season, overall Diran’s fall 2017 menswear collection was a sophisticated dissertation on where menswear is and should be going.

—William S. Gooch