Front Row — Page 60

Pamella Roland Fall 2015

February 16, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

This season the 1970s has served as a point of reference for several collections. From such disparate brands as Reem Acra, Rebecca Minkoff and Christian Siriano to Nicholas K and J. Lindeberg, the 1970s with its wide range of design aesthetics holds endless possibilities for creative teams.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

While the late 70s with its Studio 54 influences was the obvious inspiration for a lot of design teams, Pamella Roland looked to Paris of the early to mid-70s as detailed in Alicia Drake’s “The Beautiful Fall,” serving as the defining force behind Roland’s fall 2015 collection.

In “The Beautiful Fall” Alicia Drake details the pre-disco years of one of Paris’ favorite 70s hotspots, Le Palace, as well as all of the glorious excesses of 1970s Paris. It was also a time when Yves Saint Laurent produced his most exciting collections and his models ruled the Parisian runways.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

Roland paid homage to this era by creating garments that were sexy and more youthful than seen in previous collections. In this outing Roland’s dresses had effortless sense of movement, reflecting the changing tide and loosening of social attitude and sexual morays. The 1970s were all about liberation and a laissez faire attitude about everything and that is evident in this collection, seen through the current fashion lens of retail viability and mass appeal.

That said; there was some restraint in this fall collection buttressed by Roland’s signature aesthetic of sophistication and elegance. Though some looks were more for the more mature, sophisticated consumer, overall this collection demonstrated that Roland has the ability to design for a younger customer looking for glamour and a sense of whimsical style.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

The color palette and fabrications of this collection was a rich combination of silk, chiffon, floral cloque jacquards, jacquard cloque tweeds, wools,sand striped crepes in deep shades of midnight navy, plum, burgundy, cobalt, olive, and camel. Roland also stays on trend by incorporating semi-high slits, sequined embellishments, metallic fibers, and big floral prints for fall.

Standouts in this collection were Roland’s black wool beaded harness jumpsuit, burgundy silk satin chiffon dress with fringe beading, navy silk satin chiffon gown with cobalt floral beading, and ivory feather jacket with ivory lurex fils-coupe bridal gown.

—William S. Gooch

Custo Barcelona Fall 2015

February 15, 2015 by admin 1 Comment

Images courtesy of style.com/Stefano Masse / Indigitalimages.com

Custo Barcelona’s men’s looks every season seem to have more retail value than its women’s looks. That is partially due to their less mixing and matching of disparate patterns and fabric combination with the men’s looks, rendering them more accessible.

Images courtesy of style.com/Stefano Masse / Indigitalimages.com

For fall 2015, Custo Barcelona’s men’s looks again surpassed its women’s looks, but barely. Since last season the brand has done an about face in an attempt to make the clothes have more consumer appeal. This direction has carried over to the brand’s fall 2015 collection.

Images courtesy of style.com/Stefano Masse / Indigitalimages.com

Even with this new direction, creative director Dalmau Custo will always maintain his signature aesthetic of disparate color combinations, fabrications, and silhouettes that are melded together to create a blazing miasma of color, shape and design, sometimes rendering masterpieces of fashion genius. And season after season, Custo has pulled out all the stops in this direction. Unfortunately, the brand has been up ended by Desigual who does the same thing at a much lower price point with less of a kaleidoscope of ideas and concepts.

Images courtesy of style.com/Stefano Masse / Indigitalimages.com

Though Dalmau Custo was inspired by stripes used to wash cars at car washes—you could see this reference in miniskirts that were shredded stripes resembling car wash stripes, an interesting take on the fringe trend—classic silhouettes seemed to rule Custo’s runway looks for fall 2015.

Images courtesy of style.com/Stefano Masse / Indigitalimages.com

Not only did classic silhouettes dominate the collection this season, the collection appeared most accessible when Dalmau Custo stayed with heavy coats in Mohair plaid and navy wool, non-distinguishing tweeds, and black-and-white plaids. Though there were pops of metallic-threaded colors and tribal prints though out this outing, the more somber pieces had more of an impact.

Images courtesy of style.com/Stefano Masse / Indigitalimages.com

Most seasons the Custo team has do a lot of tweaking to make the runway magic appealing consumers. However, this season many of the garments from the collection are already retail ready. It seems as though Dalmau Custo is learning how to save money and time. Kudos Custo Barcelona!!

—William S. Gooch

Venexiana Fall 2015

February 15, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Interestingly, every season Kati Stern juxtaposes her classic evening gown silhouettes with rock n’ roll themes. And every season she finds a way to make it work. No other designer in recent memory season after season mixes these disparate themes successfully without minimizing or distancing these polar opposites.

That said; the Cubist Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art inspired Kati Stern for her fall 2015 collection. Stern married cubist influences with her lace overlays of sheath, fit-to-flare, and mermaid silhouette gowns.

Now, you may wonder, how did Stern pair her classic silhouettes and cubist art references with her penchant for rock n’ roll? Stern’s rock n’ roll predilection pops up in the powdered coifs—think “Rock Me Amadeus”—and in the model’s attitude. Though Stern’s fall 2015 collection is mostly gowns with a few bedazzled jumpsuits thrown in for good effect, her models have an irreverent, rebel rock n’ roll attitude evidenced in their walk.

The collection started with soft, muted colors and progressed the color palette took on a harder edge with Stern introducing the metallic tones of gold, silver, pewter and aluminum. And this season Stern’s design aesthetic has evolved beyond classic 1930’s and 1940s Golden Age of Hollywood fare to garments that incorporate and current fashion point of view expressed in modern fabrications and current trends.

Standouts in this collection were Stern’s blush tool strapless with crystal detail, metallic Mylar mohair strapless gown, black lace and satin jumpsuit, jade iridescent gown and black ruffle high collar gown.

—Rosemary Ponzo

Tadashi Shoji Fall 2015

February 15, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

After more than forty years in the fashion industry, Tadashi Shoji season after season manages to keep his design aesthetic fresh and appealing to consumers. For several seasons, Shoji has toyed with lace and a variety of lace embellishments as a trend he keeps returning to. Though not necessarily a signature look of his design aesthetic, the frequency with which he uses lace, regardless of the season, demonstrates that Tadashi Shoji excels at taking a typical fabrication (lace) and re-inventing and transforming it into a trans-seasonal fabric.

For fall 2015 Tadashi Shoji drew inspiration from the intersection between aircraft mechanics and winged flight. Shoji’s use of ethereal silhouettes evokes weightlessness and ease of movement. This airborne point of view is evidenced his Shoji’s use of frayed-edge silk organza, and hand-cut tulle. Again, Shoji’ utilization of lace and a variety of bold lace patterns in feathered motifs mimic bird’s wings and aerodynamic flight. Metallic fibers and colorations of copper, gold, silver conjure up images of supersonic jets and avian highways that transport to whimsical, billowy jet streams.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

Interestingly, Shoji’s point of references for this collection would assumingly have more a stronghold in spring/summer collections. However, Shoji for innovative ways to manipulate diaphanous fabrics and colorations fittingly for fall/winter garments. Only a master of their trade could take a reference that evokes lightness, air, and ease of movement and expand that point of view to a new arch and perspective.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

Standouts in this collection were Shoji’s ivory hand-cut tulle and silk organza feathered tea-length dress with pockets and embroidered bodice, copper/black metallic embroidered neoprene long sleeve panel shift dress, black/ivory pleated georgette gown with asymmetric feather-motif embroidered applique, and purple/nude plunge neck feather-motif embroidered applique pleated full skirt tulle gown.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

That said; the adage states that there is nothing new under the sun. That may be true, but with Tadashi Shoji’s fall 2015 collection, everything old is new again!! Bravo Tadashi!!

—William S. Gooch

Chromat Fall 2015

February 15, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

OK, lingerie as daywear/eveningwear, latex and vinyl fabrications, garter belts, cone breasts, geometrically cut, revealing garments, exposure of lots of skin; it’s all been done before. (Does anyone remember the 90s runway shows of Thierry Mugler and Jean-Paul Gaultier.)

But, this is the second decade of the Twenty-First century, and at this current point in time, no brand does the aforementioned silhouettes and fabrications better than Chromat. Known for their show stopping looks for Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, and the “Mother of them all” Madonna, the creative mind behind Chromat, Becca McLaren reached deep into her ever expanding repertoire of garments based on architecture, geometric shapes and seduction and created a collection that not only provided a bit of shock value, but injected that special kind of oomph that so absent from the current cadre of collections that sashayed down runways during New York Fashion Week.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

Now, these kinds of garments are definitely for a niche consumer base that is not afraid to show what your momma gave you. Still, a lot can be said for fashion that is niche based and represents fashion as art. (There are way too many milquetoast collections that are primed for mass consumption, leaving innovation and creativity on the cutting floor.

That said; McLaren’s intellectual approach to the synthesis of geometric shapes, architecture and fashion-forward design almost puts her in a class by herself. And her fall 2015, if nothing else, demonstrated that her point of view projects toward the future and establishes herself as a purveyor of fashion as minimalist art.

Inspired by a New York magazine story on powerful transgendered CEO Martine Rothblatt who made a robot of her wife Bina from a “mind file,” digitally gathered social media and online information, McLaren used this reference to create a collection based on things that were synthetic; vinyl, rubber, latex, fake Swarovski crystals, fake hair, in other words product that had no human or animal context.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

McLaren’s references points has produced a fall 2015 collection that borders slightly on theatre of the absurd, but always cutting edge and thought provoking; as fashion should. Standouts in this collection were the latticed rubber hoop skirt, black vinyl bustier and panties with pink piping, and sheer fitted black dress with rubber pasties and panties.

—William S. Gooch

Sally LaPointe Fall 2015

February 15, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

To modern dance enthusiasts, choreographer Pina Bausch was the epitome of avante-garde dance, always the limits of what could be done on stage with her performance art spectacles that were an anachronism of what audiences expected of modern dance. Often there was no music, and Bausch would draw from the emotions of her dancers and male/female relationships as source material for her choreography. Often she would use spoken word as an integral part of her dance spectacles.

That said; Pina Bausch was an interesting both worthy choice of inspiration was Sally LaPointe’s fall 2015 collection. Known for collections that expand the perception of feminine silhouettes and what can be defined as casual chic, LaPointe’s attraction to the Pina Bausch aesthetic makes total sense. Bausch was always pushing the proverbial modern dance envelope, expanding the dance lexicon to include movement that emphasis emotion over dance technique. LaPointe in her own way does the same thing. Her work is raw, innovative and fashion forward, causing editors and fashion pundits to rethink the feminine silhouette.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Though over the years, LaPointe’s work has become more commercial with garments that have more retail viability, she never looses her edge. Finding the delicate balance between retail accessibility and forward-thinking innovation is not an easy marriage, but LaPointe has found a way to make these sometimes-incompatible bedfellows a comfortable pairing.

For fall 2015 LaPointe stayed mostly with a neutral palette that could have been downer for this collection. Taking that into consideration, LaPointe would a way to elevate this collection with great separates and a new sexiness that made this collection sizzle and pop. LaPointe found an innovative way to incorporate the fringe trend by pairing a fringe skirt with an oversized sweater and having a fringe extension that extends the dress to floor length. The fringe appendages and the sliced wool skirts facilitated a lot of movement and that movement quality was definitely influenced by Pina Bausch’s frenetic movement style.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

This was LaPointe’s most luxe collection evidenced by fur vests, fur cowl necks, and other fur embellishments. And many of the separates in this outing can be mixed and matched with a variety of looks from the collection or garments from other designers; smart choice LaPointe!!

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Standouts in this collection were black pony hair vest with cognac double face wool with A-line skirt, black felted cashwool sweater with reptile printed–organza inverted sunburst pleated skirt, black double-faced wool crepe long slit bustier with black wool leg trouser, and black double face crepe with embroidered stitch fringe gown.

—William S. Gooch

Ese Azenabor Fall 2015

February 15, 2015 by admin 1 Comment

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

How does a designer that heretofore does not have a presence on the New York City fashion scene—one of the biggest fashion markets globally—get a presence on one of the most oversaturated international fashion markets? It is a daunting task, and though some have been able to make inroads on this difficult terrain, most have a brief flash of glory and then fade into obscurity. Century 21 is stocked full of designers that used to have a New York Fashion presence, but are now sold at this multi-designer megastore.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

Hopefully, Nigerian-born Ese Azenabor with her fall 2015 collection can change all that and make her presence known more than for one brief moment. For inspiration Azenabor looked to King Henry VIII and his kingly splendor for her fall 2015 collection.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

This ornate collection, at times, looked a bit overdone and over embellished for mass-market appeal. However, at closer examination, Azenabor’s oeuvre is for that spirited female consumer who wants glamorous distinction at a price that is somewhat affordable. Though this might seem like a niche market, in actuality this point of view can attract lots of mid-level consumers who want something more than the milquetoast selection of clothes currently seen on the racks in many retail stores, but don’t quite have the deep pockets for Valentino, Gucci, and Versace.

Images courtesy of Presley Slack/fashionreverie.com

There were several items in this heavily beaded and embellished collection that could be quite appealing to that female consumer who is looking for that statement item for an exciting night on the town. Standout garments that fit that market are Azenabor’s “Catherin of Aragon” beaded silk-embossed brocade black knee-length dress, “Nemesis White” embellished cape wide leg white crepe jumpsuit, “Taboo” one shoulder embellished velvet jumpsuit, and “Rariva” beaded black crepe wide-legged jumpsuit.

—William S. Gooch

Nicholas K Fall 2015

February 15, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

With Nicholas K, you will get the nomad chic aesthetic. However, this season the design duo included looks that were more refined and retail friendly while staying true to their signature aesthetic. Though Nicholas K fans love their nomad chic point of view, how many draped, asymmetrical garments can consumers have in their wardrobe without the look becoming a little stale?

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

That said, Nicholas and Chris Kunz for fall 2015 looked to silent movie horror films from the 1920s, in particular “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’s.” The dark, somewhat gothic elements of the German 20s horror flick flittered into this collection evidenced in looks that bordered on sexy, retro sadomasochistic incarnations with a hint of Victorian elegance.

Suprisingly, this marriage of nomadic chic with Victorian bondage girl—a dissimilar pairing if there was ever one—rendered this outing perhaps more sensual and accessible to consumers. I could envision a lot of young female consumers in these looks more than the Nicholas K urban, nomadic warrior from previous season.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Unlike previous seasons, there were no male looks in this collection. The design duo made up for this lack of menswear by taking the typical man’s pinstripe suit and deconstructing it in some very innovative ways. The pinstripe suite was sometimes deconstructed and turned into an asymmetrical poncho. At other times it was designed into dropped crouch pants with a voluminous pinstriped coat.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

True to form, there were several stunning coats in this collection. Coat standouts were Nicholas K’s marble-printed shearling bomber, burgundy pinstriped suit with fur color, a belted olive and black leather hoodie coat and the shocker of the collection a rather traditionally cut long cashmere camel coat.

—William S. Gooch

Monique Lhuillier Fall 2015

February 15, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Monique Lhuillier has done it again!! Just when you think you have figured out her design aesthetic, Lhuillier does the unexpected. From inspirations that are almost literal—remember her spring 2011 “Garden of Eden” collection—to collections that are floral-inspired, seascape-inspired, even movement and exercise inspired, what is consistent about each collection is that there will be plenty of red-carpet looks.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

For Lhuillier’s fall 2015 collection there were several red-carpet looks, lots of bold color, and a plethora of currents trends embedded in the clothing. However, this collection reflects Lhuillier evolution in design aesthetic. Lhuillier has evolved beyond just making beautiful gowns; she is now solidly projecting toward re-creating and challenging what the fashion cognoscenti and consumers look for when they think of red carpet and evening luxury clothes. Now don’t get it twisted, Lhuillier’s clothes are still exquisitely beautiful; however, her design aesthetic has developed a steely sophistication that goes several iterations beyond just pretty clothes.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

In this collection, Lhuillier has abandoned the tulle skirts and corseted, red-carpet ready gowns that had become her signature look. In their stead, Lhuillier—inspired by mid-70s glam, the 1920s and believe it or not, Kate Moss— synchronized all these influences into seamless collection that reveals her true evolved voice.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Though the collection opened with the pedestrian, but beautiful body-hugging lace dresses, Lhuillier turned the volume up with high-slit, diaphanous silk charmeuse gowns in burgundy, teal, amethyst, and saffron. Lhuillier also incorporated shearling coats in a variety of colors with lacy, star-embellished bodysuits underneath. Some of standouts in the collection were Lhuillier’s sequined-embellished teal gowns.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

The final tableau of models standing in the seated area usually reserved for show attendees was a fantastic exclamation point to the end of the show. It also was a forecast of where New York Fashion Week is heading; more dramatic shows customized for a smaller audience. Consider, Merecedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center is no more. Industry professionals gird your loins, it is going to be a bumpy and exciting spring 2016 season.

—William S. Gooch

GARCIAVELEZ Fall 2015

February 14, 2015 by admin 1 Comment

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Cadillac New York Men’s Day (NYMD) introduces a lot of menswear designers to the New York fashion market that possibly would go under the radar if it were not for this separate day sponsored by Cadillac that occurs the day before the official start of New York Fashion Week (NYFW). The menswear brand GARCIAVELEZ is one such brand.

For fall 2015 GARCIAVELEZ creative director Carlos Garciavelez looked to the cultural nomad; that sophisticated world traveler who is inspired by his travels and looks to inject his wanderlust spirit into his daily life. This nomadic world traveler is not only curious about his surroundings and the world at large but also encompasses sleek lines and minimal geometric shapes into his wardrobe that reflect a kaleidoscope of global architectural design.

An architect by trade, Garciavelez’s points of reference are imbued with an architect’s sense of proportion and balance, evidenced in a collection that explores horizontal lines as it relates to the male silhouette. Horizontal lines spatially positioned on pockets, lapels and interesting locations on jackets give the impression at times of color blocking. The color blocking aesthetic would be appropriately pinpointed for this collection if Garciavelez were not drawing on his architectural background and his commitment to exploring geometric shapes and horizontal lines.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green/fashionreverie.com

Garciavelez also delves into the exploration of menswear as a synthesis of tailored men’s suits and athletic wear. These two disparate points of view actually complement each other in this debut collection with standouts being Garciavelez’s black tailored jacket with hoodie and charcoal jacket with hoodie.

—William S. Gooch