Amsale Aberra certainly has her hands full during New York International Bridal Week. She designs for three bridal brands, Kenneth Pool, Christos, and her eponymous brand, Amsale. And each brand has its distinct point of view and consumer base.
For spring 2014, Amsale combined whimsical romance with youthful sophistication for the Christos bride. This season Christos targets a more youthful bride that is looking for bridal gowns that have frothy whimsy and movement. The batteau neckline seems to be trending more this season, and Christos has incorporated the batteau neckline into a couple of looks this season.
Christos spring 2014 images courtesy of Ernest Green
Though several gowns in this collection really a bride’s curves and the feminine silhouette, there were some looser fitting gowns that would appeal to a variety of tastes, shapes and sizes, giving consumers more options. Also, Amsale has brilliantly combined exquisitely fitted bodice with skirts that have flare and movement.
Standouts in this outing were Amsale’s silk chiffon gown with batteau illusion neckline and trellis, floral hand-embroidered bodice and the slim French Alencon lace v-neckline gown.
—William S. Gooch
For spring 2014, designer Amsale Aberra looked to grandiose luxury for the Kenneth Pool Bridal Collection. This collection was distinguished by its emphasis on fitted, exaggerated dropped-waist silhouettes that flared out to voluminous tulle skirts.
Whether you are wearing their evening wear or you are a budding bride, when women wear Theia, they can rest assured that they will radiant beauty, light and glamour. “The whole idea of Theia is the Greek goddess of light and bringing out a woman’s inner elegance. And we bring that right through to the bridal collection where the dresses are so well made that when a women wears one our garments she feels that transformation to elegance and beauty. A part of the elegance is our use of exquisite fabrics and we are always looking for novelty and technically beautiful fabrics which we used in our spring 2014 bridal collection,” explains Theia designer Don O’Neil.
For fall 2014, O’Neil looked to the first blush of romance combined with the majesty and opulence of Versailles. “When you first fall in love or get engaged there is a rush of excitement that is expressed with a fleshy glow. That same glow is on the face of the bride as she is walking down the aisle. I wanted to express that blush or sentiment in the spring 2014 collection,” details O’Neil. “This collection has subtle touches of blush and sometime a more obvious infusion of blush.”
It’s no secret that designer Diane von Furstenberg is at something of a crossroads with her business these days. For the first time in several years, her eponymous line is without a creative director after the sudden departure in September of Yvan Mispelaere.
And why not? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?
Season after season, while others play with dressing up women in their takes on their favorite persona or try to wring inspiration from walks in the woods or an idyllic stroll through an art gallery, Michael Kors finds ways to create clothes that relate the way real women want to dress.
Kitschy city color references aside, the collection was infused with energy. Some creations riffed on scuba suits with a contoured look complete with rounded shoulders. A number of tops—for women as well as the men— had the ease and vibrant energy of athletic gear with easy cuts through the shoulders. Accents of black leather strips and patent leather seaming added to the raciness.
Even when Kors dipped into the 40s for inspiration with off the shoulder suit jackets and pencil skirts, he found a way to give things an edge, whether with a few cleverly placed black zippers, or strategically placed leather trim.
Falguni & Shane Peacock known for producing high-fashion, rock n’ roll clothes in intricate designs continued their fashion trajectory of creating cutting-edge of fashion for that risk-taking fashionista. Their futuristic designs are bold, edgy and often provocative, which are perfect for any editorial spread or stage performance.
For other designers a glittering gown would be final look, however for Falguni and Shane Peacock, it’s a staple piece in their fantasy world of frothy rock n’ roll. This season the dynamic duo created beautifully beaded gowns that were made unique by the addition of metal breast plates and metallic and leather chokers. Surprisingly the metal hardware, which was also showcased as peplum belts, complemented each piece perfectly.
Undeniably the collection isn’t for the modest woman; the sleek and sexy designs were dark with a dominatrix undertone. The contrasting quality textile worked in harmony to complement the constructions of the pieces. Leather, lace and feathers were on display in richly dark hues like jade, plum, burgundy, metallic and black, which was seen in various gowns, pants and body-con dresses.
An eclectic mix of punk rock, pop culture, and political influences were apart of the concept for Vivienne Tam’s fall/winter 2013 collection. With a runway show that paralleled the start of the Chinese New Year, Tam was inspired by current events and channeled her inspirations into a vivacious, fall collection, which showcased vivid and bold political statements. From shirts riddled with Obama caricatures, strapless gowns with printed bar codes, to a one-shoulder dress screened with a letter to Chairman Mao; Tam’s latest collection features a strong political message over a strikingly stylish high-end ready-to-wear collection. The rebellious attitude of the punk movement can be seen throughout the collection with edgy leather jackets and biker boots over a dark red, black, and white color palette. “I was inspired by the conceptual underpinnings of the punk movement questioning the status quo,” says Tam.
Tracy Reese is known for a certain brand of pretty–city smart with plenty of pops of bright color, but always sophisticated. The Reese woman may be headed to the office or to a swanky soiree, but she still loves mixing things up and showing a confidence with her fashion.
Prints, a staple of the Reese aesthetic, played a major role in this latest collection, especially animal prints. Cheetah, zebra—sometimes combined with ocelot, and a mélange described as an animal jacquard, all promised to make women purr. Of course, since this is Tracy Reese, there was almost always a little something extra added to the mix that took the animal print from typical to terrific.
Motorcycle-styled jackets also provided plenty of power including a clever praline and black contrast jacket done in double face wool, and another in hot pink leather that elicited more than a few happy exclamations from those in the audience.
The Art Deco stylings of French furniture and interior designer Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann inspired a dynamically sophisticated fall/winter 2013 collection by Catherine Malandrino. Malandrino had said she wanted to focus on “clean and graphic shapes” for her fall collection. The result was a master class in detailing and design.
