Mercedes Benz Fashion Week was hit with an unexpected guest. She’s only about 10-12 inches, but this vision in white has already caused some designers to postpone some shows. The winter storm hit the city Friday and has forced stiletto wearing fashionistas into boots. Michael Korrs was even seen braving the weather in — gasp — Uggs. Apparently Mother Nature doesn’t believe in fashion. Winter storm or not, the show must go on. And thankfully, the boots were traded for black leather backstage.
So far, only a few designers have been effected. Alas, one of the most anticipated is on the list. Marc Jacobs announced his collection is moving from Monday, February 11 to Thursday, February 14. Due to some flight delays and mishaps, the designer is still missing missing bags, shoes and two fabrics that won’t be delivered until early next week. Who else has Nemo white walled? Designer Jenni Kayne wasn’t able to attend her own presentation because her flight from Los Angeles was cancelled. Topshop is freaking out about packing their spring collection and basically every fashionista in Manhattan is stressing about what shoes to wear.
While nobody would ever let weather get in the way of their seats at big-name designer shows like Jason Wu, Rag & Bone, Billy Reid and Prabal Gurung, less-established brands are concerned the weather will scare away their crowd and their turn out won’t be as good as last season. Lucky for eager show-goers, Friday was a good day for those with standing tickets. There were a ton of seats left empty. Organizers of IMG Fashion still remain in contact with city officials including the Mayor’s office about weather problems. The plan of attack thus far is an extra layer of tenting for the venue and more heat at Lincoln Center. Crews are also helping with the snow and ice. Fortunately, the runway shows are streamed live so those of us not able to make it could still catch trends in our PJs and messy buns. We’ll fill you in on what to expect and what to buy.
Grunge and punk are among the top trends this year. Cringe, right? Wrong. What used to be ripped flannel shirts and mohawks is taking on an extremely feminine vibe. The harsh and tough grunge of the past is going to be modernized. The rock ‘n’ roll vibe will have a sexy polish to it. The slouchy, relaxed looks have a luxurious spin to them because at the end of the day, people still want to wear beautiful clothes.
Jason Wu got promoted to the grown up table with his collection. With a controlled palette of black, white, lipstick red and a touch of grey, the focus was definitely on the shapes. His combination of strength and sex appeal was the perfect combination. With exaggerated shoulders and some military touches, his designs provided a perfect yin and yang. Chiffon pleats floated down the runway and peplum tops were paired perfectly over tuxedo pants.
Richard Chai was edgy while keeping it neat and trim. Among the few designers to feature both male and female models, he used emerald and dusty greens that Pantone Inc. put on its Top 10 list of the season. While they walked seperately, the crowd could envision perfect pairings. The women were dressed in metallic, military jackets and pencil skirts. The men were in plaid suits. Light purple was seen on textured jacquard with a lace effect for the pencil skirt. Chai’s signature man-tailored shirt was matched with a peplum top.
Rag and Bone really took flight with their aviation inspired collection. Models strutted down the runway in utility-style trousers with contrasting knee patches and retro-futuristic mini-dresses. Some of the opening looks took on a Chanel vibe with quilted leather trousers and a boucle jecket. But the flashes of safety orange, magenta, lemon yellow and olive green were perfectly placed to get our minds off winter. And did you see the blue and yellow ponyskin loafers?! We died.
Kenneth Cole did something that has earned him news buzz – he featured cell phones. His “Urban Liberation,” show featured leggy models and a lot of texture. The perforated leather and cozy knits were a palette of bottle green, burgundy, black and gray. Most of the prints were cityscapes – naturally.
So there you have it. Mercedes Benz recap one complete with storm update and big name designers. Stay tuned because we’re just getting the ball rolling. We haven’t even touched on hair and beauty trends. What can we say? We’re Maniacs for Fashion Week.