...

13th Feb 2012

//DDD// Christian Cota Fall Winter 2012

Written by Lynn Furge, Senior Fashion Editor
Photography by Marta Traskevych for www.figphoto.net

Christian Cota brought us into a dream this Fall Winter 2012 collection. Telling the story of an American girl lost in Mexico the designer mixed vibrant colors hand crafted embroideries laying under sheer chiffon, desert hued panels of fur all with a folktale touch.

He wanted us to feel enamored with the enchanting culture within a mix of the chaotic markets. The floral gowns were unique because of the multidimensionality of such a fragile languid gown. The oversized fur poncho looked like it was dipped in leather. Other stand-outs were swirling bird prints and stripped jacquards which hammered home both the romanticism and energy of Mexico.

13th Feb 2012 | 3 notes

//DDD// Pamela Love – Too Good to Miss

Written by Lynn Furge, Senior Fashion Editor
Photography by Billy Rood for www.figphoto.net

Going the Native American route Pamela love layered detailed bits of turquoise, gold and silver to create a really hot Fall 2012 collection Her usual strong female vibe seems even more poetic this time around.

13th Feb 2012

//DDD// Creatures of the Wind, Fall Winter 2012

Written by Lynn Furge, Senior Fashion Editor Photography by Billy Rood for www.figphoto.net There are few true story tellers left in fashion and Shane Gabier and Chris Peters of Creatures of the Wind are two of them. CFDA runners up for the Fashion Fund award all eyes were on them this Thursday and being a native Chicagoan myself, I’m just excited to see that people are finally taking serious note of their talent.

//DDD// Monique Lhuillier Fall Winter 2012

Written by Lynn Furge, Senior Fashion Editor
Photography by Casey Vange for www.figphoto.net

A towering inferno, a sexy beast from below. Are these the words that first come into my mind while watching the usually beautiful, elegant Monique Lhuillier? Peppered with red and black, curved seams accentuated the model’s shape which was outlined in a leather waist trim. More leather popped up on sheer chiffon blouses at the collar in demure little bows. Digital lava prints added to the spicy heat of the beginning run for Lhuillier’s Fall Winter 2012 collection.

Then came lots of slinky silhouettes in crepe with lace inserts followed by embroidered sequined cocktail dresses, jackets and gowns. The whole show was powerful and feminine in a fire sign sort of way. Not one ensemble was in your face sex (well maybe one leg slit gown) yet all of it was suited towards the alpha-female.

Even Monique’s traditional grandiose gowns had red serpentine lace embroidery. Just in time for Valentine’s day and the rest of the red carpet season she steps up to the plate with one of her hottest collections yet.

13th Feb 2012 | 1 note

//DDD//Imitation Introducing Doyle Mueser Fall Winter 2012

Written by Lynn Furge, Senior Fashion Editor Photography by Lauren Cohen There was a magician at my presentation. And the first thing I thought of was “The Lady Vanishes” which has nothing to do with magicians at all… but made me smirk, because subconsciously I must have felt the presence of menswear upon us. Tara Subkoff of Imitation partnered up with Doyle Mueser Bespoke (known for timeless men’s tailoring). Working with Amber Doyle and Jake Mueser the result was Imitation Fall Winter 2012 a mélange of slinky hip slitted silk dresses alongside tailored jackets. Pops of red and cyan accompanied the black.

//DDD// Tibi Fall Winter 2012

Written By: Lynn Furge, Senior Fashion Editor
Photos By: Casey Vange for www.figphoto.net

Playing with gender roles again Tibi’s Amy Smilovic started with suits for her Fall Winter 2012 collection, where jackets were boxy and trousers were slim and cropped. Countering that sentiment, were three quarter roomy monochromatic dresses, stiff leather pencil skirts and or tunics layered with skin tight mock necks in black giving off a little bit of a 1960’s beatnik vibe. To help the audience further feel the theme “Must be the Season of the Witch” by Donovan pumped through the speakers.

The palette was full of evergreen, burgundy, black and cream. Textiles were modern (some of the jackets even looked like retro vinyl) and the prints were either window pane or swooping birds.

There was a lot of the same just manipulated in different ways, save for the plunging v-neck cocktail dresses bedazzled with the repetitive window pane pattern. Those were one of the strongest moments to counter nicely with the masculine looks. The men’s loafer inspired ankle booties, specifically the white ones were another favorite.

13th Feb 2012

//DDD// Charlotte Ronson Fall Winter 2012

Written by Lynn Furge, Senior Fashion Editor
Photos by Casey Vange for www.figphoto.net

Charlotte Ronson’s girl has gone more lady for Fall Winter 2012. Instead of a grunge driven city girl, she looks to have moved to the mountains, or at least a flown in for the weekend to a mountain town. The knitwear was an immediate standout. Chunky knit sweaters and dresses in a tribal pattern with pops of yellow had oversized cowl necks or snoods. Headwear was sleek Amelia Earhart flight bonnets which were paired with flowy little tea dresses in burgundy and evergreen with accompanying tights. Lace and leather accents toughened up the look and made it more grown-up than sweet.

I was very charmed by Ronson’s Fall outing. Even the gathered leather tunics made sense with the story where everything came across as really well put together but no piece looked to similar to its counterparts.

11th Feb 2012

//DDD// Billy Reid Fall Winter 2012

Written by Lynn Furge, Senior Fashion Editor Photography by Marta Traskevych for www.figphoto.net “I Say a Little Prayer” whispered through the speakers as the lights dimmed and as they started to rise, following the model almost as if his presence has lit his path it was certain that the Billy Reid Fall Winter 2012 collection was going to be all about well thought out exquisite details. The first look was a heathered grey slubbed cashmere tweed hand tailored 3 piece suit, to follow were more hand tailored jackets and suits all with texture and a 1960’s vibe from the turtleneck sweaters to the hand-made wingtips at their feet.

//DDD//Karolina Zmarlak Fall Winter 2012

Written by Lynn Furge, Senior Fashion Editor Photos by Marta Traskevych for www.figphoto.net For all of you that have been following us from the launch issue Karolina Zmarlak was our first New York Fashion On the Rise Designer. This season the young talent unveiled Matadora, a collection where the story of a futuristic bullfighter took center stage. The hero this time is a heroine, masculine has become feminine but tradition still trumps all. Models stood strongly within the walls of the Soho House clad in cropped jackets complete with curved seams that echo the horns of the bull, pencil skirts, high-waisted pants with tuxedo stripes and a print (first time for the Karolina) that was painterly enough to not look like blood but red and luscious and spilling down the shoulder like a subconscious victory.

//DDD// Jen Kao Fall Winter 2012

Written by Lynn Furge, Senior Fashion Editor Photos by Marta Traskevych for www.figphoto.net A foxy approach, polished but cagey, East meets West for nightcaps. These words, from Jen Kao’s collection statement for Fall 2012, could be taken literally with Americana languid pleats and mink coats mixed with Asian inspired floral embroideries, Jen’s girl was all about romance this New York Fashion Week. Opening every show with a poem she spoke to things like capturing all of it in a glass and swallowing stiff. Sexy but demure. Her knitwear was far less present this year, but that didn’t seem to matter because it was replaced by signature prints in silk and more grown up things like perfect coats with pleats and leather accents, a tuxedo jacket, a simple man’s trench and in contrast delicate perfect hombre dyed lace shift dresses and waist corseted gowns.