Friday, February 17, 2012

That’s a Wrap

New York Fashion Week has come, gone and without even a proper farewell traveled across the pond to ruffle feathers in London. If I could make one sweeping statement about the nature of this season’s shows in New York it would be this: the aforementioned mature being thrown around in most every review means a couple things. 1. What’s relevant now could have been relevant three seasons ago, will be relevant three seasons from now. This is a good thing: buy now, wear forever. 2. Something about the economy. One tends to speak for the other. Maybe the reintroduction of so much fur means consumers are ready to spend again. Here’s a look at last licks of Fashion Week.

Last season saw Proenza Schouler fans confused. The collection was a reversion of sorts, trendy in a capacity that made it a little past it’s time in the current. This season though, they retook their throne.

Proenza Schouler opened the show in an array of over-sized white silhouettes paired with rugged chunky shoes. The sporadic leather trouser made its way too but the general vibe of this show was as Style.com put it, “Asian in a New York way.” Uneven hems on jackets, skirts, oriental birds on nipples, sewn fabrics in yellow, blue, burgundy, orange, green, and more high collars gave this collection the same joie de vivre the 2009 spring collection garnered with it’s attention to surf culture.

See that? Clunkers fit for a repeller, give them to me now.

Meanwhile at Ralph Lauren, everything was very…Ralph Lauren. The classic herringbone, hounds-tooth, wool nature of the Americana brand made its way onto the runway again sprinkled over burgundy and red velvets, interesting headgear and gold lame accents–it seems we may be entering a second gilded age. These two looks were favorites. A vignette of Mr. Peanuts sister at left, the alpha-repeller, fit to abominate even the most revealing body-con dress at right.

And over at Calvin Klein, the standard of American classic, Occupy Wall Street protesters failed to destroy the final show of Fashion Week and the tailored, chic, comfortable silhouettes did in fact prevail. This particular show always offers the most longevity, even in its most trendy spirit: a melon colored metallic belted coat, over-sized leather trousers, it’s a buy now, wear forever tale as old as time. I’d go so far as to guess that this season Calvin may obtain even more recognition because, well, it seems like everyone wanted to become the new American classic. The end.

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