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It is always nice to see a collection that you would happily place, in its entirety, right into your closet. Kaelen Farncomb’s fall 2011 is one of those. Nestled in its amiable pseudo barn setting stocked with bull, wood, and whiskey, you could almost swear you are out of the city and somewhere cozy and country.
story by Dana Varon
photos by Ned and Aya Rosen
It is always nice to see a collection that you would happily place, in its entirety, right into your closet. Kaelen Farncomb’s fall 2011 is one of those. Nestled in its amiable pseudo barn setting stocked with bull, wood, and whiskey, you could almost swear you are out of the city and somewhere cozy and country. Continue reading “Kaelen – Fall 2011”
Whether it was an embroidered dragon, tapestry-like sections, or her marvelous take on armor, the clothes told and inspired and rousing tale.
story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Freda Henry
Vivienne Tam is easily one of the best fashion designers who call New York City home. She is a powerful artist who creates distinct and lyrically beautiful clothing that has inborn personality. Mrs. Tam repeatedly displays an uncanny ability to complete her artistic thoughts in both her individual garments and in her overall collections. For the Fall 2011 collection, her inspiration was Chinese opera in one of its oldest forms, and its newest home. Continue reading “Vivienne Tam – Fall 2011”
This collection – the textures, the colors, the cuts, the details – was out of this world.
story by Colleen Vincent
photos by Ned & Aya Rosen
Sally LaPointe’s designs look like formal wear for the model outer space tourist. The shapes are exaggerated. Double shoulder epaulettes define a gorgeous, high necked black metallic silk jacket, the same detail used on the hips to flesh out a turquoise and white swirl printed silk jersey mini with leggings. The design concept, inspired by photographic processing, came to Ms. LaPointe by way of another very talented female artist, painter and photographer Lillian Bassman. Ms. Bassman, used her camera to explore form. When her style and vision fell out of favor, she discarded four decades of negatives and prints. Her work was rediscovered and recognized in the nineties.
Ms. Bassman, still alive and kicking at the age of 94 by the way, is the designer’s favorite photographer. Bassman’s story inspired LaPointe’s ideas about latent images coming into light. The show began with looks cool, wintery silver tones, moving into series of reds, including a printed silk mid-length asymmetrical georgette jacket canvased another ghostly white swirl pattern from the neck to the hemline. Next came the blues including that astonishing torquoise mini, and a navy lambskin jacket and silk lame pant with hip epaulettes, quite reminiscent of Martian summers. Overall, the looks were radical and bold, but also beautiful and distinctly feminine. This collection – the textures, the colors, the cuts, the details – was out of this world. Continue reading “Sally LaPointe – Fall 2011”
Her inspirations and affinity for color and texture first have given birth to a wonderful assortment of ready-to-wear, beautiful to behold creations.
story by Colleen Vincent
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon
Inspired by the 1968 film “The Color of Pomegranates,” Araks Yeramyan’s ready-to wear for autumn is a study in the astonishing loveliness of color, contrasting the dark shades ruling the season. The film, a treatise on the life of 16th century Armenian poet Sayat-Nova, a favorite of Ms. Yeramyan, is a lyrical series of tableau vivants staged in Armenian costume. “The Color of Pomegranates” features a color palette of earth tones as a canvas for blacks, white and dark reds, lit with over-saturated sunlight. The designer has watched it many times, and the influence is visible in her designs’ romantic expression. There are twenty looks in shades of deep auburn reds, soft dark blues, washed whites, and soft, extravagant textures.
The leather pleated skirt in earth with ombre organza inserts is a striking work of art, much like the film, its something to view up close more than once. It’s both whimsical and unexpected. Araks Yeremayan is also a lingerie designer, so the clothes she produces tend to possess an undertone of innocent sensuality. The lush colors in boiled wool, washed silks, and angoras give the modest cuts, no plunging necklines or tight fits here, a ladylike sensibility. Ms. Yeremayan is a designer in every sense of the word, and enjoys sharing beauty with the world. Her inspirations and affinity for color and texture first have given birth to a wonderful assortment of ready-to-wear, beautiful to behold creations. Continue reading “Araks – Fall 2011”
Ms. Coon pulled off the presentation with strong geometric designs. An example would be a top made with chiffon and leather wore with a high waisted wool pants showed her talents in the use of lines. Overall her collection was playful and tasteful with strong structures.
story by Kerry Kong
photos by Adrianna Favero
Mandy Coon’s fall 2011 presentation revealed a darker side of this rising New York-based designer. Inspired by an image of her mother dressing in a creamy turtleneck and high-waisted trousers in the late 1970s, Ms. Coon decided to do something elegant but with a touch of mystery for her Fall 2011 collection. Almost all of the looks had some leather touches here or there. Ms. Coon also played with contrast in a few looks. One look that contained this concept was a bright magenta top with a black long dress that popped out from the dark color. The brown waves on a creamy background print long dress were also part of a refreshing piece. Ms. Coon pulled off the presentation with strong geometric designs. An example would be a top made with chiffon and leather wore with a high waisted wool pants showed her talents in the use of lines. Overall her collection was playful and tasteful with strong structures. Continue reading “Mandy Coon – Fall 2011”
The clothing of Rachel Antonoff is fun but it’s not frilly. It works to well because Ms. Antonoff chooses well. From fabrics and fit to prints and details this is the work of a serious designer. Many in fashion assume that the spirit of her clothes is inspired by the past. What they miss is the timelessness of the girl who buys her clothes, and consequently the clothes themselves.
story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero
“You look like an angel, walk like an angel, talk like an angel, but I got wise. You’re the devil in disguise.”
Designer Rachel Antonoff’s clothes seem innocent enough. Full of clever details and fun fabrics. Her prints and colors are always playful and her cuts are easy and free. There’s a youthful exuberance about her collections that always puts her clients in a good mood when they wear her designs. Even the theater surrounding the presentation of her Fall 2011 offering was seeming wholesome fun. A 1950s-era school dance, complete with an all-girl rock band and models portraying the various archetypes of high school life. But wait, in the midst of this pleasant tableau, why is that girl spiking the punch with a flask? Why are there a pack of girls on the stands with the eyes of hungry wolves? Why did the one girl bring a cat? Is this Sunnydale? It all fits with a Rachel Antonoff collection and more importantly with her client. Her collections are often described as retro or retro-inspired, but she told me she doesn’t understand that at all. It’s likely because of who she designs for. The clothing of Rachel Antonoff is fun but it’s not frilly. It works to well because Ms. Antonoff chooses well. From fabrics and fit to prints and details this is the work of a serious designer. Many in fashion assume that the spirit of her clothes is inspired by the past. What they miss is the timelessness of the girl who buys her clothes, and consequently the clothes themselves. The Rachel Antonoff Fall 2011 collection continues the development of this fascinating and serious young talent. Continue reading “Rachel Antonoff – Fall 2011”
The Fall 2011 collection was beautiful, splendid, fantastical, and flowing, but also, oh, so easy to wear.
story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Freda Henry
Fantasy matters in fashion. Many times you will hear the comment, “nobody would wear that,” but fantastical creations play a critical role in fashion in a wide manner of ways. When viewing the goddesses who fell to earth at a Diego Binetti presentation, it’s important to stay conscious of the fact that the full-on heavy styling is Mr. Binetti’s vision in its purest form. All of the amazing Perez Sanz jewelery and magical Giuseppe Zanotti shoes are part of his taking advantage of the moment to present a suggestion of perfection. But at the core of his theater is his garments, and the Fall 2011 collection was beautiful, splendid, and flowing, but also, oh, so easy to wear. Continue reading “Binetti Collection – Fall 2011”
Despite her punk rock passion and her love of the aggressive and theatrical Ms. Stern is very considered and calculated in her designs.
story by Seth Friedermann
photos Freda Henry
Venexiana’s designer Kati Stern is in her seventeenth season. She has a mistress’ hand at showmanship and knows how to play a crowd perfectly. But fashion shows aren’t for the crowd or even for us in the press, they’re for buyers. Pictures are nice, as are pretty words, but orders put food on the table. Venexiana’s Fall 2011 collection was a glittering array of dramatic gowns in luxurious satins, along with a parade of silks and metallics. Adornments of bows and strong swirls of fabric drew attention but never swallowed the woman, with the exception of the two closing white gowns which is what they were designed to do anyway. Continue reading “Venexiana – Fall 2011”
Blanc De Chine tends to take classical Chinese tailoring, such as mandarin collars and the like, and update them with little twists and turns. That’s just part of their story however, what Blanc De Chine does best is simple elegant and often dramatic silk clothes.
story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Shawn Punch
(photos provided by Blanc de Chine)
What is classic and iconic in one culture’s fashion is often unknown in others’. This creates the opportunity for a revolutionary feeling, when that classic look is exported to a new land. Remember the Nehru Jacket in the mid-60s? This is supposedly the age of Asian ascendancy, the old “Far East” is showing signs of becoming the new center, and the Asian aesthetic and Asian designers have more eyes on them than ever before. Somehow though, the tremendous work from Blanc De Chine has gone largely unnoticed. There is no artistic reason for this, as their work is consistently strong from season to season, and this season was no different. Continue reading “Blanc De Chine – Fall 2011”
The collection is a delicious descent into fashion madness.
story by Carmella Bella McDonald
photos by Adrianna Favero
NAHM collaborating designers Nary Manivong and Ally Hilfiger (daughter of veteran designer Tommy Hilfiger) showed a morbidly sophisticated collection which arrived on black wings in a breath of coffin dust. Inspired by Gothic prince Edgar Allen Poe’s poem, “The Raven,” as Mr. Manivong serenely stated, “we took everything from this poem: the colors, the emotions, the feelings for our theme, collection today.” Continue reading “NAHM – Fall 2011”
