This week, new fall runway trends swept the streets of New York City and, like after any
windstorm, fashion followers were left to pick up the bits and pieces of last season’s style
left in its wake. Here’s what to look out for this coming fall:
(All kinds of) Trim – Fur. Lace. Even velvet made an appearance on last week’s runways.
Oscar de la Renta made a study of how trim can actually slim down an ensemble, so that
even the most ostentatious of his fur-lined coats looked infinitely wearable. Jason Wu
used black lace masks to add a sense of the forbidden to his otherwise prim presentation,
while a black velvet bow cinched the waist of brightly colored gowns on the floor at
Badgley Mischka.
Shades of gray – A personal favorite of mine, the omnipresent color of next season was
the shade of an overcast sky. Donna Karan’s namesake show was in homage to gray, as
look after look showcased the color through different textures and layering. Michael Kors
opened his 30-year anniversary collection with five head-to-toe gray looks, from his-and-
her suits, to a sequin column dress, to an oversized fur coat so airy that it could have been
a nimbus cloud floating down the catwalk.
Plaid and polka dots – Marc Jacobs must have had Minnie Mouse on the mind when
conceiving his collection for the coming fall: the dots were the main event, a kitschy
point of reference to a parade of ladylike looks. Thakoon’s models looked picnic-ready in
their red and blue checked garb, while the duo behind Rag & Bone used plaid, fur and an
overdose of prepster-meets-hipster attitude to construct their collection.
Pops of (unexpected) color – As if still reminiscing of Resort, designers didn’t leave
color behind for fall. Mustard, garnet, and royal blue prints brightened the showings at
Proenza Schouler and Jill Stuart. Muted limes, shades of turquoise and light pinks made an
appearance on Luca Luca and L’Wren Scott’s runways. On the other end of the spectrum,
a superhero (or Nickelodeon) inspired collection from Jeremy Scott looked to be more fit
for the end of October than all of fall.
Luxe leopard – Reem Acra and Betsey Johnson are just two of many designers who used
leopard print to sex up a runway presentation. Acra’s knee-length dresses in leopard
could easily convert from office-wear to a chic afterparty look. Johnson used the print
in red and yellow-hues to cover the model’s legs in sheer tights. Mary-Kate and Ashley
Olsen’s showing for The Row opened with a below-the-knee leopard coat that would
keep any cat fetishist warm for another winter to come.
Contact Nicole Adlman at nadlman@themiamihurricane.com.