Thursday, October 14, 2010

The Leftovers: New York Fashion Week SS11

What I’ve noticed about New York season after season is its wholehearted reliance on one or two trends. On almost every runway these directional winds make an appearance. Last season they were fur and the 1990s. This season they are transparency and white.

It all makes me feel like a sociologist observing a community from the outside. Coming up with theories. Poking holes in them. Starting, once again, from scratch. Why these trends? What makes their reach extend so far? Is it a game of Follow the Leader with no real leaders, only followers? What does our delicate, tenuous financial situation have to do with all of this?

I have to be honest. All of these questions, about sameness vs. innovation, creativity vs. commercial viability, rarely push into my mind when I am in love with what is being offered. Only doubts breed questions.

The matter wasn't helped by the fact that I was suffering an intense case of déjà vu.

But finding the answers and slogging my way through the doubts often leads me to a place of understanding and appreciation. I feel like I still need more time to decide exactly what my feelings are about New York Fashion Week as a whole. But as for what I like right now, in the moment, there were a number of things.

The fact that I was a bit tired of all of the white and the sheer doesn't mean that there weren't those who handled both trends deftly. The white especially lent itself to multiple interpretations.


The Ethereal

At Cushnie et Ochs


At Prabal Gurung


The Prim & Proper

At Barbara Tfank


At Victoria Beckham


The Architectural

At Cushnie et Ochs


At Kimberly Ovitz


The Minimal

At Band of Outsiders


At Preen


At Christian Cota


Those who used transparency played with many of the same themes.

The Ethereal

At Rodarte



The Prim & Proper

At ADAM


At Monique Lhuillier

The Minimal

At Theyskens' Theory


But even with the laser-like focus on these two trends, there was a hint of what was to come in the other cities.

The Prints

At Suno


At Timo Weiland


At L'Wren Scott



The Color

At Peter Som


At Marc Jacobs


At Michael Kors



Photos via

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