Are you ready to go back to the

Fashion will never be the same again. There was uncertainty in the air during the Spring/Summer 2002 presentations. After the tragic September 11 attack, fashion seemed unimportant, even irrelevant. So how did the industry manage to go on? How do you present a collection, which has been planned as far back as six months and not be worried that certain things might be insensitive to others? It is very unusual for fashion to be very careful with its subject matter. It is normally free. However, not going on with our lives would have given these terrorists pleasure. It would have proven that they were victorious. Therefore, with some adjustments, most shows went on. The usual extravagant, excessive and festive fashion scene gave way to a somber and simple mood. In New York, designers held most presentations quietly in their showrooms. Vogue and Carolina Herrera came to the rescue and helped 11 young designers restage their cancelled shows. Aptly titled "An American Way," the event presented the designs of Benjamin Cho, Christine Ganeaux, Elisa Jimenez, Pierrot, Behnaz Serfpour, Tony Smith, Michael Soheil, Peter Som, Rebecca Taylor, Tuleh and Maria Cornejo for Zero. Due to insufficient funds to reschedule their shows, Herrera lent her Seventh Avenue showroom while some stylists and models waived their fees to help the young designers show their collections to editors and retailers. "When I did that first collection 35 years ago, I was full of a wonderful spirit, energy and passion," Oscar dela Renta told his intimate audience – there were only about 60 people present – before his show. "Today, I still have it. And today, it’s more important than ever." They were simply not in the mood for the big event with bright lights, loud music and a party atmosphere.

London, Milan and Paris took the same cue from New York to show their respect. Some decided not to show completely while others continued with the season without the usual glitz and glamour. There was a "strictly business" feel. The London Fashion Week opened with a minute of silence to honor the thousands of people who lost their lives on that devastating day in New York. "One cannot begin to imagine the devastation and sadness felt by the American people and we join them in their mourning. However, to give up would be to give in to these perpetrators of evil, and that we must never do," British Fashion Council chairman Nicholas Coleridge spoke on the opening day of the week. In Milan, Vittorio Giulini, head of the industrial fashion association Sistema Moda Italiana said, "I believe that September 11 truly represents a great change for us. We must increasingly learn to communicate to others what is the essential part of fashion." On a positive note, the tragedy has humbled and brought the usually self-centered and cutthroat players in the industry together.

The great thing about fashion though is that it allows us to escape – to dream. Despite the hard times, we can still play "dress up," our favorite game as young girls. We can be anyone we want to be. The season’s fun, relaxed, soft and pretty clothes provide optimism to the recent troubled times. Consciously or unconsciously, life’s essentials manifested in most collections. Designers went back to their roots for inspiration. Remembering one’s history is one of life’s greatest lessons. It is also important not to forget your roots for one to move forward. Most American designers stressed their love and pride for their country after the September 11 tragedy. It even showed up in the collections.

For instance, Ralph Lauren’s was all-American. This season, he went to Dallas and the Southwest. Anna Sui also looked into the Wild West for inspiration. Even all the way to Paris, America was an essential element of some collections. Galliano’s Christian Dior Collection highlighted United States icons. Basketball tops, highway signs, sporting bandanas, 10-gallon hats and even an Elvis Presley suit invaded Dior’s Spring/Summer collection. What was native to Main Street America was in the minds of design couple Inacio Ribeiro and Suzanne Clements when they created their collection. Yohji Yamamoto’s sporty chic had Japanese kimono silhouettes, a rare feat for a designer who consciously veers away from Japanese influences in his collections. The works of Donna Karan’s late husband Stephan Weiss was her main source of inspiration for her designs.

Clothes at Marc Jacobs, Ann Demeulemeester, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Chloé were deliberately distressed, wrinkled, spun and washed to create a weathered look. Ford paired his new pants with almost tattered wrapped tops and made mini jackets distressed-looking like parachute fabric for Gucci. Hussein Chalayan went as far as burying garments for a time to age them. Layers of these aged, torn and tattered clothes were main features in his show. The season is all about the feeling of being home and the familiar. It provides a sense of security. With the uncertain times, one thing is definite: The spring/summer collections will provide beauty to the world.

‘70S NOSTALGIA

Most of us swore never again! However, the Seventies figured strongly for the season. Think of the women at Sofia Coppola’s Virgin Suicides or Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous. It’s about the suburban girl with glossy hair and the perfect tan – rich and popular with no worries in the world. The cool girls at school are back. The hippie girls are going for soft and light peasant blouses and long skirts. Loose caftans, crochet and macramé, killer wedge or platform shoes, front-creased and tight jeans ruled the runways. Good old homemade style tops and tunics similar to grandma’s projects showed up at Givenchy, Veronique Branquinho, Sophia Kokosalaki, Celine, Choé and Anna Sui. While Mui Mui, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Sergio Rossi, Salvatore Ferragamo and Tod’s have created chunky shoes for the season. Marc Jacobs took reference to the Seventies TV program, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Moore’s staple – a tight poor boy sweater paired with flared pants – dominated his runway. Narrow shoulders and below-the-knee hems with patchwork designs provided the hippie feel to the collection. Marc Jacobs borrowed van den Akker’s signature ‘70s taping details for his latest collection. Jill Stuart and Gianfranco Ferré also featured hippie patchwork trousers and skirts, blouses and dresses. At Prada, flared, low-hip pants worn with a low-slung matching belt served as a reminder of the era. Soft bohemian and peasant blouses showed up everywhere, proving the strong influence of the decade. Designer Phoebe Philo found inspiration for Chloé in the high-end bohemian styles of Brigitte Bardot in St. Tropez and Paul Getty Jr.’s stylish wife Talitha. She said at Inspiration Point, February 2002 American Elle, " Her extravagant ’70s elegance was the feeling I was after." Dries Van Noten’s gypsy influence showed the prevalence of the Seventies in intricately constructed, oversized muslin blouses over ankle slit-Jodhpur pants, accented with a low-slung suede bag. Smock dresses, embroidered peasant skirts at Louis Vuitton were in keeping with the decade. Jacobs’ hippie girls strutted the runway in huge ethnic belts, denim culottes with hand-loomed tops and embroidered jackets. While at Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, long caftans in animal prints dominated Ford’s finale. Are you brave enough to go back to the ‘70s?

Nighty Night

Innerwear as outerwear? It is nothing new but it is a strong trend for the season. Last season’s corsets are still everywhere. PJ’s out of the house? You bet! Check out Prada’s printed pajama tops, Gucci’s and Giorgio Armani’s slouched pajama pants or the relaxed nightgowns at Martine Sitbon, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Miguel Adrover and Givenchy. At Mui Mui, Victorian petticoats and pinafores were worn as outerwear. While blouses are cut to look like a bra. Model Gisele Bundchen opened the Dolce & Gabbana show with a slinky negligee dress with lace embroidery. Will you dare go out in one?

Fringes, Ribbons, Tapes

It was all over the runways – from dresses to tops, bags, belts and shoes. From the wild, Wild West to Viva Las Vegas, various versions ruled the season. At Versace, moments of the Wild West came with a leather jacket with fringes on the arms and the back of skirts. Heavily fringed wide-sleeved tunics and handkerchief skirts appeared at Missoni. Then at Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, one of the strongest looks was a chocolate dress, loosely woven at the top with swirling wool ties and crocheted at the bottom. Macramé belts and ropes completed the looks of many collections from Givenchy to Veronique Branquinho, Oscar dela Renta, Michael Kors and Dolce & Gabbana.

White Is The New Black

White is the color for summer – cool, pure, clear, elegant and sophisticated. After Viktor & Rolf’s all-black Fall/Winter collection, Spring/Summer was about larger-than-life, church-going designs all in white. Wide-legged tuxedo trousers, sheer blouses and wedding cake gowns were adorned with huge unfinished bows paired with white tights and white patent shoes. Giorgio Armani, Bernhard Willhelm, Costume National Comme des Garçons, Chloé, Valentino, Dries Van Noten, Helmut Lang, Givenchy, Yohji Yamamoto, Ann Demeulemeester, Versace, Max Mara, Sportmax, Céline, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Oscar dela Renta, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Donna Karan, Hamish Morrow and Byblos embraced an almost exclusive white palette. White has continued to dominate after two seasons.

Romance Is Still In The Air

Spring/Summer is all about love for all things soft, sheer, sexy, feminine, pretty, light decorated with bows, ruffles, ruches and pleats while exposing skin. Flirty and romantic designs in chiffon, organza, silk, muslin, jersey, voile and tulle made their way to the runways of Alberta Ferretti, Alessandro dell’Acqua, Fendi, Lawrence Steele, Jean Paul Gaultier, Valentino, Atsuro Tayama, Alexander McQueen, Cynthia Rowley, Cacherel, Marni, Chloé, Olivier Theyskens, Martine Sitbon, Anna Molinari, Matthew Williamson, Sportmax, Ralph Lauren, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, Blumarine and Fendi. Fashion is still in a romantic moment. Seize it.

Wear the new trends with a sleek, sexy yet strong attitude. There is so much beauty to look forward to this Spring/Summer season. It is enough to keep you wanting and excited! Watch out for more of the season’s trends next week!

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Runway photos from Collezioni, Pret-A-Porter Spring/Summer 2002, Fashion News 2002 Spring & Summer Milan New York Collection and Fashion News 2002 Spring & Summer Paris London Collection

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Send queries and suggestions to joycestalder@hotmail.com.