It is clear that the economic situation in the country will take a lot of hard work from President Arroyo, her government and us mere citizens. Even President George W. Bush isn’t having a ball in the White House. The good news is we are not alone. Obviously, this is not the time for extravagance. Next season, you’ll have to rely on a well-tailored suit, a couple of sexy dresses and tops and several accessories to achieve an of-the-moment look. There are fresh perspectives for your feminine side. While those who enjoy a tough edge will also have enough choice from sharp miniskirts and ankle boots, or just a simple necktie. Evening is also about simplicity: wear a long jersey column with boots instead of spiky heels. The season promises to be about polished understatement. It is all in the details. Delicate touches like cutout sleeves, asymmetric hemlines,
trompe l’oeil details make the look mod. Careful attention to proportion speaks louder than over-the-top decoration.
Is this the sign of the times? The short hemline is still hot. It’s so hot that it will surely melt the ice of winter. It has to be short, revealing and as sexy as possible. One of Gucci’s girls strutted the catwalk in an ultra-short mini worn with high strappy heels. At Fendi, lengths were also short and legs were highlighted in flat ballerina shoes, or shiny patent leather flat boots extending over the knee. Mini-skirts played a big role in defining the collection of Daryl K. There were micro-mini skirts in black paired with bright red tights, boy-cut combat jackets and punk-inspired tunics. Daryl Kerrigan also paired an extended cuff red shirt with a black Sixties mod necktie with a black wool pleated mini. Hems also reached thigh high at Clements and Ribeiro and Mui Mui. While Calvin Klein opened his show with a range of sleek black cashmere jersey minidresses.
The empire waistline played a major role in many of the pieces of Marc Jacobs. Welsh-born designer Julien Macdonald’s first show for Givenchy featured a sheer, ample-sleeved Bettina blouse (named after Bettina Graziani, Hubert’s model and muse of the late ’50s) paired with a high-waisted leather skirt that swept the catwalk with its train. Inspired by Jacqueline Kennedy during her White House years, Marc Jacobs created soft empire-waist dresses and tops for Louis Vuitton. This time, Prada blended the 1880s homesteader garb with the strict line of the mod 1960s – think Mary Quant and André Courréges – meaning empire-waist tieback dresses.
Fall is no longer confined to dark and chilling colors. Color is back on the runway. Donatella used lilac, deep violet, nearly fluorescent pink and golden honey with tiger and leopard motifs as well as anemones, wisteria and all sorts of printed, embroidered and stamped flowers on her sculptured bodylines at Versace. Other dresses, sweaters and gowns were printed in "brush strokes" in reference to American painters from the Forties and Fifties. The swirling prints were in shades of red, coffee and black, or shocking pink, blue and black. Kelly green, an apparent favorite, was seen in casual and cocktail attire. Michael Kors also used Kelly green in a double-face cashgora (a cashmere and angora wool blend). There were three hues of white, shades of red and grey and flashes of black and a gigantic gardenia in print form as the only motif at Ferragamo. Lagerfeld’s favorite material for fall is an all white leather with a paisley design stamped onto it. He used it on boots, tunics, coats and some great new flat handbags for Fendi. His Sixties-inspired collection was dominated by white. While one of Jill Stuart’s best outfits was white cotton pants paired with a white voile banded collar shirt. For after five, there were brightly colored, show-stopping gowns (like the Ferrari-red ruffled number), as well as a group of airy, delicate dresses in pale shades at Valentino. Known for his color palette, Lacroix’s colors were vibrant from fire engine red, to taxi cab yellow, aqua, and chartreuse, splashed about like a Jackson Pollock painting. Red is hotter than ever. Daryl K, Anna Molinari, Clements and Ribeiro, Chanel, Sofia Kokosalaki, Michael Kors, Bottega Veneta, Moschino and Catherine Malandrino were all red hot.
Marni’s Consuelo Castiglioni went for delicate prints, lightweight fabrics and delicate femininity. Flower prints were featured in Dolce & Gabbana’s feminine but tough chic style.
It was an African-inspired collection, for Bernhard Willhelm. John Galliano, a master at cross-referencing diverse cultures and time periods, featured Middle Eastern, Indian and Himalayan extravagance. Dior’s rebelliously elegant Goa "peace and love" tie-dye and rainbow dresses were embellished with everything from Kama Sutra figures to cannabis prints, acid butterflies, cartoon characters, smiley faces, and tongue-in-cheek messages like "Trance" and "X-ta-sea." Missoni, known for taking wild geometric weaves and knits and zigzagging them, featured various versions. Op art in black and white as well as in new color effects were also seen in different collections.
Stay on top of the season and provide plenty of va-va-voom with lace. Dolce & Gabbana’s models with just-out-of-bed hair wore wispy lace and chiffon micro shifts that covered satin and lace brassieres and panties. Embroidered lace dresses and blouses appeared at Roberto Cavalli, Christian Dior and Ungaro. Vivienne Westwood deconstructed frocks over lace minis. Preen recycled antique lace and used it as overshirt, decorated with more antique buttons and keys. While Lagerfeld blended Victorian and vamp in a series of sleeveless, minidresses and hotpants with horizontal lace strips.
Zipper was the hardware of choice for various designers. Gucci’s opening was dominated by zips: used in shiny fabrics on the front of matte black pants, stitched on hip pockets, attached to one side of town coats. There were also zippy designs from Daryl K like a black sleeveless zippered front minidress and oversized sweaters came with zippers down the arms. Jill Stuart also showed sexy off-the-shoulder zippered sweaters. While Yohji Yamamotoís sporty chicks appeared in zip-front jogging sweatshirts finished at the knee.
Hold on to your stripes. Last season’s print is still a must-have. Vivienne Westwood’s models wore frocks in red or mustard zebra stripes. The classic pinstripes took a modern turn with twisted-up sexy skirts. Rebecca Moses also used the classic men’s fabric for a bias-cut halter dress. For Jean Paul Gaultier, pinstripe suits became cropped jackets with the bottom half of the blazer as a miniskirt worn over straight men’s trousers. Daryl K used stripes in a red and black off-the-shoulder sweater paired with black stretch silk legging. Former British Fashion Awards New Generation Designers, Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiroís collection took center stage with using beige-stripped wool with flowery patterns and diagonal stripes. Miuccia Prada included a series of Seventies brown and white striped dresses with a floral overlay for Mui Mui. Gucci showed beige and black cashmere numbers with thin horizontal leather stripes and thin belts.
Another print to hold on to. Burberry’s Roberto Menichetti revived a vintage version of the signature check of the fashion house. For Celine’s casual but luxurious clothes plaid shrugs, jackets, pullover and skirts in rich fabrics were all over the runway. This was Michael Kors ode to high-class country living. At Rebecca Moses, English wool plaids and checks were highlighted with metallics. For evening, Ungaro went for massive taffeta ball gowns in black and purple checks, paired with minutely beaded tops. Paul Smith’s models donned high-waisted check pants, colorful boots and fake mink bomber jackets. While Preen added a modern twist to the traditional British tweeds and tartans by creating a windowpane plaid shirt with sleeves fitted from wrist to elbow, then puffed and ruched to the shoulder.
To add femininity to Chanel’s pants dominated collection, pearls dripped from necks, dangled from waists, and clustered on fingers and toes. The classic accessory, one of Coco Chanel’s faves is modern again. Stella McCartney featured tops sprinkled with pearls and beads for Chloé. Miles of pearl ropes also added the glam element to Dolce & Gabbana.
What is used in battle to blend in with the environment is still a strong statement next season. There was a guerrilla-girl flavor to a silk jersey tank top paired with a wool skirt at Calvin Klein. While at Christian Dior, a defiant troop of militants took to the stage wearing stern military jackets. The new leather duffel backpacks and black army-style hiking boots at Celine and Daryl K’s headgear of choice, the military cap, reinforced the look.
There is no longer much reference to the season itself. Skin is exposed despite the cold weather. There were sexy mummy-like shirts with plunging necklines made of ribbon wrapped around the torso paired with cool low-slung jean-style skirts at Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. Necklines also plunged at Helmut Lang, Atsuro Tayama, Sophia Kokosalaki, Fendi, Gianfranco FerrÈ, Carolina Herrera, Roberto Cavalli and Versace.
| Symmetry In The Asymmetric |
Calvin Klein created minidresses and stretch pants, paired with asymmetrical double-breasted jackets. He also featured a black matte jersey minidress slashed only on one sleeve. Asymmetrical patchwork dressing gowns were new at Martin Margiela. While Catherine Melandrino’s asymmetrical hemlines usually above the knee were shown together with knit dresses and tops. The irregular hemline seemed to be a favorite of Julien Macdonald and Preen’s Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi as well. Even the necklines were uneven in many catwalks from Donna Karan to Alexander McQueen, Daryl K, Marni, Helmut Lang, Ungaro and Yohji Yamamoto.
Keep those micro minis, military garbs, stripes, checks, reds and low V-necks for still another season. And look through your closet and revive those pearls. This is enough to keep you fashionwise without burning your hard-earned dough. Just remember, attitude, attitude, attitude!
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