Fashions may come and go, but in New York’s forecast for spring/summer 2020 it will be feminine and flirty awash with floral prints and patterns, according to Tadashi Shoji, Nicole Miller and Badgley Mischka. On the other hand, Elie Tahari returns to the ’70s with stylized lines.
Luckily for us, Rustan’s carries all four fashion lines in their stores.
Tadashi shoji: fashion knows no (body) size
Tadashi Shoji is a favorite since he not only is a frequent guest to our country with several exclusive shows presented by Rustan’s, but he also has a number of Filipinos working in top positions in his head office in the US and Shanghai.
Looking to Japan for inspiration, his designs come in uber-feminine designs that can fit a petite Size 2 up to bigger-bodied woman.
In fact, among his 19 models (chosen from 150 candidates), there were two plus-sized models strutting down the runway, clearly showing that one can look good no matter one’s body proportions in Tadashi dresses.
A fashion trick that I learned from him is using stretchy material for the lining of his clothes so body bulges are kept intact and hidden. Chiffon, lace, brocade and silks in various colors evoke old Hollywood glamour reminiscent of the Grace Kelly era where feminine elegance was at its peak. All the clothing material was designed and chosen exclusively by Tadashi.
Since it was day one of Fashion Week, photographers were lined by the entrance of Spring Studios to snap photos of the fashionably dressed to the outrageously clad attention-getter. In the audience was a full house of well-dressed Asian ladies from China, Japan, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as the avant-garde fashion crowd.
Ellie Tahari revives the pantsuit
Professional women and working girls in the US have long relied on the Elie Tahari line. He revives the lean ’70s vibe with the classic trench coat, playful polka dots and pantsuit. Outfits can easily be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. Animal and python prints, khaki shades were the standouts.
Hollywood actress Katie Holmes and Victoria Secret’s Chanel Iman were the top VIPs in the crowd as they sat in the front row.
Nicole Miller goes for flirty, boho look
Nicole Miller features the happy feminine spirit in flirty florals and patterns with the boho look. Wrap dresses with asymmetrical skirt lengths on sheer fabrics make a clear comeback. The ever-practical denim is revitalized into pants and shorts ensembles. Standouts on the ramp were the much-applauded fashion muses and former top models headed by 69-year-old Pat Cleveland, Frederique van der Wal, Veronica Webb, Claudia Mason and Pat Velasquez who made surprise appearances to the delight of the well-heeled crowd. These fashion divas were original Nicole Miller models when the line was still quite new as explained by Nicole to Vogue’s Janelle Okwodu: “Pat Cleveland was the first model I met in New York when I was interning for Clovis Ruffin. Veronica walked my very first show. The entire collection is past and present brought together — old meets new — so it felt right.”
Badgley Mischka brings the glamour (era) back
The glamour of an era gone by was the inspiration for the 2020 collection, a time when one dressed for dinner and attended evening parties. Rich European fabrics with colorful floral patterns in shades of turquoise, tangerine and lilac paired with more colors take center stage. The bywords for this Badgley Mischka collection are definitely “joyful” and “happy” with vibrant hues in flattering, feminine silhouettes. Sequins and sparkly accents are an added feature.
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