As the majority of Spring/Summer 2008 Fashion Weeks conclude their span of the globe, with Milano and Paris this and next week, respectively, garmentos and fashionistas are left with exciting new methods that, before long, will revamp sleepy wardrobes.
But let's reminisce, shall we? A slew of labels and designers had impressive and exciting collections: In Paris and Milano, Karl Lagerfeld dazzled more than 800 guests at the Petit Palais with his modernized and quirkily empowering creations for Chanel; Balenciaga's Nicholas Ghesquière redefined the imaginative with his colorful ethnic designs for both men and women; Nina Ricci reminded us what Parisian fashion is all about?femininity; and Donatella Versace reinstated the hyper-masculine man with exquisitely tailored military styles. Across the pond, work wear ruled: Zac Posen, Proenza Schouler, Duckie Brown, Michael Kors, and Marc Jacobs enlightened American travel-ready couture with structured pencil skirts, electric colors, and fur.
But honestly, how many of us at Bowdoin are willing to invest in the quasi-Haute Couture designs and covetable furs of John Galliano for Dior, or the silver moon suits and ultra-kinky, whip and corset visions of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana? VERY FEW! But in reality, we can all seek creative guidance and inspiration from the world of high fashion. My goal is to translate and cater all this to the lifestyle of the average but style-conscious Bowdoin man or woman. In the upcoming weeks, we'll explore various Autumn/Winter 2007/2008 styles and how to wear them. This week: trends.
We love them. We hate them. But quite often, they are inevitable. The goal here is to carefully select looks that tastefully add a classic element to our look, but also give an individually daring and bold edge. Renowned Old Port women's boutique, Hélène M, puts it best: "Chic, not trendy." Amen. All too often, over-converting to trends bludgeons style and certainly personality, which is an essential ingredient to good, distinctive style. Here are some of the trends I witnessed or reviewed on the catwalks?things you can apply to your Autumn 2007 look.
PARIS ? Parisian couturiers and labels gave birth to a richly developed dark romance and urban warrior, both highly evident in John Galliano's men's and women's collections. The week in Paris focused primarily on 40s and 60s chic with a touch of playful progression. Some designers, like Viktor & Rolf and Hussein Chalayan, even explored futuristic fashion with intelligent clothing.
The trends: Excess fabric was huge, as was a higher waist on pants, pencil skirts, button-up vests, shawl collar sweaters and cardigans, oversized jackets matched brilliantly with sleek undergarments, fine knits, capes, patent or exotic leathers, origami folds, empire waist, chunky scarves, exotic plumage, and?like it or not?FUR. Colors ranged from charcoals, scarlet, smoky shades, ivory, and canary to eggplant, platinum, and ocher. Matching is completely old school!
MILANO ? Last February in Milano, femme fatale and a confidently refined, yet glamorous gentleman dominated. Oversized tops, sweaters, and jackets paired marvelously with leggings: thin with thick. Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi's hectic geometric patterns strategically covered with extreme amounts of furs and yarns broke all rules. Additionally, John Richmond's rock couture followed metallics and moon suits, exaggerated by Dolce & Gabbana. Laura Biagiotti idealized winter white. All gave off 60s and 70s chic without boundaries.
The trends: The color schemes huddled around silver, ruby, burnt auburns, muted gold, crème, azure blue, and lava. Fur was everywhere in Milano, but most collections (Miuccia Prada, most notably) offered satisfying alternative options. Toggle and military jackets, the Little Red Riding Hood cape look, matériels pliés, patent leather, velvet, chunky knitting, the V-neck, fur-trimmed collars, the fitted three-piece suit and tux, absurdly oversized bags, and the trench in various fabrics as epitomized by Burberry Prorsum, were all present.
NEW YORK ? This year was all about the interplay of époques with an air of provocative classicism. Labels such as Z Zegna, Marc Jacobs, and Carolina Herrera translated this concept into fur accents, herringbone, wool, and cashmere-structured suits and coats. Collections ranged from the 1920s flapper, to countryside dandy, to modern cosmopolitan on the go: all grown-up looks that relied heavily on some incredible accessories.
The trends: Fair Isle patterns, aviator sunglasses, the one button suit, thick trench coats, houndstooth caps, turtlenecks, glossy plumages, down and dress vests. The hourglass figure and organza waist found their cozy places back in feminine style on numerous runways as well. A delectable palate of milk chocolates, glossy blacks, violet, powder white, and chestnut graced most collections, but foggy shades of gray were most prevalent. Hats in cashmere, Angora, fur, or wool complemented vibrant colored gloves, scarves, and neck warmers.