With temps reaching the triple digits on the second day of Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week, we sweated at the shows even watching spring jackets come down the runway. But unlike the fall shows with their huge, cozy, statement-making coats, spring’s lighter fare came with blasts of fresh new color, razor-sharp tailoring along with unexpected fabrications, and gave us another reason to curse the climbing temps in New York City.
Fashion’s golden boy, Jason Wu, took a huge step out of his comfort zone for spring. Yes, there were flowing gowns that will have Mrs. O outfitted for her possible second inaugural ball go-round, but he waited until the finale to showcase the dresses he has become known for. Before the three showstoppers, he sent models down in lingerie-inspired blazers complete with exposed seams and sheer, airy fabric.
Rag & Bone has been a downtown favorite since the brand started, and one of the things models off duty and editors alike can’t get enough of is the brand’s leather jackets. For spring, the designing duo behind R&B took a softer approach to their trademark topper and sent it out the runway in a bright green. Already have a leather jacket? The guys also took the classic bomber shape and made a jacket out of airy, soft, quilted cotton instead of heavy leather. While we don’t know if wearing it with lingerie-accented shorts is going to happen for us, we do know that we’re mad about the leather-sleeved trench that opened the show. Just a little dose of leather combined with classic tailoring is the perfect uptown/downtown equation that’s made Rag & Bone the brand it is today.
Grunge meets gamine? That’s always the combo that Richard Chai skirts — in his main line and in his Love diffusion brand. For spring, models wore denim toppers that looked like they’d been washed, worn and loved for decades. Girls of the ’90s will recall Kurt Cobain, the ultimate grunge idol, in the denim and a bit of Courtney Love in the florals Chai paired his denim jackets with. But it wasn’t all rock ‘n roll in the collection. He also embraced techno fabrics and sleek, futuristic shapes. While we wouldn’t recommend wearing a jacket and exposing your abs (more power to you if you’ve got the washboard stomach to showcase), we do love the color-blocked design and the light athletic fabric. And it might just inspire us to get out and get on our feet.
Photos courtesy Style.com