As Spirit of Escapism Rules, Many Colorful Eras Clash; Of Leather and MacraméWe are preoccupied with war and a contentious presidential race. Taxpayers are bailing out the mortgage industry, and Woody Allen is directing Puccini. These are confusing times.
Little wonder that the fashion world, with its own economic worries, is fleeing reality. The spring '09 collections that designers are showing at New York's fashion week are romantic, flirty and laden with doodads and detail, from Marc Jacobs's plaid, beaded and gathered Americana to Diane von Furstenberg's Haight-Ashbury hippie dresses.
Working women who want subtlety next season will have to turn to Michael Kors, or Oscar de la Renta if they can afford him -- or rely on what's already in their closets.
"I think everyone's looking for escape," said Cynthia Steffe's new creative director, Shaun Kearney, after his show Tuesday morning. The collection he showed at Bryant Park was a "country club fantasy" of cute print dresses and 1980s cropped-and-pleated pants.
There have been historical references this week to nearly every fashion era since Queen Victoria ruled. Marc Jacobs gave us bustles. Matthew Williamson provided tie-dye. The playful Betsey Johnson marched out gingham hoopskirts and bloomers that could have made their debut on "Little House on the Prairie."
So hoarders, take heart. Pull out your old clothes and wear them again: Nothing is out of style, according to New York's runways. We've seen long hemlines, micro-minis, pencil skirts and flouncy skirts. Big-legged pants, skinny-legged pants. Lots of leather and much chiffon.
It's surprising that designers' womens apparel is getting frilly, given that other aspects of design and architecture are going minimalist. (Our frocks will clash with our living rooms.) But fashion design has to move fast to keep us shopping for new looks, and the cycle of new looks now is so quick it's a blur.
The runways so far this week have major nods to two diametrically opposed eras -- the romantic late 1960s-early 1970s and the go-getter 1980s -- often on the same runways. Alice + Olivia's hippy-dippy collection (presented two days after Diane von Furstenberg's hippy-dippy collection) included a 1980s-type yellow blouse with big bows and cap sleeves alongside a Victorian white lacy dress whose mother was worn to Woodstock.
Alice + Olivia designer Stacey Bendet, 31 years old, spoke of a link between our times and the 1970s. She wanted to "mix up hippie and hipster," she says, "because the hipsters are the modern version of what our parents were."
WSJ's Teri Agins pays a visit to New York Fashion Week to gauge the economic climate of retail and to see just how fashion retailers and consumers alike are dealing with the recession. (Sept. 12)
"For [our parents], it was them going to war," Ms. Bendet said. But in this war era, without a draft, "I don't think there's the same passion," Ms. Bendet said. "I just want my clothes to be fun and make people smile."
Matthew Williamson, who is fearless with vivid color, offered a hot pink patent-leather coat, a sequined go-go mini-dress, and a tailored jacket with a busy pattern that reminded me of my old Spirograph set. We saw a similarly psychedelic look at the show of Jonathan Saunders -- another Brit. Carolina Herrera was all flutters and ruffles. Nanette Lepore is going back to her Boho roots with floaty chiffon blouses, leather skirts, layers of ruffles and -- you heard it here first -- a touch of macramé.
Halston was pure '70s Halston -- featherweight silk gowns straight from the archives and wearable only if you have the body of Twiggy.
Executives looking to inject some spring style into their wardrobes can still turn to Michael Kors and Oscar de la Renta, two designers who never lose sight of the needs of real-life women. Mr. Kors's spring collection offered a number of solutions for the business-casual dilemma many office workers face. The navy, black, white and red color scheme and the clean lines of many dresses, skirts and, in particular, pants walked that fine line between casual and professional.
Mr. de la Renta's elaborate collection will be priced several leagues above Mr. Kors's, and it spoke to his clientele. There were prim suits, elegant, wide-legged pants, and a host of knock-'em-dead evening items.
Marc Jacobs's show of Americana was accompanied by Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" and included references to the 1940s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, including a return to Mr. Jacobs's early designer-grunge plaid flannel-look shirts. There was only one look that could take a female executive to work -- a perfectly tailored gray pantsuit -- but what the heck.
"Right now people are feeling glum and depressed, and they need to be reminded of [the country's] great heritage," said Stephanie Solomon, Bloomingdale's fashion director, after Mr. Jacobs's star-studded catwalk.
By: Christina Binkley
Wall Street Journal; September 11, 2008
