The Style Arbiter

Color at last! Perry Ellis, Herrera, Lhuillier bring it

Debbie — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 19:50:50 +0000

(NEW YORK CITY) Most designers are being stingy with color next spring and summer, but even the most severe minimalists realize that total absence of it can be depressing in a season when it naturally bursts forth all around.

Compared to womenswear, American menswear traditionally has been shy about bold color. So, the tasteful abundance of color on the runway at Perry Ellis was a welcomed departure during a week when many designers here at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week have benched color.

Herrera

The brand’s creative director, John Crocco, broke up shades and hues of gray, brown, white and black with pale brushes of blue, green and orange and a few bold pops of the latter in jackets. The colors anchored looks that one might see at a college prep academy or a yacht club,. with a shout-out to 80s styling and details such as rounded collars, striped polos and cuffed shorts.

The clothes appear easy to wear, and just as easy to mix and match. One particularly strong look teamed pleated white linen herringbone shorts with a sand-colored cotton vest and a polyester-blend windbreaker in a robust shade of orange called muskmelon. There were debonair dressier looks such as snugly tailored doublebreasted evening jackets in black, sand, a pale blue called breeze and a shade of gray dubbed castlerock. And it was hard to miss the sartorial outerwear options, which included sleek cropped trenches in sand, black cotton sateen and a coated linen gray pinstripe version that was pure dynamite.

More color began to show up this week in womenswear, too.

Inspired by a dream about a beautiful girl at play in a lush garden, Monique Lhullier introduced a line of daywear and special-occasion looks in colors ranging from pale pinks, greens, and blues to apple red and antique gold. Played against a palette of ivory, cream, caramel and toffee, the colors and colorful floral prints seemed to tell women that no matter how bleak their circumstances, there’s always a good reason to pretty up.

Lhuillier

Some of the hottest looks: A knotted and draped jersey cocktail dress in ivory, a stunning paradox in complexity and simplicity; a laminated, caramel-hued raffia pencil skirt with a matching vest draped over an apple-red raw silk corset; a Chanel-inspired ivory tweed coat with gold paillettes over an ivory cap-sleeve silk cocktail dress; and the scintillating finale, an asymmetrically draped one-shoulder trumpet gown in floral brocade.

Living legend Carolina Herrera turned up the glamour yet another notch, proving that her best days as a designer are not yet behind her. It’s easy to spot a Herrera dress for its impeccable tailoring and fit, sensual and sophisticated. Even her dramatic gowns and chic daywear possess a certain refinement that her fans appreciate.

Herrera’s sources of inspiration are increasingly interesting, and she knows how to adapt them in a way that retains the familiar yet turns the dial slightly forward. A set of 18th Century colorful botanical plates tickled her fancy this time around, and traditional Korean clothing inspired her cuts and details such as wrapped belts and the broad straw hats of that culture’s men.

Perry Ellis

What she ended up with undoubtedly delighted her retail accounts. There was something for every woman, from a jasmine white wrap jacket with matching double-pleated, wide-leg pants to an olive green chevron blouse worn with a hibiscus floral-embroidered pencil skirt. After sending out a series of brightly colored dresses in wrap, sleeveless, cocoon and draped silhouettes, Herrera went for broke with fabulous embroidered floral gowns in belted, tiered, pleated and appliqued variations.

Some say that less is more. With the new minimalism emerging from the tents at Lincoln Center, it’s being proven that less can definitely look like more.

Vivienne Tam part of ‘little white dress’ trend

LaMont — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 22:13:22 +0000

American fashion designers seem to be speaking in unison about styles for next spring and summer: minimal, minimal, and more minimal. And with each passing day, the translation seems to be neutrals, neutrals, and more neutrals.

Jill Stuart

It isn’t as gloomy as it may sound. At the very least, shades of brown, white and black can be worn with each other and just about every color. And even though design is pared down and simplified to match a less-is-more sensibility that has returned to fashion, many designers are sending out pieces with just enough detail, embellishment, innovative fabric — and sometimes even color — to keep things interesting.

The little white dress might be one of the biggest trends, from crepe, gauze and silk seersucker styles by BCBG to more bohemian cotton lace and macrame versions by Vivienne Tam. There’s something for every woman’s taste, wiith lengths ranging from mini to floor-skimming and silhouettes as varied as a cocoon, a butterfly, a column with an airy handkerchief hem that seems to float.

Vivienne Tam

Tam’s collection was among the more intriguing because of the global influences, particularly Asia. Multicultural and cross-cultural combinations are nothing new, but those who do them best (such as Tam) know how to infuse eno\ugh detail and color into theier interpretrations to bring the clothes alive.

Blue is Tam’s key accent color for spring, and it playedsell with her multiplicity of sportswear pieces: lace-appliqued peasant blouses, cotton eyelet jackets, embroidered dresses, draped sarongs, crocheted cardigans, harem-style silk print cargo pants. Nothing she showed was lazy or unfinished, contrary to many minimalist styles.

Duckie Brown

As for men, multiple designers are sending out pieces with controlled volume and some rather fashion-forward draping. While such looks may play fairly well in the stores and on the streets, most American guys aren’t into the skinny trousers that some designers keep trying to ram down consumers’ throats. The skinny-little-teen pants return for spring, often rolled up or cropped well above the ankle to create the high-water look that began a comeback last year.

Floods may be occurring more frequently around the globe, but it remains to be seen whether a significant number of men will take to them as fashion statements — especially when it’s time to put on a suit.

Designers prove minimal can be elegant, inspired

LaMont — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 22:34:27 +0000

(NEW YORK CITY) Influenced partly by a dismal economy and partly by natural cycle, American fashion for next spring and summer is continuing down the path of minimalism.

Tadashi Shoji

Unlike burlap-rough fabrics, dull neutral colors and the dominance of black that defined minimalist fashion decades ago, the current neo-minimalism expresses fashion basics via comfortable fabrics, creative tailoring and a balanced use of natural color, metallics and jewel tones alonsgside earth hues and a measured dose of noir.

Designers are doing what they need to do to survive — making clothes that appear to be essential fundamentals but that offer something special, particularly in womenswear. Buyers need to feel that they’re getting value and can justify spending on an item that has longevity and at least a little bit of “oomph!”

There is comfort in the past, which is why so many people like to live there. So, it’s the smart designer who knows how to parlay that human tendency, especially in lean times, into clothes that are familiar and desirable yet new and interesting.

That’s what Tadashi Shoji did with the spring-summer collection he showed Friday on the second day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. He evoked the Old World elegance and romance of Botticelli frescos and the paler tones of Venetian architecture and landscape in a line of silk chiffon, silk organza, silk crepe and embroidered-lace dresses and gowns that are as lovely and timeless as any Renaissance masterpiece.

Verrier

A muted color palette allowed the exceptional design work and tailoring to shine through. It was easy to envision any of them on celebs and socialites a range of ages, from one-shoulder and strapless styles to tiered and hand-cut design effects alongside embroidery and paillettes.

One would never guess that Shoji develops a new line each month and still has time to travel the world, gaining inspiration along the way. In the process, it proves that quality and quantity don’t have to be an either-or proposition,

Another designer with tremendous talent and knack for creating clothes that make women swoon is Georges Chakra. The spring line he presented pulled out all the stops in terms of reaching every woman, from flirty cocktail dresses and ravishing gowns to hot little black dresses.

Chakra sent out the requisite blacks, ivories, nudes and taupes along with purple, coral, teal and gold. But, again, clever design techniques and manipulation of luxurious fabrics lifted the collection above mediocrity. Crisscrossing satin straps, beaded Lucite straps and belts, intricate basketweave and cage motifs, and back-braid features gave the feel of accessible couture, if such a thing exists.

BCBG

Chakra knows a few things about making women look gorgeous, and his fame has grown in just four seasons of showing at fashion week. The large venue was full, with celebrities such as Kelly Rowland and Beverly Johnson among those mesmerized by the 15-minute procession of head-turning style.

One of the keys to the success of Nautica is that the brand has a way of making an average guy look like so much more. From swim trunks and sportswear to shirts and suits, everything has an air of elegance and masculine charm that seems impossibly effortless. The only effort required is to don the clothes — looking suave follow naturally.

Nautica is appreciably consistent, with enough subtle transitions from season to season to keep things fresh and interesting. True to its name and heritage, the inspiration for spring was the waters of our nation’s south coasts and the lifestyles of those who live and play along them. Natural disasters as well as nature inform the work of many fashion designers, and the team at Nautica this time determined to dress the easygoing fellow living the good like in the gulfs, bayous, beaches and wetlands from Louisiana to south Florida.

Nautica

What does that look like? Consider some of my favorite debonair ensembles I captured on film at the showing, a navy linen suit worn with a blue cotton gingham shirt and madras cotton tie to a khaki field jacket over a large-plaid buttondown and a navy silk knit tie with white cotton jeans.

Nautica showed just 30 of its looks for the season. But they were enough to prove that living the good life begins and ends in the mind and finds expression along the way in how a man chooses to dress himself.

Angsana, Siriano fuse cultures for lovely looks

LaMont — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 17:33:48 +0000

(NEW YORK CITY) If the first official day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is any indication of what the next season will bring — and often it is – then designers are sending out clothes that Americans can relate to but that also have a “wow” factor that will compel shoppers to part with scarce dollars during this lengthy recession.

On Thursday, Farah Angsana presented a dazzling collection of special-occasion womenswear inspired by the Indonesian diaspora. The Sumatran native fused elements from ethnic groups and traditions across the far-flung archipelago, embellishing immaculately cut silk and cotton tops, gowns, and cocktail dresses with lace, ostrich feathers, metallic embroidery and Swarovski crystals.

Farah Angsana

It’s a common pitfall for designers to come off as costumey or too literal in attempts to channel a particular period or place. But Angsana’s judicious eye and restrained hand showed how cultural homage can and should be tempered with currency, relevance, and wearability. The looks she showed were fresh and sophisticated and would be at home at a local charity gala or on a Hollywood red carpet.

Christian Siriano appears to be finding his voice as an emerging designer. Talented yet a bit inconsistent during the season he won Project Runway, he’s grown appreciably as a young creative talent. His spring sportswear and evening looks for women drew on influences from China, India, and Africa, and for the most part were strong and handsomely tailored.

Christian Siriano

His clothes, however, were nearly upstaged by four special high-heeled shoe designs he created for Payless. They were works of architecture and art that are probably the most fashion-forward shoes the bargain footwear chain has ever carried. From the paprika-red, Chinese-inspired “Shanghai” peeptoe pump with chopstick-like wooden heels to the Africanesque “Zanzi” bootie with braided-jute trim and a heel resembling a carved tool, the footwear will likely go from show-stoppers to conversation pieces faster than you can say “Make it work!”

Runway-ready: Lincoln Center debuts this week as new home of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York

LaMont — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 21:05:57 +0000

Designers from the United States and abroad are lined up to show their spring 2011 collections at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, which starts Thursday and ends Sept. 16. The biggest news so far this season is the move from Bryant Park, which became synonymous with fashion week, to Lincoln Center about 20 blocks uptown.

So it will be interesting to see who shows and who shows up. Despite concern among some designers about moving the twice-yearly event so far from the center of the dying garment district, many have decided to go with the flow, from Michael Kors and Carolina Herrera to Anna Sui and Nautica. For designers like Marc Jacobs who never show at the tents, anyway, it doesn’t matter.

But it remains to be seen how many journalists and other guests will be there. There’s a dearth of hotels near the center, compared to the prior venue, and new

Ports 1969

registration and admission procedures in place definitely discourage crashing.

Some designers are celebrating anniversaries this season. Events around the 10^th anniversary of Perry Ellis’ menswear brand include the spring line preview Sept. 13 at the Lincoln Center. Creative director John Crocco promised a collection that might best be described as “accessible sophistication.” It revives the brand’s sporty heritage with inspiration from French film director Jacques Tati and a palette rich with coral, rose, grass and muskmelon hues.

The presentation will pay tribute to Project Beach, the company’s new project to raise awareness and money for the National Wildlife Federation and the federation’s Gulf Coast restoration work. You can see the show broadcast live at 7 p.m. Monday on PerryEllis.com or on Facebook.com/PerryEllis. Log in 20 minute early and catch behind-the-scenes interviews and backstage footage.

Inspiration is always an interesting story. At Custo Barcelona, for example, the theme Custo Summer Festival describes the positive and playful spirit captured in the “Custo Everyday” daywear and the “Custo Let’s Party” evening collections for men and women. The outrageous color and vibrant personality that have become the brand’s hallmarks are still there, with geometric prints and digital microprints offsetting country and military-inspired looks in denim, linen and over-dyed, sand-washed silks.

One interesting twist is the presence of a brother and sister who will be showing separate collections. Louis and Anasa Greaves are students at Academy of Art University and will preview spring lines at the college’s runway show Friday evening. He will be showing menswear under the brand name Louie Llewellyn and she collaborated on a womenswear line.

There are public and private events all over the city Friday in honor of Fashion’s Night Out, from an event by publisher Assouline celebrating the launch of its new tome on Tommy Hilfiger as he celebrates his iconic brand’s 25^th year to “Cover Girls for Change” featuring fashions by Henry Jackson and other top designers worn by star models of yesteryear such as Pat Cleveland.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has a laundry list of major sponsors. One is Fiji, the official water of the week this time around. The brand also is sponsoring shows by Charlotte Ronson and Project Runway winner Christian Siriano.

Be sure to check out daily coverage here for trend reports, penetrating analysis, newsworthy celebrity sightings (because so many are not), and the general low-down on the whole week.

Preview: Fall menswear a landscape of handsome neutrals

LaMont — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:06:17 +0000

Perry Ellis

The average guy will find plenty in stores this fall to please him, the sort of dark, masculine clothes that are impeccable tailored and easy to wear.

Elie Tahari

Black is the new black, which should excite guys who make it their year-‘round go-to. Shades of gray and browns complement the dominance of neutrals through the coming fall and winter, with the fashion landscape rising just above tedium with bold plaids and other prints and accent colors such as bold greens and rich purples.

Tommy Hilfger

But make no mistake — the emphasis on underwhelming earth tones doesn’t mean menswear will bore anyone to tears. The styles that better American designers have stitched up and retailers are serving up feature body-conscious, fine tailoring and interesting details that present a more refined image.

Tweeds dominate in pants and flannels continue to make a comeback in shirts. The velvet jacket may rule as the must-have casual-meets-dressy garment of the season. Perry Ellis, Boss Hugo Boss and Dolce & Gabbana are among the brands weighing in with an option, and Burberry even has a rich velvet suit due to arrive at retail soon.

The three-piece-suit returns as a major player in menswear for fall and winter, worn to the nines with a crisp shirt and a rich necktie or more casually with a turtleneck and pocket square. Lapels on the vest are an essential tailored touch.

Buckler

Layering is as much a part of winter as bare trees, and outerwear is bigger in proportion with luxury accents such as fur trim and buckles. From dressy to casual, many of the season’s looks are anchored by large boots that balance an almost nerdy vibe with a tough, modern edge.

From Summer Blues II: Hauter Than July to Pittsburgh Fashion Week!

LaMont — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:08:04 +0000

The Style Arbiter welcomed an intimate gathering of about 60 well-heeled guests to the 3 Lakes Golf Course outside Pittsburgh in July for the second annual wear-your-hautest-blue charity affair. The Sunday afternoon social included a fashion show with styles from Spoiled Chic the Boutique and Joseph Orlando, and framed fashion art by designer and illustrator Keith Bloom raised hundreds for the spotlighted charity, Amachi Pittsburgh.

With that successful event behind and the approach of fall, The Style Arbiter continues serving as assistant director and marketing manager for the debut of Pittsburgh Fashion Week. From Sept.27 through Oct.3, there will be runway shows featuring fashion designers and retailers and extra-special events such as New York-based international designer Zang Toi and the induction of six style icons into the Pittsburgh Fashion Hall of Fame.

TheStyleArbiter.com is proud to be a sponsor of Pittsburgh Fashion Week. For more details about the event and its founder — model and actress Miyoshi Anderson — visit www.pittsburghfashionweek.com.

Great sportswear advice in new Nordstrom men’s style book

LaMont — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:47:34 +0000

Quick, guys: What’s the difference between a woven sport shirt and a knit one, and which is the better choice to wear to a football game?

Okay, that double-barreled style riddle probably wasn’t fair because most men don’t know and may not even care. After all, we live in a time when casual equals thoughtless sloppiness for the majority of American men. But it’s not that way for a growing number of sartorial tie.

A recently published men’s style book by consumer trend expert Tom Julian aims to help such fellows elevate casual to something that conveys an easy elegance and sense of style without sacrificing comfort. Nordstrom Guide to Everyday Dressing is the sequel to 2009’s Nordstrom Guide to Men’s Style (see review on this site). The follow-up is shorter, but it’s just as informative, well written and handsomely illustrated. With a few key pieces in his wardrobe and the right shoes and finishing touches, any man can be casual and polished at work, after work, on weekends, and while traveling.

The manual’s focus is on sportswear, which in recent years has surpassed suits and dressier clothing in the wardrobes of most American men. But just because something is casual doesn’t mean it’s easy to wear well. As Julian notes, “dressing casually can require more thought than wearing a suit.”

From shirts and sweaters to jeans and outerwear, Julian explains why fabrics make the difference and how to select shapes and styles that best suit your body type. He also provides tips on how to care for clothes and how to pack and dress for a casual trip.

Nordstrom Guide to Everyday Dressing, an inexpensive investment that pays big dividends, is $17.95 at Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com.

Oh, and the answer to that initial question? It’s in the book.

Creative, chic collections close out fashion week

LaMont — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 23:09:42 +0000

As Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week glided to a close last week, more of New York’s big guns lined up at the plate and hit home runs out of the park.

Stephen Burrows

Dennis Basso

Brian Reyes

Badgley Mischka

Luxury without extravagance was the trend. Designers went the extra creative mile, using luxury fabrics, superb tailoring, and embellishment with purpose to nudge consumers toward retail cash registers.

Stephen Burrows used five models to show off a series of edgy day and evening looks to two intimate audiences in his Midtown showroom. A legendary innovator who gave the world the wrap dress, the lettuce hem, and the runway fashion show, Burrows composed a sartorial symphony of fit, drape, and color. From a sexy black motorcycle jacket with matching cropped pants to a regal maroon goddess gown, each look evoked a sense of yesteryear with a hip modern twist.

Badgley Mischka reminded the world why they are a go-to for celebrity dressing and special occasions, sending out a chic two-suite collection that included daywear and eveningwear. Bryan Reyes channeled the faces of nature in a strong and wearable collection of day, evening and outerwear for women, and Dennis Basso was back with smart gem-tone ensembles that incorporated luxury materials ranging from alligator and chinchilla to fox and Finnish raccoon.

Tiger’s attire for press statement a hole-in-one

LaMont — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 23:02:34 +0000

While time will tell if Tiger Woods’ public statement regarding his adultery was convincing, the disgraced king of golf made excellent fashion choices when he finally faced the public Friday.

Woods, 34, needed to hit the right note sartorially as well as rhetorically for the occasion, the first time he has allowed the public to see him since he crashed his SUV outside his Windermere, Fla. home early Nov. 27. He went into seclusion immediately after the incident, and in ensuing weeks upwards of 20 women went public with sordid stories of sexual trysts and long romantic relationships with the husband and father of two.

Eldrick "Tiger" Woods at his news conference Friday

It was enough to send the world’s number-one golfer from role model on a pedestal to poster child for infidelity faster than you can say “fore!” After that, we had only one glimpse of him until Friday, courtesy of a photo taken of him reportedly at a sex-rehab clinic in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Woods may not have sounded totally convincing during his tightly scripted, overly rehearsed, no-questions-allowed “press conference” Friday. But he couldn’t have dressed more perfectly. He wore three simple pieces that as an ensemble helped rather than hurt his cause.

The dark blazer said, “I take this moment and the audience seriously.” Dark colors connote serious occasions. Black and navy convey a high level of respect for an occasion and for those taking part in it.

The gray trousers said, “I’m a stable, respectable professional.” Gray pants are the go-to for working professionals, easy and familiar and versatile. Gray represents longevity and strength, it suggests reliability, and it is associated with intellect, resoluteness, and dignity.

The pale blue, open-collar shirt said, “It’s a new day and everything’s going to be okay.” Blue is the most popular color, universally loved and connoting truth, constancy, peace, and serenity. An open collar is a sign of vulnerability and invites the other to relax.

Of course, the average person doesn’t consciously process such visual cues. They are taken in subconsciously, subliminal suggestions that something is wrong - or, in Woods’ case, right - with this picture.

Had Woods been dressed too casually, he would have risked being perceived as arrogant or unrepentant. He would have come across as too slick had he worn a suit or even a necktie. Polish would have reminded the public of his fame and wealth when all they really wanted to see was themselves - a flawed human being standing in the need of another chance.

And so, Woods wore no prints or patterns. No bold colors or jewelry. Nothing to distract from his words or to suggest that he was taking the situation lightly.

His youthful face, clean-shaven as always, said, “You can believe in me.” Time will tell if his wife - and legions of fans -are willing to do so again.