Ah, New York Fashion Week. I always think that this will be the time that I write the most, since there's just a lot of stuff to write about. Instead, I end up spending all of my time reading other people's writing, flipping through pix on style.com, and then realizing I'm late for my next whatever.
Frankly, I also don't know that I have any better a perspective on the shows in New York than the editors and journalists who are actually there. While I'm terribly happy about the fact that I can review an entire runway's-worth of photos online, I feel that this experience is not even close to that of being near the clothes, seeing them move, and grasping subtle color/texture contrasts that don't come through on the interweb.
But such is my plight. That said, I've had mixed reactions to what I've seen so far. I feel like Marc Jacobs is always able to create a world for his clothes that makes sense. And I think it's brilliant of him to be actively describing the clothes as 'boring', as I heard him do in a Times interview. But that still doesn't make me buy it as a whole. It seemed motivated by change for change's sake than by an idea. And I feel like he's moved the collection away from an American sportswear ideal and closer to things that Pilati has been doing at Yves St. Laurent for longer.
To love or hate Thom Browne, that is the question. I appreciate the spirit of his clothes, and his success at changing the silhouette and cut of a traditional men's suit. And I recognize that there is far less range and freedom in men's design (assuming you want to turn out something that appeals to more people than the D-Squared and Gaultier demographic). But sometimes his runway shows end up more in the vein of Galliano's Dior shows -- basically a bunch of pomp and circumstance and unwearable outfits meant to add allure and caché to the more boring ones you'll see in a store. Some good ideas came out of it (I really really want a pair of dress shorts now). But as much as one might love them, who is going to get away with those thigh-high wool stockings? And let's not even talk about the A-line capes. Still, I think he's still in my 'love' category. But you're warned, mister!
Especially when the alternative is John Bartlett, whose clothes were wearable, but whose first 8 looks reminded me of the Liz Claiborne section of Macy's. Another masstige partnership, perhaps?
Frankly, I also don't know that I have any better a perspective on the shows in New York than the editors and journalists who are actually there. While I'm terribly happy about the fact that I can review an entire runway's-worth of photos online, I feel that this experience is not even close to that of being near the clothes, seeing them move, and grasping subtle color/texture contrasts that don't come through on the interweb.
But such is my plight. That said, I've had mixed reactions to what I've seen so far. I feel like Marc Jacobs is always able to create a world for his clothes that makes sense. And I think it's brilliant of him to be actively describing the clothes as 'boring', as I heard him do in a Times interview. But that still doesn't make me buy it as a whole. It seemed motivated by change for change's sake than by an idea. And I feel like he's moved the collection away from an American sportswear ideal and closer to things that Pilati has been doing at Yves St. Laurent for longer.
To love or hate Thom Browne, that is the question. I appreciate the spirit of his clothes, and his success at changing the silhouette and cut of a traditional men's suit. And I recognize that there is far less range and freedom in men's design (assuming you want to turn out something that appeals to more people than the D-Squared and Gaultier demographic). But sometimes his runway shows end up more in the vein of Galliano's Dior shows -- basically a bunch of pomp and circumstance and unwearable outfits meant to add allure and caché to the more boring ones you'll see in a store. Some good ideas came out of it (I really really want a pair of dress shorts now). But as much as one might love them, who is going to get away with those thigh-high wool stockings? And let's not even talk about the A-line capes. Still, I think he's still in my 'love' category. But you're warned, mister!
Especially when the alternative is John Bartlett, whose clothes were wearable, but whose first 8 looks reminded me of the Liz Claiborne section of Macy's. Another masstige partnership, perhaps?
Liz Claiborne ... or John Bartlett?
Duckie Brown had a little better balance. Some more traditional stuff intermixed with some interesting, yet wearable, items like this yellow draped sweatshirt:
posted by Chris at 10:56 AM
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