In Defense of the Spring Fashion Shows from a Non-New Yorker

As we all keep our fingers crossed, hoping that the slight bit of upturn in the economy is the true light at the end of the tunnel, it is interesting to review the shows from New York fashion week. This time last year, many designers chose not to show, feeling like it was somehow un-chic and irrelevant to show an interest in fashion while people were losing their houses. Hermes and Tiffany's actually had customers requesting brown bags for their purchases instead of the customary blue and orange gift boxes that were normally carried with a sense of show and pride.



While there might be a bit of validity to this point, the fact is, fashion has always gotten a bad rap. The New York shows always garner a bit of head-shaking from the rest of the country this time of year, with many questioning how the over-the-top designs and prices really factor into the life of the average person. If you saw the movie 'The Devil Wears Prada', you'll remember that Meryl Streep's character Miranda (based on the real-life Vogue editor Anna Wintour) gave a scathing explanation of this to her new and skeptical assistant. The explanation was based on the trickle-down theory...that what you saw the last few weeks at the fashion shows in New York will eventually end up in some translated or watered-down version in your local mall.



For those of us who enjoy fashion and live outside of New York, there is always some editing and play-down that goes on. Let's face it, most people consider it somehow shallow and silly to put so much emphasis on what one wears. But the fact is, fashion, like sports or art....or any hobby, is just an interest. It isn't a reflection of over-spending, because the most fashionable people are able to accomplish this with very little. It is more matter of smart editing and a little research...So with that being said, to those of you who live it and breath it....who feel your heart skip a beat when you see the new Vogue in your mailbox...here we go....



This year, the designers have returned to their roots. Last year's attempt to play down anything expensive and luxurious has passed. The focus on timelessness and quality was emphasized at most shows. At Dolce & Gabbana, the backdrop to the runway show was a film highlighting the seamstresses and tailors who labored over the clothing at the Milan showroom, a subtle reminder that quality takes effort...and high prices come with a reason.



From Marni to Bottega Veneta to Fendi, there was restraint, but also luxury. Italian houses Cavalli and Ferragamo, boosted by double-digit growth in their stores in the first two months of the year, didn't play down anything, choosing instead to work with high-end mix materials like leather and fur.

Glenda Bailey, Editor-in-Chief for Bazaar magazine, once again gave her Top 5 trends to Saks customers, continuing the savy practice of telling the consumer what is "in", while at the same time giving them the opportunity to 'shop it' immediately. The following are her observations:

1) There is a new romanticism this year...lace, ruffles and pearls. This one is already trickling down...from ruffled trenches and cardigans at JCrew...to faux pearls everywhere. Soft florals showed up at Diane Von Furstenberg's show, instead of her normal geometrics.
For those of us who aren't ruffle-prone, tread carefully here....a few ruffles go a long way...

2) Soft tailoring. Feminine tailoring. My favorite example of this is the drop-dead gorgeous Donna Karan gray 'suit' that you see in an advertisement on the back of every fashion magazine right now. The skirt is a pencil, but with a soft flow and movement. The jacket is brilliant, softly tailored with a tie....this is the opposite of the "power suit". This is the pretty, chic suit, and I absolutely love the soft gray....I hope to see this color trickle down....

3) Lots of color, from bolds to pastels.....I'm hesitant on this one, but this is totally personal. My closet is full of neutrals and black and white. My 'bold' colors tend toward gray, beige...with a bit of turquoise thrown in. But it is always nice to see color in the stores this time of year...

4) New Decoration.....Feathers, sequins, and shimmer. This one has already trickled down....Robert Cavalli, Marc Jacobs and Balmain were a few of the designers to do it on the runway....JCrew ran with it by creating sequinned tanks, dresses and skirts. I love a bit of it...but a little goes a very long way. Sequin head-to-toe never works.

5) Prints. Ok, so far, I haven't noticed major trickle down on this. A few printed shirts at JCrew...a few printed dresses here and there...but stay tuned...

I think the last year has done the opposite of what one might have expected. Instead of highlighting the inexpensive, cheaper offerings like H&M or Target...we seemed to have been reminded that the smarter move is to save...and save...and then splurge. A cashmere sweater might cost 3 times what one could pay for the trendier item...but it will still be in our closet 5 years from now. The knock-off designer lines at Target and H&M, while interesting and reasonably-priced, turned out to be a little disappointing, proving once again that there are no substitutes for well-cut clothes made from quality fabrics. It may look cute on the hanger...but once you try it on, it disappoints. And after one cleaning.....

In the end, fashion is always highly personal, based on taste and preference... and edited by price tag and boldness. For those of us who enjoy it, we read about it and then we try what we like. And it is always...whether you want to admit it or not...a way of expressing ourselves. And in these difficult times, it always brings a smile to my face to see a child in Haiti with a lavender bandanna tied around her head and earrings dangling, because this may not be a 'runway look'...but this is what makes us different and unique....

So until tomorrow, when it looks like the snow, and not the runway, will dictate what I will be wearing....