Glamorama...

Donna Karan

When it comes to pre-collections I usually find myself appreciating Pre-Fall more than I do Resort. I guess it's because more often than not resort ends up looking a little pre-packaged. Even though the season is meant to provide clothing for the transitional period between winter and summer a lot of designers seem to take the mini-season's name literally, as if every fashion-buying woman drops everything in the dead of winter to make a pilgrimage to a tropical climate. By comparison pre-fall isn't as pre-fab. So far none of the resort collections have made any kind of impact, at least not a positive one. There was a Bardot in St. Tropez themed collection at Chanel (not as much fun as it sounds), a positively cavity-inducing collection of pre-feminist cheese at Dior, and a mixed bag of Saint Laurent references at YSL that I haven't made my mind up about yet.

Donna Karan's collection, on the other hand, I've had no trouble making up my mind about. With a palette of black, silver, white and navy and a predominantly slinky, liable-to-fall-off silhouette it'd be weird if I didn't like it. Granted, it's basically limited to clothes that are strictly after dark, but considering that these clothes will show up in stores when it starts getting dark at around 4:30, I don't think that's such a problem. The first look says it all; black smoking jacket, gray silk wrap skirt and silver chain mail top, straight up glam from head to toe. I've never seen chain mail at Donna Karan before, but it actually makes perfect sense. That stuff drapes and clings like nobody's business, and Ms. Karan should consider playing with it more in the future. I'm picturing the results, and they make me happy. The other looks, from twisted jersey cowls to slouchy silk jacket and pant looks, and even a killer white tailored jumpsuit that was equal parts Marlene Dietrich and Studio 54 were equally glamorous. Let's not even get started on the handful of gowns that were shown. The final draped column in silver lamé is just too gorgeous to bear.

But even though 3/4 of the collection makes perfect sense despite how limited most of the clothes are in practical terms, there were a few looks that left me puzzled, and now that I think about it that happens a lot with Donna's pre-collections. There are always a few looks that don't quite fit, whether it's the style, the color, or the shape, though it's generally some combination of all three. This time around the sore-thumbs ranged from a voluminous opera coat that, in a lurid color combo, would have been right at home on a Lacroix runway, a frothy black circle skirted dance dress, and an icky star print that made it's presence known as a bulky parka and a transparent gown that displayed none of the ease, sensuality or technique that I expect from Donna's draping. They're minor quibbles, but when you're dealing with 25 or so looks, the sore thumbs stand out all the more. Since they're the minority they're easy enough to ignore. I just hope the limpid urban glamour that's the focus here is a preview of what's to come for S/S.

Check out the rest of the collection, including the duds, at Style.com

'Tis the season...

In a way New York Fashion Week is like Christmas; you have to open a bunch of gifts you didn't want and won't use before you get to a good one. That's really the best description I can come up with for it, lot's of filler with some moments of excitement. While that makes looking through the shows annoying, it also makes it possible to review the ones I like all at once.

Donna Karan

Last season Donna Karan presented one of her most perfect collections in years combining glamour and sensuality with modernity and authority...not that that's anything really new for her. She's always been about that. But included in the mix was a nostalgic kind of femininity, something really elegant and pulled together that brought her collection to a whole other level. I was definitely curious to see where she would go for spring. Donna, like many women, has two very different sides to her. One season she goes after the spirit of New York, delivering on the powerful female mantra she laid out in the 80s. The next she's following the Zen path towards serene sensuality with a distinctly Eastern feel. I can't recall a collection where she managed to fully blend her two opposing sides into the same collection...until now.

Inspired by the elements, specifically the sea and the breeze blowing off it, Karan maintained her tailored, hourglass silhouette from fall. The opening look said it all; a chalky gray nipped waist jacket with a wide portrait neckline worn with a simple pencil skirt in a lighter shade of gray. The pieces were typical Donna Karan staples, but with a twist. Below the latex ribbon tied waist on the jacket, random crinkles shaped the upper hips and added texture to the look. As it turned out texture and rippling crinkles would shape up to be the main focus of the collection. There were echoes of last spring's Prada collection in the focus on textured fabric treatments, though here the rumpled effect was used more sparingly and focused on one area of the garment. There was a strapless top in linen with tight crinkled texture at the waist worn over a pencil skirt in fabric that had the texture of crepe paper party streamers. Burlap jackets were left to fray around the edges which gave them the look of tweed. A gorgeous peach blouse reminded me of the dolman sleeved tops she showed last season. From the back though it was cutout to reveal the shoulders, and what appeared to be bat wing sleeves from the front weren't sleeves at all. And a fiery red tube dress with gray trim was shown under a matching sheer textured coat.

From there the collection continued on the way it started, though now the feminine tailoring was punctuated with the occasional soft, ethereal look. A flowy red and gray printed organza skirt which was worn with a simple fitted tank introduced an ethereal, almost balletic feel that balanced out the sexy urban tailoring. There were also chiffon or printed organza wrap dresses, one in an icy gray that was among my favorite pieces in the collection, a fantastic degrade washed leather jacket, softly draped goddess dresses that fell off the shoulder or wrapped tightly around the body, a drop-dead skirt suit in chalky white python and a simple full skirted white cotton shirtwaist-come-cocktail dress. Of course this being a Donna Karan collection there were a number of stunning, effortless looking evening dresses on display. My personal favorites were the asymmetrical white jersey toga with plunging neckline and the fiery red satin column with draped bust. Like I said last season I just don't get why Donna's gowns don't end up on more red carpets. They look like they'd be extremely comfortable, and they're stunningly gorgeous on top of that. Why any starlet would choose a frou-frou bulldozer of a gown over something sleek and sensuous is beyond me.

While I don't think the collection was as perfectly realized as her last (there was the addition of some unfortunate looking chapeaux, a criminal offense imo) it did a pretty good job of picking up where that one left off. And like I said, this collection was a great blend of Donna's two opposing sides. It was completely urbane; chic, sleek and practical, but the soothing grays and beiges combined with the rough textures that appeared throughout gave the collection an earthy quality that, I think anyway, provided a wonderful contrast. Donna's always been telling women that they can be it all - mother, executive, seductress and goddess - and this collection was a good reminder of that.

Marc Jacobs

In a way fashion trends work like a pendulum. At some point the pendulum swings out far enough that the only way it can go is in the other direction. As far as Marc Jacobs is concerned, last season fashion swung as far as it could go in the tough, studded, shoulder-padded, leather legging-ed, mini-skirted 80s redux that has dominated runways for a few seasons now, and the only logical thing to do was something else entirely. His logic isn't entirely off either. Style.com quoted him as saying that "it's not such an individual expression", the it in question being the predominant look of the moment. That would definitely explain his collection for next spring, because it couldn't be farther from what's going on right now. Combining what seemed like miles of swirling, pleated ruffles, lingerie, menswear and a touch of Zandra Rhodes' trippy bohemian spirit - all of which was styled in a bizarrely layered way - Jacobs sent out a collection which he claimed was inspired by the stage. There was a hint of kabuki in the model's whitened face makeup and burgundy bow lips, as well as the modified geta platforms that were worn with every outfit. Some looks were topped with ruffled Pierrot collars, while the layering of others suggested a dancer in rehearsal mode. Dresses in pastel pink or white came smothered in those swirling ruffles with pearl trim, while masculine pinstripe suiting fabric was softened with ruffles edging the lapel or trousers. One jacket in sapphire blue had a huge lamé ruffle forming a bib down the front. It was worn with matching shorts, which were worn over sheer chiffon track pants in a lighter shade of blue. An olive green military jacket was belted under the bust and worn over ruffled hotpants. Vintage-style bras were worn over crisp button downs or knit tops, and pencil skirts cut at mid-calf had mesh girdles built into the waist. There were pastel jacquard ankle length circle skirts, candy striped harem pants, and dresses or outfits in pastel colored plaid with ruffled trim. All of this was just in the first half of the show.

The second half of the show was what interested me more. Those ruffles that had appeared throughout the show were now shown in candy-colored metallic brocades and were used to completely cover some of the garments. Even though the clothes were girly to the point of being ridiculous, there was something almost humorous about them...not surprising given Marc's obsession with subversion. If anyone can make pastel ruffles just a little bit off, it's Marc. There were some beautiful chiffon dresses in pale mint, pink or white with layered hankerchief edges, a black skirt ensemble in a cutout fishscale pattern that was embroidered in sequins and trimmed with ruffles around the shoulders and cuffs, and a dress reminiscent of vintage Paco Rabanne was made of sequined red and burgundy ovals that were linked together. The last look was one of the most traditionally beautiful things in the collection; a white organza dress with delicate black spirals swirling across the bodice and skirt like wisps of smoke.

Honestly, I wish I could say I liked the collection more. I definitely get it, and the fact that it's so different from almost everything that's been going on for a while now is refreshing, but I just don't think this made for one of Marc's most compelling collections. More than anything it just doesn't move me, one way or another. Here's hoping that the Vuitton collection is more convincing.

Rodarte

Probably one of the best things about Rodarte's Spring 2010 collection was the fact that, despite the Mulleavy sisters' references, there was a lot that could be seen in the clothes. This season the sisters concocted a fairy tale about a girl who's burned alive and reincarnated as a condor forced to survive in a barren, apocalyptic world. From that tale though they created looks that called to mind everything from Mel Gibson in "Braveheart" and the warrior queen Boudicca to voodoo shamans and grunge. Every look in the 35 piece collection was shredded, frayed, patched and just generally destroyed to perfection. Given the inspiration the color palette was suitably dark, earthy and strong, ranging from burnt browns and tans, faded burgundy and plum, a few shots of chartreuse and black. Some fabrics were bleached or tie-dyed, while others were printed with a faded tartan and all of them were pieced together in the sisters' signature collage construction. Almost all of the looks were comprised of short dresses, with a few pairs of slashed and zipped cigarette pants thrown into the mix and a finale trio of gowns. Like last season that left me a little frustrated. I totally get the Rodarte aesthetic, and I can totally appreciate their approach to design, but I don't really understand why, for the past few seasons, they've been delivering collections that are comprised almost exclusively of dresses. They've done beautiful separates in the past that were no less special than their fantasy dresses and gowns. Just like last season I'm wondering why they didn't show them on the runway. I know that they have to have made them for retailers, so why not show them? The problem with showing one dress after the other, all of which use similar techniques and fabrics to achieve their effect, is that they appear extremely similar. Instead of noticing the subtle differences between each dress, most people will zero in on the similarities. Take the first three looks; each of them were short, comprised of a streaky tan skirt and a top that mixed gray plaid, a shot of chartreuse and a bit of mauvey tie-dye. Each of them was draped differently, but because they were shown one after the other they looked more similar than they did unique. The collection moved from those first mini dresses through to woven or crocheted patchwork tunics with fringe dragging on the floor, tops pieced together with thick bands of black separating each fabric, pieces made from swirling bands of leather with bits of skin peeking through, and finally a series of black dresses and gowns. If Rodarte's swirling, draped gowns with transparency on the torso have had an ethereal quality in the past, the ones shown this season were more menacing than goddess-like...not that that's a bad thing.

While the collection didn't disappoint me, I am reaching a point where I'd like to see something else from Laura and Kate. Don't get me wrong, I love what they do and I love their twisted view of femininity, but I think they're kind of selling themselves short by focusing on one very specific thing and reinterpreting it with each collection. Also, I want to see more of their separates front and center. Take their S/S 2008 Anime collection, which was really where they started exploring this more artistic approach to designing and was the collection that introduced both their streaky handpainted fabrics and cobwebby knits. But there was quite a bit of variety in the clothes, as well as in the fabrics and colors. I'm starting to miss that. I'm almost positive that if this collection had been shown last year I'd be over the moon for it, but since things are getting a little routine in Rodarte's alternate universe I think it's time to move forward.

Vera Wang

Vera Wang is one designer who I've always liked but never really loved. It's like, I can see where she's coming from and I find the results really beautiful, but it's never really been my thing...until now. I'm not sure what she did differently for Spring Summer 2010, but the things she's become known for came together in a completely fresh way. For the first time her collection was imbued with a bit of an edge, and that edge did the clothes a world of good. Working mainly in black and shades of gray with a few pieces in a periwinkle print, the overall look of the collection was ornate but worn with a street sensibility; think a black draped dress with a capelike sleeve worn with a chunky necklace and wicked black platform sandals, or a silver crinkled halter top paired with a puff of black tulle for the skirt worn with a jeweled chain belt slung around the hips. A crinkled black jacket was paired with a white blouse and black origami-folded mini skirt with an asymmetric hem. The look was very Vera, but with an almost goth feel to it that felt completely new for her.

One of my favorite looks was a dark navy sleeveless wrap tunic with tuxedo lapel worn over matching pajama pants. It would make such a sexy evening option for the artsy type who likes her elegance to be slightly askew. Overall the embellishment was kept to a minimum, which could be why this collection felt more hip than any of her past collections. The only real embellishment was the incredible jewelry done in collaboration with Philip Crangi. Seriously, from the dangling bibs of beaded spiderwebs to the chunky crystal flowers suspended from chain cuffs, the jewelry was to die for. Other than that though the only decoration on the clothes was the texture, swirls of tight pleating across a skirt, densely packed tulle ruffles covering the front of a mini dress, or a shoulder outlined with mongolian lamb fur.

Oddly enough what made this collection stand out for Vera was it's restraint. By streamlining the clothes, minimizing the details and condensing the lineup she really seemed to pull everything together better than she has in the past. The clothes also had a more youthful, sexy spirit which, balanced with the dark romance, feels contemporary. Sure, most of the clothes are in black or putty gray, but since so many other designers this spring and every spring douse their collections in super-bright color, I say that this collection is a welcome relief for the retinas.

Proenza Schouler

If Vera Wang's collection offered some relief from all things neon, the Proenza Schouler boys seemed to revel in it. Added to the intensely bright color were bold tropical prints, tie-dye and megawatt sequin embellishment. In type it sounds like the kind of thing that I'd hate on principle alone, but for some reason I have yet to figure out, I really liked it. The silhouette throughout was short, save for the two pants looks they showed. Some of the first looks paired sporty button down shirts with draped skirts that looked like jackets or sweatshirts if they were tied around the waist. There were two great shifts, one in cobalt and one in turquoise, that wrapped asymmetrically and buckled low on the hips. Shirtdresses in crisp white or tropical blue tie-dye had extended button plackets as if there was a second shirt wrapped around the bottom, and were shown layered over black and white tie-dye knits. There were a few intensely tie-dyed mini dresses with angular layered hems that had feather shaped paillettes peeking out from underneath. I have to say, I really like the clash of the casualness of a tie-dye tank top with the glitz of the sequins.

After those tie-dyed dresses was when they turned the color, print and sparkle up to 11. Tank dresses were beaded with iridescent bugle beads, trimmed with those feather paillettes and finished off with a bit of black chain mail. Tent dresses in purple or green came trimmed in a patchwork of beading, sequins and feathers that formed a print-like effect against the fabric. One of my favorite looks was a cobalt long sleeve top that looked a bit like a rash guard which was tucked into a jungle green beaded skirt. It was glammy and totally party ready, but just like with those tie-dye dresses it had a casual athleticism that worked as a perfect contrast to the sparkle. After a few looks that combined bikini tops with feather embroidered full skirts which I didn't really love, the boys sent out stiff silk mini shifts in multicolor prints that had the look of tropical fish. Some had ostrich feathers peeking out of the hems, others had plastic sequin fringe on the straps. The prints were absolutely incredible, and coming from someone who doesn't really like print or bright color, that's saying something.

Like I said, I have no idea why I like this collection as much as I do. Don't get me wrong, I've always appreciated Proenza collections, but I don't know that I've ever really loved one. I think it might be that this one is more over the top than their past collections, more fun and brash...I'm not sure. One thing's for certain though, if I were a skinny, leggy 20-something with a big enough credit line I would be all over those dresses.

all photos from Style.com

Brace yourselves...

Even though the Fall Winter 2009/2010 season has been under way since this past weekend, yesterday marked the beginning of the big New York shows, the shows that people wait up all night to see pictures and video of, the shows that serve as the unofficial start of the season on a broader scale, and the shows which...well....matter. Monday brought out collections from not one, but two heavy hitters, Donna Karan with her signature collection and Marc Jacobs with his. That's pretty much where the similarities end however since their collections, as per usual, couldn't have been more different.

Donna Karan

For me Donna Karan's collections are always among the few I anticipate seeing during New York Fashion Week. Even when she's resting on her laurels, and she's got plenty of them to rest on, she still manages to make feminine, sensual, chic clothes for feminine, sensual, chic women. You'd have to be crazy not to at least appreciate that she knows how to flatter a woman's body in ways that few of her male counterparts can. And it is admirable that her clothes usually seem aimed at grown women with less that perfect model physiques. On a personal note, I just think the woman is a master, or rather mistress, of draping. She creates dresses so fluid, so slinky and cut with just the right amount of skin on display that it's a wonder her gowns don't see more of the red-carpet. All of those actresses in their cliched mermaid gowns with rigid bustiers and diamonds pouring out their ears could learn a thing or twelve from the Queen of 7th Ave on how to look sexy and be comfortable at the same time. On top of having an amazing eye and hand for draping, she makes it look easy. Her gowns and dresses look like the fabric just sort of fell onto the body that way and is just barely staying in place. As someone who has seen her runway pieces up close however, I couldn't even begin to tell you how they're constructed, it's that complex. But you'd never know it looking at the clothes, they just sort of hang there perfectly on the hanger. So what if she's one of those designers who doesn't always give the world something new? If it looks that good, who needs newness? Her Spring Summer 09 collection was very fluid, very easy and it had a youthful, sporty feel to it even though the clothes were signature Donna. For Pre-Fall all signs indicated that she would be going more structured, more polished and more tough than is usually the case for her with shorter hemlines, thigh revealing slits and very fitted shapes. It's not always the case that a Pre-Fall collection is a good indication of what's to come, but in this case, it was actually pretty close.

For Fall/Winter 2009 Donna went for grown up sophistication that was one part 40's, one part 80's and one part now. The silhouette was almost always very long, lean in the bottom half with draped or tailored pencil skirts cut below the knee or to mid-thigh. Some of the draped versions wrapped in the back and while the models walked, a slit opened up to reveal a bit of leg (such a sexy touch, very seductive). The top half had a bit more volume to it, though the waist was always in focus. Karan caught onto the shoulder-pad trend that has been literally everywhere for what seems like an eternity (but in reality is only one or two seasons) and showed that, despite the popular belief that they're a tragic relic of the 80's that should never be brought back, they can actually look totally right for the here and now. Sharply tailored jackets and coats had a strong shoulder line, some with over-sized portrait collars that spread open over the decollete to show off the huge necklaces some of the girls were wearing, others with cowl necklines in fur. With some of these looks she put fur half-sleeves over the arm of the jacket, which I actually think was a great touch. It kept those looks from being too elegant since the fur had a sort of raw quality. But some of the most gorgeous things had to be the very softly draped, high neck, dolman sleeved tops in jersey. Karan draped them on a shoulder pad, which not only created a beautiful line, but gave a nice bit of structure to a top that otherwise would have been fairly shapeless. But the best part? The split running down the spine in the back. So subtle, but so sexy.

In the dress department, Karan didn't disappoint either. One of my favorites was a fluid high necked number in a really deep brown charmeuse worn with a leather belt at the waist. It was so simple and just looked, I hate to use such a banal word so many times in one review, but it looked chic. Of course this being a Donna Karan collection the best dresses were saved for last. A gorgeous gray number with a slash neck, dolman sleeves and draping coming off of one of the shoulder pads looked gorgeous from the front, and even better from the back. It went into a deep V and had a swag that draped into a train. Another stunner, in that same deep-brown-almost-prune color featured a softly draped cowl, long sleeves with cut out cold shoulders (a Karan signature) and flowing train that unfortunately must have gotten a little tangled on Jourdan Dunn's foot. But if you're not really planning on strutting a runway, then it's a gorgeous evening option. The last two looks featured strapless tops with flattened fan pleating spread out across the bust and hips and belted at the waist worn over simple fishtail skirts. The looks were gorgeous, but the color combinations were a little off to me. One paired a cognac top with a black skirt and the other paired a black top with that gorgeous deep brown. Were it me I might have paired the cognac top with the brown skirt and the black top with the black skirt...but it's a minor complaint on my part. All this time as the girls came out, a live pianist was accompanying the procession with renditions of Mr. Brightside by The Killers and Going Under by Evanescence (at least I think, still not too sure about that one). The choice in music really added to the elegance of the collection, and I imagine it must have been a nice change of pace for those in the audience who are normally subjected to remixes of the same songs that happen to be popular at the moment.

All in all, a really beautiful collection. It kind of made me think of Cukor's "The Women", a very glamorous, independent urban females looking fabulous at all times kind of spirit. Even though I would have hemmed some of the skirts a bit shorter, changed some of the shoes to something more streamlined and switched up those last two evening looks, it was still very beautiful and contained plenty of gorgeous pieces. So maybe I am a little disappointed that she didn't completely stay with the sharp, aggressive and youthful mood she captured for Pre-Fall, but I can at least say that I like the collection, particularly after seeing it in motion.

Marc Jacobs

Alright, so it may be a little early, but I'm gonna call it anyway. The most fun collection of the week is bound to be Marc Jacobs. For sheer ridiculous, silly, giddy, loud, in your face fashion, I doubt if Jacobs can be beat. For next fall he sent out a collection so trashy, so over the top and so-bad-it's-good that I kind of can't help but love it. It's like, cerebrally I know I shouldn't like it because it contains so much of what I've been hating about fashion for some time now, but I just can't help it, it's too infectious. Jacobs claimed that he was thinking about that time in the Mid-80's when the cool kids of Manhattan would dress to the nines, kill off the ozone layer with hair product and lacquer their faces with enough makeup to make most modern day drag queens look tasteful. Unusual for Jacobs his references were right out there for everyone to see. That got me thinking right there. He's one of those designers that is not only very vague about any specific references he was playing with, he's also very good at blending them. So the fact that his references were A) completely obvious and B) focused on something very specific is pretty significant. Clearly this collection was coming from the heart and he really didn't care what anyone thinks of it.

Some of the concerns (or rather complaints) I was seeing on the Fashion Spot, besides the obvious hatred of how retro and kitschy the collection was, was how out of touch with the times it is. It's no secret, everyone's going broke, some more quickly than others, and here Jacobs sent out a collection of extremely trendy, of-the-moment clothes when the commonly held belief is that safe, investment clothing is the right way to go right now. I beg to differ. I actually think Jacobs was smart not to go the route that so many designers undoubtably will this season. I don't claim to be some sort of expert when it comes to fashion buying, but my thinking is that the pieces that sit there on the rack and call to someone like any other guilty pleasure are the pieces that people will really want. It's no different than downing one too many drinks, eating junk food or having hot sex with the hot ex, they're all things that are triggered by some form of desire, and even though the voice in the back of your head tells you you shouldn't be doing it, you do it anyway. The decision you make isn't cerebral, and that's what is going to sell clothing in this economy.

Since my main concern isn't the economics of fashion, back to the collection. Let's start with color; every shade of super-bright day-glo marker you can imagine, Barbie pink, canary yellow, Kelly green, chemical blue, violet, gold and red all put in appearances, many in a single look. Fabrics as well were equally varied, wool, shiny velvet, taffeta, alpaca, lace, satin, lame, brocade, cashmere, all that and more. The show started out safe-ish, with gray punk inspired threads. The first look was an oversized cardigan lashed with zippers around the neckline that had a scarf pulled through one side was paired with pants that were simple in front, but had a half-kilt (Marc's wardrobe staple of choice lately) in the back. Then came an oversized sweater dress with the a zipper across the shoulder worn over patterned tights. And so out marched Marc Jacobs' gang of party people. A semi-transparent dress was covered with tiny circular mirrors that looked like studs from a distance, another combined tarty black lace with silk satin that was embellished with little round beads. A blood red sequined top was worn with a black, white and red striped pouf skirt and another dress was made of navy strips of satin that were falling apart to show off the pink underlayer. Just when you thought he was going to stay with the vaguely punky mood, he sent out some more glamor-tinged stuff. A yellow velvet top had a wavy off the shoulder neckline and was worn with gray tapered trousers and Guy Bourdin makeup. A minidress on Stam featured a similar neckline, just exaggerated to form some sort of yellow flower around the shoulders.

After this came the full on retinal assault of colors. A chemical blue jacket with cape sleeves had black piping around the edges and was worn with a velvet mini skirt in a darker shade of blue. A pink coat had shoulders that defy description, but let's just say they make Martin Margiela's of two years ago look tame by comparison. And so it went, a bright yellow coat/poncho hybrid, a green coat over a pink minidress, a purple hoodie dress over printed tights, an astrkhan poncho over green tapered pants, sweaters with boning in the waist, ruched taffeta party dresses in pink, plum and olive green, some with a zipper at the waist creating a ruched effect, multi-colored brocade jackets, stiff bubble shaped skirts in a blown up wallpaper pattern, and finally a black and white graphic print dress with poofy sleeves and skirt.

It was an insane parade of looks. No two were exactly the same, and from start to finish it didn't seem like there was one real flow to it. Besides the clear inspiration from the 80's, there wasn't a connecting thread from look #1 to look #60, and I actually think that was the point. Each one of the 60 models had a different hair and makeup look, and it really wouldn't be fair to talk about this show without mentioning the hair and makeup. There were huge pompadours, fried out perms, faux-hawks, crimped bobs, waves and spikes. Some girls even wore Flock of Seagulls inspired looks. And the makeup was just as eclectic, from heavy neon eyeshadow painted in wings across the eyes, blush that went from the forehead to the cheek, frosted blue, silver and purple lipstick, from Siouxsie Sioux to Debbie Harry and even Grace Jones, all of the icons of that era were represented. There was even one model made up to look like Tina Chow. Clearly Jacobs wanted each one of the models to look like an individual and wanted the whole show to be about different personalities, lot's of different people expressing themselves through style. So even if he didn't mean for the collection to feel a bit scattered and unfocused, I don't think it suffered because of that, in fact, it's probably what really made the collection.

Overall this wasn't his best collection in terms of originality or beauty, but I still love it despite that. I have a feeling a lot of people will be comparing it to last season's show, but as much as I loved that collection, I really don't think it's fair to compare the two. They're coming from two completely different places. It'd be like comparing Roberto Cavalli and Rick Owens (that's the fashion equivalent of apples and oranges). I also think a lot of people will look at this and immediately see costumes or retro fashions, and in truth the full looks are costumes, but if you zero in on the pieces, a bright wool overcoat, those fabulous zippered sweaters, a fun little party dress, the pants with the half-kilts, it really isn't so unwearable or even all that literally 80's. I mean yeah, the big shoulders are insane looking, but they don't make up the entire collection. And these pieces will no doubt be offered in more colors than just the neon that Jacobs showed on the runway. So really, what you're left with is fun, upbeat, vibrant clothes that would certainly lift the spirits of anyone wearing them come fall. But more than the clothes I really just love the spirit of this. It's so obvious that Marc and his team were having fun and wanted everyone else to as well. And when you compare this show to a lot of the other 80's inspired fashion that's been everywhere, this seems truly nostalgic, nostalgic for a time when fun reigned supreme and fashion wasn't burdened by worries of whether or not it would sell.

Check out the video. It's bound to put you in a good mood, for 10 minutes at least.


All photos from Style.com

Donna Karan Pre-Fall 2009

So, along with frigid temperatures (where I live anyway), having to hear the same mind-numbing Christmas music in any store you step into and stressing about what gifts to get for the people on your list, this is the time of year when designers unveil their Pre-Fall collections. In a nutshell, Pre-Fall is what arrives in stores earliest for the Fall/Winter shopping season. It's the precursor to the more expensive and experimental runway collection and in recent years, along with the Cruise/Resort collections shown in early summer, has become increasingly more important to buyers. As such it's earned it's own little mini season where most major designers do showroom presentations for press and buyers, and some, like Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel and Zac Posen mount full scale shows.

But that's not really what matters. What matters is that the Pre-Fall collections serve as an appetizer to the hordes of ravenous runway watching fans to tide them over until the main course begins in February. The couture collections shown in January don't really count since couture is in a realm all it's own, on a whole other plateau of excitement. Pre-fall can sometimes offer a glimpse of where a designer will go with their runway collections, usually in it's distilled form, and if the Donna Karan pre-fall collection is any indication, I can't wait until Feb.

Working almost exclusively in a palette of black and various shades of red, Karan hardened up the soft tailoring and fluid draping she's so well known for to create a look that was a bit more aggressive and sharp than what one can normally expect from the Queen of 7th Ave. The silhouette was almost always very fitted, and many of the looks utilized a belt to anchor the shape at the waist. When she did infuse some drape into the design, it was kept close to the body and fairly minimal, as in a black knee-length dress with one drape across the front that flows naturally into the body of the dress.

Paired with sheer black hosiery, geometric jewelry and sharp looking pumps or booties, the look had a cool, severe sexiness to it, a nod to the 80's power woman that Karan championed in her early career, but without any overt references to the 80's. There was one detail that stood out among the fairly classic, clean pieces shown and that was oversized folds of fabric that fell in zig-zags down the front of some of the dresses. One in particular, a short, black sleeveless version with a jewel neck and an asymmetrical slit in front, was the best piece in the collection, and one of the sexiest LBD's I've seen since Balenciaga's now ubiquitous trio shown last winter as far as I'm concerned. It was signature Donna, but with a youthful edginess to it that I wouldn't normally associate with her work.

This being a DK collection, there had to be some of her signature Greco-Roman column gowns on display, but for some unknown reason, she veered from her restricted color palette showing one in sapphire blue, one in raspberry and one in a strange graphic print. It was honestly quite jarring after seeing the black, charcoal and reds against the stark white background of the photographs, and I think that, as a collection at least, it would have been much better had those two dresses either been edited out or shown in black or red. As they are, they're completely out of left field, it's not even like the colors compliment the rest of the looks. They just don't go.

Overall though it was a promising look at what's to come when Fashion Week rolls around. Here's hoping Karan sticks to her guns.