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New York Fashion Week – Spring 2008 RTW
Dresses continue to rule the runways for spring. Shown short and flirty or long and ruffled, dresses are the season’s staple. Driving home the point, Proenza Schouler sent only one pair of pants down the runway, and Diane on Furstenberg offered numerous dress styles.The palette this season is neutral and black with yellow, red and blue muted accents. Gold was also on display, but we are not seeing the same metallic trend that prevailed last season.
Diane von Furstenberg
The main tent at Bryant Park was teeming with DvF fans Saturday night, all of whom wanted to see the latest versions of her signature wrap dress. The designer gave them some of what they wanted in a yellow and blue print wrap and a gold shimmery version, but more interestingly, she showed an evolution of dresses. From a voluptuous, full-length black sheath with a tiny neck strap to a short, sheer printed version with a long, ruffled train, DvF offered dresses for every exotic escape.Other vacation looks included loose, light weight pants and flowing, printed tops, or a blue V-neck tunic dress with matching head scarf and sandals.
3.1 Philip Lim
Lim showed a sleek collection of evening dresses and elegant day wear in neutrals accented by canary yellow, muted red and navy. His short dresses stole the show, such as the black belted number with a gold panel placed over the front. A skin-hued dress with rows of ruffled panels brought back a ‘30s feel, as did a yellow sheath with a gold and silver chain detailed neckline. Two-tone satin dresses featured a red collar of lace material, or an entire panel in cream.Lim also showed menswear, such as a neutral short suit with gladiator sandals and red pants, worn low and cuffed at the ankle, in a very clean, casual style.
Proenza Schouler
Short dresses and belts are the look of Proenza Schouler’s spring season. In fact, only one pair of pants was shown on the runway. They shorter and more cinched the dresses were, the better. Vests and military details, such as double rows of buttons and epaulets, also played an important role. The palette was gray, black and gold, and the designers played with black and cream stripes on jackets and tops.Wrap coats were belted and shown with short, flirty skirts, and heels were strappy or classic and peep-toed.
Ralph Lauren
To celebrate his 40th anniversary in fashion Ralph Lauren put on a runway show to beat all runways shows. The designer drew on his rich archive of looks to create a collection of classic and timeless pieces almost entirely in black and white, with shots of violet, yellow and muted green. Lauren’s refined taste resulted in some beautiful dresses, sleek at the top and flowering into a trail of ruffles, or sleeveless and cut above the knee. Both pant suits and dresses were given a day in the country feel, with cropped riding jackets and top hats. There were many masculine pieces, such as jodhpurs, vests and ties but the cuts emphasized the female body with gathered shoulders and generous hips.Near the end, Lauren released his tailored restraint, showing ruffled, flowered frocks in pastel yellow and pinks with black gloves. The whole show could be summed up as dressy and dramatic in Lauren’s very American style.
Y-3
For spring, Yohji Yamamoto added primary colors to his usually all-black palette. A bright red asymmetrical skirt, a yellow track suit top and Kelly green sweat pants could have been average if they didn’t have that certain Yohji twist. The sweat pants came with seams and gathered ankles – the first ever dress sweats?The designer then moved to more familiar territory with slightly oversized monotone pieces made remarkable by unusual shapes and proportions. A black, cowl neck sweatshirt dress featured white stripes along one side and was matched with black and white striped knee-length boots. Silver metallic vests, shown shortened or at average length, added sheen to matte pieces. Overall the collection was what we have come to expect from Yamamoto’s Adidas collaboration: chic sportiness with a dark attitude.