Playing it loose

At the conclusion of New York fashion week, it became apparent which trends were frontrunners for spring 2009. Be prepared for jumpers, louche silhouettes, harem pants and playful prints to make their way to a shop near you come March.

Marchesa

There’s something to be said about Marchesa. Their floaty, frothy gowns never get old. Georgina Chapman knows how to do one thing and she does it right. Models, garbed in goddess dresses and tulle confections, posed gracefully atop ivory boxes, preening in front of an admiring crowd. Which is precisely what A-list actresses will be doing once they hit the red carpet in their Oscar-ready Marchesa frocks.

Peter Som

Riffing on the cinched waist displayed at last season’s Proenza Schouler runway, Som sent down a few khaki numbers wrapped and tied with a brown leather belt. One fetching romper looked sassy and safari-ready, while delicate prints on loose, full skirts were replete with a sense of romanticism. A few abbreviated skirts and body-con silhouettes gave the collection the zing it needed to keep it young. One thing is clear: Som likes it hot.

Zac Posen

A little hot cha-cha samba went a long way at the Zac Posen show. The young designer sent out animal-print floor-sweeping dresses with plunging necklines, a ruched strapless confection with a ruffled trail set in the back sweeping from neckline to hem, a cutout skirt paired with a wrap top and a lamé minidress. Aside from the spotlight-required frocks, Posen proved that more is more by showing fitted dresses jangling with heavy embellishment in the form of plastic and metal fringe. The softer pieces, like a canary sleeveless dress with a kerchief hem, while not quite as va-va-voom as the rest, resonated more with people who’ve looked to Posen for some wearable pieces with a youthful zest.

Vera Wang

The takeaway message from Vera Wang’s show was all about lightness. Sheer gazar overlapped dresses in whisper-thin slips added a fairytale edge to the collection. Ornate, crystal-beaded collars and cameo jewelry by Janis Savitt provided a nice balance to the showing.

Philosophy

Military meets Marrakech was Alberta Ferreti’s take on spring 2008. Camouflage-colored separates and brilliant Indian prints made up most of the show. Muted shades of mustard, cornflower and peach juxtaposed with vivid red and white prints. In between the cropped pants and army green skirts were navy pant suits, ‘40s-style dresses and filmy maxi dresses. All in all, not a bad showing.

Reem Akra

Here’s a designer unafraid of dipping into the more vibrant-hued section of the Pantone color wheel. Akra’s selection of gowns, tunics and pantsuits were either coated in a mad, Technicolor mix or laced with gold or silver. A few over-embellished items no doubt caused more than one immaculately manicured eyebrow to arch condescendingly as a brocade dress with appliqués lining the neck wended its way down the runway, but the rest of the exuberant lot should provide shoppers with a fresh, colorful perspective once the clothes hit the retail floor.

Donna Karan

Instead of plated vests and hard edges, the woman of the future will come equipped with a wardrobe made of subtle, louche dresses with a splash of metal decorating her collar or hem. At least, that appears to be what Karan has envisioned for the modern woman — and, as auguries go, this one certainly looks good. Her luxe take on dressing — easy-to-wear, figure-flattering and low-maintenance — makes every woman wish the future would stop taking its sweet time and happen, oh, right about now.

Ralph Lauren

It must be safari season for many. Lauren’s exhaustive trip down memory lane, or at least a partial viewing of Meryl Streep’s Out of Africa, must’ve been the designer’s impetus for his khaki-laden runway. Linen, crisp cotton and lots of gold infused the travel-ready collection, which made use of long, loose silhouettes and the de rigueur harem pants.

Ralph Rucci

Rosario Dawson’s well-endowed assets imprisoned in the much-too-tight emerald Prada dress aren’t the only heaving bosoms on display. Ralph Rucci’s spring offerings included restrained dresses in black and white. One black frock with a sheer top consisting of black overlay stripes boasted a heaving, semi-flattened bosom. It’s every modern (wannabe Victorian) woman’s dream come true. Jewel-toned cocktail dresses in metallic fabric and long gowns showed off Rucci’s deft tailoring. Nothing to write home about, but pretty nonetheless.

Richard Chai

Masterfully melding the masculine and feminine, Chai mixed loose-cuffed trousers (a major trend for the season) with loose sheer tops. Thrown into the mix were sporty sequined dresses — a party staple if I’ve ever seen one — floaty frocks, body-conscious dresses in vibrant prints and a sweet floor-length sheer dress with cream-colored zigzagging seams covering the bodice tossed over what appeared to be a sequined-covered tank dress. Chai’s savvy set shows that spring season isn’t all about garden parties and tea sets. A boyish edge mixed with a light, feminine touch is all it takes to brazen out the most whimsical of seasons.

Michael Kors

Classic American sportswear in primary hues. Kors didn’t reinvent the wheel on this one — that retooled tracksuit not included — but some people should find favor with his clean-cut dresses, brand-spanking-new swimwear seemingly inspired by Mad Men and boldly-patterned (i.e. prints and polka dots) separates.

Tory Burch

What would happen if Blair Waldorf left the confines of her Upper East Manhattan neighborhood and set out on an African journey? A posh resort in Africa, but Africa nonetheless? You’d get Burch’s uptown girl goes on safari collection. The designer, inspired by the gardens of Italy, France and Marrakech, proved that her signature preppy style translates to locales outside of her posh suburb.

Calvin Klein

The Volvo of spring fashion week, Francisco Costa’s cubist imagination turned boxy reality combine to create 3D square pleats that jutted away from the body. After last season’s sleek, minimal folds, this spring offering appears to be Costa’s attempt to think out of the box. Too bad the results appear to be more appropriate for an installation than the female figure.

Doo.ri

Doo.ri Chung’s minimal attempts at a slouchy silhouette for spring paid off with jersey separates that look sleek despite some aerated additions to the shape. Tie-front blouses paired with paneled skirts and fringed frocks looked sexy without being overt. Chung’s played this theme over numerous seasons but this collection looked light and lovely to me. 

Oscar dela Renta

The sand, surf and gardens took center stage this spring with coral-laden necklaces and fish-dotted bags and accessories. Floral mermaid gowns were aplenty. The designer’s signature staples were present: strapless, full-skirted gowns, long chic sheathes and trim separates. Except for the appearance of a couple maillots, everything at dela Renta was much the same: classic, timeless and rich. Oh, so rich.

Anna Sui

It was a riot of color on the Anna Sui runway as the American designer sent out a slew of looks that appeared to be influenced by locales as disparate as Spain (a bolero straight off the matador’s back), Sweden (a Swiss miss maiden ready to tromp through the Alps) and Mexico (a sombrero and folk art-inspired prints). Sui provided us with a first-class ticket to the most exotic hotspots in the world in just one collection.

J. Mendel

Based on his presentation at New York fashion week, Gilles Mendel deserves a reputation that far exceeds his current one. Beautifully draped dresses, with tiny pleats and folds that draped magically to the floor, are evidence of his talents as a master craftsman. Inspired by Christopher Beane, a photographer who favors flora and fauna as subjects, the vivid hues and wilting, close-to-the-body silhouettes and immaculate tailoring drew rave reviews. Mendel’s exquisitely-detailed dresses are some of the freshest pieces to come out of the spring shows.

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Watch out for YStyle’s take on London and Milan fashion week next Friday.