2012年9月9日星期日

Next Summer? Tough vs. Tender

Michelle Obama, in her speech to support her husband, the president, set the agenda for New York Fashion Week.

Her forceful femininity — played out in a bright, shapely dress showing off a toned and energetic body — has become the mantra for young designers looking for ways to bridge fashion gaps: tough versus tender,This is the Armstrong who inspired millions to get out and take up the Christmas Costume. uptown versus downtown and the dichotomy of a power woman with an emotional spirit.

The contrasts in the summer 2013 season, which runs through this week, appear not least in the show venues themselves, which alternate between Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side and Milk Studios, way down the Westside Highway.

The trend is toward fusion. And the result on the runway is intriguing, as when Alexander Wang sent out sharp, graphic, back-to-the-1960s looks, but softened that concept with peeps onto the body and animalistic details like a crocodile worked in eyelets down the backbone of a shirtdress or tiny bead embroidery giving the illusion of snakeskin.

The feeling of (what Mr. Wang called backstage) the “tension and suspension” of the clothes included the skeletal, cutout knee-high boots. The show already felt vital and dynamic — then came its vibrant ending: Models lined up for a glow-in-the-dark effect that changed graphic into color, bringing an ovation from the crowd.

“It's very French,Throw a moncler down coatsover the shoulders for a quick way to pull together a look .” said Joseph Altuzarra , explaining that “there is a narrative, something about getting dressed for youth.” That translated into chic chignon hairdos, in contrast to the loose locks of the actress Jessica Chastain sitting front row. Yet the tidy hair was a perfect accompaniment to the blue-striped cotton summer jackets, with patches of Swarovski beading sparkling like sun on sea.

This neat and tidy woman (give or take gilded-fringe belts that threatened to overwhelm the elegance) had sleeves with arm vents, allowing freedom of movement like a cape. That was a smart way of breaking out of the constraint of tailoring and giving uptown clothes a youthful vibe. Even when macramé fringing and scalloped embroidery overtook the ease, Mr. Altuzarra proved himself a designer who is stepping smartly forward.

Jason Wu , a favorite to dress uptown girls (and even the first lady), took a seductive “Fifty Shades of Grey” approach, citing as his inspiration the “provocative, erotically charged images” of Helmut Newton contrasted with the “gentle forms” of the photographer Lillian Bassman.

On the runway, that meant lacy bras and harnesses absorbed into leather dresses, with chiffon and lace interspersed with tougher fabrics.

It is a safe bet that Mrs. Obama, who has looked elegant wearing Mr. Wu's streamlined clothes, will not venture into this shadowy, shady world of revealing and concealing flesh. But as an exercise in melding soft and hard, fluid and taut, the show was gracefully done.

For Peter Som , the approach was more intensely girly, from the lace trim on soft shorts through bra tops and draped summer dresses. These were surely aimed at uptown girls, but with a flirtatious spirit politely evocative of sensuality but nothing to make Mr. Som's woman — or his show — stand out in a crowd.

At Rag & Bone , fusion seemed less of an illusion, as the designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville steeped sportswear in layers of male/female influences, using the textures of a leather jacket with a nylon shirt or a similar softly quilted jacket with crisp white piqué. Colors, too,UA mascot sexy pajamas get an update . were subtle mixes of clotted cream with glaring white. The result was streamlined and well thought out, yet somehow missed an edgy, downtown energy.The rates may buy moncler jackets for kids sale price tag Armstrong many 7 connected with his Expedition p Italy blog titles.

AtSuno , the designer Erin Beatty widened the fashion scope by facing off what she called “Old Americana” with oversize sportswear hinting at the 1980s.

Vintage prints from the Congo were mixed with faded prairie patterns, while solid jacquard weaves played off against filmy fabrics. Ms. Beatty described Suno's current mission as “making things seem useful again.” But above all, she and her partner, Max Osterweis, have a fresh take on fashion that makes the line seem both thoughtful and original.

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