Upon arrival to the SAUNDER fashion show, it was clear this was going to be interesting. A detective-like character sat at a desk in the middle of the runway—smoking cigarettes, shuffling through papers, looking at rolls of film, kicked his feet back to rest on the desk, etc.—making no acknowledgement of the people taking photos around him. It all tied together once the models started the actual show.
SAUNDER held her Fall/Winter 2014 fashion show at the gorgeous Highline Hotel during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Inspired by the 1980’s miniseries on BBC, “The Singing Detective,” the designer incorporated an overlap of film noir style with a 1980’s London aesthetic. Both the color palette and geometric details reference this decade. Some of the cardigans and cigarette details give a nod to legendary designer, Elsa Schiaparelli. The line was unique and fresh, with a vintage twist. Loved it!
When it comes to fashion presentations during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the new venue, The Hub at the Hudson Hotel, you never know what to expect. It is much less predictable than a traditional runway show. Will the models be walking around, standing, putting on a performance? I entered the room and encountered a bedazzled room inspired by international royalty in the film, “The Sheik.”
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Alon Livne has worked his way up from European luxury brand designing, to become one of the most prestigious young fashion designers in Israel with his eponymous fashion brand. The line consisted of intricate hand-embroidered pieces, loose flowing silk garments, and Swarovski crystal headpieces. Some of the pieces were pretty bazaar, but red-carpet worthy for clients of his like Beyonce and Lady Gaga. At one point during the presentation Paris Hilton arrived and snapped photos with her friend, the designer himself. What are your thoughts on the headpieces?
One of the greatest opportunities at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is discovering new designers. It’s like finding a hidden treasure and being able to share it with your friends. Such a win! This season I was lucky to be able to discover many new, talented designers and brands. Let me give you the rundown of some of my favorites.
Georgine
Photos by John Aquino, on WWD
Immediately after the show I wanted to buy literally EVERY piece in Georgine’s collection. It was stunning. Think old Hollywood glamour meets 2014. Leather dresses, leather leggings, and leather skirts. Yes, please! I am loving the leather trend. It was sophisticated, sexy and seductive. The luxurious pieces, over-sized cashmere coats included, were perfectly tailored and flattering.
Meskita
Photos by Blaire Brown
Designer Alessandra Meskita brought the most innovative and forward-thinking show that I’ve been to in a long time. At first I was skeptical of her many looks that included neoprene. Neoprene is the material used on wetsuits, in case you’re not a textile major. I was wrong. Look after look (42 looks, to be exact) came down the runway with a chic, glamorous appeal. Her coats were draped flawlessly; then the show transitioned into sophisticated cocktail dresses, jumpsuits, bomber jackets, and leather corsets. I loved this show because Meskita used new materials which gave her line a futuristic feel. I’d love to try one of the neoprene ensembles myself. She made it interesting and incredibly tasteful, which is not an easy task to accomplish. I can’t wait to see what else is in store with this designer!
Mathieu Mirano
Photos by Blaire Brown
Meowwww! It felt like Cat-Woman’s stylist was present at the show because look after look strut down the runway in sexy, seductive leather pieces. Motorcycle jackets paired with skirts, sleek dresses and trenches made their marks. The Parsons grad broke up the dark color palette with copper rose metallics and winter whites. Mirano has a true talent for being able to combine quality, tailored and detailed pieces with the perfect balance of soft femininity and hard structure. Beautiful.
Marc Jacobs is at it again with his clever marketing ploys! This weekend he opened a Pop-up Tweet-Shop in Soho for his fragrance line, Daisy. The catch? The store only took social payments. If you tweeted, used Instagram, Facebook, etc. and tagged it with #MJdaisychain, you would receive free samples of his fragrance. As if that wasn’t a good enough gift, manicurists were on premises giving free manicures. Baristas from Bluestone Lane NY was handing out coffee from their adorable, solar-powered cart. A prairie backdrop with Daisy-inspired props took up many of the guests’ time—as people would hop in and out of the set taking silly and serious pictures with daisies, giant fragrance bottles, and tree stumps. This is totally normal in Manhattan, right? Any Instagram photos with the #MJdaisychain tagline would appear on computer screens in the store and would give guests the options of instantly printing out the photos to keep. We had such a blast and ended up staying for a very long time. What a fun, clever event! It got me talking about it—so mission accomplished, Marc! #Killedit
Metallic lips, fabulous furs, and pastel metallics marched around the maze set-up in the Pavilion at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Son Jung Wan’s collection had arrived at the Lincoln Center at last. I always look forward to Wan’s collection each fashion week—it brings fresh looks and always remains feminine and beautiful. This one was even more beautiful than her last collection, which is saying a lot! The runway was set-up for models to walk in and out of rows of the audience which gave more people the opportunity to see the fine details Wan put into her collection. I loved the furs and the puzzle-piece work of the dresses. The star-studded audience consisted of “Lily Van der Woodsen,” Kelly Rutherford from Gossip Girl and Adrienne Bailon, star from Cheetah Girls. The entire show was stunning.
Above photos all by Rodin Banica
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Photos by Blaire Brown
I ran into my Chic Galleria friend, Brittany Leung, at the show. Our camera-shy selves decided to take photos with the SJW background– how cute is Brittany in her blue hat?!
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Leanne Marshall,Project Runway season 5 winner, put on a gorgeous bridal show at Helen Mills on Sunday afternoon. The air was freezing cold and snow was fresh on the ground, yet the crowd still trekked into the venue ready to see a beautiful line of bridalwear.
For all of you that are engaged (or Pinterest-ing your future wedding anyway!) Leanne put on quite the show. Her effortless, laidback glamour style shone through exponentially. Each dress floated down the runway with ease and grace. Want to look like a princess on your special day? This is the line for you. The true showstopper was the final look: the flowing, blush pink gown. Just breathtaking.
Fun fact: sitting in the audience, one of the Baldwin brothers was checking out the show. You can spot him in the background of a few pictures– think of it as a Where’s Waldo? Baldwin edition. Can you spot him? I also bumped into my friend Brittany from Chic Galleria, so we took advantage of the photo op together! xoxo
Forget diamonds—shoes are a girl’s best friend. Isa Tapia held a presentation of her phenomenal shoe line this afternoon in an intimate setting in the quarters of the Empire Hotel. My fabulous fashion stylist friend, Liz Teich, and I were in shoe heaven. Tapia has created a line for every occasion—whether you need a classic pump, to a statement piece, it’s all there. The shoes are crafted beautifully to such full extent of detail. Absolute perfection. Take a peek at her line and let me know what you think! Shoes will be in stores starting in August.
It’s Saturday and the fashionistas are all out flaunting it in front of the Lincoln Center tents. Effortless, thrown together styles? Probably not, but they each bring a piece of their own individuality to the table that makes New York City such a fantastic fashion hub. They look fabulous, we know it, so why not share their looks? Here are some that I bumped into today.
My Friday went off with a loud bang at the Lincoln Center when Zimmermann’s Fall/Winter 2014 collection hit the runway for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Last season Zimmermann presented an uber-feminine collection full of whimsy and romance based on a circus ringmaster theme. This season however, the designers went in the total opposite direction and showcased a line called “Cloud Stompers.” Think about it for a second—how do you think a cloud stomper would poise itself, if there was such a thing?
I’ll tell you how they are—or at least through Zimmermann’s eyes. Silhouettes were of cloud-like shapes, with foggy looking grey prints. Grey prints met up with houndstooth jackets and took a stroll. Oversized coats and utility handbags made guest appearances. Then a round of clothes hit the runway with heavy-duty hardware embellishments—studded coats and chain-link details. The darkness and masculinity of the collection wasn’t for me—but it would suit the alternative chick looking for an outlet of expression. My photos did not turn out so hot, so here is a video instead. The best outfit was the lacey-jumpsuit: super sexy! (You can fast-forward the video to 9:10 to see it.)
Next in line was Carmen Marc Valvo’s collection. The audience was pumped up and reminded about Valentine’s Day just around the corner as the designer blasted Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield” on repeat, with a strong, war-like opera music to conclude the show. The designer was inspired by the opulence of the Ottoman Empire, creating a theme with shield-like material (chain mail details), breast plates, gunmetal color palette but with seductive lace details to bring romance to the line. Essentially the vibe was brought to the runway that the female is “ready for battle, and ready for love.”
Here are some of my photos from the show.
The show that broke up the womenswear focus of my week was Nautica Black Sail. Woo! Here is a video of the sexy men that graced the runway. You’re welcome.
I think after going to that show I can only bring men to meet my parents if they have a fog machine entrance, otherwise, it’s a deal breaker. You hear that, boys?
After a power nap, I rallied and headed down to a new venue called The Hub at the Hudson Hotel. Charlotte Ronson was holding a presentation in which models stood on a stage in a half circle, taking turns walking down the mini runway and then walking back to stand and pose. It was a beautiful line that I could see a lot of chic women wearing—very dark, but with pops of floral prints in jewel-tones. The criss-cross suspenders made an interesting touch.
Lastly, I trekked downtown to 15th and 6th avenue to see Heidi Gardner’s jewelry line. FUNKY set-up for sure. The House of Horology (an art/watch studio) made an interesting set, with intriguing art installations all over the room. A bit creepy, actually. But who can deny free cocktails and new fashion friends? I got both. The show started an hour in when the audience were motioned to stand in a circle as ninja-esque models rotated in the circle to stop and pose with their jewelry. It was interesting to say the least! Check out the photos I took of the party.
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5 shows in one day, a crazy Friday, but a great time! Happy fashion week, y’all!
blaire brown 