WWD Reports that the Prada Group is selling Jil Sander brand to Change Capital Partners. This news comes only days after designer Raf Simons shows his first women's collection for the Sander brand. Over the past 5 years since Jil Sander herself left her her namesake and sold the controlling interest to the Prada Group. The Milan based label has struggled to find a successful successor to Sander herself. Things were so bad that Prada even paid Sanders to return to her post, which only last two seasons due to contract disputes. Interestingly enough, the current head designer, Raf Simons. Has really started to get a grasp of the label and won critics and buyers with his recent men's and women's shows for Fall.

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Simplicity, Elegance, Clean, Form and above all Frivolity! These are the words designer Zac Posen repeated over and over back stage. For his Fall collection the designer wanted to explore the lady who works or needs to works. To open the show, Posen jumped into this season plaid trend with a delicate organza with a navy blue and brown plaid print. Which he created a organza plaid dress and baggy pants. The movement of the organdy with the subtle print looks very playful on the runway.

For Fall Posen opened the collection with a dark pallet of navy blue and blacks. His focus was to tailoring the pieces and looks to create very striking form. This is the first season that Posen has showed a suit look for his clients. The suit jacket is tailored close to the waist with a straight shoulder line creating a very masculine look. The suit pant is tapered to the leg and hemmed mid-calf. I didn’t like the tapered leg of the pant. Then Posen shifted the color palette by adding some white. I fell off my seat when I saw the white bolero sleeve dress shirt. The dramatic weight of the sleeves was a great contrast to the navy blue satin pencil skirt.

Another trend that Zac played with this season was the puff skirt. Interestingly Posen made the puff skirt his own by playing with it and morphing it with the pencil skirt. He took a satin pencil skirt and from the back panels of the skirt he continued the fabric to drape back up to the waist of the skirt. So that the front of the skirt looked like a pencil skirt with the dramatic bulster of fabric in the back creating a cape-like look to the skirt and from the back it looked like a puff skirt. Posen showed this skirt in black and navy blue satin.

Posen also focused on the finishing details of several looks, like the navy blue satin “Jackie O” cocktail dress. At the waist he gathers the satin so it would create rippled bow. Another great detail was on another navy blue satin skirt, where Posen draped the fabric down the dress and it was then pinned into a bustle on each panel of fabric to resemble a bulky bow at the hem of the skirt. Worn with a simple white crepe tank top. Posen’s dedication to detail in this collection is simply amazing, the end result is almost couture-like.

Zac Posen typically steers clear season after season of the trends, which seems to be plagued on runway after runway. This season his seemed to relax this philosophy, but he certainly molded these trends into something only Posen would have the guts to pull off. One trend that Zac attempted and simply created one of the most memorable and decadent versions the shearling coat. He showed a knee-length shorthair shearling coat in navy blue. The coat is proof of his dedication to tailoring; with it tailored waist and romantic shoulders. The coat was worn with a leather pant to top off the strong look.

The evening section was rather small this season, Posen choose to only show three evening gowns. First was a floor length black leather gown with a breast panel bodice, similar to overalls. The gown is certainly a striking look for Posen but I found it to be very sexy and nod to Gianni Versace back in 94’. The most striking gown was the navy blue satin taffeta evening gown with the fabric shaped into a puff skirt on top and then at the knee the fabric is gathered to create rippled ribbon affect.

The must have pieces from the collection include the organza skirt with strips of python leather appliqué to create a plaid design on the skirt. Worn with a navy wool denim hooded coat lined with faux fur. The other must have of the collection are any of the satin embroidered pencil skirts. Zac Posen is the kind of designer who aims to please his clients and the wondering eye. His fascination with his craft and creating new inventive looks to mold his vision. Bravo Monsieur POsen!

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Designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez shift their collection and inspiration away from the feminine and sexy woman looks into a more embellished and tailored woman who wants to play with this seasons trend of layering and bold details. For Fall the design duo drew inspiration from several areas including artists such as Trombley and even the tailoring and shapes from Cardin and Alliah.

In the opening section the designers focused on structure and finishing details. Showing several pencil skirts in array of modern details. Like the first pencil skirt geometric panels and darting in contrasting colors of navy, black and purple. They also drew inspiration from Trombley’s scribble artwork, which they duplicated as embroidered stitching on several skirts, jacket and overcoats. The standout scribble look was the pencil skirt and matching cropped jacket worn with a big black belt around the waist.

For Jack and Lazaro this collection was all about playing with the extremes. They seemed to be toying with the Kandinski artistic philosophy of “Ciaos and Control”. They choose to take this vision and build off its reference industrial references. For their outerwear, the design duo took traditional forms and tailoring and adapted them with classic iconic pieces. The first being the “Biker Jacket” which they deconstructed and molded into p-coats and cape coats. Another piece was the black wool coat with the scribble white embroidery design all over the jacket with brocade braiding along the lapels and cuffs of the jacket.

The gents also seemed to be keen on leather for Fall. Beside the leather biker jackets, they also played with patent leather. First on a dress with the patent leather stamped with a black/green or black/mauve design. The dresses had a biker jacket inspiration in the overall design. They added zippers down the front of the dresses along with leather ribbing to mimic the zipper line. A very decadent look but certainly a crowning moment to the collection.

For the evening section the duo kept the looks very short. Two looks really stood out in the closing section, first being the black tweed coat with short-cuffed sleeves and a faux fur collar. The other look was the silver brocade tank dress with silver satin piping encompassing around the waist and hem of the dress. A very decadent look for the collection but it certainly makes a strong statement. Unfortunately the duo did not show any evening gowns at the close of the show, so we don’t see any Oscar gowns from Proenza Schouler.

The must have pieces from the Proenza Schouler collection was the burgundy wool biker dress. The skirt is cut like a pencil skirt and a black belt finished off the masculine look. The overall tailoring of the dress is very masculine but the burgundy wool fabric gives it a little a soft look. The other must have piece is the brown leather pencil skirt with navy blue wool darts between panels of the leather. This is certainly of the most decadent and bold collection that Jack and Lazaro has shown since their introduction to NY fashion week 4 years ago. Bravo Monsieur McCollough and Monsieur Hernandez!

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Fashion shows are not for people who have issue of being herded like animals into a cage. For her Fall collection Daryl K opted to show in her showroom – or should I say rooms – I think there was a series of 4 rooms the models paraded. Almost remnant of the day when collections were actually shown in a salon setting such as this. Sadly the quality of the Daryl K’s looks is not at the level of Balenciaga and Dior. To open her Fall collection Daryl and her design team showed a navy blue trench coat worn with a barrette. French Street Chic mixed with romantic shapes here and there……!

Piece after piece and look after look the designer built a look of rebel street chic for the Parisian woman. From the gray puff dress with a tied waist to the layering of knit pieces on top of knit pieces. I was not impressed with the accessories paired with each look, like the heavy boots or the knee socks pulled over pant legs. Towards the end of the collection Daryl’s dark pallet of monotone colors like brown/black/navy and gray saw a splash of color with several shades of orange. Like the orange satin blouse worn with a brown puff skirt and orange satin sachet that is the only crowning look of the collection. The collection as a whole had a dark cloud lingering over it. Not sure it was the dark pallet or the lack of structure throughout the collection. Hopefully next season we see a shift away from the dark side.

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Over on 39th Street designer Francisco Costa opened the new Calvin Klein showroom to editors and buyers and showed what could possibly be one of his best collections to date for Calvin Klein. The show room was flanked with a maze of white bench, which disappeared in the stark white showroom. The showroom seemed to be a the primer for a new chapter in Costa’s work for Calvin Klein. Backstage the designer comments that his inspirations for this collection range from Bauhaus to roaring 20’s and even such artists as Man Ray and Georgia O’Keefe.

The opening section had a very 20’s look and shape with straight cut flapper dresses and slip gowns. Costa played with several lengths for the slip dresses, from the knee length to floor length. To adorn his delicate chiffon dresses and gowns, Costa played with herringbone and created some unique chevron prints. These prints were used on everything in the opening section. From the sheer chiffon blouses and dresses with the chevron design done in pallet beading or ribbon detailing. Another striking look was a black tulle dress with the chevron design on panels of tulle. Around bodice of the dress are rectangular pallets in three rows.

Another great look in the opening section was the chiffon jacket with the chevron design on the shoulder and breast. Black was the primary pallet for the collection Although Costa did play with several soft whites and mauves throughout the collection. Knitwear is a large trend for the Fall season, Costa did show several knit pieces but nothing really popped out on the runway. He also dabbled with another big trend this season, the puff skirt. Francisco showed several versions of the puff skirt, starting with a tweed version that is hemmed below the knee. The cut of the skirt is very similar to a pencil skirt, but the baggy body of the skirt adds a volume look. Another version was a paneled chiffon skirt, which incorporated a black chiffon cut into two different chevron print chiffons.

In the opening section Costa showed a handful of tapered leg pants, for the second section Costa gave the pants more body. Showering a couple of gray herringbone wool pants with baggy leg with a pleated front and cuffed hem. For the closing section Costa splashed color on several pieces. A shocking candy apple red was the most shocking. Used on several evening gowns in chiffon and tulle. The evening section was absent of any major construction or tailoring. The form was very simple, keeping with the 20’s style that Cost looked to achieve. This is evident in two standout pieces, a candy apple red chiffon gown. The other is a chiffon and crepe gown with the chiffon printed with the chevron pattern in red/black and gray.

The must have piece of the collection is the steel gray chiffon and crepe slip dress with silver ribbon appliqué’s running into silver chevrons on the chiffon shell. The details of the gown are very simple and feminine. The ribbon design runs down the dress in tiers. This is the first collection in a long while that had a Calvin Klein look and feel. The most exciting things about this collection is your can see some advancement in the overall focus of the collection. Costa really grasped the Klein vision and focuses his direction in creating a new chapter for the brand. Some commented this had to do with the change of workspace. Bravo Monsieur Costa!

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The Italian cashmere label Malo has landed in New York with hopes to broaden their market base. Previously Malo was most known for their knitwear work. The brand has brought on designer Fabio Piras in hopes to build the label into a full ready to wear company. The opening look of the collection was a signature turtle neck dress in a salt and pepper gray and white. The dress was shown in two different looks, both were to made to loose, it created a baggy look on the model. Although Piras was able to create a sleeveless version that was more tailored, giving it a sexy feel and look.

In the opening section Piras focus was on the Malo knitwear. He experimented with several looks like the gray cashmere knit dress with a satin strip of fabric sewn on a bias into the dress. Another great knit look was a the cashmere knit body dresses, very 80’s, shown in black/gray/white/purple. Unfortunately in second and closing sections of the collection Piras took off in a startling directions. He seemed to abandon the Malo trademark knitwear. Piras seemed to be playing with so many ideas in these sections, loosing his focus! He put together too many contrasting looks, like taffeta dresses, satin skirts and blouses and wool and tweed suits looks. None of which incorporated any knitwear.

The must have piece from the collection was green cashmere skirt that is pleated and hemmed at the knee. The rich color paired with the pleating make the skirt very dramatic. Sadly the obvious excursion of the Malo trademarks is a bit premature. American’s are not familiar with Malo brand and it’s signature knits. So giving them clothing that is absent of any defining look for the brand can be confusing.

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At Richard Chai the buyers seemed to have a gleam in their eyes by the end of the show. At first glance the collection was full of modern but very masculine looks. The femininity is found the little details that Chai added to each piece or look. For the opening of the collection Chai showed a white satin jacket that was very similar to a jacket that Hedi Slimane showed last month in his menswear collection for Dior Homme. For opening section Chai seemed focused on taking modern draping a little too far. Draping silk chiffon for dresses in a gray and white pallet.

In the second section it is evident that Chai’s strong suit this season is in his outerwear. He moved away from dresses and focused tailoring and details on his outerwear. Showing a cropped black wool jacket with contrasting white wool on the collar and lapels. Another strong piece was the white brocade jackets with the high collar and the pockets lowered to create more length to the coat. The jacket has a modern cut but the brocade fabric gives it a feminine look.

Chai played with the cut and tailoring of several pieces. He showed two mauve knit jackets with the buttons set to one shoulder and creating a bias cut for the lapels and hem of the coats. The modern fabric and the cut really give it a strong look, while the unfinished details like the frayed edges make it youthful and soft. Unfortunately Chai used this look and tailoring on wool check skirt and dress. Not achieving the same success unfortunately.

For the evening section Chai fell into a safe look of satin draped dresses and gowns. But he did show one gown with a white chiffon shell overlaid with white lace. The must have pieces of the collection is a pink and black leaf print blouse with a chunky turtleneck. The other must piece is the white pleated chiffon dress with a wishbone neckline. The dress just fluttered upwards every time the model moved. For his Fall collection Chai was focused on the structure of his pieces. The key to this collection is in the details which Chai achieved some striking pieces. Bravo Monsieur Chai!

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Anna Sui is still the master of American Noir. For Fall she avoids the dark pallet trend of the season like the black plague. To open her collection she molded the masculine lines of the season with delicate color, in the first standout piece. A black chiffon blouse with a pastel plaid print and white satin cuffs and Peter Pan collar. In the opening section Sui seemed to play with several rich looks with several rich printed fabrics. The abundance of prints was a little bit of a sensory overload.

In the second section Sui shifted her focus on outerwear. And this focus was mainly on decadent layering and details. Like the black brocade jacket with eyelet trim and fur cuffs and collars. Worn with a matching strapless dress of black brocade. Another great piece is the navy blue taffeta dress with the shortened hemline, great for evening but very sexy. Taffeta is slowly becoming a ready to wear fabric, in the past it has always been used as couture fabric due to its cost.

Color is certainly not absent in a Sui collection, even when she’s in a black mood she still gives her clients something to smile about. The “it” color at Sui was her orange looks. Starting with the orange tweed skirt with a frayed hem worn with a orange dyed shearling covered coat and trimmed with orange dyed fur along the lapel and cuff. Another decadent piece was the orange and brown herringbone weave overcoat lined with a dark chocolate brown satin.

Last season Sui abandoned her signature baby doll dress looks as big trend for Spring was the baby doll dress. This season she has returned signature piece back to the runway. She showed several dresses in her wild prints, but the key baby doll pieces were in the evening section. Sui showed several baby doll cocktail dresses for evening. Including a sexy black satin dress with a short hemline and a white satin peter pan collar and cuffs. Another great piece was the black tulle baby doll dress that was embellished with black chiffon flowers all over the dress.

The must have pieces of the collection include one of the Russian doll dresses. An orange/brown print on white taffeta dress trimmed with dark brown fur on the hem and elbow length sleeve cuff. The other must have look is the white organdy jacket with beading all over creating a plaid design that takes inspiration of a classic Chanel tweed jacket. The detail of the beading and the contrasting fabrics is amazing. I love how the sleeve cuff is trimmed with a layer of black tulle.

Although Anna absorbent use of prints this season was a little bit of a overload. It was balanced out by the Sui’s focus on the finishing details of each piece and look. The highlights of this collection run through the collection. The only weak points of this collection are the choice of accessories and footwear. Overall Madam Sui has crafted a large and strong collection for Fall. Bravo Madame Sui!

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Down at the Supper Club, the design team of Whitledge, Shipley, Halmos and Lamberto-Egan wanted to take their fall collection to the slopes of Saint Moritz. Models walked to Pink Panther themed pieces, while the runway was adorned with Swiss ski theme décor. Unfortunately their women’s line, showed with the men’s line, was relatively weak compared to the men’s line. That is what happened when four men design a men and women’s line.

The opening section was most of simple day looks. Like the sailor pants in brown wool with different buttons used to adorn the front panel of the pant. Although the looks overall were a little dull, one accessory that did standout was the contrasting leggings. In particular were the bottle green leggings and striped leggings. Another great accessory was all of the headscarves and earmuff hats.

For most of the collection, the Trovata design team abandoned the tapered leg pant for a straight leg this season. Showing pants in several fabrics including gray wool and tweed. For knitwear the designers played with simple themed sweaters of merino and cashmere. Like the blue sleeveless sweater with animals and arrow designs along the neckline. I also like the horizontal stripe sweater with a plunging neckline worn with a peter pan collar blouse underneath.

The must have pieces from the collection are the two outerwear looks. First was the light brown trench coat lined with a aqua leaf print on white satin lining the inside of the coat. The other must have piece is the snowy white collegiate overcoat. Which we saw several times during Milan and Paris men’s shows last month. The collection did give a dozen of unique pieces for Fall, unfortunately I found the menswear to be a lot stronger by the end of the show.

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The Mulleavy sisters are at it again. For their Fall/Winter collection they drew inspiration from details of Parisian couture houses of Chanel and Lanvin. The collection is a testament to their dedication of details and the structure of their pieces. In the opening section the Sisters focused on feminine and sophisticated looks. Starting with the empire waist jackets that are tailored close to the models body. The sister’s passion for the delicate masterworks of couture are evident in the white pieces of the collection. The duo first showed a white wool overcoat that looked like a flower. The lapels and collar are scalloped and just stiff enough to create a very delicate look. Another white piece was the white crepe gown with tiers of crepe scalloped and tiered down the dress like a flower. Both of these delicate pieces are proof the ladies vision is certainly couture based.

The must have pieces from this collection is first the white wool jacket with the scalloped collar and lapels. Another must have look is the black chiffon skirt that is pleated and a matching black chiffon jacket with ruffles on the cuff and lapels. The final must have look are any of the evening gown in the evening section. The sisters’ attention to the details and draping of chiffon combined with crepe is subtle and dramatic. I would have to say that Kate and Laura Mulleavy really do not belong in New York. They really belong in Paris, the vision and craft really surpasses several designers in America. Bravo Madame Kate and Madame Laura!

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For Fall/Winter Derek Lam took inspiration of the 30’s and Madam Gres. Lam found that draping this collection created a feminine and yet masculine look for Fall. In the opening section of the collection Lam showed a dramatic sleeveless merino wool sweater with a large draping turtleneck, a unique knitwear piece. Unfortunately I was not liking the baggy tuxedo pant that he showed with several looks, with sequins and beading running the down the side of the pant. Lam played with the masculine looks by adding thick fabrics as tweed and gray wool. A crowning piece is the gray tweed cape coat with a leather belt. A very dramatic piece that reminds me Monsieur Balenciaga in the 30’s. Lam experimented a lot in this collection, like the stretch jersey tank with layers of white and black. Another great look was the satin cocktail dress with a creamy white satin framed by black satin around the skirt and bodice.

Veering away from the innovation of the season, Lam did toy with some of this season’s trend looks. Including fur, which he showed on two overcoats and a scarf. Unfortunately the use of the fur to trim the cuff as well as sleeves of two maxi-length trench coats was a little overboard. Although Lam showed a relatively small evening section, the crowning pieces were the two black silk satin and taffeta evening coats. The weaving of the tulle and satin fabrics, creating a basket weave, certainly grande piece that belongs into a couture collection.
The must have pieces of the collection is the crayon blue silk crepe dress. The slanted draping and the bolstered cuts were an eerie reminisces of Madame Gres gown. The other grande piece is the green trench coat that is double breasted. Interestingly is that Derek Lam, season after season, has been developing his craft into an almost couture quality collection. This season is no different, it seems as if Lam is molding his collection into a couture collection. Is this a hint! Bravo Monsieur Lam!

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Pre-show designer Michael Kors is heading off the press in hope to have him have enough time get the show to start on time. Michael Kors is becoming an American legend of fashion in his own time. He comments that his even starting to copy himself or make fun of himself. Then poking fun of his age by pointing out his 25 years as a designer. Incredibly the man looks like he aged 5 years in lieu of 25 years. For his Fall collection he focused on the extremes of his work and molding them into one look. Shaping short and long, combining theme with his times of his youth. Making the look of the collection based off of Ali McGraw in “A Love Story” .

To open his fall collection Kors had the buyers and editors giggling. Showing a collegiate strip jump suit on Daria. Poking fun at the recent episode of Project Runway with one of the contenders showing a jumpsuit that was glued onto the models body because he didn’t finish it. Kors played with some of this season’s trend but also explored some of his own. Some of the new trends include a tie-die print that was used on vast number of pieces. Including a gray and black version use in cashmere cardigan with matching scarf. Another great look was a p-coat with black and white version of the print. Although it looked decadent on the sweater, the velvet dress with the tie-dye print was not visually pleasing.

This season we have seen numerous designers play with plaids and tartans. Kors showed several different plaids in numerous looks. Some of the best pieces were the chunky weave camel plaid jackets, one with fur trim along the hem of the jacket. Both were nod to St. Laurent! The waist length jacket was worn with a delicate chiffon dress with tiers of pleated black chiffon cascading down the dress. The other look was worn with dark chocolate cashmere turtleneck sweater and a camel skirt, topped with chocolate knit knee high socks.

Another plaid piece that is going to be a hot item is the white and black plaid skirt. The skirt was constructed by taking strips of the plaid fabrics and sewing them on top of each other, creating a layered look to the fabric. The must have plaid piece of the collection is the floor length black crepe skirt with a plaid print screened on it. The skirt looked very bulky but when the model walked down the runway it just floated with the model. What is unique is the little details that Kors added, like the frayed hem of the skirt.

Designers seem to be showing very simple evening gowns in their collection. For his evening section Kors also shifted the inspiration from McGraw to the 20’s and flappers. This is certainly noticeable in all of the cocktail dresses and their flowing hemlines and layers. Two stunning looks was the black lace flapper dress with a plunging neckline and the black tulle evening jacket with a plaid design made of sequins.

Sadly Kors’ evening gowns were simple satin and crepe draped gowns in brown/black and burgundy. The must have piece of the collection is all of Kors’s knitwear. A big trend of the season, Kors jumped at the idea of big and decadent knit looks. He offered several knit sweaters including a cashmere ribbed turtleneck sweater shown with a camel tank dress. Another look was the camel and navy blue argyle print sweater and socks. What is interesting is we saw several Argyle looks in Paris and Milan Menswear collection; sadly America designers have not adopted the argyle into their collections.

The crowning pieces of the collection are Michael Kors knit cardigans. First, the white cashmere knee length cardigan with a white fur collar. The look was very chic and relaxed; I also love the contrasting tortes shell buttons. The other cardigan was a floor length brown wool cardigan. Last but not least is the white cashmere cable knit dress worn with a knee length camel coat. This is a piece that should remain should be in every woman’s closet. Although the cold months are slim these days, owning a cable knit dress is certainly a look that any woman can pull off. Michael Kors is certainly taking American Sportswear in the direction much needed, forward! His passion for innovation and creativity is proof for his love of the craft. Bravo Monsieur Kors!

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Designer Behaz Sarafour has always been the girls, girl designer. This season it’s no different, for Fall Sarafour inspiration is to take classic menswear and mold it into strong feminine looks. Opening the collection she jumped right into this look for Fall. Showing a white silk jersey t-shirt overlaid with a black lace and tulle shell worn with a black wool skirt. The low point I think through the whole collection is the faux cow fur scarf and jacket.

For knitwear Sarafour shinned, like the gray knit tube top or even the cashmere Moreno knit dress with long sleeves. Very flattering but certainly a great look in the collection. Sarafour loved playing with all the men’s fabrics, from the gray wools to the tweeds. She took classic wool fabrics for suits and crafted pleated skirts that she embellished with lace appliqués on the skirts. Sarafour even took two of this season big trends and made them into must have looks for the collection. Her velvet cocktail dress with the white lace petticoats shown in dark green and black velvets, were flattering and playful. Minus the jeweled collars Although Sarafour did struggle with the Lame trend and last season’s baby doll dresses.

The must have piece from the collection was the black crepe skirt with tiers of small ruffles of tulle cascading down the dress. Another must have piece are the tartan print satin blouse and matching pleated skirt. This collection is certainly a step forward for Sarafour and her label. She truly grasped her vision and really mastered it in her collection. Bravo Madam Sarafour!

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Posted by turlie at 05:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Narcisco Rodriguez has an eye for architecture and lines. His built his clientele on his ability to create structured looks that compliment the body and easy on the eye. For Fall Rodriguez took to the 60’s and the era of Jean Seaberg and Jean Shrimpton. For the opening of the collection Narcisco showed a number of black and white looks. Although they are classic Narcisco dresses they were not that unique.

For the second section Rodriguez really explored by adding some subtle color to the collection. I loved the pale peach wool jacket with white satin trim all over the jacket. Narcisco attempted several of this season trends, like the puff skirt and his velvet skirts. Unfortunately these looks did come out in the collection. I also fell in love with the white dress with the large panel of sequins on the front.

For his Fall look Rodriguez kept the models eyes clean on top and a heavy liner on the lower lid and a pale nude lip. The hair yet again is pulled back in a large and loose bun. This is the big hair trend for the season. Last season we saw numerous shows with the ponytail, this season it’s all about the “bun”. The standout accessory of the collection are the white patent leather loafers with a high heel, the black ribbing on the shoes adds some definition to the shoe. Although the rest of the shoes in the collection were too similar to Chanel footwear from past.

The must have looks for the collection is the antique white wool jersey dress with two large satin panels on the front. The other piece is the black wool jacket with a wide collar that lies on the shoulders. Overall the collection does have numerous sellable items and looks. Although the collection is lacking in the uniqueness department, I found the collection to be too back and white with more black.

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Marc Jacobs is certainly the designer who ushered American Sportswear from the 70 & 80’s in the 90’s and the new millennium. Sadly some editors and buyers are quick to label a designer collection based on their history. Earlier this week, Jacobs’s namesake collection was dubbed grunge by the masses. It really is not a nod to the era of grunge (which really only lasted 2 seasons) rather its just a shift back to layering and options. Jacobs is about creating looks that can appeal to different people in certain ways.

The collection as a whole is a look of layers and crazy ideas of what fashion is on everyone. In the opening section Jacobs showed numerous denim looks. Sadly most of them seemed to be lacking in form, rather victim to draping (unfortunately denim does not drape well.) One piece that was a great addition and small trend seen here and there this season was the pinstripe denim vest. Jacobs showed sever full-length skirts and dresses in denim as well as this season Windsor check dress.

Also in the opening section Jacobs finished each look of with some great outerwear and accessories. I love the draped gray wool overcoat and the cape coat. For accessories Jacobs kept to his signature bags with some new details of chains and shearling. The only bad accessory was the shoes in the collection, most of which looked to be taken right out of thrift store.

For knitwear Jacobs kept to a dark pallet but showed some show stoppers. Like the brown cashmere cardigan dress with a gray silk jersey skirting along the bottom of the dress. Most of the collection was tailored very loosely but several pieces were too baggy. Including the suits and pants which were way too baggy for the girls to move in. In the second section Jacobs seemed to intensify his layering.