#NYFW: Altuzurra, DKNY, Philip Lim and more...

 DKNY

Wow! I didn't see that coming this season for DKNY, a brand more cool sweaters and shorts than sexy and stylish. Bella Hadid opened the show in a daringly low cut dresses highlighting her amazing figure, complete with a slouchy hood, followed by a collection which was very street-wear, minimal, oversized and only for the coolest kids in town. I can imagine Kylie Jenner will be all over this show. The credit goes to Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow, who since they were appointed as creative directors of DKNY a few seasons ago, struggled to find their feet. Now however, they have certainly delivered, in some style too. Electric blue, soft beige, starch whites all worked together perfectly and as for that epic finale; simply the best.

Rag and Bone

 I always tend to prefer Rag and Bone's winter collections to their summer ones, just because their coats are amazing and their fur sublime. But this spring/summer 2017 collection was pretty good. Neat and stylish with a focus on sportswear, white was a key player as were bold reds on jumpers and bomber jackets. Navy stripe suits were silky and stylish as were the flowing black pieces paired with blue ankle boots. Not one of the greatest Rag and Bone shows, but nevertheless still very wearable with plenty of desirable pieces. 

Oscar de la Renta

I was surprised at the simplicity and overall elegance of this collection. From the floor length white dresses which opened the collection to the beautiful Arabian like patterns on crop tops and skirts, this show by Peter Copping was one of his best so far. I loved the slouchy dresses, tied at the waist with a tasseled rope, a great beach option for summer, as well as the dramatic gowns Copping sent out towards the end of the show. The whole collection was relaxed yet refined, in a way that made it look more modern than the de la Renta of old. Perhaps the brand is finally starting to travel in a new direction...

Altuzarra

Everyone loved this show, and it's easy to see why. Joseph Altuzarra, a talented young designer who always seems to go unnoticed besides his contemporaries Alexander Wang and Proenza Schouler. His spring/summer 2017 collection was bound to catch attention though, with the python print shirts, cute pink cardigans, skirts and dresses, soft floral patterns and tightly cinched in waists with chunky belts. There was a little bit of Miu Miu this season at Altuzarra, with similar coat styles, wet hair looks and styling similar to the Miu Miu fall 2016 collection. Not that Altuzarra copied Miuccia Prada! From the larger than life earrings and super tight pencil skirts and the classic ladylike shapes, the designer did what he does best (which is elegance) but with such fun colours and prints. A really great show. 

 Proenza Schouler

As we saw at Altuzarra, big, dangly earrings were a thing at Proenza Schouler. In some respects, the whole collection was big, oversized, impactful and brightly geometric with flashes of primary colours against stark whites. Billowing stripe skirts were paired with boxy sweaters, Dalmatian print platform sandals were worn against form fitting dresses, while slouchy clutch bags were carried under arms, squeezed tightly to the model. Proenza always push the boundaries with their shows. This wasn't one of my favourite collections of the designer duo but those gorgeous accessories will no doubt be a big sell out next season.

Jeremy Scott

You can always rely on Jeremy Scott to inject some fun into fashion week. Last season it was Barbie mania, this season all the models wore 60's inspired wigs in a bowl cut style. The clothes were loud and proud, some tops bearing 'New York' in graffiti writing, others with 'Jeremy.' There was leather, mini skirts, a pink glittery bodysuit, and plenty of punchy pop art references. I especially liked  a black t-shirt which had a pair of legs in fishnet tights and red stilettos printed down the front. Very weird but cool, pretty much sums Jeremy Scott up!

  

3.1 Philip Lim

From the pretty white, floral dresses which opened the show to the light blue denims and python shoes, (python is a big trend for next season btw) Philip Lim threw a little bit of everything in this season. There were tailored looks, long black jackets, trousers and bra tops, as you can always expect with Lim, but also an injection of a more refined alternative to office wear. You can wear shorts to the office if worn with a buttoned jacket, sleek sandals and your hair tied up, according to Lim. The striped white jumpsuit was a favourite piece of mine, but then I also really liked the bright yellow pieces at the end of the show - one which was more neon than yellow!

Best in Show at #NYFW

Proenza Schouler - This design duo always get it right, creating collections which are stylish, sophisticated and simple. The show, which consisted of only black and white was extremely chic, with black neck ties, flamboyant ruffles and cut away dresses baring the arms and shoulders with nautical inspired outfits. I loved the simplicity of this collection and the pared down elegance Proenza always do so well. Another one of my favourite shows from fashion week so far.

Michael Kors - Kors is always a big hit at New York and one of the city's main star attractions. However, for me this collection was not as good as previous seasons. I did like the clever dresses printed with blood red poppies and the contrast with black was effective and powerful. The slouchy, sportswear was cool and the layering was perfect for a casual spring day but there were no stand out pieces which really excited me. But Kors has his massive fan base who have no doubt fallen in love with this latest offering and will be a huge in sales come 2016.

Marchesa - Beautiful, majestic, wearable and wantable! Marchesa dresses are really the perfect item for any red carpet or evening event. Models looked slick with their hair tied back with a middle parting with pink lipstick and no jewellery. The dresses were breathtaking, covered in layers of chiffon, silk, sequins and feathers galore. The rainbow dress looked as though it leaped straight out of a contemporary Swan Lake ballet while the clear, frilled pieces were just gorgeous!

Anna Sui - So far designers at NYFW have been inspired particularly by the holiday theme, be that the Caribbean with Tommy Hilfiger or surfing the waves at Victoria Beckham. Anna Sui was no different with her Honolulu girls taking center stage in floral dresses, bright maxi dresses and colourful skirts. Flowers adorned on garlands around models' necks or embellished onto barely there slip dresses and shorts were cute and a breath of fresh air. It was fun and frivolous, the perfect holiday go-to collection.

DKNY - Since the news broke a couple of months ago that Donna Karan would be stepping down as creative director of her brand, there has been a lot of movement at DKNY, with the appointment of duo Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, previously the designers behind Public School. Focusing on three main tones, black, white and grey this collection consisted of perfect work wear pieces, from tailored pin stripe jackets to crisp trousers. Shapes were loose but stylish, with white tea dresses and elegant draping of fabrics adding to the uniform-esque feel of the show. Of course, it didn't have the same presence of Donna Karan, but this is a new era for the brand and it certainly looks promising.

Oscar de la Renta - Peter copping has worked his magic at Oscar de la Renta. The designer, previously at Louis Vuitton and Nina Ricci, is known for his eye for detail and superb colour combinations, something which he brought to the de la renta spring 2016 show today. Copping was inspired by Spanish matadors, particularly Ava Gardner's Spanish lover in the 1950's, gaining inspiration from their fiery costumes. I loved the ruffles and floral patterns, decorated on fitted dresses and ballgowns. A perfect new designer for such a much loved and respected fashion house.

#NYFW - Day 6

Marchesa
As light as a feather - this collection was, as always with Marchesa, absolutely beautiful. With a strong 1920's theme, ostrich feather dresses were soft and light while the decorative lace column dresses had Oscars written all over them. The tassels were amazing as were the sweeping dresses and glam earrings which the models wore, complete with 20's cropped hair styles. I also sensed a little flamenco style seeping through some opening looks, with fiery red and black ensembles adding a touch of drama for next season.

Anna Sui
Gigi Hadid added a touch of Californian chic as she opened this very 70's Anna Sui show. If anything, this was a classically warm, winter show full of fur hats, cosy coats, cardigans and lots of woolly layers. There was a care free, Navajo spirit to some of the looks while bohemian necklaces and harem pants gave us a bit of hippy cool. Peace man!

Micahel Kors
Opened by Russian supermodel Natasha Poly, this Kors show was awash with only the best models. Karlie Kloss, Karmen Pedaru, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Hanne Gaby Odiele all took their turn on the catwalk probing what a huge name at NYFW Michael Kors has proved to be. This was a very autumnal collection with all the right beige and camel shades with plenty of fur. Grey was also a key colour, with the everyday working woman being a centre point of this show. From the trench coats to the smart suits, the floor skimming evening gowns to the natural, dewy make up of the models; this collection oozed American style.

Oscar de la Renta
This show should have been tinged with sadness at the passing of such an amazing designer as de la Renta was, but instead the clothes brought back so many beautiful memories celebrating his incredible fashion life by new designer Peter Copping. From the floral embroidered dresses to the slender coats in dark navy, this was grown up and elegant. The taffeta ball gowns at the end, reminiscent of Christian Lacroix, were bright and bold as were the striped suit ensembles. Necklines were high and unrevealing yet skirts showed off plenty of leg below the knee, resulting in a feminine silhouette which captured the essence of Oscar.

 

Rodarte

In recent years, Kate and Laura Mullevy of Rodarte have never seized to inspire. And yet again with their fall 2016 collection, there were plenty of amazing pieces. I loved the fur parka coats styled with simple silk tops and skinny leather trousers while the cut-out mini skirts added a touch of biker chic. If anything, some shapes were quite similar to Parisian heavy weight Balmain, but the colours and style were overall sci-fi and beautiful. A fab collection and the styling was spot on.

 

 

 

Badgley Mischka

With a hint of 60's va va voom and a touch of Bardot (hair wise) this collection was fun yet elegant. From the metallic mermaid gowns to the tweed A-line suits and the a-symmetric dresses, these clothes were defiantly red carpet ready. Some colours were sumptuous such as the rich golds and reds while others were sheer and delicate with appliques patterns sewn neatly onto shoulders and arms. I really enjoyed looking through the looks of this show and loved the closing dresses.

 

 

Donna Karan

Is there anything this lady can't do? Even though there was a lot of black throughout this collection, nothing could distract the fashion press from the gorgeous khaki coats and elegant belted trousers. Everything came with a belt in this show, nipping in the waist to accentuate the big shoulders and tiny frames of the models. It was slick and powerful, especially the brown fur bomber jacket and the over sized coat which opened the show. If only I was rich...

 

 

 

Heaven Gains Another Star: Oscar de la Renta

Yesterday morning when I turned on the news, the last thing I expected to hear was that the legendary designer, Oscar de la Renta, had passed away. After being diagnosed with cancer in 2006, de la Renta died yesterday peacefully at his home at the age of 82. It is desperately sad that such a kind, gracious man has left our lives as the designer we knew him as.

He was a hot favourite at New York Fashion Week, with model of the moment Karlie Kloss always closing his shows while he was the go-to designer for red carpet fashion, whether it be the Oscars or the Grammys. De la Renta has dressed some of the most famous women in the world, including Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana and Michelle Obama while celebrities Cameron Diaz, Charlize Theron and Jennifer Lopez have all donned one of his dresses over the years. And the glowing tributes have just been pouring in for him, from the likes of Taylor Swift, Anna Wintour, Jennifer Lawrence and Amal Clooney - whom he designed her amazing wedding dress.

Oscar de la Renta's last spring/summer collection presented last month at NYFW, was a pretty display of pastel coloured gowns and ornate floral patterns. He was known for his Fairytale, couture like clothes that made a woman feel extra special and fabulous. And that's how he will always be remembered: as a talented man who spent his life dedicated to the fashion industry. Former Nina Ricci designer, Peter Copping, has been named as the new creative director of de la Renta - a match which suits this iconic fashion house beautifully as Copping knows a thing or two about beautiful clothes. It will be exciting to see his effect at the house of de la Renta, but the man himself will be surely missed.

Take a look at some of the most memorable moments of Oscar de la Renta's extraordinary career and the dresses which defined his immaculate style.

NYFW: Oscar de la Renta Fall 2014

Lady like elegance defined in a single sequin. Oscar de la Renta has done it again and this time he has done it in style. There were electric blue pieces paired with formal pin-striped trousers and waistcoats, tasseled dresses which shimmered as the models walked along the catwalk and who could forget the gorgeous ball gowns which ended the collection, as always with de la Renta, gave his finale a beautiful finish. With model of the moment, Karlie Kloss opening and closing the show, models showcased some of the most inspiring dresses so far seen at New York Fashion Week, with velvet blue prom dresses and polka dot gowns. It was also nice to see de la Renta working with prints and patterns, experimenting on a-line dresses and peplum style tops. Also, every model wore a wig; short and cropped adding a boyish element to the collection. I mention this because wigs have been quite the talking point recently, with Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld using them last season, this could be a trend carried over into 2014/15. 

This was a lovely collection, nice and feminine with just the right amount of sugar and spice. We are indeed fans!

Oscar de la Renta Spring 2014

Ladylike, sophisticated and chic. Oscar de la Renta went all out for 1940's glamour at his Spring 2014 catwalk show.

 Monochrome 2 pieces sailed down the runway with hints of Elizabeathan extravegance, which de le Renta claimed was his starting point for the collection. Belts cinched in the waists of tailored shift dresses, collars were big and daring and the knee length skirt, (a big trend for fall 2013) looked as though it was here to stay for next Summer too. Black and white was the main colour of choice for de la Renta but he ended his show with what seemed like an endless showcase of pastel coloured dresses adorned with ruffles and delicate flowers. His iconic ballgown dresses were updated this season in neon brights with a a hint of the ankle and not much else. These dresses were designed with one vision in mind: the red carpet. Yes, you couldn't walk around Tesco pushing a trolley in a de le Renta dress, even if you were Paris Hilton! You just wouldn't fit down the aisles.

Even though this collection was not very practical for the everyday woman, it had many beautiful pieces which could be reworked with any outfit. My favourite look? Joan Smalls wearing that lovely two piece black suit with a collar that eclipsed the jacket completely.

 Below are some of my favourite looks from the collection. Remember to keep checking back to MODA01 for all the latest at the international fashion weeks!