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Michael Kors
Johanna Lenander - www.worldmedia.fr
Daryl K
Johanna Lenander
Marc Jacobs
CY
Chloé
Lee Yanowitch
Chanel
The collection centered around jackets. Short and fitted, they came in patchwork denim or shearling, and were paired with voluminous paneled skirts with visible seams that had a slight touch of Woodstock Nostalgia. Boxy twin-sets in a chenille knit were printed with bright red and orange "tweed", and shown with straight knee-length skirts in shiny silver fabric and nougat suede. More romantic, '30s inspired suits had a slouchier silhouette, ruffled edges and were made of soft knits or felt wool.
For evening wear, Lagerfeld limited himself to two models: slender black and ivory dresses sculpted in voile de laine, and cushy quilt skirts paired with wool jackets and knits that made one wonder whether Kaiser Karl has been spending too many nights in poorly heated castles. Johanna Lenander
Givenchy
The lights went down at the end of the show for an equally tired attempt at spectacle: a pair of jackets that blinked with colored lightbulbs. Clara Young
Céline
Off the slopes, Kors provided long slinky jersey dresses trimmed with feathers, ribbed sweater dresses and sequined sheathes. And what better to wear in front of a roaring fire with a cup of hot cocoa in one hand than Céline's cashmere long johns and furry suede slippers? Clara Young
Yohji Yamamoto
Pants were long and fluid; skirts were straight and frequently slit up to the knee in front, or pleated with white kilt buckles on the side. Many gabardine skirts seemed perfectly ordinary in the front until you discovered that they were made of velvet in the back.
While daytime followed the straight and narrow, the evening wear could have costumed an Elizabethan theater troupe. Under the inevitable Yamamoto big hat -- crumpled velvet poufs-- were great swathes of velvet in black, bordeaux, and printed with giant red polka dots or custard-colored zebra stripes. The collection lacked Yamamoto's complicated repertory of coiling, knotting and draping; the designer seemed to be in a more straightforward mood, and found it in the simplicity of a white cotton shirt. Clara Young
Christian Dior
Lee Yanowitch
HUGO Hugo Boss
Clara Young
Ralph Lauren
Johanna Lenander
Calvin Klein
The man who recently has been accused of promoting child-pornography in his new ad-campaign, went for a more sophisticated sexuality in his evening wear: Merging several decades in the opulent silk dresses with flowing trains and thin leather straps that criss-crossed over the low-cut backs, Calvin has created the ultimate fin-de-siècle gown. Johanna Lenander
Anna Sui
Lee Yanowitch
Gianni Versace
From soft-porn to Hollywood glamour to business-like elegance, Donatella's show was a smorgasbord of disparate ideas. Sleek v-necked tunic pant suits came in traditional men's pin-stripe fabrics. A corporate take on hippie-chic with slitted bell-sleeves and discreet pearl embroidery, they represented the only demure element in the collection. Bolder stuff was the pistachio-colored python and zebra-dyed ponyskin that showed up in coats, pants and boots. Coupled with flashy pink dévoré velvet tops, Donatella went for that brazen Versace look that signified the early '90s. On the girlie side were skintight dresses in flowery patterns created by a mosaic of small, square pieces of fabric that were stitched together.
Johanna Lenander
Prada
The tweed, the suede, the leather elbow patches, and the leather oak leaf appliqués were dead giveaways that Prada had gone back to nature. As were the greens that ranged from khaki to Granny apple. About the only items that weren't custom-made for country living was the footwear: only fashion's most victimized would go fox-hunting in Prada's calf-length boots with metal spike heels. Clara Young
Gucci
Ford retaliated with a collection that returned to the fashion-fertile '70s. Some of it was an elegant upgrade of that period, like the beige leather dress draped tightly across the torso and adorned with a rose. A plush velvet dirndl skirt and black leather peasant top ensemble looked like something Catherine Deneuve would have worn in "Belle du Jour". But other ideas almost sunk the collection with their busyness, particularly Ford's latest obsession with ruching. It seemed like everything was swagged like curtains at the opera, from velvet tops, and floor-dragging pants to even the boots. Donatella and Santo Versace turned up in the front row, perhaps to support their embattled rival. Or perhaps it was to see firsthand how Gucci manages to stay on top season after season. Clara Young
Giorgio Armani
Daywear was dominated by fine knits -- short stretch tops, -- trousers, and a few long skirts puckered at the waist. Armani converted the latter into evening wear by making them in tulle and embroidering them with geometric motifs and black, turquoise and ruby-colored flowers. Most of the clothes stayed in the black and gray zone, though, with the exception of knits and a long sequinned skirt in horizontal stripes. Clara Young |
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There's a reason why Michael Kors has been nicknamed 'Chuckles' since he was a kid. When the self-tanned, hair-extended, and falsely eye-lashed models strutted out onto Kors's runway, they were greeted with a poster in bold red lettering that screamed: YOU ARE SUPERSEXY, RICH AND GLAMOROUS! EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE WITH YOU! UP!! UP!! UP!! Formerly known as the ' Susan Lucci of fashion' - Kors finally clinched his CFDA award earlier this year, and he's obviously been thriving on the attention. His spring 2000 'Palm Bitch' collection sparkled with energy and a good-hearted sense of fun. Kors took '60s nouveau riche vulgarity and turned it into slick and polished American sportswear. His trademark cotton shifts and cashmere sweaters came in graphic floral and zebra patterns, in colors that ranged from coral and tangerine to turquoise and lemon. Skin was the main accessory, in a collection that overdosed on bikinis, hotpants, sarongs and mini-dresses. But there were some clothes that could have worked outside a pool party. Supple, tan leather suits and dresses had an easy, sexy elegance while see-through chantilly lace pants and skirts struck a balance between playful and tacky. But for
evening, Chuckles decided to play it straight, bringing out old faves like beaded halter dresses and jersey columns.
Dublin's Daryl K took her collection in a more feminine direction in a catwalk show that sampled Long Island disco divas, medieval princesses and cyber-babe Lara Croft. The show opened with dark-blue shiny shrouds that looked like they belonged in a space-age monastery, but after that eccentricity was done with it settled down to clothing that was clever, comfortable and unusually pretty. Kerrigan continued in an '80s vein with shiny, slitted and flowing Krystle Carrington dresses. Another successful resurrection was the jogging dress, with cropped drawstring pants and skimpy tops. Signature Daryl K details like asymmetrical creases, seams and zippers, gave simple skirts, pants and jackets an intricate and slightly futuristic edge. Ruched hems and transparent ribbons made for an alternative and much more interesting ruffled peasant skirt. The show ended as it began with the collection's weirder, weaker pieces. Long virginal white dresses with puffed sleeves, ribbons and smocked waists looked like wardrobe pieces from a school production of Robin Hood. But though we preferred Daryl's slick downtown look to her costume drama, we still give her props for exploring her sentimental side.
Marc Jacobs hit on a formula of Narragansett summertime chic in this
breezy collection. Shown at the New York Armory, it moves him definitively into the big league of must-watch American designers alongside Calvin Klein and Donna Karan. The collection drew mainly on classic Cape Cod separates like clam-diggers, pea jackets, striped t-shirts, and flowery sundresses. What will make them designer-recognizable are the fabrics -- cashmere, canvas, and cotton ticking -- and the decorative detail, like paillette-trimmed sailor-front trousers and the folksy paillette trimming on gauze-overlaid strapless dresses. In sand, beige, olive green and smoky blue, Jacobs walks the thin color line between restful and drab.
Stella McCartney must have had puberty in mind when she sent out her collection for the house of Chloe because there was hardly a thread in it that could have born by a matron. Teeny-bopper items included skin-tight bell-bottom jeans with tiger heads embroidered on their rear-end pockets, knee-socks rolled over the tops of high-heeled boots, coats and dresses of old-fashioned crocheted squares. Transparent antique lace blouses slipped off the models's shoulders or flapped open over nubile breasts. And if the blasting rap rhythms assaulted the senses, there were some things to calm the mind, like demure silk dresses with ruffled hems and draped necklines that plunged in back in tangerine, bordeaux, midnight or with a starfish print. The English element showed up in tweed suits with hefty shoulders on cape-like jackets and a Carnaby street tribute in slim
double-breasted coats with prominent lapels and matching hats. McCartney,
whose guests included her ex-Beatle father Paul and Camilla Parker-Bowles, also mixed up day and evening pieces, by pairing sequined kimonos and velvet period jackets with dungarees.
Sophisticated ladies in sleek curve cuts sidled down the enormous runway at Chanel. Karl Lagerfeld sent out witty re-inventions of Chanel classics like an army version of the cardigan jacket, and tweed imitations in chenille knits. The ropes of pearls and chains that
Mademoiselle Coco lavished on her suits were transformed into rattling padlock chains that rode the hips.
Lagerfeld had a go at the ever-popular military theme, with jackets in khaki felt and army hip-belts. A wool felt coat curved around the shoulders and waist, with the bottom shaped like a tulip. The little black dress also got a makeover, either in a shapely curve cut with the seams showing or with a veil of tulle draped over the shoulder.
Like John Galliano at Christian Dior, Alexander McQueen took a sedative and designed a "Safety First" collection for Givenchy. Having established a house formula of hard-edged tailoring and abstract geometrics, McQueen cruised through this season on the same angular, double-breasted suits and 3/4 coats, leather skirts with inverted pleats, jumpsuits, wide-legged trousers, and simple short-sleeved dresses already perfected in previous collections.
McQueen didn't meddle with the basic wardrobe, but he did have a couple of new, if half-hearted ornamental ideas, like shrink-wrapping jackets and coats in thick, clear plastic, and molding a plastic carapace of shields and bustiers to some of the clothing. He warmed up cold grays
and whites with tomato-red circuit board patterns, highlighted seams with fur or wide bands in contrasting color, and buffed his leathers to a high metallic sheen. Other than a long chiffon dress printed with a red and white cardiograph and some discreetly sequined outfits there wasn't much for the evening.
Stylish ski bunnies will rejoice in Michael Kors' Aspen collection at Céline. Models wearing ski goggles sported turtleneck sweaters that had white bands labeled "Céline" running down the arm, nylon ski jackets, fur-trimmed anoraks and zip-pocket trousers. Instead of dangling over their shoulders, the new rectangular Céline handbag was hung in front so that it came to rest at the midriff muffler-style.
Long duffel coats, rabbit fur vests and jackets, and red and black checkered lumberjack jackets and dresses also made this a collection for the great outdoors.
We decoded the single white cotton sleeve on Yohji Yamamoto's invitation as a hint that an investment in white cotton poplin shirts for next winter would be in order. And there were shirts aplenty in the collection. Sometimes they were collarless and frayed at the edges, or long with irregularly shaped hems or drawstring waists. But many were just simple shirts with classic lapels that complemented a conservative day wardrobe of navy-blue and black gabardine separates.
A comeback from last winter's collection were the long ribbed turtleneck sweaters with overlong sleeves, this time in white. There were also several armless or one-armed knits that paid tribute to the current "bondage" trend. Asymmetric cape/ponchos in wool and cashmere had shoulder-level buttons on one side, and often came with a pleated floating panel behind.
After having his hand slapped for going overboard with his recent theatrical extravaganzas, John Galliano seems to have learned his lesson. The British designer's collection for Christian Dior at the house's plush avenue Montaigne salon was a textbook example of how to harness a wild imagination. The historical references and spectacular staging of his earlier shows at Dior were completely gone and in their place, Galliano spun out a superbly tailored, ultimately wearable line of clothing featuring over-sized Irish mohair sweaters, satin slip dresses in gem colours and lacy knits in deep turquoise, cranberry and ivory.
But somehow, the magic was gone and observers yearned for the excitement of a few seasons back, when Galliano was reinventing the Belle Epoque or the Victorian era through his wildly flamboyant and over-the-top creations. That said, a few pieces were reminiscent of his less fettered days like slinky bias-cut mermaid dresses of liquid suede edged with lace and the tiny, curvy jackets over narrow skirts, here recreated in claret flecked with little pom-poms. There were also those amazing chiffons on which the floral motifs were not printed, but sewn together from pieces of fabric. And a pair of reversible suits which the models stripped off, turned inside out and put back on.
German menswear designers Volker Kaechele and Ralph Klute showed their
first co-ed collection for the HUGO Hugo Boss line, and the look was appropriately collegiate. Duo-tone football scarves in suede, felt hats, and broad leather hip belts accessorized a collection heavy in earth tones. Knee-length skirts with ruffle pleating at the hem, suede dresses and skimpy mini-skirts were worn with the staple item of all bohemian wardrobes: black tights, a look accentuated by the XL boatneck jerseys and off-the-shoulder tops. The only chromatic relief in all those autumn shades? Shearling jackets in sherbet colors.
Ralph Lauren's fresh-faced waspettes sailed down the runway in candy-colored felt and cashmere. The designer who built an empire selling all-American luxury lifestyle, chose monochromatic fuchsia, lemon, lime, lavender and occasionally gleaming white to set the tone for the new millenium. Felt was the basis of this clean, streamlined collection, and the flared tube-skirts, sheaths and funnel-necked sweaters had a cozy after-ski look that would delight any Ivy-League girl en route to Aspen. Backstage, Mr Lauren declared that this collection was about taste and lifestyle, not age. "It's the kind of clothes that mothers and daughters can wear," he said. Whether any moms will be tempted to bare their midriffs in Lauren's low-slung orange ball-skirt, paired with a cropped turtleneck to boot, remains to be seen.
Sleek and slender silhouettes in body-hugging felt made Calvin Klein's
runway look like a steamy Roxy Music video. Broad shoulders, high heels, and the pairing of black and white affirmed fashion's current infatuation with the '80s, while the funnel-necked shell jackets and trench-coat dresses had more of a mod flavor. Black was the dominating color;
while details like mismatched buttons and fake short sleeves stitched onto long sleeves lent a playful touch to the impeccably tailored clothes.
Guitars strapped on the back, knitted ponchos and crochet shoulder bags dripping with fringe -- Anna Sui took hippiedom to the extreme. The collection smacked of 1970s nostalgia as models sashayed along the catwalk in jaquard knit tops, shearling coats and suede mini-skirts
and jackets embroidered with orange yarn. Other love-child revivals included A-line dresses and shade-graded mohair sweaters. Yet, buried among the heavy-handed mimicry of a bygone era -- including Newport Folk Festival clips as a backdrop -- came a series of graphic outfits in black and white that were less anchored in the past.
Donatella Versace keeps breaking virgin ground in her continuing quest for new fabrics. Trippy innovations such as shaved mink, burnt velvet and mosaic patchwork created optical illusions so confusing it was impossible to tell whether a piece was made of plastic, velvet, sequins or leather.
Evening wear featured some of the standard long, draped screen-siren dresses and frilly little bright blue see-through dresses. But borderline sexy turned vulgar with the black transparent blouses and mini-dresses -- boudoir dressing that should stay just that: in the boudoir.
"Future Surplus 1.1.2000" was the code name, but there were no military maneuvers in Prada's latest collection. Veering away from the angular shapes and lab fabrics that has become the label's trademark look, Miuccia Prada had a pastoral change of heart, and signaled it with the syncopated beat of galloping hooves.
Knee-length skirts in khaki and burnt orange were ringed with wide hems of electric blue and purple plastic flowers; silk petal-embroidered dresses came with
bucolic scoop-necks; and cross-backed halter tops in tweed and ponyskin dipped toward the navel. The large mirror pendants that Prada hung on last season's skirts and tops made a reappearance, but they were more demure this season, discreetly flecking garments made out of sheer netting.
It will be a harsh winter in 2000 for all God's creatures now that Gucci's Tom Ford has declared war on the animal kingdom. He started with the lowly cow -- doing dresses, skirts, boots and pants in leather (the latter flaring from the knee, busily embroidered with silver leaves and hung with mink tails) -- and grew steadily more exotic. Jackets in goatskin were camouflaged with leopard print, while sheepskin versions came edged in Mongolian lambswool. There were also rust-red fox coats, boots in python, and pumps in lizard and anaconda.
The bestial focus is timely as Gucci now looks to be on the endangered species list. With LVMH's wolfish Bernard Arnault knocking on the door, the company is banding together in hopes of warding off the corporate invader.
Seasons come and seasons go but the Armani look is eternal. While tube-necks and Mao collars reign supreme on other runways, Mr. Giorgio has resolutely stuck to simple necklines: collarless sweaters; jackets with absent or inconspicuous lapels; simple tube dresses for evening wear. Neither has Armani been led astray by bright colors (as was his colleague at Gucci last season). He has stayed true to a palette as neutral as Switzerland in wartime.
This is not to say that Armani never changes. He does, but variations from one season to the next can often be microscopic. Take, for example, the Armani pants for winter 2000: they are straight-legged or slightly tucked in at the ankle, but those who are alert will detect the triple darts behind the knee.
