Fashion Diary: Under the big top at New York Fashion Week
Reality show stars-turned designers! Olympians fresh from performing feats of strength at the Summer Games! Peacockish bloggers taking pictures and typing on smartphones while walking on death-defying stilettos!
There is all that and more at the three-ring circus that is New York Fashion Week, which kicked off Thursday with designers, retailers and media new and old converging in Manhattan for the spring-summer 2013 collections.
The seven-day-long photo op includes runway shows and presentations held in warehouse spaces on Hudson River piers and at Chelsea art galleries, the Park Avenue Armory and tony places such as the Carlyle Hotel — as well as under the big top at Lincoln Center, the hub of fashion week.
In addition to the main acts such as Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs and Tory Burch, there are lots of side-show attractions.
Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola ("Jersey Shore" cast member and apparent fitness fanatic) is coming to fashion week for the first time to show her fashion fitness line with SXE Fitness, and Whitney Port (star of MTV's "The Hills" and "The City") is back with her Whitney Eve contemporary line, and no doubt some kind of cameras rolling.
Several former cast members of fashion reality programs are showing lines. Among them are Christian Siriano ("Project Runway" fourth season winner), who opened his first store in SoHo on Wednesday night with a bash that drew Heidi Klum and "Girls" star Allison Williams; Cesar Galindo (a 20-plus year veteran of the industry who appeared on Bravo's "The Fashion Show" last year); and Kara Laricks (first winner of NBC's "Fashion Star" for her androgynous designs).
For the front row, Olympians seem to be the most popular gets. Swimmer Ryan Lochte is making the rounds, thankfully without the grill, taking in the Joseph Abboud show and appearing at shoe designer Brian Atwood's swank party. And sprinter Sanya Richards-Ross turned up at BCGB, where she wore her super-high heels with what appeared to be cotton pads placed between the straps and her famously fast feet, to prevent blistering.
She's not here, but First Lady Michelle Obama seems to be on everyone's mind. Indeed, nearly four years into the administration, designers are still dying to dress her. Why? Because Tracy Reese, who made the gorgeous fuchsia and coral jacquard dress the first lady wore when she spoke Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention, has already seen a boost from the exposure. Her website crashed from so many hits, and ticket and interview requests have increased significantly, according to her representatives.
Meanwhile, the celebrity-as-designer trend is also making itself known. All eyes will be on Katie Holmes when she and stylist Jeanne Yang show Holmes & Yang for the first time during fashion week. The former Mrs. Tom Cruise is no doubt hoping that a presentation of the line, which launched in 2009, will be the fresh start she needs to enter the next phase of her life. (In further evidence that the fashion world is embracing Katie with open arms, it was announced last week that Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has named her the face of the beauty brand.)
Victoria Beckham is showing her high-end collection, as well as her lower-priced Victoria by Victoria Beckham line, while Avril Lavigne is presenting her Abbey Dawn line for Kohl's.
But enough with the circus, what about the clothes? Pantone has pronounced emerald green, dusk blue, African violet, tangerine, poppy red and something called "tender shoots" green the hot colors of the season. And trend forecaster WGSN predicts that cropped, tapered pants, tailored separates and longer shorts will make a big showing.
Made in China, made in Romania, made where? In the wake of the flak Ralph Lauren received over the news that the Olympic opening ceremony uniforms he provided for the U.S. team were made in China, you have to wonder if the consumer sentiment for Made in America goods will influence fashion designers and buyers this season.
Industry bible Women's Wear Daily published several stories on the subject Wednesday, suggesting that "like a phoenix, the American textile and manufacturing industry could be rising once again," due to a confluence of economic and social factors, including the Great Recession and higher wages in Asia. WWD also published results of a study conducted with market research firm NPD Group that indicated 21% of people surveyed would buy an American shirt over one that was made in another country so long as the price was no more than 25% higher.
"It's something I'm doing my due diligence on," Eric Jennings, men's fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue, said when asked about buying more brands that manufacture in America. "I'd really like to find a made-in-America men's suiting brand that we could carry."
But for Stephanie Solomon, women's fashion director of Bloomingdale's, the issue is more complicated. "The center of the fashion universe is not the U.S., it's Paris," she said, referring to how designers in that city still hold sway over the direction of trends to come. "If you're a consumer interested in high fashion, and in the craft of high fashion, you're interested in what's coming from Europe."
Which is why, when New York Fashion Week ends Friday, the circus will pick up and move to London, Milan and Paris, where the last word on the spring season will finally come Oct. 3.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
Fast-forward fashion: Spring catwalk shows begin
Fast-forward fashion: Spring catwalk shows begin
Fashion insiders, ever ahead of their time, began looking to spring on Thursday as they previewed the outfits that will land in stores and in magazines for the season at New York Fashion Week.
Max Azria of BCBG had the first marquee show, and seemed to offer an early indicator for trends, balancing soft, fluid fabrics with tough material and graphic patterns. Azria said it was important to make a strong impression.
"It has to have substance as the first big show," he said in a backstage interview. "I don't want you to forget it."
More than 100 previews are on the calendar here for retailers, editors and stylists over the next eight days, before this crowd heads for London, Milan and Paris. The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week tents at Lincoln Center serve as one hub, with a smaller but growing second "home" in Manhattan's Meatpacking district at Milk Studios. Still other designers, including Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren, choose to have their shows in other locations, which keeps the crowd moving.
"It feels like going back to school. I'm happy to have it all start in New York," said Joe Zee, creative director of Elle magazine.
Zee, who also hosts Sundance Channel's "All on the Line," says what he most hopes to see on the catwalks is newness — and no more colorblocking. He likes the look, he explains, but it's a tired trend. Same goes for platform heels. "I know women like it and I know it's more comfortable — and I don't have to wear it — but I'm done with it. I want to see a new idea."
How about happiness? That's what Diane von Furstenberg, president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, expects to see a lot of. "I think we're all looking for some lightness and happiness, and I hope I am bringing that to my collection." She shows Sunday at the Lincoln Center tents.
Hilfiger's show will be Sunday at the open-air High Line, an urban park built on an old freight line overlooking the Hudson River, which he describes as an ideal venue for springtime clothes. "I'm always excited for my own shows, but also to see what the other designers are showing; there is a creative energy in the city this time of year that I love."
Von Furstenberg says Fashion Week goes beyond industry insiders now. "People like fashion," she says. "It used to be very trade-oriented, but it's not anymore. It's accessible to everyone because of the Internet, but fashion is glamorous, and it's about dreams and aspiration and desire."
BCBG
There was high contrast on the catwalk Thursday at the BCBG Max Azria runway show, with leather harnesses sharing the stage — and sometimes the same outfit — with lingerie lace.
Fluid silhouettes were tempered by the tough texture of the leather, and soft, draped crepe fabrics were strong thanks to the graphic black-and-white roots of the palette.
Azria explained that he aimed to capture the allure of femme fatales and the sharpness of Helmut Newton's photography.
Dresses, the BCBG signature, were the most impactful pieces, especially a shirtdress with patchwork lace that allowed just a peek of peony pink to come through the mostly white look, and the black double-weave dress with lace inserts that gave the illusion of many airy layers.
TADASHI SHOJI
Lace, patchwork, crystal. That could have made for an overwrought, overdone runway, but Tadashi Shoji mostly filled his collection with dresses that captured a modern, clean femininity.
Some of the gowns seem likely candidates for the red carpet, especially the one-shoulder, wheat-colored tulle and embellished gown with floral appliques and lace that closed the show. It had a little bit of pageantry to it, but that's OK for those big moments.
Shoji alternated between those feminine sand colors and brighter hues of blue, "paprika" red and green. The blue dresses, including the boatneck sheath dressed up in lace and the chiffon-and-lace blousoned gown with pleats that created a Venetian-blind effect, were reminiscent of lovely vases from the Ming Dynasty.
Shoji, in his notes, said he aimed to take the audience on a journey along the "modern Silk Road" from Venice cutwork, to Kazakhstan ikat and onward through the Gobi Desert and the ancient city of Xi'an in China.
RICHARD CHAI
The Richard Chai Love collection helped set the tone for spring — and toned we'll need to be to wear Chai's clothes.
His sporty styles in a soothing palette of blues and tans that one might find at the seashore featured more than a few bare midriffs. "Apparently, what we'll all want are shorts, anoraks, halters and flat abs," said Melissa Liebling-Goldberg, editorial director of womenswear for Gilt Groupe.
Chai favored a light touch even if he piled on a few layers: The first model out wore a sheer, shiny cotton-nylon parka with a silk-nylon floral dress with bra-style halter top and flared A-line skirt. For men, Chai offered a crinkled cotton jacket and trouser with a zip-front shirt.
There was also a men's two-tone, double-breasted blazer in contrasting fabrics that might be a hint of a possible yin-yang vibe emerging at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week tents at Lincoln Center. One could also feel it in the jersey dresses that still had definitive blocks of color but with softer curves than the geometric lines that usually comes with traditional colorblocking.
CREATURES OF THE WIND
Swingy, bejeweled silhouettes from the '60s and shimmery, vintage snakeskin lame stood out at the show for two up-and-comer Chicagoans who call themselves Creatures of the Wind.
Focusing on the technical elements of old couture rather than a specific narrative, Shane Gabier and Chris Peters sent out bright greens, yellows and pinks in dresses, printed skinny trousers and skirts in jacquards, cottons and polyesters.
A full, pleated dress in green had a large, loose bow below the chest with three-quarter sleeves and a skirt the color of oatmeal with star bursts of massive Swarovski crystals just above the hem.
The two kept hemlines below the knee and built panels of solid colors into prints in jackets, shirts and dresses.
Gabier, 39, said some "punky" details and the early '60s feel is always on the partners' minds as they cater to a range of customers of all ages — and sizes. Is it unusual for Fashion Week designers to show plus-size friendly clothes? "It might be," Gabier said. "I would say yes."
Fashion insiders, ever ahead of their time, began looking to spring on Thursday as they previewed the outfits that will land in stores and in magazines for the season at New York Fashion Week.
Max Azria of BCBG had the first marquee show, and seemed to offer an early indicator for trends, balancing soft, fluid fabrics with tough material and graphic patterns. Azria said it was important to make a strong impression.
"It has to have substance as the first big show," he said in a backstage interview. "I don't want you to forget it."
More than 100 previews are on the calendar here for retailers, editors and stylists over the next eight days, before this crowd heads for London, Milan and Paris. The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week tents at Lincoln Center serve as one hub, with a smaller but growing second "home" in Manhattan's Meatpacking district at Milk Studios. Still other designers, including Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren, choose to have their shows in other locations, which keeps the crowd moving.
"It feels like going back to school. I'm happy to have it all start in New York," said Joe Zee, creative director of Elle magazine.
Zee, who also hosts Sundance Channel's "All on the Line," says what he most hopes to see on the catwalks is newness — and no more colorblocking. He likes the look, he explains, but it's a tired trend. Same goes for platform heels. "I know women like it and I know it's more comfortable — and I don't have to wear it — but I'm done with it. I want to see a new idea."
How about happiness? That's what Diane von Furstenberg, president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, expects to see a lot of. "I think we're all looking for some lightness and happiness, and I hope I am bringing that to my collection." She shows Sunday at the Lincoln Center tents.
Hilfiger's show will be Sunday at the open-air High Line, an urban park built on an old freight line overlooking the Hudson River, which he describes as an ideal venue for springtime clothes. "I'm always excited for my own shows, but also to see what the other designers are showing; there is a creative energy in the city this time of year that I love."
Von Furstenberg says Fashion Week goes beyond industry insiders now. "People like fashion," she says. "It used to be very trade-oriented, but it's not anymore. It's accessible to everyone because of the Internet, but fashion is glamorous, and it's about dreams and aspiration and desire."
BCBG
There was high contrast on the catwalk Thursday at the BCBG Max Azria runway show, with leather harnesses sharing the stage — and sometimes the same outfit — with lingerie lace.
Fluid silhouettes were tempered by the tough texture of the leather, and soft, draped crepe fabrics were strong thanks to the graphic black-and-white roots of the palette.
Azria explained that he aimed to capture the allure of femme fatales and the sharpness of Helmut Newton's photography.
Dresses, the BCBG signature, were the most impactful pieces, especially a shirtdress with patchwork lace that allowed just a peek of peony pink to come through the mostly white look, and the black double-weave dress with lace inserts that gave the illusion of many airy layers.
TADASHI SHOJI
Lace, patchwork, crystal. That could have made for an overwrought, overdone runway, but Tadashi Shoji mostly filled his collection with dresses that captured a modern, clean femininity.
Some of the gowns seem likely candidates for the red carpet, especially the one-shoulder, wheat-colored tulle and embellished gown with floral appliques and lace that closed the show. It had a little bit of pageantry to it, but that's OK for those big moments.
Shoji alternated between those feminine sand colors and brighter hues of blue, "paprika" red and green. The blue dresses, including the boatneck sheath dressed up in lace and the chiffon-and-lace blousoned gown with pleats that created a Venetian-blind effect, were reminiscent of lovely vases from the Ming Dynasty.
Shoji, in his notes, said he aimed to take the audience on a journey along the "modern Silk Road" from Venice cutwork, to Kazakhstan ikat and onward through the Gobi Desert and the ancient city of Xi'an in China.
RICHARD CHAI
The Richard Chai Love collection helped set the tone for spring — and toned we'll need to be to wear Chai's clothes.
His sporty styles in a soothing palette of blues and tans that one might find at the seashore featured more than a few bare midriffs. "Apparently, what we'll all want are shorts, anoraks, halters and flat abs," said Melissa Liebling-Goldberg, editorial director of womenswear for Gilt Groupe.
Chai favored a light touch even if he piled on a few layers: The first model out wore a sheer, shiny cotton-nylon parka with a silk-nylon floral dress with bra-style halter top and flared A-line skirt. For men, Chai offered a crinkled cotton jacket and trouser with a zip-front shirt.
There was also a men's two-tone, double-breasted blazer in contrasting fabrics that might be a hint of a possible yin-yang vibe emerging at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week tents at Lincoln Center. One could also feel it in the jersey dresses that still had definitive blocks of color but with softer curves than the geometric lines that usually comes with traditional colorblocking.
CREATURES OF THE WIND
Swingy, bejeweled silhouettes from the '60s and shimmery, vintage snakeskin lame stood out at the show for two up-and-comer Chicagoans who call themselves Creatures of the Wind.
Focusing on the technical elements of old couture rather than a specific narrative, Shane Gabier and Chris Peters sent out bright greens, yellows and pinks in dresses, printed skinny trousers and skirts in jacquards, cottons and polyesters.
A full, pleated dress in green had a large, loose bow below the chest with three-quarter sleeves and a skirt the color of oatmeal with star bursts of massive Swarovski crystals just above the hem.
The two kept hemlines below the knee and built panels of solid colors into prints in jackets, shirts and dresses.
Gabier, 39, said some "punky" details and the early '60s feel is always on the partners' minds as they cater to a range of customers of all ages — and sizes. Is it unusual for Fashion Week designers to show plus-size friendly clothes? "It might be," Gabier said. "I would say yes."
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Fashion Night Out Chicago treats shoppers to deals
Fashion Night Out Chicago treats shoppers to deals
What began as Anna Wintour’s push to help retailers during the 2009 recession, Fashion Night Out has spread the fashion fete to 18 countries, with 4,500 events nationwide. Those on the Chicago shopping trail can find fashion shows, cocktails, free makeovers, shopping discounts and more cocktails at the annual testament to all things sartorial taking place from 6 to p.m. Thursday along the Mag Mile, the Gold Coast and State Street.
Whether it’s sipping Champagne while checking out the newest fall handbags at Furla on Oak Street or rubbing elbows with actress Ali Larter at the Night Out event at the 900 North Michigan Shops, the shopping party offers dedicated retail therapy for every budget.
The best part of FNO is that all events are free and open to the public, although some require an RSVP.
Before stepping out for all the festivities, the city’s only dedicated blow-out salon, Blowtique, offers a free style from noon to 5 p.m. For FNO Cinderellas who can’t make that time slot, the salon remains open until 10 p.m. — but services return to the regular price. 1 E. Huron, (312) 280-2400.
Here’s a list of some of the hottest parties and events:
Nordstrom: Sure, New York City has more stores than Chicago, but they don’t have a Nordstrom! This year the store is holding an official launch party for the Chelsea Pump by Cole Haan. Guests can enjoy appetizers and beverages while checking out the Cole Haan show on the first floor.
What began as Anna Wintour’s push to help retailers during the 2009 recession, Fashion Night Out has spread the fashion fete to 18 countries, with 4,500 events nationwide. Those on the Chicago shopping trail can find fashion shows, cocktails, free makeovers, shopping discounts and more cocktails at the annual testament to all things sartorial taking place from 6 to p.m. Thursday along the Mag Mile, the Gold Coast and State Street.
Whether it’s sipping Champagne while checking out the newest fall handbags at Furla on Oak Street or rubbing elbows with actress Ali Larter at the Night Out event at the 900 North Michigan Shops, the shopping party offers dedicated retail therapy for every budget.
The best part of FNO is that all events are free and open to the public, although some require an RSVP.
Before stepping out for all the festivities, the city’s only dedicated blow-out salon, Blowtique, offers a free style from noon to 5 p.m. For FNO Cinderellas who can’t make that time slot, the salon remains open until 10 p.m. — but services return to the regular price. 1 E. Huron, (312) 280-2400.
Here’s a list of some of the hottest parties and events:
Nordstrom: Sure, New York City has more stores than Chicago, but they don’t have a Nordstrom! This year the store is holding an official launch party for the Chelsea Pump by Cole Haan. Guests can enjoy appetizers and beverages while checking out the Cole Haan show on the first floor.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
NZ Fashion Week day two: It's all about the clothes
NZ Fashion Week day two: It's all about the clothes
Twentyseven names and Ingrid Starnes joined forces to show at Australis House in Britomart this morning.
Slick as ever, their PR company Showroom 22 coaxed tired media and buyers out of bed early with promises of breakfast and coffee. It clearly worked as a capacity crowd turned up and the buzz ahead of the shows was palpable.
Wellington label twentyseven names opened proceedings with a collection that managed to be both sexy and super-cute, all at once. Styled by Dan Awha with knit beanies, printed socks and jelly sandals, designers Anjali Stewart and Rachel Easting have nailed an effortlessly cute and feminine look. Combining spots of all sizes with strawberry and heart prints, and a little stripe thrown in for good measure, they showed a great range of cute dresses, knit sweaters, buttoned-up blouses and adorable shorts. I particularly liked the pops of red accentuating the palette of mostly pastels, greys, powder blue and cream. And of course the trademark printed bowties to finish it off. Twentyseven names have a real strength for capturing that youthful, easily put-together girl who looks adorable in anything she puts on and this collection was no different.
Ingrid Starnes showed a much more mature collection, that was simple, but beautifully executed and extremely feminine. Inspired by a hunt, there was plenty to like. With tweed pants and jackets, luxe wool overcoats, silk blouses and dresses and cute knotted rope brooches, it was classy and elegant. The collection used a playful, almost-geometric print on both a pale blue and a mustard base. Most of the other colours featured pulled from this print, with forest green and burnt orange accentuating creams, camel, grey and gold. All in all, it was trademark Starnes - simple, elegant, feminine and flattering.
The New Generation show showcased four new talents - Dmonic Intent, Silence Was..., Daniel K and Arielle Mermin. Dmonic Intent showed a strong, sculptural collection, that was slightly avant garde at times. With bold use of a geometric print in yellow and burnt orange, sculptured shoulders and a lattice-work weaving, I was impressed. It had a definitive direction and didn't apologise for pushing the boundaries. There was a bandage dress that was particularly striking and very definitely editorial over commercial. Their collection would photograph extremely well and I imagine they have many an editorial shoot ahead of them.
Silence Was... showed a simple winter line, that used charcoal and bright orange check, shearling, velvet and fur. With clean lines and simple tailoring, it was winter at its easiest. Daniel K showed more clean lines, with geometric cut-out hemlines and panelling. There was a mix of fitted jackets and draped blouses and dresses. It was a very commercial collection with dark colours contrasted with pops of bright red detailing.
Mount Maunganui-based designer Arielle Mermin showed a very 70s-inspired range that had a cool, Californian ease to it. With great velvet and corduroy suiting and silk printed blouses, it was simple, but memorable. There were a couple of beautifully fitted tunic dresses that were extremely flattering and easy to wear. Again, it had a very strong direction that was well-edited and made sense. All in all, a great debut.
Wellington designer Deryn Schmidt debuted in the New Generation show last year and came back for her first solo show this afternoon. With exceptionally strong tailoring and beautiful classic shapes, it was a collection to covet. Many of the pieces were so timeless they would comfortably slot into any woman's wardrobe, of any age. With impeccable, structured woollen suits, strong silhouettes and bold colour choice, Schmidt put together a very strong show indeed. She trained under Andrea Moore and Helen Cherry, and the years of hard work learning the ropes really showed. The finishing was exquisite and there was a classic elegance to it all. She showed printed silk pants and matching blouses, along with a great range of warm woollen overcoats and velvet blazers. For a debut solo show I think Schmidt and her team can be very proud of what they've achieved.
September 4, 10.47pm: The final three shows of the day all ran late, but certainly ended the first full day on a good note. Hailwood showed a collection that seemed to be of two halves. One part lady-like dresses and cinched waists, the other knit dresses and cosy sweaters with a distinctly casual vibe.
There was an easy elegance to much of Hailwood's show. As for the more casual garments, I loved the leather elbow patches on the sweaters and cardigan. The sweaters had an awesome greco-roman horse motif, which was also used as a recurring print on skirts and a full-length dress. Hailwood also used leather as a feature (in pants, sleeves and bags), along with quilted jackets that gave a good sense of winter (something occasionally missing from these shows!). There were also really simple, but panelled, knit dresses which will be very popular for their effortless style, as will his collaboration shoes with Mi Piaci of course. They used the 5th Avenue heel on the runway and it looked great.
Juliette Hogan was next up and showed a fresh collection, packed with punch. I think Hogan has really developed a great sense of her aesthetic and where her strengths are in recent collections and that shows as each collection seems to get better and better. Autumn/winter next year will feature dark orange lace and wool, sand-coloured suiting, bright florals and sequins. Hogan has a great sense of prints and texture and uses them well. She showed a great floral suit, quilted jacket and an amazing black fur jacket, that looked extremely sumptuous - just as winter should be. The collection had a very lady-like sensibility, without being dowdy or dated. It was crisp, modern and feminine. All in all, it was a cohesive, well-thought-out collection that really impressed.
Zambesi. Ahhh Zambesi. I think from now on I will refer to them as Zambesi, masters of fashion week. They were one of my personal stand-outs last year and it would seem this year will be no different. The thing I really love about Zambesi is the Findlays have their aesthetic and silhouette and they stick to it. They don't care what anyone else is doing, they just do what they're good at. And boy are they good! Their finishing is impeccable, their tailoring superb. They featured quirky details, such as over-sized domes and PVC stoles. Next winter's collection felt like a very natural continuation of last winter, with skinny pants in various fabrics, beautiful woollen boxy coats and removable collars. There was the Zambesi's trademark sequins, along with a surprising yellow and black check that only Zambesi could make work. They really did make it work though! There was also a smoking hot pair of pink check pants. Their collection was so mesmerising I kept forgetting to take notes, so taken was I with the finishing on each garment and the sheer awesomeness of the entire collection. They have set the bar extremely high for all the other shows yet to come. Yes, Zambesi definitely are masters of fashion week.
September 4, 4.45pm: Liam opened fashion week with a sophisticated, pared-back collection of wearable tailored pieces suitable for the office, along with beautifully fit sand-washed silk formal dresses. Highlights for me included effortless silk blouses and their trademark pantsuits. They also had tan leather and chain braces paired with skinny belts and a sleeveless tailored vest that brought a really masculine edge to an otherwise feminine collection.
I'm starting to think the Ruby girl doesn't believe in winter. They showed a very pale colour palette, lots of white with prints and pale peach, broken up with turquoise fur, stripes and metallic silver. There was a beautiful peach animal print used for both tops and pants, which I imagine will sell well. Again, there were a couple of great full-length formal dresses, but all with Ruby's signature sense of fun, styled with silver loafers and knit beanies.
Cybele's 21st collection was slick and featured her signature dark prints and floating silhouettes. She paired wide, clear PVC belts with tailored black dresses and gorgeous bags. There were a couple of stand-out prints for me - a bright blue inkblot-like print on the hem of a long, sheer dress, and the owl print, which had big eyes and was super-cute, but with just a hint of rock n roll.
Early on in the collection there was a beautifully draped charcoal cardigan that left me longing for winter! All in all, Cybele has me convinced that her draped, chiffon, printed tunics are the ideal dress and that every woman should have at least one Cybele piece.
Coop, while not techinically designed by Trelise Cooper, showed a collection that very clearly had Cooper's fingerprints all over it. Aimed at a younger market, it featured an amped-up garden print, giant peplums and, of course, plenty of sequins and beading. The collection was quite large and felt slightly disjointed in that there didn't seem to be any continuity of fabric choice, colour, or even garments. Some pieces were very wearable, in particular a cute, brocade-like bomber jacket, while others were not quite as commercial.
My highlight so far has to be the debut collection of Dunedin's Company of Strangers. It was a beautifully crafted and edited collection that showcased designer Sara Aspinall's eye for detail, skill in tailoring and ability to introduce colour in such a way that even the darkest wardrobe would be tempted. With plenty of panelling, both leather and chiffon, and sharp tailoring, it won me over in a heartbeat. There were beautifully finished cropped woollen motorcycle jackets in several colours, including fuschia, peach and black. I would like one of each! The zip detailing was perfection. Aspinall started out designing jewellery and bags, and those skills were evident here. There was a really cute yellow, leather backpack as well. It was definitely a very strong debut show and firmly places Company of Strangers as 'one to watch'.
Next up is Hailwood, Juliette Hogan and Zambesi, which pretty much guarantees the first full day of NZFW will finish on a high note.
September 4, 7.04am: Despite the rumours, rain and talk of rebellious designers showing in-season collections offsite in Ponsonby last week, New Zealand Fashion Week 2012 officially opened last night, with a fairly low-key party at the Viaduct Events Centre. NZFW director Pieter Stewart, Auckland mayor Len Brown and designer Trelise Cooper all spoke.
It was definitely a pared-back event compared to previous years, however the highlight had to be the group of Kiwi Olympians that turned up. Between the rowers and the various models floating around, it was a very tall room of people. I had 12cm heels on and still barely reached Mahe Drysdale's shoulder!
Parties and parking tickets aside ($65 for being 10 minutes late, ouch!), the hard work of fashion week really starts today, when sister labels Ruby and Liam open with their Autumn/Winter 2013 collection at noon. Their offsite show last year was one of the best of the week, so I can't wait to see what they come up with this year.
Today's line-up of eight shows includes some of my most-anticipated, with Cybele returning to show her 21st collection (she didn't show last year as she'd just had a baby) along with Hailwood, Julilette Hogan and Zambesi. I love pretty much everything Zambesi do (it appeals to my dark, Wellingtonian aesthetic) so am very excited to see what they show today. I'll be updating twice a day with all the details from the shows. Bring on the madness!
Twentyseven names and Ingrid Starnes joined forces to show at Australis House in Britomart this morning.
Slick as ever, their PR company Showroom 22 coaxed tired media and buyers out of bed early with promises of breakfast and coffee. It clearly worked as a capacity crowd turned up and the buzz ahead of the shows was palpable.
Wellington label twentyseven names opened proceedings with a collection that managed to be both sexy and super-cute, all at once. Styled by Dan Awha with knit beanies, printed socks and jelly sandals, designers Anjali Stewart and Rachel Easting have nailed an effortlessly cute and feminine look. Combining spots of all sizes with strawberry and heart prints, and a little stripe thrown in for good measure, they showed a great range of cute dresses, knit sweaters, buttoned-up blouses and adorable shorts. I particularly liked the pops of red accentuating the palette of mostly pastels, greys, powder blue and cream. And of course the trademark printed bowties to finish it off. Twentyseven names have a real strength for capturing that youthful, easily put-together girl who looks adorable in anything she puts on and this collection was no different.
Ingrid Starnes showed a much more mature collection, that was simple, but beautifully executed and extremely feminine. Inspired by a hunt, there was plenty to like. With tweed pants and jackets, luxe wool overcoats, silk blouses and dresses and cute knotted rope brooches, it was classy and elegant. The collection used a playful, almost-geometric print on both a pale blue and a mustard base. Most of the other colours featured pulled from this print, with forest green and burnt orange accentuating creams, camel, grey and gold. All in all, it was trademark Starnes - simple, elegant, feminine and flattering.
The New Generation show showcased four new talents - Dmonic Intent, Silence Was..., Daniel K and Arielle Mermin. Dmonic Intent showed a strong, sculptural collection, that was slightly avant garde at times. With bold use of a geometric print in yellow and burnt orange, sculptured shoulders and a lattice-work weaving, I was impressed. It had a definitive direction and didn't apologise for pushing the boundaries. There was a bandage dress that was particularly striking and very definitely editorial over commercial. Their collection would photograph extremely well and I imagine they have many an editorial shoot ahead of them.
Silence Was... showed a simple winter line, that used charcoal and bright orange check, shearling, velvet and fur. With clean lines and simple tailoring, it was winter at its easiest. Daniel K showed more clean lines, with geometric cut-out hemlines and panelling. There was a mix of fitted jackets and draped blouses and dresses. It was a very commercial collection with dark colours contrasted with pops of bright red detailing.
Mount Maunganui-based designer Arielle Mermin showed a very 70s-inspired range that had a cool, Californian ease to it. With great velvet and corduroy suiting and silk printed blouses, it was simple, but memorable. There were a couple of beautifully fitted tunic dresses that were extremely flattering and easy to wear. Again, it had a very strong direction that was well-edited and made sense. All in all, a great debut.
Wellington designer Deryn Schmidt debuted in the New Generation show last year and came back for her first solo show this afternoon. With exceptionally strong tailoring and beautiful classic shapes, it was a collection to covet. Many of the pieces were so timeless they would comfortably slot into any woman's wardrobe, of any age. With impeccable, structured woollen suits, strong silhouettes and bold colour choice, Schmidt put together a very strong show indeed. She trained under Andrea Moore and Helen Cherry, and the years of hard work learning the ropes really showed. The finishing was exquisite and there was a classic elegance to it all. She showed printed silk pants and matching blouses, along with a great range of warm woollen overcoats and velvet blazers. For a debut solo show I think Schmidt and her team can be very proud of what they've achieved.
September 4, 10.47pm: The final three shows of the day all ran late, but certainly ended the first full day on a good note. Hailwood showed a collection that seemed to be of two halves. One part lady-like dresses and cinched waists, the other knit dresses and cosy sweaters with a distinctly casual vibe.
There was an easy elegance to much of Hailwood's show. As for the more casual garments, I loved the leather elbow patches on the sweaters and cardigan. The sweaters had an awesome greco-roman horse motif, which was also used as a recurring print on skirts and a full-length dress. Hailwood also used leather as a feature (in pants, sleeves and bags), along with quilted jackets that gave a good sense of winter (something occasionally missing from these shows!). There were also really simple, but panelled, knit dresses which will be very popular for their effortless style, as will his collaboration shoes with Mi Piaci of course. They used the 5th Avenue heel on the runway and it looked great.
Juliette Hogan was next up and showed a fresh collection, packed with punch. I think Hogan has really developed a great sense of her aesthetic and where her strengths are in recent collections and that shows as each collection seems to get better and better. Autumn/winter next year will feature dark orange lace and wool, sand-coloured suiting, bright florals and sequins. Hogan has a great sense of prints and texture and uses them well. She showed a great floral suit, quilted jacket and an amazing black fur jacket, that looked extremely sumptuous - just as winter should be. The collection had a very lady-like sensibility, without being dowdy or dated. It was crisp, modern and feminine. All in all, it was a cohesive, well-thought-out collection that really impressed.
Zambesi. Ahhh Zambesi. I think from now on I will refer to them as Zambesi, masters of fashion week. They were one of my personal stand-outs last year and it would seem this year will be no different. The thing I really love about Zambesi is the Findlays have their aesthetic and silhouette and they stick to it. They don't care what anyone else is doing, they just do what they're good at. And boy are they good! Their finishing is impeccable, their tailoring superb. They featured quirky details, such as over-sized domes and PVC stoles. Next winter's collection felt like a very natural continuation of last winter, with skinny pants in various fabrics, beautiful woollen boxy coats and removable collars. There was the Zambesi's trademark sequins, along with a surprising yellow and black check that only Zambesi could make work. They really did make it work though! There was also a smoking hot pair of pink check pants. Their collection was so mesmerising I kept forgetting to take notes, so taken was I with the finishing on each garment and the sheer awesomeness of the entire collection. They have set the bar extremely high for all the other shows yet to come. Yes, Zambesi definitely are masters of fashion week.
September 4, 4.45pm: Liam opened fashion week with a sophisticated, pared-back collection of wearable tailored pieces suitable for the office, along with beautifully fit sand-washed silk formal dresses. Highlights for me included effortless silk blouses and their trademark pantsuits. They also had tan leather and chain braces paired with skinny belts and a sleeveless tailored vest that brought a really masculine edge to an otherwise feminine collection.
I'm starting to think the Ruby girl doesn't believe in winter. They showed a very pale colour palette, lots of white with prints and pale peach, broken up with turquoise fur, stripes and metallic silver. There was a beautiful peach animal print used for both tops and pants, which I imagine will sell well. Again, there were a couple of great full-length formal dresses, but all with Ruby's signature sense of fun, styled with silver loafers and knit beanies.
Cybele's 21st collection was slick and featured her signature dark prints and floating silhouettes. She paired wide, clear PVC belts with tailored black dresses and gorgeous bags. There were a couple of stand-out prints for me - a bright blue inkblot-like print on the hem of a long, sheer dress, and the owl print, which had big eyes and was super-cute, but with just a hint of rock n roll.
Early on in the collection there was a beautifully draped charcoal cardigan that left me longing for winter! All in all, Cybele has me convinced that her draped, chiffon, printed tunics are the ideal dress and that every woman should have at least one Cybele piece.
Coop, while not techinically designed by Trelise Cooper, showed a collection that very clearly had Cooper's fingerprints all over it. Aimed at a younger market, it featured an amped-up garden print, giant peplums and, of course, plenty of sequins and beading. The collection was quite large and felt slightly disjointed in that there didn't seem to be any continuity of fabric choice, colour, or even garments. Some pieces were very wearable, in particular a cute, brocade-like bomber jacket, while others were not quite as commercial.
My highlight so far has to be the debut collection of Dunedin's Company of Strangers. It was a beautifully crafted and edited collection that showcased designer Sara Aspinall's eye for detail, skill in tailoring and ability to introduce colour in such a way that even the darkest wardrobe would be tempted. With plenty of panelling, both leather and chiffon, and sharp tailoring, it won me over in a heartbeat. There were beautifully finished cropped woollen motorcycle jackets in several colours, including fuschia, peach and black. I would like one of each! The zip detailing was perfection. Aspinall started out designing jewellery and bags, and those skills were evident here. There was a really cute yellow, leather backpack as well. It was definitely a very strong debut show and firmly places Company of Strangers as 'one to watch'.
Next up is Hailwood, Juliette Hogan and Zambesi, which pretty much guarantees the first full day of NZFW will finish on a high note.
September 4, 7.04am: Despite the rumours, rain and talk of rebellious designers showing in-season collections offsite in Ponsonby last week, New Zealand Fashion Week 2012 officially opened last night, with a fairly low-key party at the Viaduct Events Centre. NZFW director Pieter Stewart, Auckland mayor Len Brown and designer Trelise Cooper all spoke.
It was definitely a pared-back event compared to previous years, however the highlight had to be the group of Kiwi Olympians that turned up. Between the rowers and the various models floating around, it was a very tall room of people. I had 12cm heels on and still barely reached Mahe Drysdale's shoulder!
Parties and parking tickets aside ($65 for being 10 minutes late, ouch!), the hard work of fashion week really starts today, when sister labels Ruby and Liam open with their Autumn/Winter 2013 collection at noon. Their offsite show last year was one of the best of the week, so I can't wait to see what they come up with this year.
Today's line-up of eight shows includes some of my most-anticipated, with Cybele returning to show her 21st collection (she didn't show last year as she'd just had a baby) along with Hailwood, Julilette Hogan and Zambesi. I love pretty much everything Zambesi do (it appeals to my dark, Wellingtonian aesthetic) so am very excited to see what they show today. I'll be updating twice a day with all the details from the shows. Bring on the madness!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Fashion chain Ojay folds
Fashion chain Ojay folds
Lowe Lippmann accountancy firm partners David Coyne and Gideon Rathner were both appointed joint administrators on Friday.
“I can confirm I was appointed joint administrator on Friday 31st August,” Mr Coyne said today.
He would not comment further.
The Melbourne-based fashion chain, which has been operating since 1976, has 22 stores in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia.
Australian Retailers Association president Russell Zimmerman said he hopes the administrators will be able to save the women's clothing store.
“One would have to assume there will some store closures and staff losses,” he said.
“One is not overly surprised Ojay has gone (under) purely because the sector is under pressure.”
Australian retail spending fell 0.8 per cent in July, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Monday.
Mr Zimmerman said rising tenancy rents and weekend penalty rates had put pressure on retailers.
Lowe Lippmann accountancy firm partners David Coyne and Gideon Rathner were both appointed joint administrators on Friday.
“I can confirm I was appointed joint administrator on Friday 31st August,” Mr Coyne said today.
He would not comment further.
The Melbourne-based fashion chain, which has been operating since 1976, has 22 stores in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia.
Australian Retailers Association president Russell Zimmerman said he hopes the administrators will be able to save the women's clothing store.
“One would have to assume there will some store closures and staff losses,” he said.
“One is not overly surprised Ojay has gone (under) purely because the sector is under pressure.”
Australian retail spending fell 0.8 per cent in July, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Monday.
Mr Zimmerman said rising tenancy rents and weekend penalty rates had put pressure on retailers.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Iraqi fashion police up in arms against ‘skimpy’ clothes
Iraqi fashion police up in arms against ‘skimpy’ clothes
For much of Iraq’s youth, sporting blingy makeup, slicked-up hair and skintight jeans is just part of living the teenage dream. But for their elders, it’s a nightmare.
A new culture rift is emerging in Iraq, as young women replace shapeless cover-ups with ankle-baring skirts and tight blouses, while men strut around in revealing slacks and spiky haircuts. The relatively skimpy styles have prompted Islamic clerics in at least two Iraqi cities to mobilize the “fashion police” in the name of protecting religious values.
“I see the way they (police) look at me — they don’t like it,” said Mayada Hamid, 32, wearing a pink leopard-print headscarf with jeans, a blue blouse and lots of sparkly eyeliner Sunday while shopping at the famous gold market in the northern Baghdad neighborhood of Kazimiyah.
She rolled her eyes. “It’s just suppression.” So far, though, there are no reports of the police actually taking action.
This is a conflict playing out across the Arab world, where conservative Islamic societies grapple with the effects of Western influence, especially the most obvious — the way their young choose to dress.
The violations of old Iraqi norms have grown especially egregious, religious officials say, since the Aug. 20 end of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month. In the last two weeks, posters and banners have been hanging along the streets of Kazimiyah, sternly reminding women to wear an abaya — a long, loose black cloak that covers the body from shoulders to feet.
A similar warning came from Diwaniyah, a Shiite city about 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital, where some posters have painted a red X over pictures of women wearing pants. Other banners praise women who keep their hair fully covered beneath a headscarf.
Religious officials speculate young Iraqis got carried away in celebrating the end of Ramadan and now need to be reined in.
“We support personal freedoms, but there are places that have a special status,” said Sheik Mazin Saadi, a Shiite cleric from Kazimiyah, home to the double gold-domed shrine that is one of Shiite Islam’s holiest sites.
He said the area’s residents lobbied Baghdad’s local government to ban unveiled women from walking around the neighborhood, including its sprawling open-air market that attracts people from across Iraq.
“The women started to follow to this order,” Saadi said.
Government leaders in Baghdad say they’ve issued no such ban and ordered some of the warning posters removed. The rule “is only for the female visitors who go inside the shrine itself,” said Sabar al-Saadi, chairman of the Baghdad provincial council’s legal committee. “We think that wearing a veil for women in Iraq is a personal decision.”
Muslim women generally wear headscarves or veils in public out of modesty, and female worshippers are required to wear an abaya or other loose robes in shrines and mosques.
But over the last several years, following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein, Western styles have crept into Iraq’s fashion palate. Form-fitting clothing, stylish shoes and men’s edgy hairstyles are commonly seen on the street. Some younger women have even begun to forgo the hijab, or headscarf.
Their parents — and their parents’ parents — fear Western influence will drown out Iraq’s centuries of culture and respect for religion.
“We as Iraqis do not respect our traditions,” said Fadhil Jawad, 65, a gold seller near the Kazimiyah shrine. He estimated his profits have dropped by 10 percent in the last two weeks since authorities posted warnings about improper dress codes at the entrance to the market. He called the financial loss worth the lesson being imposed.
“Legs can be seen, there are low-cut shirts,” Jawad lamented. “And all, very, very tight. I think these Iraqis who are wearing these things have come back from Syria, Dubai and Egypt. They probably spent too much time in nightclubs. The families in Kazimiyah are conservative. These young people — nobody can control them. They should be given freedoms, but they should know their limits.”
Several young adults strolling the Kazimiyah gold market on Sunday accused the religious class of trying to pull Iraq back to the dark ages, a sentiment that human rights activist Hana Adwar echoed.
“It is an aggression on the rights of not only religious minorities, but also on secular Muslim women who do not want to wear veils,” said Adwar, head of the Baghdad-based Iraqi Hope Association.
Men, too, have been targeted in the fashion flap: Edgy haircuts, tattoos and body piercings have angered religious authorities. But Hassan Mahdi, 22, said he does not care.
“No, hell no, nobody can tell me what to do,” said Mahdi, sporting a tight turquoise Adidas tracksuit and a trendy moptop hairdo at the Kazimiyah market.
So far, it appears, the fashion police have stopped short of taking any real steps. Guards at two security checkpoints in Kazimiyah said they have not been ordered to stop daring dressers from entering the market, and 17-year-old Ali Sayeed Abdullah said his slicked-up pompadour didn’t prevent him from going into the shrine. “Nobody objected,” he said. “But if there is a ban on this, I will change it,” referring to his hairstyle.
But some women have been handed tissues at Kazimiyah checkpoints and told to wipe off their makeup before entering the market, said resident Hakima Mahdi, 59.
“This is very good,” she said, smiling broadly, sheathed in a black cloak with an extra abaya covering her head. “It’s respect to the imam, respect to this holy place.”
For much of Iraq’s youth, sporting blingy makeup, slicked-up hair and skintight jeans is just part of living the teenage dream. But for their elders, it’s a nightmare.
A new culture rift is emerging in Iraq, as young women replace shapeless cover-ups with ankle-baring skirts and tight blouses, while men strut around in revealing slacks and spiky haircuts. The relatively skimpy styles have prompted Islamic clerics in at least two Iraqi cities to mobilize the “fashion police” in the name of protecting religious values.
“I see the way they (police) look at me — they don’t like it,” said Mayada Hamid, 32, wearing a pink leopard-print headscarf with jeans, a blue blouse and lots of sparkly eyeliner Sunday while shopping at the famous gold market in the northern Baghdad neighborhood of Kazimiyah.
She rolled her eyes. “It’s just suppression.” So far, though, there are no reports of the police actually taking action.
This is a conflict playing out across the Arab world, where conservative Islamic societies grapple with the effects of Western influence, especially the most obvious — the way their young choose to dress.
The violations of old Iraqi norms have grown especially egregious, religious officials say, since the Aug. 20 end of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month. In the last two weeks, posters and banners have been hanging along the streets of Kazimiyah, sternly reminding women to wear an abaya — a long, loose black cloak that covers the body from shoulders to feet.
A similar warning came from Diwaniyah, a Shiite city about 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital, where some posters have painted a red X over pictures of women wearing pants. Other banners praise women who keep their hair fully covered beneath a headscarf.
Religious officials speculate young Iraqis got carried away in celebrating the end of Ramadan and now need to be reined in.
“We support personal freedoms, but there are places that have a special status,” said Sheik Mazin Saadi, a Shiite cleric from Kazimiyah, home to the double gold-domed shrine that is one of Shiite Islam’s holiest sites.
He said the area’s residents lobbied Baghdad’s local government to ban unveiled women from walking around the neighborhood, including its sprawling open-air market that attracts people from across Iraq.
“The women started to follow to this order,” Saadi said.
Government leaders in Baghdad say they’ve issued no such ban and ordered some of the warning posters removed. The rule “is only for the female visitors who go inside the shrine itself,” said Sabar al-Saadi, chairman of the Baghdad provincial council’s legal committee. “We think that wearing a veil for women in Iraq is a personal decision.”
Muslim women generally wear headscarves or veils in public out of modesty, and female worshippers are required to wear an abaya or other loose robes in shrines and mosques.
But over the last several years, following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein, Western styles have crept into Iraq’s fashion palate. Form-fitting clothing, stylish shoes and men’s edgy hairstyles are commonly seen on the street. Some younger women have even begun to forgo the hijab, or headscarf.
Their parents — and their parents’ parents — fear Western influence will drown out Iraq’s centuries of culture and respect for religion.
“We as Iraqis do not respect our traditions,” said Fadhil Jawad, 65, a gold seller near the Kazimiyah shrine. He estimated his profits have dropped by 10 percent in the last two weeks since authorities posted warnings about improper dress codes at the entrance to the market. He called the financial loss worth the lesson being imposed.
“Legs can be seen, there are low-cut shirts,” Jawad lamented. “And all, very, very tight. I think these Iraqis who are wearing these things have come back from Syria, Dubai and Egypt. They probably spent too much time in nightclubs. The families in Kazimiyah are conservative. These young people — nobody can control them. They should be given freedoms, but they should know their limits.”
Several young adults strolling the Kazimiyah gold market on Sunday accused the religious class of trying to pull Iraq back to the dark ages, a sentiment that human rights activist Hana Adwar echoed.
“It is an aggression on the rights of not only religious minorities, but also on secular Muslim women who do not want to wear veils,” said Adwar, head of the Baghdad-based Iraqi Hope Association.
Men, too, have been targeted in the fashion flap: Edgy haircuts, tattoos and body piercings have angered religious authorities. But Hassan Mahdi, 22, said he does not care.
“No, hell no, nobody can tell me what to do,” said Mahdi, sporting a tight turquoise Adidas tracksuit and a trendy moptop hairdo at the Kazimiyah market.
So far, it appears, the fashion police have stopped short of taking any real steps. Guards at two security checkpoints in Kazimiyah said they have not been ordered to stop daring dressers from entering the market, and 17-year-old Ali Sayeed Abdullah said his slicked-up pompadour didn’t prevent him from going into the shrine. “Nobody objected,” he said. “But if there is a ban on this, I will change it,” referring to his hairstyle.
But some women have been handed tissues at Kazimiyah checkpoints and told to wipe off their makeup before entering the market, said resident Hakima Mahdi, 59.
“This is very good,” she said, smiling broadly, sheathed in a black cloak with an extra abaya covering her head. “It’s respect to the imam, respect to this holy place.”
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Ann Romney’s fashion: tasteful, conservative, appropriate
Ann Romney’s fashion: tasteful, conservative, appropriate
Ann Romney’s tasteful, conservative and appropriate wardrobe largely reflects the image that she has carved for herself this week at the Republican National Convention. She wore dresses in bright red, pretty pink and, on Thursday, light blue — a gesture at reaching across the political aisle?
But she might have to go deeper into the White House — all the way into Michelle Obama’s closet — to find the outfits that will likely become the benchmark for a modern, stylish political wife.
“Ann Romney might have consciously or unconsciously taken a cue from Michelle. Maybe Ann, if she becomes first lady, can take more chances thanks to Michelle,” said Sharon Graubard, senior vice president and fashion director of Stylesight, a New York-based trend forecasting and analysis firm.
Chic sheaths and shirtdresses instead of sometimes matronly pantsuits or mid-calf skirtsuits? Obama largely made them acceptable and respectable, Graubard said. Same goes for bold printed fabrics and trend-right accessories, including the jeweled belt that Romney wore around her waist for with her Oscar de la Renta red, shiny shantung-silk dress for her big speech to the convention delegates Tuesday night in Tampa, Fla. As her husband accepted the GOP nomination, she looked on in a fitted dress with a banded waist, complemented by several bracelets and a big brooch.
“If you look at Ann Romney and Janna Ryan, it’s hard to look at any potential first lady and not think of the impact that Michelle Obama has had,” said Kate Betts, fashion editor and author of “Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style.”
Not that Obama always gets it right. On Wednesday, while Condoleezza Rice took the stage in Tampa in a blush-colored satin suit, Obama appeared on “Late Night with David Letterman” in a black ensemble with a tank-style top and high-waist belt that the style blog on The Huffington Post called “peculiar.”
But, Betts said, “The only reason we’re talking about their fashion at the RNC at all is because of Michelle Obama. Otherwise, we hadn’t talked about ‘fashion’ in the White House since Nancy Reagan.”
Working women, in particular, can take the cue that it’s OK to have flair and still be taken seriously, experts agree.
Generally, however, Betts said, the fashion industry doesn’t pay much mind to political figures because they don’t take risks because they want to be approachable to the greatest possible number of people. Obama, however, embraced early on the idea of personal style — and it has rubbed off on Republicans and Democrats, she said.
“Ann Romney was dressing for herself and wearing what she felt comfortable in, and you can see that,” Betts said.
Romney’s four-digit de la Renta dress generated some chatter that she’s not living the life — or living within the budget — of an everywoman. She’s donned other expensive designer duds throughout the campaign. Obama has many top-tier, pricey clothes, too, but she makes a point, and so do the labels she’s wearing, to note that she embraces the idea of “high-low” dressing, taking a designer piece and mixing it with another from a mass retailer.
Janna Ryan, however, watched her husband speak at the convention in a $169 emerald-green sheath from Talbots, and the floral dress she wore the day Paul Ryan was introduced as Mitt Romney’s No. 2 came from Kohl’s Dana Buchman collection.
“I think the women at the Republican convention were being appropriate, and they looked exactly as one would expect them to look,” observed Fern Mallis, host of the SiriusXM satellite radio show “Fashion Insiders with Fern Mallis.”
Clothing, Mallis says, is an important choice in campaigns. Appearance certainly is a factor in forming first impressions and longer lasting opinions, she says.
So what does that leave style-watchers saying about Romney?
“Ann is doing it right,” said Stylesight’s Graubard, who calls it “an expensive suburban look.”She added: “She’s humanizing her husband, and she looks clean and friendly. Someone in our office said she looks like the Million-Dollar Mom.”
Ann Romney’s tasteful, conservative and appropriate wardrobe largely reflects the image that she has carved for herself this week at the Republican National Convention. She wore dresses in bright red, pretty pink and, on Thursday, light blue — a gesture at reaching across the political aisle?
But she might have to go deeper into the White House — all the way into Michelle Obama’s closet — to find the outfits that will likely become the benchmark for a modern, stylish political wife.
“Ann Romney might have consciously or unconsciously taken a cue from Michelle. Maybe Ann, if she becomes first lady, can take more chances thanks to Michelle,” said Sharon Graubard, senior vice president and fashion director of Stylesight, a New York-based trend forecasting and analysis firm.
Chic sheaths and shirtdresses instead of sometimes matronly pantsuits or mid-calf skirtsuits? Obama largely made them acceptable and respectable, Graubard said. Same goes for bold printed fabrics and trend-right accessories, including the jeweled belt that Romney wore around her waist for with her Oscar de la Renta red, shiny shantung-silk dress for her big speech to the convention delegates Tuesday night in Tampa, Fla. As her husband accepted the GOP nomination, she looked on in a fitted dress with a banded waist, complemented by several bracelets and a big brooch.
“If you look at Ann Romney and Janna Ryan, it’s hard to look at any potential first lady and not think of the impact that Michelle Obama has had,” said Kate Betts, fashion editor and author of “Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style.”
Not that Obama always gets it right. On Wednesday, while Condoleezza Rice took the stage in Tampa in a blush-colored satin suit, Obama appeared on “Late Night with David Letterman” in a black ensemble with a tank-style top and high-waist belt that the style blog on The Huffington Post called “peculiar.”
But, Betts said, “The only reason we’re talking about their fashion at the RNC at all is because of Michelle Obama. Otherwise, we hadn’t talked about ‘fashion’ in the White House since Nancy Reagan.”
Working women, in particular, can take the cue that it’s OK to have flair and still be taken seriously, experts agree.
Generally, however, Betts said, the fashion industry doesn’t pay much mind to political figures because they don’t take risks because they want to be approachable to the greatest possible number of people. Obama, however, embraced early on the idea of personal style — and it has rubbed off on Republicans and Democrats, she said.
“Ann Romney was dressing for herself and wearing what she felt comfortable in, and you can see that,” Betts said.
Romney’s four-digit de la Renta dress generated some chatter that she’s not living the life — or living within the budget — of an everywoman. She’s donned other expensive designer duds throughout the campaign. Obama has many top-tier, pricey clothes, too, but she makes a point, and so do the labels she’s wearing, to note that she embraces the idea of “high-low” dressing, taking a designer piece and mixing it with another from a mass retailer.
Janna Ryan, however, watched her husband speak at the convention in a $169 emerald-green sheath from Talbots, and the floral dress she wore the day Paul Ryan was introduced as Mitt Romney’s No. 2 came from Kohl’s Dana Buchman collection.
“I think the women at the Republican convention were being appropriate, and they looked exactly as one would expect them to look,” observed Fern Mallis, host of the SiriusXM satellite radio show “Fashion Insiders with Fern Mallis.”
Clothing, Mallis says, is an important choice in campaigns. Appearance certainly is a factor in forming first impressions and longer lasting opinions, she says.
So what does that leave style-watchers saying about Romney?
“Ann is doing it right,” said Stylesight’s Graubard, who calls it “an expensive suburban look.”She added: “She’s humanizing her husband, and she looks clean and friendly. Someone in our office said she looks like the Million-Dollar Mom.”
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