20 Top Looks from Spring 2011 Fashion Month
SS11 fashion week was filled with amazing collections, which were in turn filled with inventive and unique fashions. We couldn’t just pick ten, so we’ve selected 20 top looks for you instead.
Tuesday October 19th, 2010
Would You Rather…? Chanel Vs. “The Rent Is Too Damn High” Candidate
Friday October 15th, 2010
First Look: Collina Strada Spring 2011 and Exclusive Collab With Need Supply
We met designer Hillary Taymour four months ago and proclaimed her eco-friendly handbag line Collina Strada a Label to Watch. Seriously, if you’re thinking of jumping on the backpack trend, now is the time do it and Hilary makes the cutest ones.
She told us then that her next collection was going to be “insane” and if by that she meant insanely awesome, she wasn’t lying. Spring 2011 builds upon signature unique pieces that strike a perfect balance of vintage and modern, expanded into bolder shapes and colors. New pieces we love include a cross-body harness, a bike bag and an adorable mini backpack.
Wednesday October 13th, 2010
Coach Goes Back to Basics for Spring 2011 and We Like It
We popped by Coach’s charming West Village “legacy” boutique to preview the Spring 2011 collection. There were enough handbags, shoes and other accessories to fill the entire store and we were pleased to find a lot of things we actually liked. The collection subtly indicated a return to simplicity. There was nary a monogram print to be found.
While there was plenty to satisfy lovers of the ultra-girly and overly embellished, the more stripped down options showcased what we consider to be Coach’s best qualities–good craftsmanship, quality materials and timeless shapes. (The new Poppy collection, inspired by Coach’s new scent, occupies the former category.) My favorites were a large navy leather tote and a slouchy beige drawstring bag.
Tuesday October 12th, 2010
Spring/Summer 2011: Best Accessories
From Chanel‘s leather gloves to Prada‘s Day-Glo sombreros, here are some of our favorite accessories from the season.
First Look: Bruce II Spring 2011
Bruce, a designer line started in 1998 by Daphne Gutierrez and Nicole Noselli, has been pretty under-the-radar as of late. The New York-based line won the coveted CFDA Perry Ellis Award for Womenswear in 2001, took a break from 2004 to 2007 and have kept things pretty low key ever since. Right now, they are smartly focusing on their lower-priced line Bruce II, which can be found in cool Williamsburg boutiques like Bird and Jumelle and online at La Garconne. Yesterday, we stopped by their modest studio in Chinatown to check out Spring ’11 and it did not disappoint.
The Best Shoes of Spring/Summer 2011
Forget diamonds–shoes are a girl’s best friend.
The SS11 runways were full of new “best friends” for shoe addicts everywhere. From Alexander McQueen’s and Rodarte’s sculpted wedges to Calvin Klein’s lucite and wood stilettos, there’s something for every girl, even sneakers (from Giles and Yohji Yamamoto, of course)! Trying to pick a favorite may cost you hours, so why not just love them all?
Click through to see the best of the best shoes from the Spring runways!
Monday October 11th, 2010
Would You Rather…? The Dramatic Draping Edition
Chanel’s Haute Couture 2008 show was a memorable affair, if not for the face frames, then for the hot pink dress that Cameron Diaz would later wear on the Red Carpet (after Rachel Zoe famously altered it). For SS11, however, Carven presented a very similarly draped dress in black. So whose draped wonder would you Read more →
Trendspotting: Animal Magnetism
For SS11 designers turned to their animal roots, emblazoning their designs with portraits of their favorite furry friends. From Prada’s now famous monkeys to Tsumori Chisato’s tiger, jungle animals were the most popular, although Miu Miu went classy with swans and Giles showed some koala-looking blobs on intarsia sweaters. Which animal portrait would you wear?
Saturday October 9th, 2010
Sneak Peek: Atelier Swarovski’s New Jewelry Collections, Designed by Prabal Gurung, Joseph Altuzarra, and More
PARIS–Are you obsessed Prabal Gurung‘s Spring 2011 collection, but dream of some sparkle to accompany that form fitting cocktail dress?
Never fear. It’s Atelier Swarovski to the rescue. The crystal brand has commissioned five up-and-coming designers to create one-off jewelry collections for Spring 2011. The roster includes Mark Fast, Joseph Altuzarra, the aforementioned Gurung, LA-based costume designer Michael Kaplan, and jeweler Jenny Manik Mercian.
Friday October 8th, 2010
Best Dressed: Paris Fashion Week
It was tough to pick just five girls from Paris Fashion Week’s abundance of sartorial greatness, but we did our best. We have a hard time ever excluding Alexa Chung, who looked adorable at Miu Miu. Lou Doillon is a Paris fashion icon in her own right and did not disappoint at Chanel. Rachel Bilson looked lovely at Dior. Anja Rubik rocked long, flowy Chloé and Caroline Sieber got a head start on Spring’s white trend at Valentino.
Label to Watch: Raphael Young
PARIS–Remember those incredible shoes on the Frank Tell Fall 2010 runway? Me too. They were designed by the Paris-based Raphael Young, who just opened up his first store in the city. (Right next to Mr. Louboutin on the Rue Jean-Jaques Rousseau, bien sur.)
I stopped by the opening on Tuesday night, where Fall 2010′s specimens were perched in box frames along the big wall in the main room. The back room was filled with Young’s Spring 2011 offerings. And I must say, I was thrilled by them. From the seafoam green metallic heels to the red suede peep toes with a marble wedge, there’s something for everyone in this collection. Click through to pick your favorite pair.
