NYFW Fall 2014: Marissa Webb

I kicked off my fashion week this year at the Marissa Webb show. The designer has been on the radar as one to watch for a number of seasons. This season the designer really found her sweet spot in sexy tomboy-ish clothing that is perfect for day-to-day life - never too sweet, with just the right amount of attitude to turn heads. The city girl who always seems to look pulled together even when she has just woken up and is on-the-go.

The beauty exemplified attitude the with messy rolled just-out-of-bed hair or wispy high buns contrasted with classic cat eyes, soft pink lips and radiant skin in full force.

The color palette was broken up into groupings monochromatic to start, introduction of navy and oxford blue, followed by smoldering purple, dusty pinks and finishing off with bold red. While black, grey and white dominated the color groupings made for a powerful impression. Plaid, tweed, leather, fur and abstract watercolor florals that added texture and dimension to the looks.

NYFW Spring 2014: Brandon Sun

I previously had pronounced Brandon Sun as a designer to watch and after my declaration, I was eager to see how this young designer would develop in his subsequent collections. His most recent collection was inspired by female warriors of the Samurai class in feudal Japan. The presentation took place at the Box in Lincoln Center.

You can see the influence in the shapes of blouses, streamlined silhouettes, the use of colorblocking and details like careful tucks in leather that look like they might hold artillery. Skirts with high slits up the front and asymmetrical wrap styling make the women look ready to pounce. The line seems to be of utmost importance and geometric shapes lend an architectural feeling that flatters the female body.

Plays with sheerness of fabric, iridescence and texture through leather and patch work fur offer a wide range of choices to the Sun woman. Against the base of black, white and shades of grey, mint/jade and peach/orange combinations popped and looked fresh.

My favorite looks are almost minimalist in nature. I love the white sheath with asymmetric details on the back, the  leather dress. The black & white sweater with leather bottoms is also quite striking. The future is bright for Sun as he continues to grow as a designer.

NYFW Fall 2013: Steven Alan

If I had to describe the Steven Alan Fall 2013 collection in a sentence it would be, "Wearable comfortable basics done right with just a hint of quirk". This is a collection that I could see a thousand New Yorkers wearing on my daily commute.

When it comes to the womenswear component there was a still small voice that took basics and styled them in a every signature Steven Alan kind of way. A shirtdress is layered over slim trousers with a turtleneck on top. A leather skirt is layered over a striped shirtdress with the shirttail peeking out at the bottom. A baggy shirt is only half tucked in to trousers with an elastic hem and topped with a jaunty scarf.

NYFW Fall 2013: Katya Leonovich

The Russian designer Katya Leonovich presented her runway show at The Studio at Lincoln Center on Saturday morning with the strong beats of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir pounding the models hit the catwalk with vigor.

The designer best known for her love of beautiful garbage and use of couture techniques presented a collection that had a deep sea feel to it - the colors were primarily swirling shades of blue and black. The black elements relied heavily on texture while the blue swirling prints were most likely created as a direct result of the designer's paintings. Some dresses were carefully edged in faux fur while on other pieces origami draping and the addition of python added visual interest. Mongolian goat fur trim was used on some of the leather pieces for dramatic and luxe effect.

NYFW Fall 2013: Rafael Cennamo

Rafael Cennamo is not a name I had heard much about before but after Saturday's presentation at The Box at Lincoln Center, he is a name I will remember. Too often people attach the word couture to there names when the reality of the brand has very little to do with couture but for Mr. Cennamo, he understood the word completely. His eveningwear line first launched in 2006 and he has since become a celebrity favorite. With looks like these, you really don't even have to question why.

The collection entitled 21 Shades of Gold was gilded art inspired by "the passage of time with the ornate and golden aura of The Hall of Mirrors" there was a very strong baroque influence of over the top opulence and grandeur in each and every single one of the dresses. And as the title implied gold was the dominating factor creating the opportunity to showcase an abundance of texture - from gold foil to textural knit yarns to guipure lace to mesh to fortuny pleated lamé and beyond.

NYFW Fall 2013: Marissa Webb

After bracing through Nemo in the early hours of the morning - I made my way to Lincoln Center to catch the Marissa Webb presentation.  This is her second showing at NYFW since parting ways with J. Crew - and she definitely holds her own.  Webb's hard versus soft and masculine versus feminine concepts are showcased throughout the collection along with the juxtaposition of rich textures and fabrications.  

NYFW Presentation: Norisol Ferrari Fall 2012

The Norisol Ferrari presentation was one that took me back in time in what the designer describes as Jean Harlow meets Tina Turner in Mad Max.  There were dramatic silhouettes that made me think a little bit of Charles Worth-esque (late 1900s) glamor while other items that made me think of something a very put together Goth might enjoy.

NYFW Runway Review: Farah Angsana Fall 2012

The Farah Angsana Fall 2012 collection exuded exactly the type of luxury that the young jet set socialite might demand. Opulence, sparkle and drama dominated the runway - this is not clothing for the faint of heart or for those who like to hide in a corner at an event.  If fashion should be about empowering a woman to feel beautiful and glamorous - Farah Angsana has found strength in what she knows best.  Afterall the designer caters to women who like herself travel the world and you could see hints of the global influence in the kaftans to flamenco flounces.
 

NYFW Presentation: Mathieu Mirano Fall 2012

When I entered The Box at Lincoln Center I knew very little to nothing about the 20 year old designer behind the namesake collection Mathieu Mirano but I was pleasantly surprised.  My efforts leaving Brooklyn twice in one day had been rewarded by a skillfully tailored collection that was inspired by a dream about dragons and the women that conquered them.

NYFW Presentation: Lorena Sarbu Fall 2012

Waking up on a Sunday morning is always a challenge and hauling myself to Lincoln Center for 10:30am from Brooklyn took a bit of convincing but once I arrived I was pleasantly surprised by Lorena Sarbu's collection of glamorous special occasion frocks that would look perfectly at ease on any Hollywood red carpet.

NYFW Presentation: Katya Leonovich Fall 2012

Katya Leonovich the designer who last season masterfully brought control out of chaos and who has a fascination with beautiful garbage this time presented a collection called "An Architectural Aesthetic" at the Box in the Lincoln Center.

Overhead paintings that the designer herself had painted of New York City buildings served as the inspiration for the collection and the prints.

The paintings themselves served up as the colorful basis for prints.  The prints were in sharp contrast to the rippled metallics that remind me of building surfaces, the structural boned leathers that look like the ribs of a building and the sharp graphic use of black and white/python.  Sometime self tubes of fabric were used to create a protective cage around the body but no matter how sharp those style lines of the corsets appear there is always still an element of soft femininity.  It's a s simple as fabric flowing over the hips in a soft slightly rounded manner to a peplum shape and organic draped chiffon creating almost petals around the body.