'Fashion Week highlights'

3.1 Phillip Lim Fall-Winter '11

Another New York Fashion Week has come and gone. As Fashion Week crosses the pond to London, let’s take a look at some of the New York highlights from last week:

The biker babe gets a sophisticated update at 3.1 Phillip Lim (see above). Leather trousers, skirts and leather sleeves on bright blue jumpsuits were Phillip Lim’s interpretation of the working biker babe who, according to the designer, must also attend lunches and cocktail parties. The most noteworthy pieces were: the functional black coat with large pockets, the wool jacket with contrast sleeves, a tunic dress with beaded sleeves and green trousers with contrast trim. At 3.1 Phillip Lim, function and form is always the rule - never the exception.

Alexander Wang Fall-Winter '11

Outerwear is surely the emphasis at the latest Fall-Winter collection of Alexander Wang. How else to keep warm in Wang’s sheer menswear-inspired tops also in the collection? Models imbuing the cool girl attitude at Alexander Wang paraded around in topcoats with fur sleeves, cocoon-like capes and bomber jackets with thick fur trim. Wang continued to incorporate luxury into his collection by creating satin ribbon skirts that peel away in strips, shimmery pants and tailored vests in fur.

Narciso Rodriguez Fall-Winter '11

Narciso Rodriguez gets graphic in a collection inspired by different art forms. There was a fair share of color blocking with two-toned trousers and graphic prints on long shift dresses. Different textures like silk, wool and chiffon were pieced together to create garments that resembled a kind of moving collage. The entire collection was still modern, but with more street bite than ever before seen.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of datapple.com; yougoglencoco.com; mahryska.com

'Fashion Takes a Bite of the Big Apple'

From shooting a “Next Stop New York” newsletter in the streets of Tribeca to sampling cocktails at Zara’s Fashion’s Night Out, the start of New York’s Fashion Week has gone off without a hitch.

For the first time at the Lincoln Center, this city’s best designers have already laid out their predictions for Spring-Summer 2011 with luxe fabrics and directional cuts:

Ohne Titel SS '11

Ohne Titel

The girls of Ohne Titel know how to combine Japanese elements with color-blocking in a limited palette of navy, black and white to produce a “hit-filled collection.”

Inspired by the Japanese woodcutting from artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi, designers Alexa Adams and Flora Gill outfitted their models in sporty versions of pants and jumpers rife with zips and pockets. The black neoprene accents and bodysuits broke up the graphic coloring, and complemented the kimino-cropped jackets and pleated skirts nicely.

Topped with tubular necklaces thanks to a collaboration with artist Tauba Auerbach, Ohne Titel is in a position to convert more than just the artsy-fashion types into loyal followers.

Doo.Ri SS '11

Doo.Ri

Doo-Ri Chung ushered in Spring-Summer softly, with a collection of draped numbers in soft whites and beiges.

The designer played with proportions, twisting and tucking jersey to create asymmetrical dresses and mid-riff tops paired with low-slung trouser pants. Bits of color worked its way into the end of collection in the form of an icy blue vest-suit, a floating yellow chiffon dress and kaleidoscope separates.

But the loveliest additions might have been from the understated texture of a waffled cotton blazer thrown over a micro-pleated chiffon top, or a beige plissé trench paired with what appeared to be a sheer dress with appliqués at the top.

Ports 1961 SS '11

Ports 1961

“I wanted to create an urban interpretation of someone who’s dreaming of the desert,” said designer Fiona Cibani. And the Spring-Summer ’11 collection Ports 1961 was just that: sand-washed tunics and iridescent floor-length gowns with off-the-shoulder beading.

The garish magenta and emerald jewel tones added a touch of excitement to the otherwise muted palette of golds, beiges and ivories. Like the sight of an oasis in the middle of a Sahara desert, the colors worked well as flowy tops and shorts. The tattered chiffon gowns, perhaps inspired by the stirring dessert winds and reserved for the end of the show, were well worth the wait.

*Check for more New York Fashion Week updates and coverage this week!

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of yoox.com; style.com