On Trend

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the Fall/Winter 2010/2011 ready-to-wear presentation by the Fashion Group Foundation. I’m going to keep today’s post brief, because I’m actually covering the event for the Fashion Group Members Bulletin, so I’ve got to get crackin’ on my article!

As always, FGI’s Creative Director, Marylou Luther, put together a fantastic overview of the collections from New York, London, Milan and Paris. The presentation is so popular in the industry; FGI has four shows in one day in order to accommodate everybody who wants to attend. After the trend overview, panelists Ken Downing (Sr. VP, Fashion Director, Neiman Marcus), Sarah Brown (Beauty Director, Vogue) and Julie Gilhart (Sr. VP, Fashion Director, Barneys) answered questions posed by moderator, Diane von Furstenberg, President of the CFDA. Unfortunately, Robin Givhan (Style, Washington Post) was unable to attend as she was with Mrs. Obama! OK, I guess we can excuse her :-)

New York: Altuzarra (left), London: Burberry (right)

Milan: Fendi (left), Paris: Akris (right)

The trend overview was full of great information that is essential to editors, designers and buyers. In terms of color, Camel made the biggest statement on the runways -- I called it immediately after the New York Collections (click here for my post “Camel’s Back”). It’s always gratifying to know that I am on the same wavelength as one of the top trend forecasters in the country!

Aquascutum (left), Tahari (right)
 

"Mash-ups” are a trend to look for next season (although, it’s always present). This term refers to the combination of fabrics and prints that normally wouldn’t work together, but when mixed and matched with an artist’s eye, the result is brilliant. Dries Van Noten is the reigning King! Fellow blogger, Elena (fabulous finds) just mentioned this trend on her Facebook page. Again, I love it when great minds think alike!

Dries Van Noten, Fall 2010

The panel discussion was both interesting and encouraging. The message that stuck out for me is that authenticity is more important than ever in this economy. Well, that and Diane von Furstenberg should have been on the panel rather than asking the questions! She has a lot to say and a lot of experience-- I would have preferred to hear more of her point of view. Ms. von Furstenberg did manage to get her two cents in whenever possible. I love a strong woman!

DVF, Fall 2010

The Fashion Group is based in New York, but has regional chapters in cities throughout the country (as well as some international cities). To become a member and to find out about the perks, visit www.fgi.org

All photo credits: Firstview

Aqua--what??

Aquascutum - Fall 2010 (London)

Photos: Firstview (Style.com)

Aquascutum, which is Latin for ‘watershield,’ is a UK based clothing company established in 1851 by a men’s tailor named John Emary. The luxury manufacturer produced the first waterproof wool and started making trench coats for soldiers in both world wars. By the late 1800’s, Aquascutum had established a royal clientele and they opened their first womenswear department in 1900.

Aquascutum - Fall 2010 (London)

Photos: Firstview (Style.com)

I’ve always considered this label to be traditional, stuffy and uptight, but in recent years, it’s been growing on me. After reviewing the Fall 2010 Collection that showed at London Fashion Week on Sunday, I’m starting to love it. Designer Michael Herz featured long columnar dresses with cool belted jackets, vests and capes that sometimes revealed crisp white shirts underneath. There were a few pieces that still looked dowdy and frumpy, but overall I would definitely be happy to wear these clothes!

Aquascutum - Fall 2010 (London)

Photos: Firstview (Style.com)