NEW YORK — Spectacle, celebrity and style are on display on the runways here as fashion designers preview their spring-summer 2015 collections. It’s the first of a month-long parade of shows that will see the action shift from New York to London, Milan and Paris. Among the highlights in Manhattan:
Thom Browne. Walking into a Thom Browne fashion show often feels like walking onto the set of a Tim Burton movie, with the most fabulous and chic costumes imaginable.
And the designer didn’t disappoint when he presented his spring collection in a presentation that felt more like a fashion designer’s dream version of “Alice in Wonderland.”
The soundtrack was actually a bedtime story for the audience, read by a familiar voice that Browne identified, in a post-show interview, as Diane Keaton, a fan of his clothes.
The story, written by Browne himself, was about six sisters who enjoy coordinating their wardrobes, Monday through Friday.
There were lots of suits — first pantsuits, with Browne’s trademark shorter legs, starting in charcoal gray and moving into prints and wilder colors, tweeds, and florals. Then there were suits with skirts, like one with strips of color flying off it, or a tweed suit in black and white with huge floral appliques. There were brilliantly colored coats and silky patterned dresses. And fanciful hats by milliner Stephen Jones. —Jocelyn Noveck
Tommy Hilfiger. To Tommy Hilfiger, fashion is deeply intertwined with music. And in his runway show, he celebrated some of his very favorite musicians — the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors.
While those ’60s and ’70s icons played on the soundtrack, accompanied by some live musicians, too, Hilfiger showed clothes that incorporated their spirit. Many models wore whimsical military-style garments resembling those colorful Sgt. Pepper jackets the Beatles wore. Elements of those band suits popped up everywhere: in brocade, gold trim, vintage buttons, and peacoats.
And who could have missed the daughter of a rock icon — model Georgia May Jagger, offspring of Mick — not only opening the show in a burgundy sateen cape, but reappearing later in a multicolored sequin mini-dress just as her father’s voice crooned “Sympathy for the Devil.”
—Jocelyn Noveck
Badgley Mischka.
The brand celebrated its 25th year with a show that featured its signature sumptuous gowns and a queen of glamour — Naomi Campbell.
The supermodel joined Mark Badgley and James Mischka briefly on the runway this week, amid cascading silver balloons, as the duo celebrated their silver anniversary together. The label is known for delicate, dazzling dresses, and delivered that once again.
There was a smoky silver number that seemed to be a mix of a glittery bodice, underpants and yards and yards of see-through lace; a strapless, beaded top with ruffles at the bottom, paired with a long, matching skirt, and a sleeveless gown with a long train.
Ruffles were a recurring theme, including a beige jacket with two layers of them, and they also appeared on other looks.
— Nekesa Mumbi Moody
Donna Karan. Ask the designer about the inspiration for her fashions, and it all ends up coming down to New York. Even when it starts with something else.
Karan’s collection conveyed her well-known ethos of urban chic, infused with a healthy dose of whimsy. Much of that whimsy came in the bold colors, the lively prints (and the truly unusual hats by milliner Stephen Jones).
A key focus was the bra, which Karan sees as “the new bodysuit.” The opening ensemble featured a black silk-and nylon stretch organza bra, paired with an ivory-and-black pleated poplin skirt. A nice ensemble matched a black stretch-organza bomber jacket with a stretch-organza bra underneath, along with an embroidered linen canvas skirt. —Jocelyn Noveck
Carolina Herrera. It’s not easy being Carolina Herrera after 34 years in fashion.
Coming up with something fresh to please customers while remaining loyal to her house had her turning to digital prints and foam geometric embellishments in colors fit for spring: reds in deep shades and bright neon, soft yellow and neutrals in a light mushroom tan.
This season, she endeavored to decode flowers in different ways. She pixelated a large red one with leaves in foam pieces sewn to the long full gown of one of her final looks, pairing it with a stiff bright white bodice.
— Leanne Italie
Serena Williams. Fresh off her U.S. Open win on Sunday, Serena Williams took on some of fashion’s biggest names with her first runway show on Tuesday. She described her Serena Williams Signature Statement Collection for the HSN Network as “casual wear but pumped up, everyday wear that is actually realistic.”
The looks included a sleeveless long sweatshirt with the letter “S” on the front, zippered slinky mini-dresses, pants with a leopard print similar to the dress she wore during her U.S. Open run, faux-fur jackets and jersey-knit dresses. Williams said she was casting models and picking looks for the show during the open.
Williams was most proud of her final model, who was plus-size. “I felt like our line caters to a lot of women, but we don’t limit ourselves. People should look good at every size and feel good and love who they are.” — Nekesa Mumbi Moody
Michael Kors. With embroidered flowers, retro plaids and classic A-line dresses, Kors went back decades for a dreamy line that could be classified as “I Love Lucy” chic.
Actually, Kors himself called it “optimistic chic” — clothes that inspire cheer in a dour world.
Flowers played a leading role — sewn on in color on solid prints, embroidered on linen, and skirts and dresses with incredibly intricate designs.
Some looks were decidedly sexier than what Lucy would have worn; the sheer skirt trend continued here with organza skirts (though intricate flower designs prevented one from seeing too much). There was also a sheer white linen pullover paired with a conservative linen A-line skirt.
Kors also mixed in suede in a jacket and skirt, denim and canvas; there was single-breasted coat in a bright sunny yellow, patterned skirt suits and sexy plaid dresses that looked red-carpet ready.
But it was all very wearable for the typical woman — a Kors quality that even his celebrity fans lauded. — Nicole Evatt, Nekesa Mumbi Moody
Zac Posen. Zac Posen celebrated Audrey Hepburn’s style in a spring collection of molded and folded and draped neoprene in a range of whites, blacks and bright scarlet.
In an ode to classic tailoring and stylized architecture, he created peplums, bustiers and bulk, the latter not always where women might want it.
Other looks were beaded, including a short strapless gown in black.
The designer described the neoprene as a bonded crêpe fabrication.
Posen pal Coco Rocha walked his runway in a black satin off-the-shoulder gown.
— Leanne Italie
