Miranda’s NYFW Diary: Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / Day 5 / Day 6 / Day 7
Photo Courtesy of Michael Kors on Instagram
1. The Michael Kors show that started the second to last day of NYFW almost out red carpeted the Oscars. To further his front row coup, the famous guests were mostly dressed in Kors (Hilary Swank, Zoe Saldana, Jada Pinkett Smith and daughter Willow, Alexandra Richards). His clothes have a satisfying definitiveness to them, they start where they start and they end where they end—a vague, theoretical comment unless you’ve spent the last four days squinting at layering, fripperying, and fabric blocking, trying to decipher the trend message into a neat sentence or two.
Cara Delevingne & Michael Kors backstage; Photo Courtesy of Michael Kors on Instagram
Last night, post Narciso, I was having take-out risotto from Risottoria (tomato, zuchinni and parmesan) and getting some advice from a powerful, clear headed friend of mine; she underscored the importance of decisiveness. Some days I’m a decision machine, but other days long minutes can pass as I contemplate the placement of an exclamation mark.
Here is his fur camo coat (Look 34) and a translation piece that will go to most stores.
Perhaps wearing Michael Kors on those days would be the answer. I imagine the Kors woman does not waffle, even at the manicurist, where she goes regularly and always knows her colour. He brings his ideas from the runway (available at select Holt Renfrew stores) to his retail line with just such decisiveness.
Elizabeth and James Fall 2013; Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth and James
2. Elizabeth and James, the little (some say cooler) Olsen sister’s line, has mastered channeling the illusive je ne sais quoi of the successful street stylist. Their line of bags that debuted this NYFW clinch the look—oversized envelope clutches and clean, light totes are luxurious without looking ostentatiously new and “I still put it to bed every night in the drawstring flannel bag that came folded in the bottom of that big box.”
Stylist idea steal: Three quarter length socks and heels. Philosophy di Alberta Ferreti Fall 2013.
3. Philosophy di Alberta Ferreti, was a feminine calm in the week’s fierce fashion storm.
Backstage beauty at Philosophy di Alberta Ferreti Fall 2013.
Those who could tear themselves away from the work-of-art-braids, aka fiddlehead fern hair were rewarded by its new designer, Natalie Ratabesi’s, magically girlish ensembles that avoided being treacley or sweet with Italian formality and tailored boundaries.
Rachel Zoe Fall 2013
4. One of the ways we can identify the era of an old undated photo was by the width of lapels. What will the future people do to identify our photos? Anything goes in hemlines, lapels, shoulders—even armholes, although they haven’t gotten back to ’80s…yet. But I do see a maxi lapel taking a minor role in 2013, here at Rachel Zoe, and it also appeared at Kors.
Proenza Schouler Fall 2013; Photo by Anthea Simms
5. In a crumbling, vaulted old building, 5 Beekman St. Proenza Schouler’s show had the wonderful, sepulchral air of fashion as religion. The lack of heat, and the ensuing envy over those wearing furry muppet coats, a current trendlet for men and women, only increased the rarified quality of the experience. One had to be alert! And the clothes themselves rewarded with a fine precision.
Look 26 & Look 8; Proenza Schouler Fall 2013; Photos by Anthea Simms
They owed much to that which Phoebe Philo at Céline has wrought, and Comme des Garçons—minimalist folds, big shoulders, wide sleeves, exposed seams in stiff Ostrich that give that 2-D quality, but this was mellowed and made approachable with techno fabrics that bestowed some New York City sidewalk-culture cool (Look 26) and retro allusions to a 1950s rich, literary office girl (Look 8) (note more lavender).
Proenza Schouler Fall 2013; Photo by Anthea Simms
The newness: Chain mail!