Calling it: The hat of the Spring 2014 shows
If the droopy smurf tuque was the official hat of the Fall 2013 shows (that happened back in February), then the hot head seen at New York Fashion Week Spring 2014 wears the felted hat, either an iteration of the floppy seventies version (Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver) that Hedi Slimane brought back at YSL, or a trilby.
Laura Brown’s stilettos vs. Joanna Hillman’s platforms
The chunky wooden heeled platform sandal vs. the classic suede stiletto (often coloured) vied for preferred front row shoe as shown here at Suno on Laura Brown, Harper’s Bazzaar Executive Editor and Toronto-born-and-bred Market Editor Joanna Hillman (and one of the few street style stars who took up the purple gauntlet thrown down by designers last February, to grapelicious effect).
Photo by Anthea Simms
Suno was one of those shows you felt glad to be at rather than just surf through online because the best pieces got their élan from subtle texture shifts. They showed their familiar match clash patterning, with standout prints including zebras stampeding over stripes, and giant not-campy daisies.
Photo by Anthea Simms
But they also invented a creature of their own, using embossed metallics and Swarovski crystals on boxy Acne-influenced shapes: The sixties super hostess meets Hollywood glamourette meets hipster meets gallerina, below.
Photo by Anthea Simms
But my favorite was this elegant jacquard two piece brought down to earth with the Nicholas Kirkwood neo-Teva.
Photo by Anthea Simms
The Suno woman is a distant relative to Ms. A Détacher, which, as my October editor’s letter suggests, is one of my credit card weak spots. These are clothes that make people scratch their heads: Is she a Montessori teacher or some high-ranking member of the creative class? They are thinky/arty clothes without doing away altogether with sexiness. Like this dress with a crochet net waist reveal.
A Détacher Spring 2014; Photo from Style.com
Or this Alaïa-esque bathing suit, below, (all the bathing suits were brill) with muted cornflower loop knit cardie.
A Détacher Spring 2014; Photo from Style.com
It’s particularly fascinating to see the A Détacher tribe at the show, whose front rows, filled with friends of crazy cool eastern European designer Mona Kowalska, don’t resemble any others at Fashion Week, and are always filled with children.
The multi-generational front row at A Détacher Spring 2014
Both Suno and A Détacher are at the opposite ends of the spectrum from Jason Wu. Montrealer Jessica Paré declared the silky, corset backed dresses and jackets, “So beautiful, so feminine.”
Jessica Paré at Jason Wu
Won’t she look terrific on the red carpet in this dramatic Wu finale?
Jason Wu Spring 2014; Photo by Anthea Simms
Trends so far:
Safari, more pretty plaid for spring, lightweight day jumpsuits and short jumpsuits, muted blues, t-shirt blouses