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Olympus Fashion Week:
The New York Fall/Winter
2004 Collections:
'Under the Influence'
By Marilyn Kirschner
Ah- so many influences, so little time:
"Mucho Miuccia"
It was hard not to notice what appeared to be the overwhelming preponderance of retro and vintage inspired, understated, sedate, prim and proper, ladylike clothes exhibiting more than a touch of old world charm and bearing more than just a passing resemblance to the designs and aesthetic of Miuccia Prada which seemed to pervade Olympus Fashion Week in New York. I have long said, "As goes Miuccia, so goes the fashion world". In an article immediately following her well received and evolutionary fall 2004 collection in Milan, WWD wrote, "Prada long ago claimed ownership of vintage- lady chic. A mood that might seem easy enough to knock off. But a fur shrug and pencil skirt are no substitute for depth of thought impeccably realized."
Well, it may be true that a fur shrug and pencil skirt may not necessarily be substitutes for true brilliance, but since the New York Collections were literally filled with them (not to mention coat sleeves pushed up to show off gloves and gauntlets- some in crocodile or alligator skins; tweeds mixed with florals; boyfriend sweaters paired with skirts; little fur tippets; belted coats opened 'just so' to perfectly reveal pleated skirts beneath; and brooches galore), it seems that many designers are nonetheless intent on trying to ride the coattails of Miuccia's undeniable and enviable success, and are attempting to infuse their ready to wear collections with the "couture sensibility" which has come to define her work. (Of course, giving credit where credit is due, Olivier Theyskens in his first few collections for the house of Rochas in Paris has also been responsible for the heightened awareness and appreciation by many designers for 'couture sportswear', and many of his themes- long gloves, more volume- have shown up on this side of the Atlantic as well.)
Among the designers in New York who best exemplified this couture like approach to sportswear, mixing thrift shop, vintage inspired, ladylike chic (a look that can err on the side of downright dowdy) were Patrick Robinson who in his second season as head of design for Perry Ellis, had one of the most satisfying and fresh takes of the season. He translated the pervading mood and feeling in a manner that remained youthful and contemporary, and never looked artificial, pretentious, or…
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Photographed by Randy Brooke
THIS WEEK:
AS FOUR
BILL BLASS
CALVIN KLEIN
CAROLINA HERRERA
CATHERINE MALANDRINO
CHADO RALPH RUCCI
DONNA KARAN
MICHAEL KORS
NARCISO RODRIGUEZ
RALPH LAUREN
ROBERTO MENICHETTI
ZAC POSEN
LAST WEEK:
ANNA SUI
BADGLEY MISCHKA
BEHNAZ SARAFPOUR
J. MENDEL
MARC JACOBS
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
PERRY ELLIS
PETER SOM
PROENZA SHOULER
TULEH
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