modaCYCLE International Fashion

Emerson’s Cool Collected Girls

charles — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:49:24 +0000

Jackie Fraser Swan's Fall 2013 collection continued her Emerson brand's parade of head on her shoulders cool girl staples. It's a young lively assortment with great color choices, displaying interesting use of patterns and leather. Good fits for environments from classroom to office to cocktail reception. She has a good habit of framing or presenting the neck and shoulders very well.

Chado Ralph Rucci – Fiercely Innovative Yet Somehow Genteel

charles — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:38:52 +0000

It doesn't happen very often, but occasionally someone in Ralph Rucci’s atelier will forget and hang too many Chado garments on one rack, thus prompting the designer to declare, “No no no. You can’t crowd the girls like this. They can’t breathe.” Never crowd the girls. This avowal might seem charmingly anecdotal, but if you know Rucci, you know he means it quite seriously. Each dress, skirt, gown, coat, or blouse isn’t just alive for him. Every one is adored as a dear friend or even a child, born more than made by not a team but a family. So please. Never crowd the girls.

Chado Ralph Rucci Up Close In Imperial Colors

charles — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:44:40 +0000

Our review of the Fall 2013 Chado Ralph Rucci collection will be published soon, but we had two photographers in very different positions at this show, and so many great pictures of such a long show, it seems odd to edit them down for one article, so here is a special feature that brings you specifically my view from the front row. There are three shows I try to never miss during New York Fashion Week, and I think you'll see why Mr. Rucci's remains number one.

Fashion Mingles At Third Wave Social Media Event

charles — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:23:08 +0000

Last night's Third Wave Fashion Meetup was a packed house with many guests turned away at the door due to capacity issues, despite being held in a fairly large space. Why was it standing room only? Social media. On the panel were the women behind the tweets at Fashion Indie, Bergdorf Goodman, Michael Kors, and Bauble Bar. They were followed by a keynote address from the former VP of Brand and Social Media at American Express. Before anyone even arrived, a powerful lineup in great shoes, to be sure.

Diane von Furstenburg – Forever Young

charles — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:24:53 +0000

There is an adage in fashion, goes something like – “If you wore a trend the first time, you’re too old to wear it when it returns.” Did the grande dame Diane von Furstenburg get where she is by following such reductive rules? Mais non. This cheeky iconoclast wears her curly hair long, her red-soled heels high, and she lives by the declaration proffered prior to her Fall 2013 show – “ It’s not that you are going to a party, life is a party!” DVF’s party had smiling models, cheery fabrics in pink, red, rust, and royal blue, funky animal prints and lurex, disco diva classics, soft touchable hair and a host of fluid, flattering, very easy to wear dresses and trousers.

Monique Lhuillier – Simple, Sound, Stunning

charles — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:28:34 +0000

Often when a designer's name, and more to the point a woman designer’s name, is made in bridalwear, the dear promise that was respectfully made between artist and subject is carried on at ready to wear and kept fast: I will not let you down, I will never let you look a fool, I know that today is your day, I know one picture lasts a lifetime. It’s therefore no wonder then that Monique Lhuillier has triumphed at the particular business of red carpet glamour. She understands what it means to dress the woman in focus. With all eyes and cameras pointed at her, Lhuillier’s woman does not “…want to take a risk at such an important time. That’s why simple silhouettes are best. Women are more comfortable taking a chance on color or treatment.” This wise formula is in play on her Fall 2013 runway, and will work wonders at award shows, film openings, charity balls, and any gala event where a woman must make being on display look gracefully easy.

Reem Acra – Fierce First

charles — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:34:18 +0000

I asked Reem Acra, known for her florally feminine bridal and evening wear, if I was correct in sensing a new forceful if not downright aggressive energy in her crimson splashed black collection for Fall 2013. “Well yes!” she answered readily, “I am a strong woman, and I believe it’s time again for women to be stronger! These are clothes that will protect, give armor to the wearer so they can be fierce!” From bride to fierce - indeed any busy, multi-mani-pedi-tasking woman will tell you, it’s all fun and games until someone gets married…

Cushnie et Ochs – Sharp

charles — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:53:37 +0000

“We started the company because there wasn’t clothing out there for women who wanted to be sexy without being vulgar.” Sex without vulgarity, no offense guys, is a style better served by the ladies, and perfectly executed by the ladies Cushnie et Ochs, whose Fall 2013 offering put me in mind of the great Gypsy Rose Lee. Ms. Lee - a clever performer whose striptease always kept a giddy, erotic tension between that which was revealed and that which was concealed - defended the dubious ethos of her métier by saying, “ I was never naked. I was completely covered by a blue spotlight!” Cushnie et Ochs has you covered.

Jen Kao – Still In Shapes

charles — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:45:07 +0000

I've said on many occasions that I believe that Jen Kao is one of the future superstars of American fashion. I encourage you to go and look through pictures from her first collection in the Fall of 2008 (unfortunately that season was slightly pre-modaCYCLE) to behold her growth as an artist. Her Fall 2013 Collection marks the first time that I walked away from one of her shows not 100% thrilled. To be crystal clear, there were many pieces that were extraordinary. Ms. Kao's work with patches in both squares & triangles was clever & energizing. Her asymmetrically draped skirts in vinyl and leather were gorgeous. And the fabric choices of soft mixed with hard and glossy gave the collection and many of the pieces an alluring appeal.

Suzanne Rae – Round Two

charles — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:40:54 +0000

I was hanging out with Seth Friedermann following a fashion presentation at the Russian Consulate when he said he was going to check out a new designer, Suzanne Rae, a few blocks down Fifth Avenue. What I saw when we arrived was a well-edited collection of really beautiful simple vestment-inspired womenswear looks from an apparently talented but still more or less unknown emerging designer. Also on display were almost sleek knitwear looks created in a collaboration with the normally a bit off the wall self-proclaimed "math nerd" designer Lindsay Degen, which were a strong 180 from what she had presented at her own show earlier the same day. This is a strong start for an emerging designer, but something Seth and I both agreed on was that it lacked a distinct signature. Who exactly is Suzanne Rae, and what will the thread be that defines her work season after season? If this label is to survive and expand, she must find that extra bit that leaves a mark in the mind but takes nothing away.

Christian Siriano’s Broom Schtick

charles — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:39:47 +0000

Christian Siriano, the impish young designer, who in his bookish clothes and thick-rimmed glasses resembles a punkish Harry Potter, conjured an enchantment of looks for the Fall 2013 runway where the little wizard’s knack for crafting opulent day and evening wear was deftly demonstrated and shown atop a line of velvet buckled pumps, lace up boots and sling-backed platforms. The latter available the following day at Payless for thirty dollars - neat trick that! With Russia as his guide Siriano’s day looks included black leather trousers, skirts and dresses with wool and fur accents, great coats in shearling and alpaca, stretch brocade t-shirts, and an ingenious golden faux fur pencil skirt, which “a girl could totally wear to work if she wanted to.” Nice work if you can get it…

A Détacher – Mona’s Map of The World

charles — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:25:09 +0000

Certain things are a given in an A Détacher collection. You will see things you have never seen before. You will, if you are paying close attention, and you should be, see construction and detailing you have never seen before. And you will likely be temporarily removed from your seat and taken to wherever designer Mona Kowalska's mind happened to be when she created the collection.

Mara Hoffman – Rushing Into Winter With Colors of The Equator

charles — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:15:43 +0000

Escorted by a caravan vision of happy gypsies, soothsayers, and exotic mystics, New York girl Mara Hoffman conveyed a Fall 2013 collection true to her brand, and a standout amid the many somber looks prevalent on other runways. Using every inch of the rainbow, plus a few metallics and neons, Hoffman’s simple short shifts, long columns, caftans, and pants came alive in a madcap assortment of prints so precious to the designer she named them: Caravan, Phoenix, Leopard, Suzani and Trickster. Embroidery and metal beading gave texture and depth to the rustic charm of the clothes. Cold weather-wear must be tricky for Hoffman, who is best known for her bikinis and resort line. Take away one of the few wrap coats - doff the selection of chunky pullovers, cardigans and shawls, each knitted up in her colors and patterns – and these optimistic outfits would, in fact, look just right on a yacht. Something to dream about when it’s cold and grey...

Sukeina And The Dragonfly

charles — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:07:54 +0000

The fascinating dragonfly pins used to accent the deconstructed Edwardian separates of Sukeina’s Fall 2013 collection intrigue me. Flying with a minimum of effort in all six directions at an amazing 45 miles an hour, or hovering like a helicopter, these iridescent creatures in almost every part of the world symbolize discovery, change, and self-realization. As an orphaned child, Sukeina designer Omar Salam of Dakar, Republic of Senegal, spent his childhood in various European countries. While the music for his show was very clearly West African, what I saw on his runway suggested formative time spent in the British Isles. Mr. Salam takes the classic English polo neck, and the even more classic Edwardian high-necked blouse and pairs these with sleek pants, snug dresses, fit and flare skirts topped with a host of captivating jackets, rendered modern by a process of de/reconstruction. Using fabrics of chiffon, cashmere, and an edgy black and grey tartan shot with iridescent silver thread, in sedate colors of beige, crème, and black with a pop of royal blue, Salam’s hems, sleeves, peplums, shoulders and collars are sent in gracefully marvelous dragonfly directions.

La Perla – Shades of Spain

charles — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:41:55 +0000

La Perla is a venerable 60 year old Italian company, beloved internationally, but revered domestically - and especially adored in its hometown of Bologna. Creative Director Giovanni Bianchi, also from Bologna, has established himself at the design helm for several seasons. Passion, sensuality, and romance are words that are sprinkled liberally over any dish of Italian identity. In fact, Italians consider themselves ambassadors of these ideals, and their commensurate talent for all things stylish seemingly goes right down to the DNA.