Heidi Klum walks the runway at the Project Runway Fall 2006 fashion show during the New York Fashion Week recently. - REUTERS PHOTO
NEW YORK (AP)
FASHION SHOWS are all about timing, hitting the right notes before the right audience and then building to a crescendo. That's what New York Fashion Week pulled off, with grand finales by some of the field's most accomplished maestros.
Eight days of fall fashion previews ended with the Karl Lagerfeld/Lagerfeld Collection, the U.S. debut of one of the most celebrated designers in the world.
KARL LAGERFELD
Lagerfeld, who also designs the ladylike collections of Chanel and Fendi, had said that his eponymous brand would be more for the urban warrior and Mad Max and his mistress did indeed take over the runway Friday night. Many of the models actually resembled Lagerfeld himself, who wore black jeans, black jacket, black winter boots and his signature starched white shirt for the bow he took with collaborator Melanie Ward.
The undeniable toughness of the clothes, however, was softened with a series of lovely blush-coloured mini dresses with longer sheer overlays, and tempting cosy knits, especially a wool waistcoat sweater with a V cut from the waistband and a black angora kimono coat.
Surprisingly, many of the looks fit in with the trends spotted on other runways, including skinny pants, dresses with sashes and a mostly black palette. But some things were uniquely Lagerfeld, such as the "fold-over pants," which had a simple waistband and then an attached flap with typical trouser details that hung lower.
Men's styles were cut close to the body, and Lagerfeld's new version of the tuxedo replaced the cummerbund with detachable satin "wing pockets."
"This collection is about tailoring, sculpting, shape-making and mixing proportions with different influences and moods," the designer said in his hand-written notes.
SWEETFACE
Jennifer Lopez told her audience that her fall collection hit the next level in design, fit and fabrication. She was right.
A winter-white sweatercoat with navy trim and a navy tie around the waist was adorable, and a black lace bubble dress with a magenta hem was perfect for J.Lo's core fans.
Presumably, the slate blue lace dress the singer-actress wore at her preview was from Sweetface and the huge diamond cuff bracelet was not.
RALPH LAUREN
Lauren created a complete wardrobe, pieces for every day of the week and just about every occasion, for the elegant woman who wants to look stylish, but also wants to do it subtly.
Hmmm. Could this woman be Halle Berry? The actress graced Lauren's front row in a crisp gray pinstripe suit, her hair tied loosely in a ponytail.
After the parade of leggings paired with cosy sweaters, trim suits and metallic evening skirts, Berry gushed that she "loved the cashmere pieces." The clothes were almost all in a rugged loden green, except for a few flashes of purple.
A cable-knit cashmere poncho adorned with a jewelled brooch was the kind of piece you could wear over anything and instantly elevate your look. Lauren also showed a leather patch jacket over a turtleneck dress, perfect for the woman who spends fall weekends browsing antique stores in New England.
For fancier evenings, Lauren's preview also included a black silk dress laced with silver and a black satin turtleneck gown with an open back and beaded cuffs.
MATTHEW WILLIAMSON
Finally, some colour on the runways! Williamson filled his catwalk with red, purple and blue. One of the best looks was a flame red gown with a candy-coloured beaded belt.
Williamson's muse could have been a swank '70s housewife, someone who would wear a floor-length skirt and a bright patterned blouse to host a dinner party. But the overall look was modern.
A red shirtdress had a pleated hem to infuse a little 'lightheartedness', and a printed satin skirt with two bouncy tiers at the bottom peeked out from a tan peacoat.
