The final day of New York Fashion Week began with a bang as America’s most successful designer, Ralph Lauren, took attendees on a luxurious and beautiful Indian safari that was deserving of the standing ovation he received in the end.
But when the first model walked out with cargo pants, nobody would have guessed what was to follow next. And that’s what made the show so special.
The model wore a satin top with an extension draped over one shoulder like a sari. That gave the audience the first hint of where Lauren was taking them. Then came the safari jackets. No, not the most glamorous. But Lauren paired them with multicoloured crystals that came as earrings, others as necklaces and some embroidered on the top turning the look into a lush, glamorous one.
This is how Lauren played with his palette that was also striking. The brown cargo pants went with purple silk tops, bright yellow jackets, bright red safari shirts. When the look was monochromatic, he broke it with the crystal accessories, adding that just right touch of bling.
Evening gowns also came in a burst of colours: purples, bright lemon yellows and red. But the stand out of the show was the final piece, a silky green safari jacket-inspired gown that came with a billowing skirt. There were audible gasps from the audience, that included a beaming Julianne Moore on the front row.
Following his breathtaking technical wizardry show for the launch of Polo for women, where the entire show was in hologram projected over a lake in Central Park, the 74-year-old Lauren’s is proving he has no plans to slow down.
Speaking of beaming front rowers, Sarah Jessica Parker and Rooney Mara looked more than pleased with designer Francisco Costa’s presentation for Calvin Klein at Spring Studios.
Both urban and feminine, Costa’s sophisticated collection stayed true to classic silhouettes as flute skirts dominated but were given a kind of sporty twist. Predominantly in blue, Costa sent out a lot of models in long tops, broken by flirty skirts worn underneath to great effect. Though he repeated the same look in a series of whites and greys, it was very effective.
Mara, a Costa favourite (she’s also the face of Calvin Klein’s Downtown fragrance), was elegant in a white knit dress from the label’s fall collection.
Could Dubai closing the New York Fashion Week be a sign of things to come. Repeating his fall-winter stint, Furne One took his Amato label Stateside again as the closing act for the Art Hearts Fashion show, the final show of the eight-day event.
Presented by the Aids Healthcare Foundation, One’s “My Vision in White” collection was heavy on lace, crochet ribbons and satins. He mixed a lot of fabrics mixed with a generous use of matte Swarovski crystals and brought his signature flaire for drama on the New York catwalk.
“The cuts are very classic. I wanted to focus on a 1940s silhouette with a modern twist,” he said backstage.
Among the eight designers to show at the Art Hearts Fashion show was One. Two other designers of the night — Shrekahnth, who’s shown at the erstwhile Dubai Fashion Week and New-York based Altaf Manneshia — will, along with One, bring their collection at the first-ever Fashion Week Middle East, scheduled for October 1 to 4.
