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New York Fashion Week 2012

February can only mean one thing, the start of a glorious month-long love-affair with new styles and trends to carry forward into the Autumn and Winter seasons. New York – the city where nights are sleepless and ideas and dreams are created. Fashion Week this year brings together a number of New York based designers from pioneers like Ralph Lauren and Donna Karen to noted newcomers Prabal and Thakoon.

This year New York hosted fashion week from the 8th-16th February, with an array of designers both from the States and across the globe. The eight day spectacle showcased a number of different trends, from daywear, eveningwear and menswear, and with the grand finale of award seasons, The Oscars just weeks away, all eyes were on those who would be presenting extraordinary women’s evening dress, especially the elaborate and finely detailed gowns by Monique Lhuillier, Oscar de la Renta and Marchesa.

One of the most talked about shows of the week was surprisingly from Spice Girl turned fashion designer, Victoria Beckham. The show which took place at New York Public Library, a place many young fashion admirers will know as the location of Carrie Bradshaw’s wedding in Sex and the City, remained specific to her previous styles of femininity, simplicity and sophistication, but what made this collection different from previous ones was the military influence, but still with a feminine touch, with deep colour blocks and detailing such as peter pan collars. The array of slim lined, form fitted dresses, trench coats and accessories which included leather detailing and belts nipped at the waist, contrasting tough biker boots, paired with bright coloured leg warmers and even a bag created in dedication to daughter Harper, the buzz around Mrs. Beckham’s successful runway had enough for spectators to talk about for the rest of the week.

In 2008 Jason Wu was a little known designer until First Lady Michelle Obama wore one of his classic designs at the Presidents Inauguration Ball, today Wu, along with other young New York based designers like Alexander Wang and Prabal, take the lead with the future of Fashion, and Wu’s collection reflects this. Taking inspiration from his Chinese Heritage, the simple lace detailing ad army structure are a major change from his previous collections but most definitely show his versatility and ability as a designer, and why so many have fallen in love with his sense of creativity.

Most probably my favourite collection this year comes from style veteran Diane von Furstenberg. Her bold mixture of bright colour blocks and repetitive prints has a spring edge to brighten up what could easily be deemed as dark and dreary winter style. The collection consisted of a great mix of ready to wear pieces, from peg legged trousers, and flowing silk tops to bold printed dresses, showing how styles can be continuously worn throughout the year, and anyone should be brave enough to step out in a pair of yellow trousers and blue and white top, if the neutral and darker tones don’t take your fancy!

When it comes to styles that will be seen this winter Urban Utility was definitely a prominent highlight in New York, with Alexander Wang, DKNY, Derek Lam and Victoria Beckham among those who chose to embrace the more edgy look, and if dark olive, maroon, burgundy and navy tones do not take your fancy, then be bold this winter and continue to follow through with current trends like colour-blocking which Max Azaria’s BCBG collection illustrated or Marc Jacobs psychedelic inspired looks.

New York brought the return of supermodels Gisele, Shalom Harlow and Karolina Kurkova , and more controversially the shock of Marc Jacobs young 14 year old models- New York definitely did not disappoint. Before the spring even starts the anticipation already awaits for us to be waving goodbye to those British summers and preparing to get ready all too soon to return to our winter wardrobes, but with the excitement of revamping what we already have and doing what we can to transform our cupboards into a catwalk worthy outfit. What was so great about this week in New York was that many designers have made their looks easily transformable from high fashion, to ready wear high street, and with a little bit of imagination most definitely can be achieved without buying a whole new wardrobe!

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