"At the end of a New York Fashion Week that can generously be described
as timid, the industry’s great showman Marc Jacobs stripped his runway
down to the essentials. Advance word suggested he might, but the two
rows of bare metal folding chairs marching narrowly across the Park
Avenue Armory was a striking sight, nonetheless. There was no set, no
music, no big hair and makeup statement, and no iPhone photography
permitted. What gives? The collection, he said, was inspired by a documentary called Hip-Hop Evolution.
“As a born and bred New Yorker, it was during my time at the High
School of Art and Design when I began to see and feel the influence of
hip-hop on other music as well as art and style. This collection is my
representation of the well-studied dressing up of casual sportswear. It
is an acknowledgement and gesture of my respect for the polish and
consideration applied to fashion from a generation that will forever be
the foundation of youth culture street style.” But what did this collection have to say about how to dress next Fall?
That, at least, is quite simple. That a fur-collared jacket and a
thigh-skimming party dress is something you should wear with sheer
stockings and sturdy, retro platforms. That track pants go with just
about everything. That you can never have too much corduroy (a fact
Jacobs and Miuccia Prada lately agree on). That the color brown and all
its variations are beautiful. And that a hat with personality is
absolutely essential. Also: If you’re going to wear jewelry, it might as
well bling. These were not necessarily needle-moving fashion
messages—designers have been cribbing from hip-hop for decades, and, as
Jacobs acknowledges, it has become the defining mode of our day. But
this collection at least had a sophisticated edge on its predecessor."' - vogue.com
"Like many of her peers, Monique Lhuillier is
rethinking the way she presents her collections. She opted out of a Fall
’17 runway show in favor of a dynamic lookbook, which better highlights
the lineup’s rich embroideries and textures. Sometimes those details
don’t resonate in a runway photo, which shows just one angle. Decadence
was a word Lhuillier threw around a lot during the shoot, and it fit
this collection. In fact, it may have been her most indulgent one to
date; embellishments have always been a Lhuillier specialty, but here,
they were literally piled on. Tulle gowns were studded with gems, while a
few sheer minidresses were covered in sparkling confetti. It was as if
her team had tossed buckets of sequins on the models just before they
took the picture. Separates are a growing
category for Lhuillier, and the velvet jackets, gold sequined boleros,
and puff-sleeved bodysuits were highlights. Each could be worn to a
black-tie gala or with vintage jeans, and that’s crucial these days.
It’s how the designer will attract new customers who aren’t necessarily
into cocktail dresses or ball gowns; many young women don’t need those
things (at least not yet) and they tend to dress more casually." - vogue.com
