Day four of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City has come and gone, but not without creating some major buzz over incredibly covetable looks for the Fall 2008 season.
The first show of the day was Peter Som at the Promenade at 9 a.m. followed by Carolina Herrera. After that, R. Scott French showed his collection at the Salon and Jill Stuart held her how at the New York Public Library.
The afternoon shows included Betsey Johnson at the Tents and Pamella Roland at Salon. Evening shows included Max Azria, Ports 1961 and Iodice finished the day at 9 p.m. at Salon.
The video shows InStyle's recap of the last three days.
Peter Som - Today Som showed his own collection which was full of rich fall fabrics like tweed, fur, wool and flannel. The collection was cozy, yet had a hint of bazaar; he seemed to be bringing back the pajama look Prada showed last season in the form of flannel bathrobes. On Thursday, he will debut the collection he designed for the Bill Blass label. The audience will be similar, but will he design be too?
Carolina Herrera - This collection certainly was a feather in Herrera's cap! The New York-based designer showed off an elegant collection at the Tents that evoked the classic appeal of the English countryside, from riding pants and hunting jackets to fancy dresses. The feathered caps were a little reminiscent of Robin Hood, but added an unmistakable charm to the regal fall looks. Avian influences were felt strongly throughout, and were complimented by a rich autumnal color palette of browns, mustard yellow and blue tones.
Jill Stuart
Betsey Johnson - As always, Betsey had an extremely wild collection full of extravagant designs and bold colours. It was 20 minutes of very youthful, vibrant fun, and very true to her brand. The audience, which included celebrities like Tyra Banks, sat at cafe-style times complete with bubble gum cigarettes. To the delight of her fans, the platinum blond designer came out at the end of the show to join her models, holding a giant bouquet of balloons.
"Johnson presented the high school 60s and 70s-inspired beatnik wardrobe every girl dreamed she had -- in technicolor," the New York Post wrote of the 65 year old grandmother.
Pamella Roland - The designer behind the label, Pamella DeVos, showed her collection at the Salon. Following Betsey's show, it was tough to maintain the same wild energy, but she managed quite well. "French Cubist Georges Braque, from his vivid, dynamic use of color to his personal style of masculine elegance tempered with an artist's eye," WWD quoted the designer.
Max Azria - Max Azria is the more grown-up version of the brand's other label, BCBG which was shown earlier this week which was decidedly more rock and roll.
Ports 1961
Iodice
Shelling out the cash to pout on a stellar show at Fashion Week is crucial to the success of a fashion designer and very worth it. A single show can easily cost up to $150,000. Tent rentals for $46,000, makeup artists and hairstylists cost another $10,000. Lighting and music for another $33,000, and PR can fetch up to $19,500 alone! Then there are the models, which can charge up to $30,000 each for a single show.
But the sales are worth it.
In case you missed the first three days of fashion week, you can catch up on the shows here:
New York Fashion Week Fall Coverage
Day 4
Trend Themes
1. Rich Fall Fabrics - Opportunity for designers to explore cozy yet innovative fabric choices like tweed, fur, wool, and flannel.
2. Avian Influences in Fashion - Designers can incorporate bird-inspired elements into their collections, such as feathered caps, to add a regal and charming touch to fall looks.
3. Extravagant and Bold Designs - Fashion brands can create collections with outrageous and vibrant designs, embracing youthful and bold aesthetics to appeal to a wide range of consumers.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Design - Fashion designers can leverage rich fall fabrics, avian influences, and extravagant designs to create disruptive collections for the Fall season.
2. Textile Manufacturing - Textile manufacturers can explore innovative techniques to produce cozy and avant-garde fall fabrics that cater to the demand for rich textures.
3. Event Management - Event management companies can provide services and solutions to fashion events like Fashion Week, including tent rentals, lighting and music setup, and PR, to ensure successful shows and maximize brand exposure.