Good morning, Monday. I woke up with the sniffles and a bad case of fatigue and am going to pump myself through of Chinese herbs to make sure I don't get the full-blown badness. I can't believe tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and the day after that is my nine-year wedding anniversary. Time is flying, I tell you. Looking forward to celebrating that milestone at some point this weekend, or when the hubby comes up for air from his latest work project. I'm thinking we'll most likely be toasting our nuptials sometime in March, which is funny because the whole reason we got married Valentine's weekend in the first place was because it was the only time he could get away from a huge gig he was doing back in the day. LIke age, dates are just a number, and what matters is not when we celebrate, but that we do.
And speaking of celebrating, there's lots to clink about on the runways this week in New York. I'm loving that the clothes feel different- longer lengths in dresses (with few exceptions, case in point the stellar new looks from Dean Quinn, whose fresh and sexy collection is on my one to watch list).
Also in my sights are the funnel and cocooned silhouettes signifying a need for safety in a chaotic world. Another trend emerging is a fascination with the exotic- it's not as much ethnic and tribal like last season but more exotic and eastern and a combination of a Far East nod and a Ballet Russes sort of aesthetic that reminds me a lot of iconic YSL. I also can't help but think of Chet Baker and his sexy song "Let's Get Lost"- perhaps all of us are feeling the need to get away, see something other than what we know, and see all that the world has to offer. I also think from a fiscal perspective, it's getting tough to ignore what's going on in the so called BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) nations, and now we're seeing it make its way into the fashion world, even though it is already well booming in big business and everything from sustainability to looking for cues on how these places are on the rise.
At Altuzurra below, we got a sense of the modern Cossack, with sexy embellishment and a feel of a buttoned up military vibe gone sexy. The pants looks are wonderful too, and that mossy green color I'm starting to see everywhere has me captivated. My love for greens of all sorts knows no bounds- and this is much less jolly Green Giant and much more mossy and moor inspired.
At Duru Olowu, the exotic trend continued but definitely skewed more ethnic inspired with prints and colors not necessarily for the faint of fashion, but all absolutely stunning takes on a global influence. What a wonderful way to channel wanderlust from your very own closet. I want to book a ticket now. Oh and I also want him to do a Target collection. Can so see that, right? Oh and that green he's doing here? Love.
Over at Christian Cota, "the designer gathered the inspiration for his clothes from the idea of an American girl getting lost in a Mexico desert -- in the fun, free-spirited conception of that scenario". That's what the New York Post said and I agree- this bright young star is one to watch, and his approach to exotic felt more folksy, a trend we saw last season that is continuing as we look for ways to channel authenticity and handcrafted. Oh and that long dress? Absolutely stunning.
And according to Mara Hoffman's liner notes as listed on style.com, "shaman gauchos" was the theme of her collection, and if that's not a bit off the beaten path, I'm not sure what is. Known for her prints, Ms. Hoffman did not disappoint, and I loved the sexy ease of her looks here- probably not going to be rocked by any real shamans, but fashion shamans and it girls all over will certainly hit up these looks come Fall.
Much has been made about what's to come in 2012- I've mentioned that you are either a glass half full or glass half empty type when it comes to this- you can either look at 2012 as a seismic move towards enlightenment or a time when we all implode. I'm sensing designers are mixing cocktails that signify a departure from traditional thinking and what we've seen before, and since that's the case, I'll have another. It's 2012 and I'm ready for some real change. And that's what's up this sniffly Monday full of possibilities in Brooklyn. Oh, and the Grammys were ok, I am still super sad about Whitney and though Rihanna's performance was a trainwreck, her Scarface inspired Armani complete with blonde 70s hair had me at hello. All the love, kids. All the love. XO
