New York: Tommy Hilfiger, Malandrino, Ports 1961, Calvin Klein and Zac Posen Fall 2009
Don’t you just love starting the day with a tea and a little Tommy?
My first show of the day was Tommy Hilfiger, but before I talk clothes, I must talk crushes. My main squeeze—well, officially Diane Kruger’s—is Joshua Jackson. He brought along his million-dollar smile, baby face and jet black Wayfarers (and Kruger). Aw, Pacey….you’re all grown up but dang, you have that boyish charm down pat.
Tommy boy’s inspiration: 5th Avenue. “Aspriational, yet attainable.”
Hot highlights: A sand-coloured suede zip-front coatdress, vintage cream jeans, candy pink satin corset dress, cropped black shearling motorcycle jacket and the pale pink lamé bow blouse.
Hopped in a cab and hightailed it over to 30 Rock—30 Rockefeller Plaza— and up to the 65th floor for a petit dejeuner before the Malandrino show in the Rainbow Room. Hot ticket brekkie bites: mini croissants, mimosas, fresh fruit and a few other carby nibbles that remained untouched by the skinny-minnie masses. Hey, leather pants call for a little discipline.
All in the details: Lovely lace overlays, long skinny embellished clutches, lavish fur, transparent touches, electric colours, elegant draping and chain brooches.
The jacket to buy: A cropped waiter jacket with a fabulous furry collar.
Celeb spotting: Mary J. Blige, Mena Suvari, Sophia Bush.
Haute hair: sculpted into beautiful knots on top of the head. Kind of like delicious bows waiting to be untied.
Show tunes: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Music this season has definitely carried a message.
Back to the tents for Ports 1961. En route, I spy Jessica Biel on a side street—sans JT—sporting a ponytail and an iPod, while waiting for her car service…or perhaps a good script to come along?
Ports began with a performance by Red Baraat Festival!, a dhol (a Punjab drum) and brass band, which was amazing. Note: live music at shows adds so much energy and atmosphere.
Theme: India’s Mughal Empire. Think masculine tailoring, ornate details, fitted bodices, dhoti pants, controlled volume and discreet touches of shine.
Best eveningwear alternative: An off-the-shoulder lamé top paired with matching drop-crotch trousers. So chic.
Everyone’s a critic: chatter on the way out consisted of comments on the “overstyling” of Ports shows.
Over to Calvin Klein for a touch of modernity. Season after season, this is truly a collection designed for New Yorkers.
Favourites: Black boots with thick straps, black crackled embroidered silk drawstring trousers, ivory and black dégradé painted velvet coat.
Knotty by nature: Buns continued to be a hair trend over at CK. This time around, the knots were unkempt, a little wispy, and
held back with a thick black band.
Colour du jour: Black and more black. With a little ivory, sulfur and juniper thrown in for good measure.
Finally back to the tents for an evening with everyone’s designer darling, Zac Posen, who drew inspiration from the Victorian Era and mixed in ’40s silhouettes and shapes. The collection was filled with ruffle collars, romantic flourishes, jacquard opera coats, floral drawing room jackets, a scarlet silk tulip gown, lacey column gowns, balloon sleeves and gold lamé layers.
Best extras: Transparent knee-high boots by Manolo Blahnik for Zac Posen and bejewelled chokers by Pamela Love for Zac Posen.
Strangest moment: When model Coco Rocha made her way down the runway and a photog shouted, “Now there’s a real woman.”
The Zac Pack: Nicole Richie, Claire Danes, Rachel Bilson, Joy Bryant, Alicia Keys, Sandra Bernhard.
Tickle the ivories: Five grand pianos were set up down the middle of the runway and classical pianists, The 5 Browns, played during the entire show. Genius.
Dramarama: Posen took his bow, for the full length of the runway, wearing a tux jacket, to the cheers of his adoring fashion followers.
Frigid fashions: The blustery cold winds that blew into town today brought out a flurry of furs to the tents. Shaggy ones, cropped ones, ones passed down from grandma and glittering floor-length ones. (Okay, that was André Leon Talley. Who did you think I was talking about?)
Until my next jottings…
Check out our slideshows:
CALVIN KLEIN | PORTS 1961 | ZAC POSEN | ALL FALL 2009
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