Monday, September 12, 2011

New York Fashion Week Coverage

Derek Lam Spring 2012

There’s no sense of déjà vu on the Derek Lam runway this season, because this hasn’t been done before – not this way at least. Lam achieves a collection that plays to both the masculine and feminine, the retro and the now, the soft and the hard. And sometimes, he does this all in one outfit.

This collection is masterfully controlled, comprised of tight, clean lines, fresh fabrics, bright colors, and imbued with some California sunshine. The sporty feel is more along the lines of spectator sports (there’s no way we’re ever wearing a leather dress like the one Lam shows on his catwalk to play tennis). The contrasts found in this Spring collection are legion: soft fabrics are paired with lean leathers, mixed prints and patterns are set against neutrals, matte fabrics are met with slick, glossy ones. For example, Lam pairs a tangerine-hued crochet dress with a fitted leather blazer in the color of a tobacco leaf. A creamy, nubby knit sweater tops a pair of high-shine pleated black trousers. A swinging linen coat is restrained with black leather trim. There are also a lot of retro-silhouettes to be found in the sweater sets and full skirts, and some psychedelic prints bloom across dresses and pantsuits toward the end of the show. This is the kind of collection women are going to buy multiple pieces from – not just one – because such a wide range of options is available.

written by GRACE GORDON|photos: courtesy of GoRunway

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