Day 2 of MBFW Spring 2014 Showcased Jason Wu, Zimmermann, Carmen Marc Valvo, Noon by Noor, Nautica, Rebecca Minkoff, Rag and Bone, Helmut Lang and Nicole Miller
Day two is always an exciting day as everyone’s settled in and the fashion only gets better. Top of the day was Jason Wu, Zimmermann, Noon by Noor, and Nautica for the men. Other shows of the day were Rebecca Minkoff who’s bags are legend and Nicole Miller who’s prints and flirtatious silhouettes are fit for any photo shoot.
Away from the gleaming white tents of fashion week in New York was a fierce little show put together by a fierce little designer named… Jason Wu. His show was beaming with whites and had an intense sparkle factor that wowed and surprised me. It surprised me simply because it was SO evening focused. The collection seemed like almost entirely full of gala worth dresses. I loved it. You can never be too overdressed that’s what I always say!
Nicole Miller took the Versailles gardens and pieces of broken china and pieced them together to form ferocious new prints. The line was spliced between glorious laser printed pieces and 90’s grunge looks. To be honest this was my favorite collection that showed on day 2 of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. I feel that the direction and styling of the show was far more advanced and cohesive than some of the other shows. It’s obvious why Nicole Miller is such a successful brand.
Take for instance the jacket and shirt combo above. The bracelet sleeve length and sleek cropped body is super flattering when paired with this romantic bell sleeved white cotton shirt underneath. It pours out the bottom with what I can only describe as my favorite look from fashion week so far!
Zimmermann from Australia showed a lot of girly fabrics but blended into the collection in a way that was reminiscent of split personality disorder. From flowing silks with floral prints to cutting-edge designs and suits made of metallic leather. To be honest the mix was severe but in a way it made perfect sense. What girl, woman, blogger, socialite, whatever… wears one style all the time? It simply doesn’t happen. You play with textures, fabrics, prints and silhouettes all the time and by this logic the Zimmermann line takes you from day to evening everyday. You could potentially wear only Zimmermann and be happy… That’s a feat for any line. Hats off.
Carmen Marc Valvo showed pretty much an entire collection of monochromatic looks which I feel it tired and will pretty much be over for Spring but I did like the two dresses pictured above… minus the wigs… yuck. Are they funky yes. Robotic? yeah in a fun kind of mod looking way. Fresh? Mmmmmmm… no. I think the collection lacked the right kind of creativity.
I was blown away by the Noon by Noor show. With their cutesy prints, hand sewn silk flowers and plum colored leather the collection was altogether fantastic. I literally loved every seam. From the exploded shoulder silhouettes to the micro hemlines on some of the shorts. I loved it all… except the shoes. I hated those.
Nautica always has a great runway show with tons of gorgeous male models and really great clothes. Casual… but still great. I have to stress though what you see on the runway is quite different than what you’re going to be able to buy in stores. The fur pieces they showed last season for instance may be available from the Nautica D.C. but I’ve never seen them in stores. Not to mention the cut of the pieces in stores is always really unflattering… it didn’t seem that way on the runway though… let me tell you!
Rebecca Minkoff adopted the likes of Janelle Monáe to perform at her Spring 2014 show during day 2 of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. That’s pretty freakin awesome! Anyway… I’m going to start this by saying “Florals for Spring… Groundbreaking!” The number of collections that showcase flowers is actually astonishing and… lame. I’m not talking directly about the Minkoff Spring 2014 line but seriously all those flowers are making my Hay fever react.
Anyway, the Rebecca Minkoff show incorporated colorful botanicals which were embroidered on skirts, leggings and.. well actually just about everything… flowers are everywhere! They were done well and were not a overpowering.
So it’s abundantly clear that stark white is a mega trend for Spring 2014 and Helmut Lang used the shade in a big way. On cotton poplin structured dresses and sheer silk sheath overlays. Of course an all white collection is just plain boring, so to spice it up, a medley of geometric printed silk dresses were thrown into the mix but never in colors that were daring or that would otherwise take away from the monochromatic feel of the line. Simple… and chic.
Okay now for a ridiculous moment in fashion’s history.
Rag and Bone is always on the cutting edge of fashion and trends… but when was slicked back greasy looking hair that puffs out around the neck tucked down with spectacles that looked more like Dr. Nefario’s goggles from Despicable Me than stylish sunglasses? Everyone I know goes on and on about the shoes that come out of the creative team at Rag and Bone, but the shoes in this collection were really NOT my cup of tea. Chunky shoes have sent shivers up my spine ever since I wore them… oh yeah… back in the 90’s!
The glasses and heels were bizarre and unattractive and I’d like to say the clothing made up for it… but that would be a lie. The over-sized jackets and sweaters were sloppy looking and unflattering. And THAT LIPSTICK!! EEK!
To be honest… I could go on, but in short, the looks were totally not my opinion of beauty or fashion.
What was your favorite show from Day 2 of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week? And… which was your least favorite?
All images from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week official site and Style.com
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