Just for you fashionista's I have uncovered some news on New York Fashion Week so here is a sneaky peak at what has been appearing on the catwalk - courtesy of GraziaDaily : )

NYFW S/S ‘12 Report: Rodarte

There's no question that Rodarte is now the hippest show on the New York Fashion Week schedule. Will any other designer label this week be able to match the Mulleavy sisters' art-house-meets A-list line-up? From mega-stars like Beyonce Knowles and Taylor Swift to indie teen actressses Elle andDakota Fanning, as well as high brow darlings David Byrne, Rooney Mara (the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) and artistMiranda July, the label's quirky couture cool now appeals right across the board.

Rodarte is known for a creepy twisted fairytale aesthetic, fuelled by the designer sisters' love of horror movies, but none of it that darkness was present this season, as they turned to a twisted genius for inspiration instead. The designers, ex-art history students both, had clearly been studying Vincent van Gogh - recreating his iconic Sunflowers and Starry Nights paintings for the collection, in a summery palette of gold, aqua and midnight blue.

The sunflower print dresses that kicked off the collection were everything that Rodarte do best - the little girl 'Sunday best' dress silhouette beloved of the new teen movie stars like the Fanning sisters, as well as hipster actresses like absentee Rodarte devotee Kristen Dunst. These came with sailor collars and major heels (chunky metal heels, sequinned ankle straps, peep toes) to balance out the wide prom skirts.

Alongside the dresses were sleeveless tunic tops with slim cropped trousers, in metallic, crinkled sunflower yellow, or shiny techno layered lilac showing the Mulleavy sisters have lost none of their artisanal appetite for experimenting with fabrics.

Standout pieces included the faded digital prints of rustic sunflowers and quiet aquas highlighted with cornfield yellow flowers on off-the-shoulder chiffon layered gowns, which were beautifully restrained. At other times Van Gogh's manic Starry Night daubings were the perfect high energy prints for early-Eighties disco-style ruffled mini dresses - pretty, but sophisticated.

And for the red carpet, not trashy reveal-all jersey slinkiness to please Beyonce, but the Rodarte take on glamour: a flouncy tiered and layered sparkle embellished dress in Starry Nights shades of deepest blues and purples, and a shorter asymmetric version with Van Gosh's distinctive sky-swirls recreated in sequins.

There were solid colours too; limes and lilacs, and knitwear colour blocked in sky blue and golden basket weaves but it will be Rodarte's painterly prints that stand out next season.
- Angela Buttolph

14 September 2011 at 10:16

NYFW S/S'12 Report: Oscar de la Renta

‘Way to go ODLR!’ we squealed on Twitter as Oscar de la Renta kicked off his S/S’12 collection with a FROW-skimming ball gown of mustard taffeta. Traditionally, a catwalk show crescendos to this kind of extravagance – the finale gown usually being the grandest – but the designer geniously flipped the switch and won gasps of awe from his adoring crowd. Better yet, the soundtrack was a rocking mix of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd while Justin Timberlake and Nicki Minaj snagged the VIP seats (Nicki had a tiger on her head, naturally).

But back to the spectacle on the catwalk, as well as an array of dramatic floor-sweepers, we were also treated to a feast of eye-poppingly bright day dresses in acid green, canary yellow and blood red, to name but a few, worn by models with Eighties-esque frizzy hair. Yep, as well as the ladylike polish we’re used to from Oscar, there was a younger, funner dollop of glam.

Our favourites? The crocheted jumper teamed with a billowing silk skirt with an inch of exposed midriff in between would be perfect for a modern day medieval princess. And the pale link column gown wrapped around Lindsey Wixson reminded us of the decadent number Julianne Moore wore for Tom Ford's return to womenswear. In fact, Mr la Renta threw in a dash of just about everything, from tassels and tweed to fur and feathers.

All in all, a refreshing surprise from the master of red carpet wares.

- Jessica Vince

14 September 2011 at 10:50

NYFW S/S '12 report: Theyskens Theory

Tomboy styles are already well established for A/W, now, by the looks of Olivier Theyskens latest collection for Theory, there'll be enough mannish styles to last us till Micklemas 2012. Theysken's Theory collection was a mix up of beautifully casual, instantly wantable pieces, since Theory is a mid-price brand, neither High Street nor really high end.
His key shapes were trousers, miniskirts and dresses and jackets. The trousers were the most interesting, as Theyskens had cleverly conceived of a solution to high waist/hipster dilemma - by somehow creating pants that clung to both, due to an ingenious double waistband. Sounds wrong but looked really right. All the models had their hands wedged firmly into their pockets - and it somehow looked appropriate. Even though this was the runway at NYFW none of the girls looked as though they would be out of place in a chic version of everyday life.
The slouchy trousers were neither particularly tapered or flared, but gave a 'straight up and down' feel to the outfits and the addition of fitted jackets - either soft shouldered and waist-length or power shouldered and fitted at the waist, felt perfectly in sync with how modern women want to dress - comfortable bottoms and a jersey, rather than button-down top, with a bit of tailoring slung on over the top to bring the look together, and perhaps some posh shoes.
If this is all starting to make you want to nod off - then don't! it wasn't all workaday separates and neutral hues. Theyskens riffed on the idea of iridescence in a couple of different ways - he had treated some of the leather pants with a kind of shimmery foil, giving a lovely Ariel from the Little Mermaideffect, as well and crystal embellishments on some of the cute little jackets, which had the same underwater effect. Just for fun, the last few looks were great, galleon-like delicately deconstructed gazar ball gowns, just to remind everyone of the reason his name gets mentioned every time the topic ofLagerfeld's retirement comes up, (even if it didn't in the case ofGalliano) - i.e. there's more to this designer than slouchy pants!

14 September 2011 at 10:59