Daily Front Row

2011 February 15

New York Fall 2011: Tommy Hilfiger, Malandrino, VPL by Victoria Bartlett, Y-3

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Tommy Hilfiger Fall 2011
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Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger channeled a seductive 1970s spy with his incredibly cohesive collection for fall 2011. Hilfiger always turns out sharp, if predictable, takes on Americana—this time around, the patriotic hues were deliciously dialed down, and the look had far more depth. Merlots, midnight navy and cinnamon shades anchored the toggle-buttoned ponchos, velvet trousers and moody long-sleeved dresses. The richly decorated show was replete with chicly dilapidated chandeliers, warm peachy lighting and a faux-wood floor flanking the weathered cranberry carpet, nailed in place with antiqued studs. A slightly darker side of this peppy, preppy ambassador of Americana has emerged, and hopefully it's here to stay. 

Malandrino

With the models perched on pedestals in a raw, light-flooded space in the former New York Times building, Malandrino’s newest collection could suit both Carine and Emmanuelle. With bold trenches, chubby, luxe furs and plenty of wry haberdashery, Malandrino gave a playful touch to Parisian dressing. “It’s about that je ne sais quoi that comes from the scarf and finishes with a pair of eyeglasses and a men’s hat,” Malandrino said. The melding of wide trousers and touches of tweed with sensually textured frocks in shades of emerald, bright red and rich purples created Malandrino’s vision of a “masculine wardrobe with a feminine, sensual lightness with some eccentricity.”

VPL By Victoria Bartlett

Victoria Bartlett took inspiration from late ‘50s sculptor Piero Manzoni for her fall 2011 collection show at Pier 59 Studios on Sunday morning. Bartlett’s crosshatch of textures conveyed a “conflict of aggressive, hard edges against a soft pulling and constricting,” the designer explained. Accessories like Orly Genger by Jaclyn Meyer’s enormous door knocker-sized necklaces and chunky latex cuffs by Brian Crumley almost stole the show. But Bartlett kept the attention on the clothes with her finale, a series of sharply color-blocked skivvies pretty enough to wear, or let conspicuously peek out, in public. 

Y-3

It was home on the futuristic prairie at the Y-3 runway on Sunday evening. "Traveling means coming back home," Y-3 designer Yohji Yamamoto said of the show's inspiration. "We are always unconsciously wanting to come back.” Long, belted skirts were paired with structured and cropped jackets for balance; a few bright red monochromatic looks – down to the opaque tights—were shown in the midst of a dark, olive-dominated palette, and mussed yet intricate fishtailed pigtail plaits lent a funky youthfulness. For men, pants were cargo-ed, shorts were long and loose, and outerwear included a few long leather pieces. Sporty as per usual, with Yamamoto’s trademark quirkiness and a tangible coolness.