NY Fashion Week Diary - Final Day

I spent Sunday morning in the drawing room of the Crosby Street Hotel with a coffee and the NY Times Sunday Style section. It was the only relaxing morning I had the whole trip. However, the moment was short lived and I was off again to Lincoln Center for the Lela Rose show at 11: 00 a.m.

Rose McGowan & Brittany Snow in Center

Actresses Rose McGowan, Brittany Snow, Lynn Collins, and Shantel VanSanten were seated front row at the Lela Rose show. The feminine and pretty dresses were the highlight of the show, especially the long maroon gown at the end. There were definitely a few red carpet worthy pieces.



    

Lela Rose Fall 2011

As soon as the show was over I pushed my way through the crowd and flagged down a cab outside. The Preen show at Milk Studios was at 11:30 a.m. and I was crossing my fingers that I would make it on time. Thankfully I arrived just as they were about to close the doors.

The Preen show was the best I’d seen all week. The collection was filled with bright colors that popped and very modern geometric patterns and cuts. I was immediately obsessed with it's sophisticated style. Bryan Boy and Rose McGowan (who must have also rushed over after the Lela Rose show) were both being interviewed afterwards. As I snapped a picture of Bryan Boy (wearing neon orange pants and a white fur coat) he was talking about how the 80s never went away for him.

Bryan Boy at Preen

Model Melissa Tammerijn in Preen Show and leaving Milk Studios

Preen Fall 2011

Inside Jeffery

After the morning shows I had some time to walk around the Meatpacking District and check out a few shops. My absolute favorites were Jeffery, Scoop, and Louboutin. If I could have, I would have bought out everything in all three stores.

When I got back to the hotel is was time to pack my bags and check out of the hotel. My friend Beth was leaving for a trade show in Las Vegas and I still had a full evening of shows, so I stayed the night with my aunt Rosa and uncle Gary.

Bags Packed

I was sad to leave our gorgeous hotel and would definitely stay there again. Every room is designed differently but I really loved our stylish purple room. I also learned that the hotel has it’s own scent for their lotion, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and hand soap, which they provide for guests only. It’s an elegant smell that I wish I would have snagged more bottles of after I left.




Then it was time for the 8th floor shows at Milk Studios. I was able to bring the whole family with me and they were thrilled. That evening we saw Katie Gallagher, Gregory Parkinson, Erickson Beamon, and Duro Olowu.

Katie Gallagher’s collection seemed a little too Gothic at first glance, but as I further examined each piece they were actually very wearable. There was a short black dress and a mesh gray dress that I had my eye on. The next room was Los Angeles-based designer Stevie Nicks. She presented her label Gregory Parkinson with a collection of cotton tulle peasant dresses. The soft fabrics, vintage-inspired patterns, and rainbow of colors reminded me of a more stylish Laura Ingalls.

Katie Gallagher Fall 2011

Gregory Parkinson Fall 2011

Erickson Beamon’s collection of jewels was up next. As soon as I walked in it was clear that the ballerina influence of Black Swan was in full effect. Each piece was gorgeous and I especially loved the jeweled shirt. The last room was a presentation by Duro Olowu. The eclectic collection was all about bright bold colors and a variety of textures. Born in Nigeria, Olowu’s gorgeous pieces were a multi-cultural mix of African and South American influences.

Erickson Beamon Fall 2011

Duro Olowu Fall 2011

Afterwards, we all shared cheeseburgers at Pastis in the Meatpacking District and joked about our overpriced burgers. Owner Keith McNally went to great measures to reproduce a 1930s Parisian brasserie. The cute French restaurant was definitely popular and we noticed a few off duty models who also made their way there from the shows.

Sunday was my last night in the city. I flew back to LA Monday morning and spent Valentine’s Day with the hubby. I’m excited about all the fall fashion I checked out during the first half of New York Fashion Week and hope to be back for the spring presentations in September. Thankfully it will be a lot warmer then.

Related Articles:
NY Fashion Week Diary – Day One

NY Fashion Week Diary - Day Two
NY Fashion Week Diary - Day Three 
   

NY Fashion Week Diary - Day Two

The morning of Friday, February 11 I woke up to my cell alarm and jumped out of bed to get ready for day two of fashion week. The Tess Giberson presentation was at 9:30 a.m., another early show, but this time I gave myself enough time to get ready.

Texture and layering dominated the Tess Giberson’s presentation. A very wearable collection with several cozy oversized sweaters, cowl necks, and fur vests. Every look was a stylish ensemble that I found very chic and alluring.

Tess Giberson Fall 2011

After the presentation at Lincoln Center, I jumped in a cab and headed back downtown to Milk Studios for the Parsons panel discussion, “What Should We Be Doing?” with Jeff Rudes (Founder and CEO of J Brand), Tommy Hilfiger (designer), Rogan Gregory (designer), Stephanie Rosenbloom (reporter for the Style section of The New York Times), Andrew Rosen (CEO and President of Theory), and moderated by Simon Collins (Dean of Fashion Parsons The New School for Design). The discussion centered on the importance of the apparel industry using American factories, especially those in New York and Los Angeles. Manufacturing in the U.S. allows designers to be more creative and innovative if they have direct access to the factory instead of one overseas. Jeff Rudes, who manufactures denim in California for J Brand, said, “There is something to be said about touching and feeling your samples.” They also discussed how Wall Street should help finance young and emerging designers and how the fashion industry should find a way to connect with Apple or other technology companies in order to help with advancements in production. Towards the end of the panel, Jeff Rudes suggested the establishment of a group or network where young designers could have the guidance of a mentor as they enter the fashion industry.

The Parsons Panel Discussion at Milk Studios

Afterwards on the 8th floor of Milk Studios, I took in the presentation for NAHM. Designers Ally Hilfiger, daughter of Tommy Hilfiger, and Nary Manivong’s freshman collection was not what you would expect from a Hilfiger offspring. Mostly in black and terracotta, they reinvented the shirtdress with a Raven themed presentation that included uneven hemlines and modern silhouettes. The goth-like pieces didn’t strike me as uniquely inventive, but I was still intrigued by their debut collection.

Nahm Fall 2011 - Ally Hilfiger & Nary Manivong

Later that day I made my way back to Lincoln Center for the Cynthia Rowley show. Her collaboration with artist Ryan McNamara produced a show that was about the fashion factory. Before each look, a model would run past the runway entrance in her undies, playing on the idea that fashion is, in essence, a factory assembly line. The artsy collaboration also transcended into the collection with the geometric and cubist-inspired patterns. Personally, I was obsessed with the velveteen fabrics, the fur neck scarves, the calf length dresses, skirts, and pants. This collection was a favorite so far.

More after the jump...