Runway Review: Fall/Winter 2011 (Part I)

Burberry Prorsum

I’m usually blown away by the coats, but this time is was less about innovation & variation and more about toying around with an unconventional color palette for coats. I’ll be honest here—I prefer my coats to be neutral (though I’d make an exception for red and purple any day of the week), and I only included Burberry Prorsum in the mix because I find Christopher Bailey ridiculously adorable.

The second ensemble is to die for; I’m currently pining over that coat.

Derek Lam

Nothing excited me until the last third of the show. Dresses and jumpsuits of amazing proportions and silhouettes, the perfect compromise between the ethereal and structure. There’s just enough shape on the top half to indicate a womanly figure, and the billowing skirt instantly elongates the rest of the body. Second dress from the right with the cutouts is sexy done right—edgy, demure but forgiving enough if you’ve had one too many hor d’oeuvres during cocktail hour.

I want to see more Derek Lam handbags; he just gets it. Or maybe because I adored the ram head, signature detailing (hello Aries!).

DKNY

I squirmed a little because a part of me will always have a soft spot for Peter Pan collars. Did someone say Lolita? God, I love that you people understand me so well.

A beautiful palette of camel, navy, black, and soft coral is a reminder of  how universally flattering and sophisticated fall colors can be. DKNY never fails to impress with classics that are age, work and school-appropriate.

Donna Karan

Three words. The Alfred Hitchcock heroine. That was four actually (math may not be my strongest suit but I can count), and as important as the “the’s” are in dramatic emphasis, they don’t really count. Let’s not get technical here, though. Can we just pretend I’m not some (jaded) 19-year-old and that I’m a First Lady or European president’s wife? Mostly the latter, because I don’t think Americans are progressive enough to picture their leading lady in a semi-sheer, floor-length gown. The Frenchmen are far more open-minded to such touches of elegant vulgarity, however, especially when done so lightly and sophisticatedly.

Donna Karan’s signature theme of liquid luxe and languid insouciance never fails each season.

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