Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Looking Forward: Best of Pre-Fall 2010


Pre-fall collections are often an indicator of what we'll be seeing at the upcoming a/w presentations & for Vnyc, each pre-fall presentation is, to some degree or other, a collection of re-tweaked references which provide focus and inspirational direction for our future buys. There is a heavy early 70's theme to many of the pre-fall shows this time around, the strongest being Chloe, Prada & YSL. The oughties obsession with exaggerated 80's proportions seems to have fallen out of favor, replaced by a softer, slightly nostalgic sort of luxe.

Celine-(also shown above)
After a decade of over-wrought maximalism and heavy-handed "urban warrior" propositions, Phoebe Philo's clean, cool and confident outings at the once quiet Parisian house Celine are filled with the kind of pragmatic sportswear and luxe-low key essentials that have won her a bevy of fans worldwide. Mariner sweaters, laser-cut leather outerwear, smart uses of fur, who would have ever thought that classic minimalism of this ilk could once again look so fresh? Long story short, Philo is a woman designing very smart, alluring pieces for women, and we want everything.

Vera Wang-
Taking a smart departure from her arty inclinations, Vera Wang's recent outing was a take on urban-minded gear somewhat borrowed from the boys in moody gray's and standard blacks. From boy blazers to military inspired parkas and plenty of pretty 20's inspired sequined cob-webby evening looks(giving Rodarte a run for the money?), Wang's range was expansive and right-on. One of us has been on the look-out for inventive uses of fur, and Wang's gray fuss-free parka with it's Mongolian fur patched pockets may just be exactly what we were looking for.

Missoni-
After a few hit-or-miss seasons of tweaking her family's legendary heritage, Angela Missoni was back full force with one of the smartest winter oriented collections we have seen in a long while. The house's signature zig-zag prints were used in a variety of head-to-toe looks that looked more calm and collected than the disheveled powder faced Victorian doll of season's past. Each look was layered with multi-tasking softly structured graphic sweater coats, blanket skirts, tweed suiting and scores of layering essentials that came in a soothing color palette of warm corals balanced by various grays.

Yves Saint Laurent-
A glamorous take on 70's France and classic house signatures at YSL.

Chloe-
Trim English inspired suiting with a relaxed slightly 70's loucheness, Hannah MacGibbon keeps getting it right at Chloe.

Prada-
Nerdy 70's era campus inspired cuties at Prada where the looks where anything but whimsical.

Sonia Rykiel-
Some of the smartest, coolest winter layering options around, we really dig the vast variety of 70's inspired knit options.

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