Fashion Week Notes by Marilyn Kirschner

It’s Lisa’s (Mod) World, & We’re Only Living In It

Everything comes and goes (and comes back again) in the world of fashion, and Mod, which always looks just right in my opinion (hey, I’m a child of the 60’s), is having it’s MOMENT right now. This can largely be attributed to its endorsement for spring 2013 by many of the world’s most influential designers, not the least of whom is Marc Jacobs. His eponymous show in New York, and his collection for Louis Vuitton in Paris, were complete, undiluted, and unadulterated Mod visions, through and through. Of course, we all know that Marc, who is known for his fashion inconsistency and his quick turnarounds on the runway, will have completely shifted gears for fall 2013, and whatever wavelength he’s on right now, is almost guaranteed to be the polar opposite of last season (unless of course, he REALLY wants to mess with our minds and completely surprise and fool us- LOL).

Lisa Perry circle square sweater in cashmere and wool

One designer who is thoroughly consistent from one season to the next, and always stays true to her Mod roots, is Lisa Perry (www.lisaperrystyle.com). She first started making custom dresses for friends and acquaintances with a local couturier, and now has a complete women’s clothing line, as well as accessories, children’s wear, and home products. The poster child for Mod and the undisputed Queen of Mod, (on this side of the Atlantic anyway), Lisa is also an avid art collector, and this, in addition to pop and photography, always inform her designs (artists collections with collaborations with Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jeff Koons, have resulted in some memorable pieces). Oh, and by the way, she happens to be the wife of Richard Perry, whose hedge fund, Perry Capital, acquired Barneys from Istithmar World this past May. (Translation: Richard Perry owns Barneys).

Lisa Perry reversible twist dress, coat, skirt and fuchsia two tier dress.

Yesterday afternoon, she presented her 26 piece fall line, installation style, on live models, in her stark white boutique on 77th and Madison Avenue. Dubbed, “mazes, twists & doodles”, it was broken up into 6 vignettes, and naturally, it had all the Lisa Perry signatures: the streamlined, minimal shapes, geometric patterns commonly associated with op art, hits of strong color, and the use of stark black and white. As for the latter (a combination that cannot be improved upon as far as I’m concerned), it provided some of the standout pieces shown.

Lisa Perry houndstooth flirt jacket, circle skirt, foxy coat, and shift dress

There was a grouping in an overblown black and white houndstooth (including a swing coat with a massive black fox hem), and another that graphically paired optic white with black (the simplicity of the ‘perfect coat’ in white stretch twill over a t square dress in black and white stretch twill, and the t square top in black and white stretch twill, paired with the perfect pant in black stretch twill speaks volumes).

Marilyn Kirschner

I am a long time fashion editor with 40+ years of experience. As senior market of Harper's Bazaar for 21 years I met and worked with every major fashion designer in the world and covered all of the collections in Paris, London, Milan and New York. I was responsible for overall content, finding and pulling in the best clothes out there, and for formulating ideas and stories.