Okay, this is the deal…the first few days of Fashion Week proved that while many shows claimed to be all filled up, with no seats available, that was simply not the case…there were extra seats even at ‘coveted’ presentations by Badgley Mischka, Michael Kors, Luella Bartley (which started almost one hour late- thanks to DKNY), and even at Oscar de la Renta.
And more to the point, professional show-goer – Shalil Upadaya, who was the center of attention by the paparazzi a year and a half ago (solely because he came decked out in outlandish outfits in black and white and animal prints…all of his own design), has absolutely NO press credentials, and is not even a fashion designer, like he once claimed (actually, he told me that he did not even fax requests for shows)…But still, he is not only allowed into the tents, gaining access to almost every show, but gets a GOOD seat to boot!
How? Very simple, by his own admission, everybody (particularly the security guards) know him, and because he makes such an individual fashion statement, he is welcomed into the tents! Speaking of Shalil…today, he was decked out in a graffiti printed cotton ensemble, which matched his Stephen Sprouse graffiti printed Louis Vuitton bag from seasons back…Speaking of logos, Pat Field, a fashion heavyweight, sported a basic black suit with accents of white, chrome yellow, and orange (her hair), and she carried a Fendi logo purse. And to think- The New York Times just ran a front page article on the rise and fall of logo bags, decreeing them ‘over’. I guess some would take issue with that (I certainly do).
From the early look of things on the runways, these are the trends that keep showing up: lots of white, 60’s inspired retro looks which seem to take their inspiration from Courreges and Pucci, the shirt (polo included) is being glorified- used extensively for day and especially, for night (look for the elongated polo or shirtdress to be the ‘big thing’ for spring/summer evenings….And there is also a continuation of the feminine, beautiful, soft blouse, looking especially good when paired with simple, slightly mannish pants. What else? lots of shine, beading, and luminescence. And it’s still ‘all about’ the mix of elements.
