Gatsby-esque Silk Dresses by Ralph Lauren F/W 2014/15

New York’s skyline has been dusted with a layer of snow for what seems like weeks, and this morning the heavens opened up once again, dumping another six inches on the sidewalk. It’s perhaps why fashion folk have swapped out their usual black and gray urban uniforms for a look that reflects the changing landscape this season, and the fluffy white winter coat has been a recurring palate-cleansing theme on street-style blogs.

Discover the Ralph Lauren F/W '14/15 fashion show at the end of this post! 

LoL, Andrea 

It’s a shift that designer Ralph Lauren has picked up on, too, and his fall show this morning struck a distinctly crisp white note, peppered with soft shades of lilac and dove gray. After spring’s swinging sixties inspiration, the designer sidestepped the idea of an overarching theme altogether; save for a few Gatsby-esque beaded silk dresses, the overall focus for fall was on pared-back, practical elegance. Powdery pink blazers and shearling coats swung casually at the shoulders of cozy turtlenecks and were worn with a slouchy trouser which is rapidly gaining ground on the once-ubiquitous skinny. Another noteworthy pant silhouette to come through this season is the humble jogger, which was elevated in cream-colored cashmere. Pair those with discreet kid-suede high-tops and a lovely fluffy white coat, of course, and the look spoke directly to how women want to dress right now. Lauren underscored that winning combo of form and function when he stepped out at the end of the show in a pair of chic Team USA mountain boots of his own design.

Selections by ANDREA JANKE Finest Accessories

Photo Credit/Source: VOGUE

Photography by Marcus Tondo / Indigitalimages

More To Love ...

'Prabal Gurung Fall/Winter 2014/15'

'Prabal Gurung's idea of things wrapping around the body extended from a cut-out blazer through which a luxe scarf was threaded to sexy, shoulder-baring tops, one of which was embroidered so that it almost looked as if marigold necklaces had been wound around the model’s torso. One of the most delightful things to see were the cocktail dresses: They mixed the sense of exoticism Gurung was inspired by this season, particularly with his trademark notions of sport and a party-ready feathered skirt.'

Tweet

Share

Beautiful Ballet Inspirations by Ralph Lauren Resort 2014

Tweet

For a designer who is such a master at retail, it always seemed surprising that Ralph Lauren presented his pre-collections, which everyone will tell you are the biggest seasons for selling, with little to no fanfare. But maybe that’s the idea. Because he is such a master at retail and pre-collections are all about selling, what does it matter whether the press sees it? What matters is that women want to buy it. Nevertheless, Lauren chose to reveal this year’s resort collection in a big, Ralph Lauren way: with a runway show at the exquisite Madison Avenue store-slash-mansion where handsome waiters proffered bubbly drinks and his wife Ricky, sons Andrew and David, and daughter-in-law Lauren sat front row.

The clothes themselves hit a quieter note and were a study, it seemed, on ballet. The first several models came out dressed like beautiful, lithe company dancers ready for rehearsal. (It goes without saying that attempting even a Ballet Beautiful workout in these clothes is not advised). They wore stretch silk tanks under gauzy, sheer tops wrapped taut across their torsos and fluttering georgette skirts that fell right to the knee, all in black or toe-shoe pink. Quickly, though, the looks became more street than studio. And, within that framework of softness and figure, it appeared that Lauren was addressing the different shapes and styles of dresses women need in their closet. There was a breezy, black-and-white printed silk cocktail dress with delicate leather strips wound around the waist and down into the pleats of the skirt that was youthful and cool. An ecru T-shirt–style dress that was roomy on top and slimmed down at the hips would be great for a mid-winter escape. Meanwhile, the sinous evening numbers in black jersey and silk cady were supremely chic, even more so when paired with sculptural gold chokers and chunky pendants that felt sort of 1970s mixed with Native American, but in this context, also modern.

Selections by ANDREA JANKE Finest Accessories 

Photo credits/Source: Ralph Lauren / VOGUE

More Resort To Love ...

'Resplendent Resort 2014 by Carolina Herrera'

'Resplendent Resort: Carolina Herrera debuted her latest collection surrounded by the beauty of the House of Herrera’s picturesque secret garden ...'

Share