Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Trends-day Wednesday 8/13


The fall season for 2014 is upon us, and designers have already had their fashion shows. So what trends did we see on the runways for Fall 2014? Style.com has complied pictures from various designers’ shows. Their complete list of trends can be found here:

I will pick a few from their list that I found particularly interesting or fun and discuss them on today’s post. Instead of droning on about the broad trend, I will include some pictures of some of the runway looks that fit this trend and discuss those particular looks. Please keep in mind that these are runway looks. They are more editorial and more like works of art than actual everyday wear. So I will not be focusing on the practicality of the piece, but rather the artistic quality and the visual aesthetic of the piece.

Bright Colors
Photo courtesy of Style.com

This look is by Roksanda Ilincic. The combination of royal blue and orange is a strange one. In fact, that awful combination served as the colors of a high school where I taught for a brief time. The football jerseys were bright enough to give you a migraine. However, I seem to have found an example where those colors go well together. Perhaps it’s because the orange is used very conservatively. The use of clean lines and blocks of blue, black, and orange give a nod to Roy Lichtenstein. And finally, the juxtaposition of the fitted and flowing on the two separate sides is artistically interesting. The right side is draped and flows down the model as she walks; however, the left side is more fitted to the body with a gold piece to cinch the waist. I love this look, and I would say this is how to do the bright color trend correctly.

Photo courtesy of Style.com

This Versace look is not one of my favorites. As far as the bright color trend goes, I think it’s fine. I like the color combination, and the colors are definitely bright. However, I can’t focus on the colors due to the other distractions. The asymmetrical bottom of the dress makes it look like the model is hiding a tail underneath the fabric. But the most distracting part of this dress is the ill-placed “medallions” (for lack of a better word). This model is clearly a young woman with a perky bosom. However, the medallions give her the illusion of having breasts you might see in National Geographic. I think they look like a pair of nipples… There I said it. It’s just not aesthetically pleasing to look at.

Rave Prints
Photo courtesy of Style.com

In my opinion, Diane von Furstenberg, or as I like to call her DVF, can do no wrong. She created the concept of the maxi dress! The woman is a genius! She also is a master of prints and mixing and matching them—as seen by exhibit A above. If you showed me these three prints separately and told me you were going to make an outfit combining them, I would tell you that crack kills. Leave it to DVF to prove me wrong. Style.com has chosen to include this look in the rave print trend. These prints are quite busy, but I don’t know if I would label them as “rave prints”. To me the idea of a rave involves vivid color. These prints are very muted in their colors. I love this look, and I could even see someone wearing this right off the runway onto the streets of New York City or Paris.

Photo courtesy of Style.com

Now this is a rave print. Yohji Yamamoto (With a name like that, he must be an Irish Catholic, right?) has combined these two loud and graphic prints to create what looks like street art. It literally looks like the model is wearing scraped off graffiti from the walls of a downtown warehouse. I personally don’t like the prints. It’s not aesthetically pleasing to me, but I appreciate the artistic vision behind them. I’m sure some rich club kid will soon be wearing this exact piece to a rave in the near future.

Sheer Evening
Photo Courtesy of Style.com

There is a fine line between sexy sophisticated socialite and sexy two-dollar streetwalker. This trend of sheer evening gowns seems to straddle that line. This Emilio Pucci look falls on the socialite side. This look takes us back to the speak-easies of the 1920s. I appreciate the intricate detail in this gown. It all works together. You can easily tell that you are seeing bare skin underneath the sheer fabric, but the overlay is so elegant and tastefully placed that nothing inappropriate is showing. This gown whispers class and sophistication into your ear in the most sensual way.

Photo courtesy of Style.com

Donna Karan has brought us to the other side of that fine line I referred to earlier. Now we’re in a dark alleyway looking for a fun, yet cheap, time. The model may as well be walking around in only her underwear. The sheer evening gown is doing nothing. It serves no purpose, in my opinion. I can appreciate the artistic quality of the look, but I tend not to prefer art of a cheap and tawdry nature.


These are just three of the trends listed by Style.com from the Fall 2014 runway collections. Go check out the rest. Which trend is your favorite? Why? Do you agree with my assessment? Let me know. I’m always happy to get feedback. 

2 comments:

  1. I graduated high school in 1979 (don't tell me, I know--you weren't even born yet), so the fashions of the 80s are like going home to me. And yes! I see sweater dressing!! and normcore!. I never heard the term before, but yes, those two make me smile. Except for the Comme des Garcons one. That one hurts.

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    1. I had never heard of the term "normcore" either. We both learned something new, and I like that word for some odd reason. :)

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