NEW YORK – Michael Kors, Peter Som and Ports 1961 previewed spring collections at New York Fashion Week on Wednesday that were mostly shades of brown, beige and white, with touches of black for drama.
They were in line with the trend to move away from traditional springtime pastel colors and focus more on seasonless dressing that was seen on designer runways earlier in the week.
Nina Garcia of Elle magazine and TV's "Project Runway" said the collections she expects to really influence spring fashion were Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Phillip Lim and Kors.
— Michael Kors: So many little girls dream of being a dancer. After Kors' Wednesday morning show, many big girls will dream of wearing dancer-inspired clothing.
To a soundtrack laced with music from the Broadway show "A Chorus Line," models went down the runway in full, fluid jersey skirts — the best ones, called "rehearsal skirts," were asymmetrical with a high slit on one side — and soft cashmere sweaters.
A tan silk georgette pleated dress with a black cardigan and black leggings would be the go-to outfit in any woman's closet because it was sexy, sweet and modest — and looked incredibly comfortable.
Other must-have looks were a cashmere sweater that slid down one shoulder worn with one of those tan rehearsal skirts, a feminine nude-colored silk chiffon skirt that practically floated, a jersey halter dress with a scarf that trailed behind, and a nude-colored eyelet trench coat.
Sticking to the theme, Kors offered light pink tap shorts but he balanced them with a long, slouchy blazer.
For the closet disco dancer, he showed a loose minidress covered in shimmering black paillettes and a white wrap shirt with a black paillette legging. Both outfits were full of pizazz.
A kimono-style shift in nude paillettes was a little more subtle, but just as seductive.
Peter Som: With this collection, Som courted sophisticated and refined women who also want to wear the looser shapes of the season.
A feminine organdy blouse with full angel sleeves was heavenly as was a white organdy strapless dress with tiny pleats.
His coats, including a 3/4-length cocktail coat in a dove gray lace-jacquard fabric, were among the best items.
— Ports 1961: Ports 1961, a brand that originated in Canada, made its first appearance at New York Fashion Week with a collection rooted in 1940s Argentina.
Somehow on the catwalk, though, it all made sense.
Many of the dresses were delicate and romantic, especially a gold pleated-front strapless dress with a tiny lace jacket and a light-as-a-feather capelet halter dress with an open back that was done in an airy cream-colored fabric.
There were some fiery dresses, too — remember the Argentinian connection? A red halter dress with a fitted top and flounced bottom would be perfect for dancing.
— Narciso Rodriguez: The only retro look you'll see on a Rodriguez catwalk is an architectural style from a previous Rodriguez collection. Otherwise, he is strictly a forward thinker — even in a season when many of his peers are finding inspiration in the early 1960s.
Rodriguez's spring line, shown Tuesday night to an audience that included Jerry Seinfeld and his wife, Jessica, and Demi Moore and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, was full of formfitting dresses, and fiberglass and patent leather were the favorite trims.
Remarkably, fiberglass picks up light just as well as sequins.
— Nanette Lepore: Lepore featured a brighter palette than has been seen on the runways of other designers during her show on Tuesday night. While black was still the base color, she punched it up with a fair share of blue, green and chartreuse.
She did, however, follow through on the seasonal trends of short dresses, high waists and swing coats.
Among the best outfits were a sky-blue beaded shift dress, an off-the-shoulder blouson minidress in a geometric print and a black satin dress topped with a flirty lingerie-style vest in light blue.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox