Sunday, September 10 There's a certain nervousness in the eyes of the crowd inside the fashion tent because there is talk of this being the last time New York Fashion Week will be held at Bryant Park. Organisers are scrambling around the city for a new venue but after 13 years, it's not easy to envision the event being staged anywhere else. Yet things change, like fashion itself.
Diane von Furstenberg, designer and president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, couldn't convince the mayor to keep the venue but she has no problem convincing us that this is her best show for years. The designer hails Eve as her muse and dresses her models in billowy tunics, shirt dresses and, of course, animal prints. Tops are loose and boldly printed, and usually paired with tight trousers or tiny shorts. Her signature wrap dress starts and ends the show, this time updated with a deep V neckline and sash belt.
Monday, September 11 For her morning show, queen of sophistication Carolina Herrera opts for long contours with broderie anglais, eyelets, cutwork and lots of gorgeous feminine detail. For the daytime, sexy collared shirt dresses with wide shoulders are belted and long chiffon gowns with fabric luxuriously tiered at the waist define her coveted evening collection.
Oscar de la Renta starts his show on a serious note as he commemorates the terror attacks of five years ago, but his spring collection lightens the mood. Dresses with slim bodices and wide, patent belts are winners, as are empire-waisted silk gowns. Short, crisp jackets cut a dash and those with the signature de la Renta funnel neckline are a real treat.
It's as much fun watching the stars (the Hilton sisters, Kevin Costner) dodge the paparazzi at the new Max Azria collection as it is seeing the clothes, and texture is the word of the day for the designer as his wrinkled-linen gauze dresses go on show. There's also an embroidered dress with material pulled back in a low V and gathered up like a bustle. A stunning burlap coat stands out as the most wearable item in the collection.
Later on, the DJ has an easy job at the packed-to-the-max Marc Jacobs show, since the soundtrack
is just Pachelbel's Canon on a continuous loop. Models appear against a backdrop of rolling hills, tottering on a runway set high upon a stream created from little blue mints. Compared to the dark, cloaky, autumn collection, the line leads us seamlessly into spring. A smock coat over a cut-up jumper over low-rise genie pants, or a tulle bomber jacket over shorts and pants - most are oatmeal- or bone-coloured and made from silk, gauze, muslin, cotton, paper and even cellophane. Jacobs has a knack for layering without piling-on.