Maybe you've heard it before? Blue is the new black and silver replaces gold. That's how Marc Jacobs sees spring fashion -- and Jacobs' fashion visions usually come true.
Jacobs has presented his collection for next spring as part of New York Fashion Week and the stars turned out to see how one of the industry's favorite sons would fare after his fall line that emphasized empire waists and trapeze shapes garnered mixed reviews at best.
Uma Thurman, Sean ``Diddy'' Combs, Kirsten Dunst, Lindsay Lohan and Eva Longoria gave the same enthusiastic applause to Jacobs' new schoolgirl looks as the editors, stylists and retailers who packed The New York State Armory.
AGENCIES
To set the tone, the Penn State Blue Band appeared on the runway first in all their navy and white glory. Models in button-down shirts, pleated skirts (some with suspenders) and gabardine blazers followed.
Of course Jacobs added his own twists: the menswear style shirts had sheer sleeves and backs; skirts had tulle hemlines and a satin T-shirt had a deep cowl back.
Dressier styles followed, including a cream-colored embroidered skirt with oversized pockets and a thick belt, a one-shoulder metallic sweatshirt dress and a silver tuxedo jacket with an open neck and matching short pants. Jacobs also previewed a pair of shimmering silver ``pajamas'' with a wrap top and lace at the hem of the ankle-length bottoms.
Flowing navy evening gowns dotted with sparkles, which were simple by Jacobs' standards, were elegant and feminine.
``This is a big dress season,'' Vitals editor in chief Joe Zee proclaimed
earlier in the evening at DKNY where he admired eyelet babydoll dresses in white, black and silver foil. He also liked a lemon yellow dress with vertical pleats and a soft self-tie bow around the waist.
``I love the more subtle babydoll shape and eyelet that's not too prissy. These dresses are elegant and classic but not boring,'' he said. ``It's about easy, relaxed dresses.''
DKNY, which is Donna Karan's edgier, more urban line, also featured skirts and shorts but there was hardly a pair of pants in the entire collection. The closest thing was a stretch denim suit with a four-pocket jacket and denim walking shorts that hit the knee.
``The look is spirited and sophisticated, casual yet dressed, all about the city chic ease of a head-to-toe look,'' Karan explained in her notes, dubbing the collection ``Suited to New York.''
Max and Lubov Azria, the husband-wife design team behind the BCBG Max Azria label, said their spring collection was for a woman ready to embark ``on a personal journey unveiling her true inner self and instinctively effortless style.''
What would she pack for this trip? Loose silk dresses in a dark red with macrame details or a striped canvas coat in sand and brown with a printed dress with wooden beading underneath. She might consider a lilac cotton knit dress with a colorful macrame band of green, pink and brown around the hips.
However, she might leave behind the super-short, balloon-shaped shorts unless she's got the legs of a tall model.
Another must-have is flat shoes -- either snakeskin T-strap sandals or distressed canvas sneakers.
BCBG hit on one of spring's big trends with the flats. Several designers are showing dresses, skirts and suits with flat shoes instead of the stilettos that the fashion crowd had gotten so used to. High heels aren't gone altogether, though, as some designers, notably Oscar de la Renta and Diane von Furstenberg, embraced the new -- and in some cases even higher -- look of cork platform sandals.
Betsey Johnson's show was ``ooh-la-la.'' From her 1960s' French-inspired clothes to the faux brick runway lined with cafe chairs and circular tables. Models wore thick eyeliner and wore their long hair alternately loose and held in low ponytails with black ribbon, invoking sex siren Brigitte Bardot. Monochromatic minis were paired with stacked heels over socks and polka dots were prominent -- another emerging spring trend.
De la Renta and Carolina Herrera both previewed collections that were heavy on handicraft and embroidery. De la Renta's black ballgown covered with white flowers looked as if each petal was a unique design, and a champagne-colored tulle dress featured slightly misshapen paillettes that picked up the light.
Herrera's styles were as crisp as the radishes -- yes, radishes -- that were featured on many of her prints.
A graphic black-and-white print was the canvas for another outstanding look: a chiffon gown with a pink raffia belt.
Herrera said she based her collection on the youthful spirit of Vienna, Austria, just before the 1920s.
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