Marcus Wainwright and David Neville have been described as “an English hip, young Ralph Lauren” by no less an authority than Vogue’s Anna Wintour. Their Spring 2010 collection for their label, Rag & Bone, was shown last Friday to an audience full of appreciative fans.

Structured jackets took pride of place in Friday’s show, and they were shown in all lengths and styles, from military influenced to frock coats. The color palette of the collection was decidedly muted, with creams, olives, and chambray-like blues. Other than the jackets, the pieces included a heavy dose of skinny jeans and leggings with the occasional summer-weight long johns and work shirt worn as a (very short) dress. A flesh-toned silk jumpsuit was one of the biggest hits of the show, as was a navy dress topped with a light blue field coat.

The design duo admitted that their own experiences are what inspired the looks in this line. They attended boarding school together in England, and the military leanings there inspired the military look to many of the jackets in the Spring 2010 collection.

Image credit: wwd.com

The 2010 Spring collection of design label Luca Luca made its debut last Friday, and it showcased looks that would not have been out of place on Jane Birkin in the 1970s. The collection mostly showed beautifully draped, solid color looks, many in white. There were a few dreamy watercolor prints on hand, giving the collection a little relief from a tendency toward simple sportswear Luca Luca is known for.

Luca Orlandi, founder of the line, appointed Raul Melgoza as the label’s creative director in 2008, and many fashion pundits credit the neutral color palette to Melgoza, whereas before, the collections tended toward classic fabrics made frankly “girly.”

This is not to say the current line isn’t feminine. On the contrary a number of strapless pieces featured cinched, belted waists, as did several examples of high-waisted trousers. While most color palettes were subdued, if you’re lucky enough to look good in yellow, Luca Luca presented a handful of gorgeous pieces in that color. In keeping with the 70s vibe, models wore their hair loose and curly – very Carole King circa 1975!

Yesterday, the Promenade at Bryant Park was the site of designer Charlotte Ronson’s Spring 2010 fashion show. Ronson comes from a family of artists and has a celebrity-studded speed dial list. Brother Mark was in the audience while sister Samantha worked the show as a DJ, and sister Annabelle modeled on the runway. Many of her celebrity pals like Nicky Hilton watched from the front row.

It looks like Charlotte Ronson envisions Spring 2010 as a time for plenty of leather in the form of shorts and belts. Shoulders and waists were defined, and colors were kept tame, with plenty of gray, white, and soft blue. A number of combos with belted jackets atop tailored shorts were shown. A theme throughout was the defined waist, often with a very simple leather front-tied sash.

While the clothes were influenced by the 80s, the models kept their hair and makeup quite simple, with very basic makeup and hair in various versions of the classic ballerina chignon.

Source: Images style.com

Image: wwd.com

A look from Ajna

Women’s Wear Daily names the fresh takes of the New York designers to watch.  Making the list is Erro’s Anna Larson, Sartel’s Matthew Earnest and Lily Atherton Hanbury, The German Frauleins’ Angelika Kammann and Alexa Meyer, The Furies’ Rikke Korff, Ajna’s Beryl Man and Troubadour’s Lindsey Carter. To learn more about these fabulous designers visit WWD

Source: wwd.com

Label BCBG Max Azria debuted its Spring 2010 collection Thursday morning, and it featured draped jersey and bright, body conscious dresses in the label’s signature “sexy, but not trying too hard” vibe. The billowy white crepe dress was a more formal version of many of the gorgeous white short dresses that were included in the Max Azria 2010 Resort collection. Those looked like the kind of tennis dresses a Greek goddess would wear.

The Spring 2010 collection featured bright colors and graceful draping, something that this label does wonderfully well. Abstract prints had a place in the collection too, as did bright swimming pool blues and fuchsias. BCBG Max Azria featured lovely t-shirt dresses similar to the ones in his Spring 2009 collection, but with asymmetric hems that moved gracefully, and a few super body conscious looks thrown in. Trapunto stitching – a form of quilting, graced some of the seams and shoulders. It is a detail that is seen on some of this fall’s clothes, too. Some of the looks had panels joined together by body hugging gussets.

In a nutshell, it was the quality and beauty you would expect from this designer, who celebrates the feminine form and uses color to soothe the eye and let the person wearing his creations shine rather than be overpowered by them.

Source: Images WWD.com

Lindsay Lohan

PARIS — Meet the “Seam Girls.”

In an unusual move to jump-start what has been a sluggish brand rejuvenation, Emanuel Ungaro has tapped an almost unknown chief designer — Estrella Archs — and an “artistic adviser” who is arguably too well-known — Lindsay Lohan.

The Spanish designer and the actress/singer/tabloid sensation are slated to present their first collection in Paris on Oct. 4, likely coming out together at the end of the runway for a bow.

For her part, Lohan, 23, told WWD she hopes to take Ungaro to a “younger place” with a harder fashion edge.

Asked to describe her role in the creative process, Lohan said she “kind of oversees everything [Archs] does, while working with her. Different generations have different ideas. See entire article at Women’s Wear Daily

Source: WWD.com

The company will debut handbags at its spring presentation, which takes place Sept. 16 at The Chelsea Art Museum in New York. The collection of 28 clutches and evening cases are as elaborate as the brand’s dresses, with such details as beading, pleating and corsetry.

Key styles include a silver clutch with a profusion of beading and embroidery in an elongated oval shape and clutches with tassels. There are also exotic skins such as alligator, crocodile and lizard done in rich colors like aubergine and ochre. The bags will retail from $995 to $5,000 for an exotic skin.

“Some people don’t always have an occasion for a gown,” said Chapman. “You could wear these with jeans and a T-shirt.”

The company has no plans to launch ancillary categories as of yet, but “We always keep our minds open,” Chapman said coyly. In the past, Marchesa has tapped Christian Louboutin to partner on shoes for presentations. See entire article at WWD

Source: Women’s Wear Daily