New York Fashion Week is coming to an end, and boy, what a week it’s been.
From massive knits to blasts from the past, with feathers and bright fur in between, here are the most exciting trends surfacing from fashion month thus far.
Graphic Furs
Solid-colored furs are so last season. Designers ranging from Joseph Altuzarra to Diane von Furstenberg reinvented fall’s most traditional staple, the fur coat, opting for grid-like lines and patterns in rich, vibrant colors that pack ample punch. Not only do they look great, but they also help elongate your frame, making you appear taller and leaner.
Bespoke
Expressing yourself via a cheeky sweatshirt or beanie has been a rapidly rising trend for the past few seasons, but when Rag & Bone sent models down the runway in bowling shirts and bomber jackets with their first names emblazoned on the back, it took personalized ready-to-wear to a whole new level of awesome. No introductions necessary.
Feathered elements
Birds of a feather, stick to one of the season’s flightiest trends: plumage. There were touches at Tracy Reese, and Naeem Khan went wild — pairing feathers with exotic animal prints. The standout quills came as oversized marabou coats at Jenny Packham that will turn you into Cookie Monster.
Wide-leg pants
Women aren’t getting too big for their britches; actually, it’s vice-versa. Wide-leg pants and other billowing bottoms were the order of the day at Derek Lam and Oscar de la Renta, while Karen Walker gave her girls nerdy chic culottes that looked too cool for school.
Teddy bear jackets
Coats and jackets with the texture of teddy bears, Muppets or Sasquatches continue to be popular for 2014. At Band of Outsiders, designer Scott Sternberg combined a hairy overcoat with toggles and plaid trip, while Phillip Lim added furry touches to standard wool coats.
Western hats
Go West, young woman! Or so said Chanel.
Karl Lagerfeld’s much-discussed pre-fall collection for the French house shown back in December ignited a trend that found it’s way stateside as American brands like Tibi and Dion Lee ditched glamorous tresses for cowgirl toppers. When Karolina Kurková wore one on the Cushnie et Ochs runway, New York officially became a boom town.
Renaissance fare
Hear ye, hear ye — medieval fashion is having a Renaissance. From Tory Burch’s armor, tapestry and tabard-inspired collection, to Alice + Olivia’s fairy-tale styles taken straight from the Brothers Grimm, there’s romance waiting for every fashionista. Ruffian even served actual neck ruffs and painterly prints from the Early Netherlandish master Petrus Christus.
Oversized sweaters
Nothing is more practical during a polar vortex than a big comfy sweater. Public School designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne chose chunky pullovers to warm the downtown girl. Zimmermann did jumpers so slouchy you won’t need anything underneath. And for Mary- Kate and Ashley Olsen, head honchos at The Row, the new It in luxury dressing is knitwear that swallows you whole.