A Week of Hits, Misses and 'Bootdals'

Jumat, 08 Maret 2013

A Week of Hits, Misses and 'Bootdals'

more in Fashion »

Thakoon's embroideries were jaw-dropping. Tory Burch showed a collection that was fresher and less Upper-East-Side than in the past, with batiky patterns. Suno continues to produce some of New York's most interesting prints.
Narciso Rodriguez had several memorable loose-bodied, color-blocked dresses. Michael Kors hit the trends with bold stripes and blocks of color.

Many fashion insiders are grumbling that America's designers are too focused on the consumer and not enough on pushing the art of fashion, as Christina Binkley explains on Lunch Break. Photo: AP.

As New York Fashion Week prepares to conclude Thursday, there have been plenty of charming clothes, and some meager edging forward among designers.
The Spring 2013 fashion collections also included plenty of trends from seasons past. That is prompting some fashion insiders to grumble that America's designers are playing it safe with consumers.

Trends of New York: Hits and Misses

View Interactive

Reruns included bold-hued color-blocked dresses, or dresses with different-colored sections, clashing-patterned blouses, and longer lady skirts.
"Everyone's still doing color blocking. It's just the same old thing," says Maren Hartman, top U.S. trend analyst for WGSN, a London-based fashion consulting firm.
That's a bad scenario for retailers: Pushing fashion forward means people need to go shopping to stay on trend.
Still, there's enough variety in New York that Valerie Steele, director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, warned against griping.
"I don't think you can make sweeping generalizations anymore because there are so many types of designers in New York," says Ms. Steele, who was seated front row at Narciso Rodriguez scouting for looks to add to the museum's collection.

New York Fashion Week

For complete fashion week coverage, click here: wsj.com/fashionweek

Tommy Hilfiger and Zac Posen have recently risked getting lost in the discount aisles, but recovered this season by drilling into what they once did best. Mr. Hilfiger redefined Hilfiger-prep this season with a delightful collection that was as warm and familiar as home-baked bread. Mr. Posen has returned to his uptown party girls, who have by now matured into elegance, but still get down on Saturday night.
Next week, we'll see what London designers have to offer, followed by Milan and Paris. It will assuredly be entirely different.
But before the next 30 days of spring fashion, here are some of the blue ribbon and red flag moments of New York's Spring 2013 showing:
Write to Christina Binkley at christina.binkley@wsj.com or follow her on Twitter: @BinkleyOnStyle