Spotlight on day 5 of NYFW

Fur, jeweled embellishments, and East Asian inspired patterns were just a few of the designers favorite things on day 5 of NYFW. With designers, including red carpet favorites Reem Acra and Dennis Basso, displaying dresses worthy of the next Oscar nominee, there was plenty to be talked about on the fifth day of NYFW. As the models strut along so did some of the best looks of the season.

La Petite Robe designer, Chiara Boni, seemed to play it very safe this season while everyone else was going crazy with embellishments and patterns. She stuck to all the conventional basics of women’s wear that all women would expect, such as peplum bodices and empire waists, but she managed to create a very functional collection. As a London based designer whose biggest markets are in the U.S. and Canada, Boni has a bit more of a reserved clientele to cater to, so, she has given her clients what they want. While one of the most humble collections all fashion week, it is sure to be a major hit in department stores.

The greatest designer to have ever used jersey fabric after Coco Chanel would arguably have to be Carolina Herrera. She presented a collection of silk jersey fabric dresses, marble printed gowns, and cocktail dresses with embellishments at the neckline that was described by Women’s Wear Daily as “elegance with an edge.” Elegant the collection sure was, and Herrera is sure to retain her place as one of the most coveted and respected women’s wear designers in America. Having just earned the Couture Council Award for Fashion in 2014, she made sure to live up to her accolades.

Taoray Wang, the woman known for making China’s broadcast:bo one of the most successful women’s wear brands available on the Chinese market, gave us a collection that was all about the basic’s in every woman’s wardrobe. There was the little black dress, an ankle length grey coat perfect for winter, and a beige turtleneck, sticking to the trend of disappearing necklines at Fashion Week, respectfully. With the designer working on making a bigger name for herself in America, she probably thought it best to play it safe. It was still a very sophisticated and simple collection regardless, and one that plenty of department store buyers will be after. After all, what buyer ever says, “We’re not going to buy anything practical.”

Day 5 of NYFW was all about the fur, jewel embellishments, and the practical

Tommy Hilfiger, the master of putting the spin on the quintessential American prep look, has worked his magic again, this time creating a hybrid look of the socialite at the polo game and the girl at home watching Monday night football. The collection was very sporty, including several jersey dresses, cheerleader style skirts, and even a football jersey inspired clutch bag. What better way to make sure your collection sells in America than a collection inspired by the great American past time. With hopes for bringing in bigger revenue this year Hilfiger may have just unleashed his secret weapon for revenue success with this collection.

Angel Sanchez’s skills as a former architect translated well into his fall 2015 collection. The designer presented a collection of dresses that were all about a sophisticated fit and proper portions, two things that Sanchez is known for. What he gave us was a collection of dresses perfectly taught at the waist, jumpsuits that would leave a woman looking well elevated, and perfectly structured bodices. With accounts like Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue under his belt, Sanchez has a lot to live up to, and he certainly met expectations.

Dennis Basso’s inspiration for this collection was the glamour of the seventies, and glamorous this collection was. Basso must have a furrier in his past lifetime, because never has a fur coat looked more exquisite then the one’s he sent down the runway at his fall fashion show. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he got a phone call the next morning from Vogue’s Anna Wintour herself demanding one of those coats to add to her fur collection. In addition to the flawless furs, the dresses were an embellished dream, but the true highlight of the show would have to be the honeycomb print gown he sent down the runway beautifully accented with one of his furs. This collection is sure to turn heads and be on very celebrity stylists must have list for the season, which is sure to mean great things for Basso’s business. He is turning into a household name, and only good can come of this.

Ready to Fish’s Ilja Visser made the bold choice to send a collection down the runway that did not have a theme. While this might cause some to have an aneurism the collection was easy, wearable, and very versatile. While Visser is trying to make a name for herself in the U.S. this might just be the right way to do so, as she will get the attention of buyers from multiple divisions. Not just ready-to-wear or evening wear. The collection included everything from the little black dress to a nude embroidered gown. Visser goes to show you that thinking outside of the box can work greatly in one’s favor.

Pamella Roland, the fashion darling and member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), gave us a collection of beautiful silk dresses and graphic printed coats. While she is iconic for her dresses, her coats this season really stole the show and are sure to garner the attention of outerwear buyers across the luxury market. It’s not too often you see a graphic print coat, so something aside from the usual boring black, grey and brown is sure to stand out from the crowd and elevate Rolland to an even more fabulous position in the fashion world than she already has.

Donna Karan’s more luxurious namesake label, respectfully titled Donna Karan, was everything you would expect from one of America’s best known and acclaimed designers. The collection included everything we love about women’s wear from floor length evening gowns, to well tailored trench coats, and belted jackets perfect for almost any occasion. The collection, as usual, was all about the New York woman, and it is sure to be a success among her primary clientele come fall. She shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, and we are sure glad she isn’t.

Reem Acra’s fall 2015 collection was a lace and jewel embellished dream come to life. The designer spared no level of ostentatious beauty when it came to her collection, and looks included a peach jewel encrusted neckline dress, a red lace jewel that wasn’t shy on the jewel embellishments, and a very sexy black lace gown that gave more than a hint of leg. Acra, who is a CFDA member and quickly becoming a red carpet favorite among celebrities, is poised to do wonders for her revenue this year with this collection. She has truly arrived at fashion stardom, and this collection proved that.

Vivienne Tam gave the audience a collection that seemed quite…aged. The looks were very conservative, attempting to stay young with Chinese print inspired patterns, but the silhouettes would have been more flattering on an older more reserved woman. She may find success among the over 40 market, but as for the younger fashionista, she isn’t winning them with this collection. Of course, the proof will be in the revenue numbers next year.

Libertine’s Johnson Hartig is a master of the graphic prints, as his fall 2015 collection proved to us during Fashion Week. The collection included everything from graphic print jerseys that included wild prints of the sky, hands, and flowers meshed into one, a dress that had a wild floral pattern and a lace skirt to boot with it, and a dress with varying photos of things like Campbell soup, an airplane a saber tooth tiger on it that looked like a Kindergartener’s mind exploded. While the collection was incredibly unconventional it worked with Libertine’s known aesthetic. As for how something this unique will sell, that is left to be seen, however, given his almost fifteen years of success, Hartig sure has his market down pact.

While the fur moon boots needed to be dealt away with, the overwhelming majority of Oudifu’s fall 2015 collection was a beautiful array of Japanese printed dress, functional neutral colored skirts and jackets in white and grey, and coats with details ranging from graphic prints, to fur, and even lacking sleeves. Zhuliang Li, the founder and Creative Director who launched the line in 2006 gave a very interesting and new spin on what women want with this collection. With the Asian market becoming so major in fashion this collection has plenty of potential and promise for success. It’s set to be a good year for the label, and they couldn’t have picked a better time to show at NYFW.