Judging by this weekend’s shows, we’ve got a somber spring ahead. Two designers from day 3 and 4 of NYFW showcased this trend, choosing to add interest through mixed prints and textures instead of relying on spring’s traditional, color-laden frocks.
Diane von Furstenberg, is typically the queen of high-impact color. For spring, she changed the runway mood. At her best, she combined gingham and subdued floral stenciling in black and white.
I’ve come to love and expect mostly monochromatic looks from Altuzarra, so no shocker on the heavy use of black and white on his runway. What was decidedly different was designer Joseph’s move away from overt sexiness…well at least in the first half of the show. He used leather lattice in the bodice of the separates pictured at left to take a classic outfit up to Altuzarra level. He put out a number of other pieces that seemed more fit for a 3 p.m. business appointment uptown than your 9 p.m. reservations downtown. Then – BOOM – midway through the show this black little number came down the runway and we were back to that level of va-va-voom that rings true to his DNA.
Try the sexy trend if you’re daring, but either way, adopting a somber color pallet will be an unexpected refresher for your spring update. Happy mid-fashion week!
