NewYorkFashionWeekFall2010

The Montauk Surf Lodge at Fashion Week

Filed under: Apparel

While this year marks the end of Bryant Park tents, and the backstage lounges that go along with them, alternative runway spaces around the city are getting more and more creative each year. Whether at the Metropolitan Pavilion or Milk Studios, the hottest designers of the season have already opted out of the traditional 7th on Sixth lineup to prepare for the upcoming seasons. With the move of Bryant Park backstage lounges, new innovative places for media, designers, and other fashion insiders to decompress are already popping up alongside the new runways.

Our favorite space this year by far was the Montauk Surf Lodge on the 8th Floor of Milk Studios. The lounge, designed by Rob McKinley, featured a view across the river, picnic tables, and a cool, relaxed vibe, exactly mirroring its Hamptons mothership. Sam Talbot, Executive Chef of the original Surf Lounge in Montauk, cooked up delicious fish tacos and Hawaiian macaroni salad all week for tired visitors. A welcoming bar served up Belvedere cocktails and Cafe Bustelo lattes for guests. Lounge staff wore original uniforms provided by Loomstate made from organic cotton and natural dyes, as well as Vans Shoes and Jill Platner jewelry. Gazing from the wealth of enamored guests filling up the gorgeous space, the Montauk Surf Lodge is a welcome reminder of what's to come for upcoming fashion weeks as the traditional players begin to spread their wings all over our broad city. Check out the gallery for more photos of the Surf Lodge.

Gallery: New York Fashion Week Surf Lodge

Tags: fashion week, fashion week fall 2010, FashionWeek, FashionWeekFall2010, new york fashion week fall 2010, NewYorkFashionWeekFall2010

New York Fashion Meets North African Dreams - Rachel Roy

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Rachel Roy's Fall/Winter 2010 presentation this Valentine's Day was a glamorous affair, with chocolates by Godiva, champagne by Moët & Chandon and a lush collection of fabulous, womanly garments inspired by Cleopatra. Roy's statement about the collection was rich with promising descriptives: "This fall, we unveil a desert-tomb palette infused with saturated blossom, moody elixir, onyx and deep river hues. It is a season of strength, mystery and allure -- an exploration in texture and luminosity."

In keeping with many of the other shows, the clothes were less focused on color and heavy on neutral metallics from silver through beige to gold. The collection also included fur and cashmere, adding softness without detracting from the opulence. There were several pieces in the extremely wearable presentation we'd love to have taken straight to our closets, but perhaps we can find enough gold and silver in there to create similar looks without mugging a model.

One thing you won't be able to fake: The shapes. Roy's artistry with draping and understanding of female body was well showcased, from interesting sweaters to immaculately tailored dresses and mini jackets with scarab-esque lines. The look is form-fitting, yet modest -- well, except for the see-through, cobweb like pieces (that must be her nod to the desert tomb).

Though we won't see these pieces again until next season, keep in mind that this spring's metallics will layer well with what's coming up for fall. One thing we know we need immediately: long gloves (the ones featured in the Rachel Roy show are by Portolano). Now, picture yourself in these:

Gallery: Rachel Roy Fall/Winter 2010

Tags: Fashion Week fall 2010, FashionWeekFall2010, New York Fashion Week, new york fashion week fall 2010, NewYorkFashionWeek, NewYorkFashionWeekFall2010, Rachel Roy, RachelRoy, runway

Timo Weiland - New York Fashion Rebel

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

Timo Weiland had a beautiful Fall/Winter 2010 presentation on Monday. Some people think we put models on pedestals, but Timo Weiland did it literally.

The models entered the fourth floor warehouse space in Chelsea one at a time and stepped up onto cylindrical blocks (labeled with their names). More often than not, a crew member then lint rollered their shoes. Then, they just ... stood there. We only stayed until they all came out, but we assume they stood there for the entirety of the presentation. They adjusted poses now and then, but casually, not in a choreographed way. One thing we noticed: for no apparent reason, they all looked scared, like they'd just been called on in class.

Scared or not, they definitely looked stylish. The look was British and clean cut -- Mad Men meets Harvard University in London, with weekends in the Scottish Highlands and a dash of Gossip Girl wealth. We loved the colors, rich in blue tones like forest greens and plum purples, as well as shocks of red, and the classic shapes with modern details. Though the models were very thin, both the mens and womens pieces were crafted in thick, form-skimming fabrics in flattering cuts -- highly wearable. This is just the second collection by design team Timo Weiland and Alan Eckstein, who cite The Age of Innocence and Gangs of New York as inspiration.

Check out the gallery for some key looks from the Timo Weiland runwayless show. Also, visit the website, because it's rather bewitching.

Gallery: Timo Weiland Fall/Winter 2010