Granny fashions sweep runways

New York fashion week is kind of like a big night out -- a lot of preparation goes into it, the beginning is always exciting and you wake up from the experience slightly unclear as to what happened. This felt particularly true this past week as designers showed their collections for spring 2006.

The week squeezes in over 180 runway shows in just eight days. The shows are concentrated in tents erected over Bryant Park where fashionistas descend twice a year to get a glimpse of what's next. While boldface names like Michael Kors and Narciso Rodriguez fight to fill their front row with A-listers, struggling newcomers vie for the attention of editors and buyers.

And for the majority of designers the reception that their show receives is critical in determining what people will want to wear in the coming season and what will actually end up in the stores.

Massive parties and the inevitable drama that come with mixing celebrities, high profile editors and socialites dominated the week. And when it came down to it, the clothes fell short as collection after collection showed pretty, ladylike looks that seemed repetitive in the context of the last couple of seasons.

This may be why there was a focus on pictures that came out during the week that exposed Kate Moss' cocaine habit, and others that showed a budding feud between Naomi Campbell and Gwen Stefani when Stefani's debut runway presentation for L.A.M.B. conflicted with Campbell's Katrina benefit.

People were buzzing when Anna Wintour, editor in chief of Vogue walked out of the Calvin Klein show before it even started because of the heat, frenzied paparazzi and the fact that light fixtures collapsed during Diane von Furstenberg's show, sending Paris Hilton scurrying and two people to the hospital.

People deeply crave something new, exciting and fresh when they come to fashion week, and this year New York simply failed to deliver. New York has always been known for its practicality and mass-market appeal, especially in comparison to Paris and Milan, but playing it safe is not always the right choice.

Furthermore, there was significant anticipation for the spring collections because the Marc Jacobs fall show was one of the most controversial and breathtaking collections that New York has ever seen. It will be hard for future collections to have such a strong impact.

Buzzwords that are being thrown around for Spring 2006 are pretty, ladylike and the new minimalism. Grey, beige and sleek whites glided down the runway.

And while the looks were reminiscent of granny fashion, embellishment was toned down in an attempt to make the looks more modern and streamlined. Waistlines are rising and hemlines are lowering as we enter a conservative moment in fashion. One thing is for certain -- Bohemian looks are out.

There are some key trends that emerged from the shows. One of the most important is chiffon. The fabric was used in flowing gowns, stitched into the insets of dresses and used to create sheer tops. Tuleh, which is known for dressing the young socialite set, showed beautiful, painted chiffon and empire gowns in bronze and coffee colors. Behnaz Sarafpour showed matronly drawstring chiffon tops. And Esteban Cortazar featured chiffon gowns reminiscent of the 1970s and Studio 54.

The shift dress and the looser "night dress" were also mainstays during the week. Some of the shapes were quite wearable, including a beautiful linen shift with beaded detail by Oscar de la Renta. The "nightdress," which is looser in form and harder to wear, also made more than a few appearances. Proenza Schouler did it best, showing white cotton gauze nightdress.

Shorts are going to be everywhere for spring. This trend has been building for several seasons, as more people realize that there is something appealing about being both casual and polished.

Marc Jacobs showed long, brown cuffed shorts with knee high socks, and also more formal, black wide-leg shorts in stiff, couture-quality silk paired with a silver lam5f blouse. Derek Lam did a more classic version of shorts when he paired clay suede shorts with a white cotton short sleeve sweater and peep toe heels.

The influence of Lanvin and Alber Elbaz, Lanvin's head designer, seemed to be everywhere in New York. Vera Wang, who is trying to prove herself as a strong ready-to-wear presence, attempted a dark intellectual collection with deep jewel tones, pleated skirts, volume and a surprising number of ballet flats throughout.

Marc Jacobs, who is usually the innovator, played with the Lanvin lexicon, showing silver lam5f and sequined organza slip dresses that fell just below the knee.

There were also references to classic Americana, executed with slight twists: Ralph Lauren and Luella, who is actually a British import, did this best. Ralph Lauren paired tight shorts and capris with striped tanks and gold accessories, and blue patchwork jackets with white pants. One of the best looks at Luella was a navy and white striped shirt topped with a red and navy sequined top and blue and white nautical pants. Her collection used white, red and navy in an offhanded way that seemed best for that irreverent Upper-Eastside twenty-something.

The best collections were those that strayed from the conformity that permeated the New York spring shows. These collections were Calvin Klein, Proenza Schouler and Narciso Rodriguez.

Francisco Costa, now in his sixth season under the Calvin Klein name, produced a truly inspired collection that used light and airy fabrics, fresh circle patterns and a clean white palette. The clothes were artfully constructed and luxurious while retaining modernity. It is fitting that Costa should define the new minimalism, considering that Calvin Klein himself defined the original idea during the 1990s.

Narciso Rodriguez produced another perfectly orchestrated architectural show that portrayed design consistency and simplicity at its best. The collection showcased perfectly tailored washed linen shifts, lilac silk day dresses and razor sharp jackets paired with skinny pants.

And in the pack of past-looking ladylike collections, Proenza Schouler designed a truly artful show. The design wonder-boys Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez combined a mature fashion sense with youthful idealism for one of their most successful shows to date.

There was a black lace dress with a pleated bodice and a wearable linen shift with white lace trim. The show ran the spectrum from wonderful separates for day to stunning pieces for night.

The influence of collections like Louis Vuitton, Rochas, Lanvin and Christian Dior that come out of Paris saturated the trends for fall and, in many ways, made much of what came out of New York irrelevant. It is yet to be seen whether this will hold for another season.