Envelope, Please: This Season’s Top 15 Collections!
After absorbing and living through hundreds of shows in four very self-important cities, Chic Report set out to pick The Daily’s very best–while our brains are still programmed to dissect collections and inspiration sheets. In a very scientific process, we’ve asked all our editorial staffers here to rank their top 15 collections, and assigned a point value to each placement. We’ve come up with the list of the very best–and five honorable mention efforts that just missed the cut.
1. Marc Jacobs: Jury is still out on Vuitton, but Marc’s eponymous line hit a brilliant mark, offering both concept (the theater!) and a covetable array of pieces. Wash off that kabuki makeup, and you’ve still got classic Jacobs–dressed up with spot-on spring themes like ruffles, lingerie, and sheers. Punctual and phenomenal!
2. Prada: Fashion’s smart girl, Miuccia Prada, is guaranteed to keep Prada-philes guessing each season up until that last look struts out. After a heavy fall, she took a lighter turn for spring, offering sure-to-be-waitlisted lucite accessories, a perfect shiny red lip, and a bright, sparkling array of ready-to-wear. Bring on the summer!
3. Lanvin: Alber Elbaz strikes again! The veritable king of Parisian luxury, Elbaz offered an exuberant collection of masterfully draped and embellished looks. His technical genius is clear…but the bottom line is that these are clothes that women want to wear. Those lucky enough to see it live are still trembling with joy.
4. Emilio Pucci: Step aside, Christophe Decarnin. There’s a new star for all that is glamorous and sexy, no dowdy prints required. Peter Dundas has injected life back into the label, earning fans like Carine in the process with his micro-minis and sexy accessories.
5. Stella McCartney: There’s a reason Natalia Vodianova looks so happy. Stella McCartney went unabashedly flirty for spring, offering not only her much-beloved brand of blazers, but adorably flounced, girlish dresses. We’ll take one!
6. Rodarte: In the midst of beautiful mist at Gagosian, the Rodarte girls were inspired by vultures who’ve survived fires, dramas–and sky high Nicholas Kirkwood creations. The clothes were once again transcendent, and the colors like blood reds and seductive black felt just right for these times.
7. Christian Dior: Some criticized this collection as being too close to John Galliano’s latest couture effort. Those people are nuts. We’ll take Lauren Bacall, gorgeous lace, and lovely underwear hints any day. Paired with an elaborate Alex de Betak produced set, this was Dior at it very, high-Parisian glamour best.
8. Alexander McQueen: The hair! The shoes! And THOSE dresses! Though this wasn’t a flawless McQueen (he has his own high standards), this “Plato’s Atlantis”-themed collection still managed to shake up the usually bored front row.
9. Gareth Pugh: There’s no doubt about it. Pugh is the name you won’t be able to ignore for years and possibly decades. This current collection was lighter in tone (ok, gray) but just as captivating in ideas. There was an enchanting edge to his knits and deconstructed gowns that lit up our curiosities.
10. Jason Wu: The designer has long been put in the category of “young American rising designers.” This season, he confidently pulled ahead of the pack with a wonderful show held at the St. Regis. He did just about everything right: great tweeds, lively party dresses accented with ostrich feathers, with an overall inspired maturity.
11. Burberry Prorsum: This is not your grandmother’s trench! Christopher Bailey softened Burberry’s signature style with pretty pastels and puffed sleeves. Micro-mini lengths updated the look, which is sure to send all the sweet young things running towards Bailey’s confections. The exuberant London show and the best front row of the season only helped the brand’s cause.
12. Versace: Grazie, Donatella! Supremely powerful from the corset dresses to the resplendent gowns to the studded short-short skirts–each design championed femininity, invigorating us all with the urge to rule the world. The only element missing was a diamond-encrusted scepter. One of the most complete Versace collections ever.
13. Prabal Gurung: Lauded by Cathy Horyn as her favorite of last season, Gurung knocked it out of the park again. Fascinated by the thinking woman, Gurung explored the beauty of the Zadie Smith-type. With a collection so impeccably crafted, we wonder… how do you have time for recreational reading, Prabal? Keep a watchful eye on this real deal talent!
14. Christopher Kane: Gingham gets a good-girl rep, but not in the world of Christopher Kane. The innocent print received a healthy (and much-needed) dose of darkness. Brimming with bra cups and cut-outs, Kane’s cheeky collection was a like a twisted version of our childhood doll’s wardrobe.
15. Balmain: You know it as The Balmain Effect. Broad-shoulders ran rampant throughout high school hallways, as Christophe Decarnin’s creations launched the world into a tizzy, madly making knockoffs. His latest collection offered a sea of chain metal, shredded denim and ultra-mini lengths. We can’t deny it: Balmain is scorching.
Honorable Mentions: Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chirui and Pier Paolo Piccioli seem to have hit their stride (which, it’s worth noting, is not the same as Monsieur Valentino’s stride) with a sexy and gorgeously detailed collection, destined for red carpets. Karl Lagerfeld’s barnyard romp at Chanel may have been our favorite presentation of the past month, with the genius collection coming a close second to the spectacle itself. Francisco Costa never fails to impress at Calvin Klein; his spring offerings were softer than usual this season, but just as smart. Derek Lam’s usual brand of understated luxury got a jolt with exuberant color, cheery prints, and plenty of sparkle, making it one of our favorite New York runway moments. And finally, Proenza Schouler boys Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough went back to their young, sexy roots with a surf-inspired collection that chicsters will be clamoring to wear come spring (or sooner!).
