Spotlight on day 4 of NYFW

New York fashion week continued on during the most brutal winter day New York has seen all season. Designers weren’t letting the weather get in the way of them putting their tirelessly sewn collections on display, however. The theme for this Sunday must have a face off of what designer was going to present the best dress, because Custo Barcelona, Carmen Marc Valvo, and Vivienne Hu were all bringing their A-plus dress game. Day 4 was a feast of beauty, and audiences sure let themselves indulge.

Vivienne Hu was all about the asymmetrical cuts this season, with everything from asymmetrical cut dresses to asymmetrical side zip sweaters. While the trend might seem a bit 2008 it certainly worked for her design aesthetic. The highlight of her collection that left the audience saying “ooh” and “ahh” was a floor length beige turtleneck dress. This season seems to be all about the disappearing neck, a more contemporary trend. As a former business woman, Hu knows how to market a product, so this collection is sure to find its market no problem.

Ran Fan, the China-based designer, is a master of the perfect fur accents for any ensemble. Her namesake label’s fall 2015 collection displayed this skill, along with her talent for creating fabulous architecturally constructed outerwear and geometrically inspired dresses. With a collection designed with the perfectionist in mind, Ran Fan has little room for error, and the talented designer is sure to start to gain the intention of some major department stores if she keeps it up. She may just be getting started in America, but she sure is making a name for herself.

As the first South African designer to show Solo at NYFW in 2012, David Tlale’s biggest competition would have to be himself, so the public is left wondering how he will outdo himself next. Tlale definitely kept his reputation in check showcasing a collection filled with vibrant South African inspired prints, a very sexy spin on the little black dress, and a very handsome Tyson Beckford closing his show. Tlale has a very growing international presence, and after a major NYFW show he is sure to garner the attention of plenty of major department store buyers and magazines. If Tyson Beckford can’t get you noticed who can?

Day 4 of NYFW was all about the patterned dresses

Donna Karan’s more affordable and accessible line, DKNY, was all about the New York girl as usual, but this time she gave her a more masculine twist. The collection included a lot of suiting, boyfriend cut sweaters, and boyish tailored pants. With the boyfriend cuts being a big trend this year, especially among younger women, this could mean good news for DKNY in the 18 – 30 shopping bracket. Of course, this is assuming the boyfriend cut trend keeps up, but we’ve got our fingers crossed for DKNY, they usually don’t disappoint.

Evening wear favorite Carmen Marc Valvo gave his audience a collection that was all about looking pretty in plaid. His show was dual gender, so that made for an exciting mash-up of floor length plaid skirts, digital print style blazers, checkered dresses, and bow ties. Valvo has been enjoying nothing but growing success, and with this collection it looks like he is sure to stay on that trajectory. He only keeps going up, with no signs of faltering anytime soon.

Custo Barcelona should be applauded for bringing some much needed Latin American flavor to NYFW. The designer’s collection included a series of beautiful Spanish inspired printed dresses that were sure to be the envy of every designer at Fashion Week 100 times over. The label is famous for its patterns, so they had to be sure not to disappoint in that department, which they certainly didn’t. Patterns seem to be a major trend this season, probably a reflection of people willing to get more creative with their fashion choices in an improved economy, compared to seven years ago when the runways were all neutrals and very conservative. Custo Barcelona sure gave us plenty of flair that is sure to do wonders for their revenue come fall.

Roberto Etxeberria was one of the many designers whose reputation precedes him. After his fall/winter 2014 collection received critical acclaim and plenty of media coverage all eyes were on him to bring the world another fabulous collection. The collection’s strongest items were the coats and jackets, which are sure to catch the attention of the outerwear buyers at many top department stores. The outerwear included everything from a two-tone grey zip-up jacket for men, to a black zip up blazer for women, and a grey coat that flared out like at the bottom that would be perfect for winter. It was quite a collection to behold.

Prabal Gurung is quickly transforming himself into a household name, and a nice list of celebrity clientele sure is not hurting him. Gurung has also proven the era of constricting gowns is over, as he has given his silhouettes much more generous space for the form to be free. His inspiration for this collection was Native American designs he found on a trip to upstate New York. Traveling always is the best formula for design inspiration. The collection was heavy on embellishments, which seem to also be big this season, including everything from feathers, to beads, and ruffles. Like they say, it’s all about the little extra details. Gurung has a major namesake to keep up with now, and his revenue numbers for this year are sure to see major improvements the more his dresses are seen on the red carpet. He’s a must have name now.

Whoever said you can’t do much with black and white needed to see Parkchoonmoo’s fall/winter 2015 collection. The collection included sleek black and white turtlenecks, oversized black coats, and of course, fall’s take on the little black dress. Buyers always go after as many neutrals as possible, and a buyers number one go-to’s along with a very stylish collection is sure to get designer Choonmoo Park plenty of calls from department stores wanting to carry her collection. The designer is looking to expand in the U.S., and with this collection she seems poised to do so successfully.