Spotlight on NYFW day 2

Day two of NYFW was everything except for dull. Thursday brought the diehard fashionistas a collaborative effort to bring Korean fashion designers to the U.S., Monique Lhuillier revealing her new affinity for handbags and shoes, and a rock number from Mark and Estel. Just when you think fashion has become a room of stuffy people in designer clothes, everyone reminds you that this is an industry for people who always keep things exciting.

First up this morning was the Concept Korea show. Concept Korea is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the Republic of Korea and Korean Creative Contents Agency to bring Korean fashion to the United States. This line up of designers included Taeyong Ko of Beyond Closet, Seunghee Lee of Leyii, and Juyoung Lee of Resurrection. While all these designers were unique in their way their collections were all universally Korean with the slender cuts, affinity for leather, and their use of patterns. With the Asian market being such a growing market for the fashion industry, and Asian-Americans becoming massive consumers of luxury goods in the United States, it was great that Tuesday opened with a collection giving praise to Korean culture and fashion. It’s the beginning to seeing Korea play a more important role in the fashion industry both artistically and financially.

Bayarmaa Bayarkhuu made her NYFW debut this year with her brand Mongol. The brand is a tribute to her Mongolian heritage, which was displayed through her designs which were fit for a Mongolian princess. The designer brought inspiration from Mongolian costumes, which created the effect of dazzling dresses that looked like royal costumes, included brightly colored pants and blouses, and brought the industry Mongolian fur and cashmere. She is sure to be a hit among buyers who are looking for more ostentatious dresses for that lady who does not want to look boring. Bayarkhuu created dramatic effect without moving too far away from the functional, which could prove good for business.

Day 2 of NYFW spared no level of excitement

Mark and Estel were one of the most exciting sites to behold this fashion week. The music artists and fashion designers held true to their music roots by ending their show with a rock number while the models did their finale work and showcased their incredible designs one last time for the cameras. The collection was very young, very fresh, and very varied, including everything from maxi dresses, to lipstick kiss patterned tops, and edgy rocker inspired wear. The collection was a hybrid of looking very Parisian and very rock concert. With their growing popularity the design duo is probably trying to appeal to all sorts of buyers to get their label in as many major department stores as possible. While they are attempting variety they still remain true to their aesthetic always.

The trio known as Orley, which includes brothers Matthew and Alex and Alex’s wife Samantha has brought their luxury men’s knits to NYFW, and they are sure to be on every buyers must have list. With men’s wear being such a growing market Orley couldn’t have selected a more perfect time to show at Fashion Week. They know how to stick to all the basics of men’s wear, from fine tailoring and staples like winter staples like luxurious cashmere sweaters, and they also know when to throw in some flair like a zigzag pattern or that perfect shade of light blue. They’ll be one to watch in the menswear market this year.

Everyone’s favorite lady, Rebecca Minkoff gave us a collection this year that was an ode to the Chelsea Hotel Girls: Smith, Janis Joplin and Grace Slick. The collection was just what the doctor ordered, and included everything from maxi trenches to slim cropped jackets. Every look was very buyable and very wearable, so Rebecca Minkoff fans can rest assured, she won’t be disappearing from those department stores anytime soon.

Bloomingdale’s favorite Nicole Miller presented a collection that was very, out there for lack of a better word. Her collection was inspired by eerily drawn scenes from fairytales and folklore and books like Lord of the Rings. Her love for mixing prints came through in this collection as well, so what we got were a bunch of women look like high fashion fairies. How this will play out is unclear, because while there were many wearable pieces in the collection many of them were a bit gaudy for your average department store buyer. The public will have to wait until next year for those Q4 holiday numbers to see how this collection ended up playing out.

The most sought after women’s wear designer in America, Charlotte Ronson spared no level of glamour for her collection. She kept everything on trend and included everything from oversized turtleneck sweaters, to sequin t-shirt dresses, and cropped turtlenecks. It was a collection that was all about the 2015 women’s wear trend, and a collection that will be sure to keep Ronson in all the top department stores because she knows how to give women what they are asking for right now. In the fashion industry your success is all about your staying power.

The lady loved by everyone from Michelle Obama to Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Monique Lhuillier, gave a great collection and even threw the audiences for a beautiful curve ball. She has introduced shoes and bags to her line. Rest assured that every top department store will be carrying these, and with the number of celebrities wearing her gowns on the red carpet Lhuillier is catapulting herself into being a household name. 2015 is sure to be a great year for their revenue after this runway show.