Each season designers take to the tents at Lincoln Center for New York Fashion Week to show their latest labors of love to editors, buyers and clients hoping to strike the perfect balance between innovation and loyalty to their brands fundamentals. Many designers have flown the coop as the confines and time restrictions attached to such a venue make it hard to travel too far outside of the box. While I can appreciate the creative enthusiasm led by the likes of juggernauts such as Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang, I think it speaks volumes when a designer can keep it extremely simple and let the clothes speak for themselves.

At the top of my list this season is Dennis Basso, his mix of fur vests with everything from sequined rompers to full blown evening gowns had me mentally rushing to my closet to try the winning combo. Since Fall of last year he has become a personal favorite and I love how he continues to push his collection to the limits while keeping the essence of his personal style. He offers proportions for women of every shape and size and there are pieces in his collection that will appeal to women of all ages which is difficult to do but extremely important for the viability of a brand.

Carolina Herrera is perhaps the more obvious choice, her collections are consistently as flawless as her white button up shirt, but offer something as unexpected as the pop in her collar. This season she brought us a digital garden working with what she described as ‘techno’ fabrics such as neoprene-like foam. Florals are a consistent theme for Herrera and this season was no exception, but rather than going overboard with blooms she took a less is more approach and let the cut of each garment speak for itself.  Again, one of the greatest strengths that Herrera has is knowing her clients and continuing to retain their tastes while exploring new ways to appeal to a more youthful market.  My personal favorite was the show stopping strapless gown with pixelated prints that were cut up and re-attached to the gown in a graceful geometric fashion.

Spring is sure to bring with it a myriad of bright and cheerful color palettes, sequins in broad daylight, simple shifts and flowy frocks. So whatever your tastes may be, rest assured there is something to suit your personal style.

Stay Stylish,
XOJ