L to R: First Row- DVF, Adam, Michael Kors,
Second Row- Cynthia Steffe, Cushnie et Ochs, Halston
During those colder months the sweater sees a lot of action. It’s that one item in the wardrobe that’s easy, comfortable, and hides all those holiday indulgences. The designers at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week gave us a few more reasons to love our winter ally next fall.
Worthy of the catwalk, yet, soft enough to take to bed, these knits had attendees practically begging for a few more days in winter wonderland. The relatively new line,
Cushnie et Ochs, had comfort in mind when they introduced their cable-knit wool sweater with fur sleeves. It was suitable for the Hollywood starlet, yet practical for the chic woman who refuses to blend in with performance fleeces.
Jill Stuart was another designer who succeeded in giving her knitwear an edge. Her heavy knits in both dresses and cropped turtleneck styles were accented with fringed wool on shoulders. Although a few of the designs were more eye catching than flattering, they definitely seemed suitable to withstand cold weather.
There was little room for delicate knits as the oversized and the thick cable covered most collections at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Gone, are the flimsy layering pieces of past years; this year we saw them replaced with knits that serve both function and style.
Other designers you can look forward to snuggling include: Jason Wu and his cashmere and looped yarn scarves for TSE; Lacoste and Preen in the designers’ floor skimming, cocoon shapes; and
Michael Kors in the many knitted ensembles seen at his flawless show. With so many looks this season it was difficult to pick a favorite. The fabrics, cuts, and colors were limitless on the New York runways.
Indeed, the Mercedes Benz Fall Fashion Week was all about sticking it to winter in style. Knits were slouchy and off the shoulder at
Cynthia Steffe. The collection showed folded draping along necklines, which served as a balance to cropped proportions in pale pink and black. Although loose knits can often translate to messy, the styling was smartly executed resulting in imitation-worthy looks. Particularly loved at Cynthia Steffe were sweaters paired with pleated and tiered skirts as well as a nice pair of culottes.
While some designers let fabrics flow freely, others strived for a polished look. Tibi kept it neat by belting the silhouette swallowing proportions on top and maintaining tailored, crisper looks on bottom. A favorite look on the Tibi runway was a relaxed plum sweater worn with plaid city shorts over grey tights. We also saw the repeat use of a belt in the Ralph Lauren show in which heavy turtlenecks and buttoned vests were tucked into pants and cinched at waist.
Finally, a personal favorite from the Mercedes Benz Fall Fashion Week was the thick cable knit cropped turtleneck trend shown on the runways at DVF, Adam, and Rebecca Taylor. These cropped looks paired with a skirt or wide-leg trouser serve as an easy solution for escaping that messy layered look that is seen all to often in colder months. Adam’s silver and grey design paired with a knee-length black skirt was adorable coming down the runway. The cropped looks at these shows are sure to make a hit when they hit the retail floors this fall.
Other coveted items included: sweater dresses by Twinkle, Michael Kors, and Halston ; screaming brights by Lacoste and Nanette Lepore; black and white patchwork at Yigal Azrouel, and embellishments at Catherine Malindrino
Written by Skimbaco Lifestyle Fashion writer Hallie McKay. Hallie also writes for the Seventeen Magazine.
