Phresh off the F/W ‘14 runway

MANILA, Philippines - London, Paris, New York, Milan — Manila, Philippines. Amidst the spectacle of a chocolate wall at Opening Ceremony and le grand magasin supermarket at Chanel, reinvention was the recurring theme through most of the F/W collections. Whether it was the perennial floral motif, a new take on embellishments or borrowing from the boys, a rework for Fall was put forth. Here are the season’s most notable trends:    

Naïf Appliqué

Dolce & Gabbana, Antonio Marras, Carven, Stella McCartney, Chloé, Céline

A childlike sense of (sticky) tacking was this Fall’s message for embellishments. From haphazard 3D jewels to embroidered patches to pieces of metal, designers took an alternate approach to craftsmanship, a clean break from over-the-top embellishment. The result was a disarming sense of whimsy, fresh and unexpected.

Somber Blooms

Lanvin, Dries Van Noten, Fendi, No. 21, Antonio Marras

Florals for spring? Groundbreaking. The ubiquitous floral motif barrels ever-forward and continues to run a common thread through this season’s collections. Alber Elbaz at Lanvin and Dries Van Noten rework florals set against darker hues and a monochromatic flourish.

Geek Chic

Rodarte, Preen

They say three is a trend, but twice is mere coincidence. Not in this case. Labels Rodarte and Preen presented similar Star Wars-themed collections for F/W 2014. Both sanctioned by Disney-owned Lucasfilm, unbeknownst to either party until both collections walked the runway. Decried by some as mere “Instagram bait” for F/W, but hailed by many as the continuing influence of science fiction in fashion.

Fast Fashion

Moschino, Chanel

Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel and Jeremy Scott at Moschino shared a similar approach to F/W by delivering reiterations of our consumer-driven reality. Chanel presented a collection grounded in the trivialities of the everyday mundane — tweed track suits, trainers and workout gear, Chanel’s interpretation of the mundane set at the supermarket. Elsewhere, Jeremy Scott produced an irreverent Pop Art Moschino collection inspired by McDonald’s and its mass marketability — a capsule collection of these accessories has  already sold out online.

Ruffle Reclamation

3.1 Phillip Lim, Marc Jacobs, Lanvin, Christian Dior, Marni, Anthony Vaccarello, Christopher Kane

A trickle-down from Balenciaga’s S/S 2013 flamenco-inspired showing, labels from 3.1 Phillip Lim, Marc Jacobs and Christian Dior reimagined sleeves and hemlines with ruffles using knits, pelts and other unconventional textiles. F/W 2014 offers a less girlish take on this perennial trend.

Of Mice and Menswear

Christopher Kane, Prada, Costume National, Alexander Wang, Helmut Lang, Hermès

Apart from a few outliers (long coats nipped at the waist both at Céline and Victoria Beckham), designers stopped borrowing from the boys and started taking notes from the men. The sleek menswear-inspired aesthetic of seasons’ past went through a makeover; a reimagined silhouette emerged from combining stronger shoulders, boxier shapes and cuts that veer away from the body — the result affecting the look of a slouchy louche tomboy aesthetic that effuses nothing but self-confident chic.   

Unconventional Outerwear

A reinvention and resurge

Kenzo, Thakoon, Balenciaga, Marc by Marc, The Row, Comme des Garcons, BCBG, Tory Burch

Kenzo’s Humberto Leon and Carol Lim signaled the beginning of this micro trend by presenting menswear-inspired suits flounced with a skirt on top. Impractical? Yes. Chic? Maybe. This bell skirt over a tailored suit silhouette is accompanied by the resurgence of attached hand muffs at Balenciaga and literal over-the-top shrugs at Thakoon. Pieces that may go a long way for a generation that is obsessed with everything hands-free.

Blanket Statements

Prabal Gurung, Roberto Cavalli, Burberry, Emilio Pucci, Gareth Pugh, Public School

Nothing succeeds quite like excess; in this case, an excess of fabric. F/W 2014 sees a major resurgence of the maximalist blanket poncho. A resort favorite (in the form of the chiffon tunic) that finds reinvention in temperate apropos textiles.

Full Flight

Marni, Giles, Prabal Gurung, Alberta Ferreti, Just Cavalli, Valentino

From embroidered avian appliqué, bird digital prints to full-on feathers as fringe — Marni, Giles, Prabal Gurung, and Valentino, embraced the flock as a strong Fall motif. This season’s pervasive image of the emblazoned bird is worthy of a Hitchcock marathon.

Geometric Skirts

Louis Vuitton, Acne, JC de Castelbajac

Nicolas Ghesquière launched his well-met debut collection for Louis Vuitton and solidified the trend for origami slit skirts. Uneven hems, industrial zippers and mixed-media fabrics are packing a lot of heat for F/W’s skirt game.