Fur makes a comeback at New York Fashion Week

NEW YORK - Fur made a comeback at New York Fashion Week over the weekend.

There were more fur coats on the runways of Peter Som, Prabal Gurung and Adam by Adam Lippes than in recent seasons. Alexander Wang had a cool leather trenchcoat with a strip of mink running entirely down the back.

"I believe people will buy fur in the fall. It keeps you warm," said Bloomingdale's fashion director Stephanie Solomon.

"And for those who don't like the idea of fur, there is great faux fur."

Another option: Mongolian lambswool - a fuzzy, almost featherlike material - has emerged as a popular alternative.

Som showed almost muppet-like versions of the wool in hot pink and electric blue, but the fabric was also on display at Adam and as trim on dresses and shirts by other designers.

Fur has been more rare in recent seasons as luxury turned more discreet, so lambswool may be a more acceptable alternative. In Som's rendering, it still makes a statement, without being in-your-face luxurious.

Another apparent trend showed that fashionable women would do well to raid their boyfriends' closets come fall.

Menswear influences were everywhere during the week of previews, from the trendsetting runway of Alexander Wang to the typically ultra-feminine Victoria Beckham, who included trenches in her fall collection, shown to a handful of reporters in a flower-filled uptown townhouse.

DKNY showed boyfriend jackets and Rag & Bone had a collection rooted in tailored suits. Oddly enough, the look melded seamlessly with school girl styles also popular in the fourth day of fall runway previews.

On Friday, Naomi Campbell brought an emotional end to the second day of New York Fashion Week with a runway show for the relief effort in Haiti, capped with a finale tribute to Alexander McQueen.

McQueen, who was found dead on Thursday in London, wasn't known to have many close friends in the fashion industry, but Campbell was in his inner circle. At the end of the runway show, she walked backstage with tears in her eyes.

The last seven outfits in Fashion for Relief were McQueen's, modelled by Campbell, Helena Christensen and Karen Elson, among others - all wearing impossibly high heels by the designer, including one pair of platforms that didn't actually have any heels.

Everything seen on the catwalk will be sold on the Net-a-Porter website, beginning March 15.

The clothes, though, were secondary to celebrities like Chris Brown and Kelly Osbourne, Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and designers Donna Karan, Diane von Furstenberg and Georgina Chapman of Marchesa.

Models who rarely strut any more, including Maggie Rizer and Agyness Deyn, strapped on their stilettos, too, with the audience cheering on Deyn when she fell twice wearing towering Burberry sandals.

But the crowd clearly came to see Campbell, who did not disappoint. The 39-year-old showed why she was once queen of the catwalk, making a short, black sequinned flapper dress practically do its own dance.

At runway shows throughout the day, black was the colour of choice. Three out of four editors in the front rows wore black - so don't let anyone tell you there's a new black.

VICTORIA BECKHAM

From the personal greeting she gave to her two dozen guests to the thoughtful answers to questions about her designs, Victoria Beckham staged an intimate preview that was all class and polish.

The series of 26 dresses maintained her signature sleek, slim shape while adding new elements such as draping and textured fabrics. One of the gowns - a tan silk jersey with a touch of embroidery on one shoulder - is a contender for Beckham to wear to the upcoming Oscars.

Her favourite dress, though, was a strapless minidress in a beige print that was hand-tucked to mimic the airiness of a cloud.

"I wanted to push myself and work with structure and drapery," Beckham said.

She wore dress No. 12, a grey wool tunic that, she said, "you can just throw on."

For inspiration, she studied the style of 1940s-era comic-strip detective characters and Hollywood femmes fatales. You could see the Dick Tracy-influence in the trench-style pieces, and in the newsprint smudges in the blurred pixel print on the finale asymmetric column gown.

PRABAL GURUNG

Prabal Gurung's catwalk show was one of the hottest tickets of New York Fashion Week, with a front row that included Zoe Saldana of Avatar, designer Cynthia Rowley and celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe.

He turned out a polished, cohesive collection, only the third under his own name, confirming the status of his label as one to watch. There were many graphic elements to the clothes with an emphasis on contrast colours - one outfit paired a camel-and-black jacket with cape-like sleeves with a camel-and-black seamed pant.

The star pieces were a black-and-white, motocross-style dress with crystals, pearls and pailettes that was certainly red-carpet worthy, and a delicate strapless dress in camel and white tulle with laser-cut gazar, organza petals, ostrich feathers and crystals.

It was, however, the chic everyday wear that was most impressive. He created unfussy dresses and coats, including a camel cashmere sheath with white, asymmetrical insets, and a fur-and-crocodile layered jacket.

Still, Gurung is hardly a household name. The one person with the power to change that - even more than a a movie star like Saldana or a power player like Zoe - would be first lady Michelle Obama, who has a reputation of championing new designer names.

She might want to consider the iridescent black-and-white tweed dress.

BAND OF OUTSIDERS

A favorite phrase of fashion insiders is "classics with a twist." It seemed the mantra of Band of Outsiders.

Designer Scott Sternberg is best known for menswear, winning the Council of Fashion Designers of America prize in that category last year. He continues to shrink preppy trousers and jackets, and, in a winter-vacation moment, added some parkas, flannel workshirts and wool sweatpants.

Those Americana looks, displayed among skis, vintage luggage trunks and even an old Jaguar at the gallery space of Milk Studios, are Band of Outsiders' bread and butter.

What was more unexpected were the dressier looks for women, including a lovely black-and-gold silk V-neck top, a pencil skirt with zipper details, a tie-front skirt - worn with an enviable shearling coat - and a black wool pantsuit.

DKNY

Donna Karan again reinvented her beloved young New York muse, dressing her in a patchwork of grid patterns, Art Deco sequins, equestrian plaids and schoolgirl sweetness.

Some of the best looks were drop-waist minis that emphasized a long, lean shape with boyfriend jackets on top. The palette was very prep school: black, grey, brown and brick red. Sparkly blue beading turned up in unexpected places, giving some pops of energy.

Yet, as youthful as the collection was, it was missing some of the bounce that DKNY usually weaves into its look.

Karan, however, had more than a little spring in her step as she took her bow, holding the hands of her grandchildren. She wore the "To Haiti With Love" T-shirt that the fashion industry is using as a vehicle to raise money for earthquake relief efforts.

ALEXANDER WANG

Alexander Wang has already collected a slew of "young designer" awards, so it was time to present a more grown-up collection. He did that on Saturday with forward-thinking fashion and an eye on a more luxe, sophisticated customer.

She's still quite young, though, or at least willing to show some skin. Top models clearly don't mind: Both Natalia Vodianova and Agyness Deyn walked in the show.

Inventive knits, tailoring and a touch of fur here and there put him in a different league than his athlete-inspired spring line. Men's waistcoats and pinstripe vests transformed into sexy minidresses, especially those that mixed in some ultra-delicate lace, and his "caterpillar" chenille knit had a softness that's new to Wang's look.

Layering was key to the overall vibe - mixing textures of the wool, velvet, mohair and mink. Cutouts were strategically placed lest the wearer started to feel too wintry.

Black dominated the palette, as it has on most catwalks so far, but color isn't the big takeaway from the Wang show. "I have a feeling layering is going to be the big message," said Cindy Weber Cleary, InStyle magazine fashion director.

RAG & BONE

The cool girls will probably be wearing a lot of menswear styles in the fall.

Rag & Bone, which has become a bellwether brand for downtown hipsters, debuted a collection Friday that was rooted in tailored suits but stayed quirky and feminine thanks to tweaks in proportion and styling.

The first model on the runway wore a combination of waistcoat, workshirt and kilt, and she was followed by a camouflage anorak, a plaid shirtdress and what appeared to be an unfinished blazer. (Interestingly, this wasn't the first literally thread-baring jacket shown during these previews.)

Designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville showed a skill with sweaters that could turn into highly saleable garments, and made a good case for leather leggings and purse pouches that hang from belts like a stylish fanny pack.

The designers also confirmed some of the trends that seem to be emerging, including layers and menswear, but also military-inspired styles, heavily textured garments and a dominant palette of black and gray.

"I thought Rag & Bone showed the designers have grown up in one season," said Bloomingdale's Solomon, who said the collection was her favourite so far.

PETER SOM

Peter Som took a hiatus from the runway to regroup his fashion label after a financial rough patch, and he was missed, judging by the crowd who came to watch his return on Saturday.

Heavy hitters from the major luxury department stores as well as healthy contingents from the magazines were treated to a fall collection unlike anything else they've seen so far during this round of style previews.

There was colour - lots of purple, green and acid yellow! There were luxe furs! There was a vintage vibe and ladylike silhouettes!

The explosion of prints and exotic trims, including mink, feathers, pearlised-petal pailettes and distressed metallics, was dizzying at times, but also invigorating. It was like all the models got dressed in the dark and, in the process, broke all the fashion rules about what goes with what. Most of the time, the outfits showed why rules should be broken.

NICOLE MILLER

Nicole Miller must have always had a tough spirit inside her - how else could she have lasted so long in the fashion business? - but it's only in her most recent collections that you see that aggressiveness in the clothes.

The scarf-print dresses of yesteryear are gone, replaced by body-hugging dresses, biker shorts and leather leggings. The fall styles previewed Friday were an extension of the look she offered for spring, using a lot of black, a strong-shoulder silhouette and asymmetrical necklines.

What was new were the leather-sleeve coats, apparently an emerging trend for next season, and the camo print, which hit the right note of sexy in a twisted front-pleat dress.

But while this is an evolved aesthetic for Miller, is it new to Miller's customers or do they already have a bomber jacket-tunic-legging outfit from another label?

GEORGES CHAKRA

Georges Chakra designs his Edition collection for the party circuit, but using a more restrained hand served him well at the Saturday preview at New York Fashion Week.

Among the best looks were a black chiffon-and-satin gown with a beaded neckline worn with a red distressed trench-style opera coat, and a black lace pantsuit that was sexy with its champagne-coloured illusion effect but with a silhouette loose enough to keep it from being a costume.

Sending some of the same messages as other designers at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Chakra played with multiple fabrics and textures, and tweaked the leather-sleeve trend with long opera gloves.

But he overused the backward silhouette too much, enough to make you wonder if Chakra is coming or going as a player on the red carpet.

CYNTHIA ROWLEY

The catwalks are often filled with tank tops, skimpy skirts and sandals even when designers are showing their fall-winter collections, but Cynthia Rowley kept her seasons straight on Friday.

She opened her show with a look she nicknamed "First Down," a puffy coat with a giant feather-trimmed hood. After that came puffer gloves, neck puffers and puffer-platform shoes, sort of a moonboot-pump hybrid. The neck puffers, in particular, seemed like they could catch on as a holiday-gift trend later in the year - maybe this year's infinity scarf.

Rowley also played with feathers and fringe, part of the texture trend emerging in the early going of eight days of previews for editors, retailers and stylists.

And this collection was largely rooted in black, which has dominated the palette so far, but Rowley did add some colourful pieces, too. She likes to let her own personality come through in her collection and she is pop-culture junkie, perhaps giving the back story to the "pixel" print and the "monster collage" - maybe a nod to the new Wolfman movie?

JASON WU

Jason Wu's ladylike, inventive collection looked like a Jason Wu collection. That's a huge step for the 27-year-old designer whose name is almost always linked to first lady Michelle Obama's wardrobe.

There was plenty for Mrs Obama to choose from on the runway - a sleeveless brown sheath splattered with gold leaf would look fantastic - but Wu needed to develop beyond a single famous client if he was going to have a long-lasting career.

This season, Wu showed a delicate touch, especially with feathers and tulle, making several layers seem light and airy. The only looks that weighed down the collection were the cocktail dresses with such big skirts, one was left wondering if there were hoops underneath.

PROJECT RUNWAY

The finale of Project Runway had 10 designers, so many that even its surprise guest judge had trouble keeping track.

"I remember pieces," country singer Faith Hill said after the show, admitting that she hadn't yet learned the contestants' names.

To prevent the audience from leaking the identities of the show's final three contestants, Runway's remaining 10 designers all offered collections, turning a normally refined runway into a whirlwind of faces, names and genres.

Even with the larger number of lines, many themes repeated in the designers' pieces: military, industrial colours, sportswear, the 1940s and conversely, back-to-the-future looks.

Fan favourites like Mila Hermanovski and Anthony Williams presented cohesive, wearable lines. By far the most interesting, though least wearable, were Amy Sarabi's pleats-and-prints separates.

CYNTHIA STEFFE

There was a bounce to the step of the schoolgirl-styled models on the Cynthia Steffe runway, which featured a mix of sweet-but-sassy miniskirts balancing a super-short hemline with a full shape and conservative fabrics. They were paired with crisp, white button-down shirts, slim-fitting turtlenecks and floral chiffon blouses.

Knit knee socks were pulled up like thigh-high stockings and worn with either high-heel Mary Janes or lace-up, wedge-heel sneakers.

The "uniforms" were completed with wood duffle coats with oversized hoods, chunky cardigans or, for those who like the rebel look, tight, cropped leather jackets.

Designer Shaun Kearney, inspired by London's Sloane Street crowd, moved fairly seamlessly between playful, chic and sometimes dapper - especially with some old-school, cropped military jackets with a double-breasted front.

RALPH RUCCI

Ralph Rucci uses words like "ripped," "scarred," "shredded" and "bleached" to describe his creations. But make no mistake: These clothes are the height of luxury.

And so "ripped" can mean luscious cashmere, torn into pieces and then sewn onto silk tulle to create a sleek suit that is somehow both edgy and mature.

The models at Chado Ralph Rucci's Soho studio wore spidery harnesses on their hands, and often shiny, thigh-high boots. The palette was dark - black, charcoal grey, navy - but there was also taupe, ecru and the occasional flash of bright pink, as in a shock of pink sequins peeking out the bottom of a matte black siren gown.

And there were feathers, too, or rather "trapped feathers," as the designer describes them: Ostrich feathers imprisoned inside layers of silk and tulle.

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO

Project Runway's wild child has calmed down. A lot.

Christian Siriano, the show's most successful winner to date, showed a subdued collection inspired by "1960s European women ... who got dressed every day".

For Siriano, the show's pint-sized drama queen known for his liberal use of the term "fierce," that meant skirt suits in wool with chiffon drapes and sky-high shoes with architectural heels.

A designer best known for his dramatic clouds of ruffles and Victorian references, Siriano has significantly toned down the layers of fabric and goth colours. His ladylike skirt suits, though expertly tailored, are so simple that one wonders who made him turn down the volume.

Siriano's best moments are in his evening wear, and only then did he seemed to remember what ultimately won him the Runway title two years ago.

YIGAL AZROUEL

If fashion is art, Yigal Azrouel is a mixed-media artist. His fall preview threw in some leather, some jersey, some Fair Isle knits, some crystals.

Each outfit made a visual statement, but its unclear whether Azrouel, who showed both men's and women's clothes, always knew what he wanted to say.

There was a group of sexy banker styles - a fitted dress with leather trim at the bustline and a skinny-pant women's suit, both in grey pinstripe - that were unexpected but simultaneously chic and wearable.

However, the experiment with weathered resin leather paired with tweed or boiled wool on outerwear had uneven results: great on a wrap coat, weird on a tweed jacket.

And the mens' combinations of cozy, outdoorsy Fair Isle knits and tough, urban leather were potential costumes for a romantic comedy - you know, the one where the city slicker moves to the country to get the girl.

ERIN WASSON

The evolution of model Erin Wasson's burgeoning career as a fashion designer continues.

Wasson's models, backed by Brooklyn rockers, stalked down the runway on Thursday night in a series of looks that hit the right tone of easy sophistication. Winter white, grey and black dominated the colour palette. Black turtlenecks, the must-have item from several collections so far, turned up here as well.

There was a downtown, Brooklynesque feel to much of the collection with its loose, easy shapes such as a long, cream velvet dress covered with a perforated black leather cape that looked artfully moth-eaten, and a loose, cream thermal blazer worn over an olive and cream marble silk tunic.

Some pieces like the thermal pant were strictly for models and model lookalikes. It's doubtful most women really desire or can wear legging type pants with sagging bottoms.

- AP