NYFW Fall 2012 Round-Up

New York Fashion Week has officially come to a close. For those of you who don't have quite enough spare time to flip through the images of each show presented during NYFW, I've collected an assortment of my favorite colorful looks to give you an idea of where color is headed in the coming season. I've organized this post into sections by style to give you an easy-to-read overview.

Prints

Fall's prints have a distinctly ethnic feel, derived from cultural and artistic inspirations. Suno's Oriental florals and Duro Olowu's African print mixing are but two examples. Speaking of print mixing, to the dismay of some and excitement of others (including me), this trend that was big in 2011 is continuing on into fall 2012. Designers had various takes on mixed prints: Gregory Parkinson went for similar color schemes to create chic combinations, Suno's separates paired contrasting florals, and Sophie Theallet went for the same pattern in two different color schemes. Fall's mixed prints are more sophisticated than seen previously, evidence that the trend has grown while it flourishes. This is a result of the more subdued tones of the prints shown: though bright patterns still lurk (see Timo Weiland), softer color palettes create a relaxed vibe for busy prints.

Left: Suno

Right: Gregory Parkinson

Left: Costello Tagliapietra
Right: Timo Weiland

   

Left and right: Duro Olowu

Left: ICB

Right: Sophie Theallet

Color Blocking


That's right, color blocking hasn't gone away just yet. Fall has great things in store for us: color blocked separates are edgier and more sophisticated than in previous seasons. Though the brights still pack a huge punch to the eye, more structured (and simpler) silhouettes are easier to combine. New color combinations are also making an appearance. Prabal Gurung's new ICB line showed a fantastic pairing of an orange biker jacket and a slightly sheer bright purple top. J. Crew showed a more modest example with a dark blue sweatshirt worn with emerald pants and accessories. Some combinations have persisted, however; see the red and pink at M. Patmos, among others.

Left: Dean Quinn

Right: ICB

Left: J. Crew

Right: M. Patmos

Brights


Brights are heading in a whole new direction for the fall 2012 season. Hip neons have been discarded in lieu of softer shades that still maintain a level of brightness. Edgy silhouettes have been replaced by ladylike dresses and outerwear, building on the feminine designs from the spring 2012 runway shows. While some of the new fall brights feel wonderfully retro, as in L'Wren Scott's show, most feel quite modern. Cushnie et Ochs combined femininity with unexpected details for an almost futuristic take, whereas designs from Karen Walker and Dean Quinn are perfect for the elegant woman of today. Accessorizing is kept to a minimum, fall brights having been paired with subtle shoes and bags.

Left: L'Wren Scott

Right: Thakoon

Left: Cushnie et Ochs

Right: Dean Quinn

Left: Karen Walker

Right: Juan Carlos Obando

Pastels

The huge rise of pastels currently being seen in spring 2012 designs has barely made its way into fall thus far. Though some looks still used softer shades, these colors were scarce, with prints and subtle brights in favor. The two best examples of fall pastels were seen in the shows of Marc Jacobs and NAHM, a line that is the work of Nary Manivong and Alexandria Hilfiger (daughter of Tommy). Marc Jacobs used pastels in thick, cozy knits; NAHM preferred pastels in a sweet lace dress.

Left: Marc Jacobs

Right: NAHM

Though we have yet to see how color is used in the upcoming Fashion Weeks, the results seem promising, based on what was shown in New York Fashion Week. This is fall, so a plethora of neutrals filled the runways at Lincoln Center, but color remained in the spotlight at many of the shows. I'm excited to see how color will be incorporated into the fall 2012 season, and I hope you are too. There's only so much designers can do; as consumers, we are the ones who determine what makes it into real life.

xoxo