Fashion Week Shows off Spring Style

For most of us, September is a transition period for our wardrobes, trading in our flip-flops and tank tops for boots and sweaters. For the fashion world, however, September symbolizes the preparation period for spring fashion lines as New York, London, Milan, and Paris debut the anticipated Spring/Summer 2013 collections. New York Fashion Week recently ran from Sept. 6 through Sept. 13. Roughly 200 designers were showcased throughout the eight-day event, including the debut of Katie Holmes and Jeanne Yang’s line known as “Holmes and Yang” and the second showing of Avril Lavigne’s line “Abbey Dawn.” According to CNN, fashion is the second largest industry in New York, and this is because it not only affects those working in the business, but every single person who wakes up in the morning, opens the closet door, and makes the decision what to wear. 

In most cases, the fashion industry seems to define each season by a new trend; however, Spring/Summer 2013 has been said to be, according to editor-in-chief Brandon Holley of “Lucky” magazine, “a statement season.” This upcoming season is not about conformity, but individuality. The purpose of fashion week is to inspire one’s sense of style, and with only the first of four weeks completed, the public has been exposed to an abundance of trends to experiment with. 

Do not be afraid to swim against the stream ladies and gentlemen; bolder is better! Leather, suede dresses, edgy prints, cut-outs, blush tones, stripes and sheer overlays were popular pieces presented on the models of designers such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors, to name a few. 

While have gotten bolder, sex appeal on the runway has calmed down, so less is more. Referring to his line, Prabal Gurung, a Nepalese designer, says that his goal was to, “come up with pieces that women can move easily in and that don’t have an overt sexiness.” 

Pieces such as cutout tops hint at a woman’s sexiness but are in no way over-the-top or inappropriate. Fashion should include mystery; keep it tasteful, keep it classy, but always leave them wanting more. 

The most important element of the upcoming Spring/Summer season is the representation of culture within a wardrobe. What defines an individual more than their heritage? For instance, his Brazillian roots often influence designer Carlos Miele’s collections, while debut designer Sheena Trivedi combines her American and Indian backgrounds in her line. Furthermore, oftentimes designers are inspired by other cultures and incorporate aspects of other countries into their work. 

According to an interview with MTV, designer Jeremy Scott admitted to having been inspired by “The Arab Spring.” Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman were also influenced by Indian culture. The most unique cultural influence, though, had to be Gerlan Jeans’s collection in which she collaborated with Disney to create a Mini-Mouse inspired line. The Fashion Industry has clearly taken the definition of individuality to another level. 

Fashion Week is now taking place in London and will continue through Milan and Paris in future weeks. New York’s show has undoubtedly left audiences satisfied, kicking off the events with a bang. So while you pack up your shorts and sandals, be sure to take note of what must-haves to keep in mind for your next shopping trip. Fall is in full swing as of the end of the week, but when it comes to spring, to be fashionably late is unacceptable. 


jhorniac@ramapo.edu