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FEBRUARY 22, 2011
THE
RUNWAYREPORT
HELEN YARMAK
A
s N e w Yo r k Fa s h i o n We e k
came to a close, it became
clear that fur is not simply
integral to today’s key trends, it is one of
the season’s most important trends. Designers used fur to f lex their creative
muscles, delivering exciting, innovative,
luxurious fur and fur-trimmed fashions
and accessories.
HELEN YARMAK
ADRIENNE LANDAU
JEREMY SCOTT
Rock ‘n’ roll energy met fur royalty in
Helen Yarmak’s Fall 2011 collection.
Sable, once the fur exclusive to nobility,
was fashioned into a side-buttoned
poncho so sumptuous it was in a class
by itself. A fox vest dyed br ight orange
would rock the house wherever it goes
and a glossy black kidskin coat with
black goat trim def ined urban sophistication. However, it was her colorful
spin on combating winter that got everyone’s attention: camouf lage-printed
furs. A swirl of black, inky blue and
gray, the iconic pattern was rendered
on free-f lowing vests, wraps and f lattering dresses in mink and fox. Although shown with jeans, it was clear
they could lend a cool edge to dressier
looks, too. True chameleons, the camouf lage furs are reversible, a Yarmak
signature that recurred throughout the
collection. Rather than merely fabricating a lining, Yarmak sueded,
bronzed and laser-printed the natural
back of the furs, adding to every garment’s manifold versatility.
ADRIENNE LANDAU
CHRISTIAN COTA
ELENE CASSIS
With g uest desig ner Johnny Weir,
Adr ienne Landau presented a f ierce
and fearlessly f un collection of f ur
fa shion for Fall 2011. Landau exuberantly embraced the layered look, a
ma sh-up of color, tex ture, propor tion
and silhouette. Trends, seen elsewhere on the r unways, found some of
the most creative expressions in f ur in
this line. Patchwork, for example
came in a multi-colored fox vest.
Multi-colored mink vests w ith a zigzag pattern evoked a tr ibal feel.
Where capes and stoles may have been
the f ur attraction at other shows, here
they were found topping coats. Weir
spor ted the look in the mink coat and
silver fox body stole he designed. A
shor t mink f uchsia-str iped vest over a
pur ple Mongolian jacket wa s layer ing
at its most dar ing.
JEREMY SCOTT
ACCESSORY ROUND-UP
Famous for his sense of fun and campy
style, Jeremy Scott gave his fans plenty to
cheer with his candy-colored romp through
the Nineties’ club scene. Where he used fur,
he played fun-house mirror with proportion and volume: a tangerine shrunken
shearling jacket that topped a cheeky pillpattern jumpsuit, a mini skirt with a large
swathe of bright orange-dyed fox that
looked as if it might engulf the silver leather
top half of the skirt and a bubble-gum pink
chubby that was worn over a long, sheer
dress and boy shorts in silver. Scott’s Mary
Jane platforms covered in long goat hair
were cool enough for the club but as cozy as
bedroom slippers.
CHRISTIAN COTA
An exploration through rugged terrain,
Christian Cota’s Fall collection was packed
with earth-hued knits, separates and coats
that can take a woman from day to night —
or from the tundra to TriBeCa. In his first
foray into fur, he explored “painterly effects
through texture” as demonstrated by the
nomadic plaid wool onde fox coat worn over
a long tank jersey dress, as well as in a long
two-toned feather fox long vest and a
sheared blue frost fox knit jacket, both of
which were also shown with prints that
beautifully played off the texture and variegated colors in the fur. Other highlights: a
felted wool pencil skirt with a swathe of fox
running down the front; a heathered wool
long- sleeve top with fox running diagonally
across the front, curling around the back
and touching the front of the opposite
shoulder; and a printed onde fox sheath
dress that managed to have shape despite
the fullness of the fur.
No longer the little add-on extras of seasons
past, fur accessories made a big statement
on the runways for fall, reaching new
heights with bold, attention-grabbing looks
— from dramatic face-framing hoods and
high collars/neck pieces to oversized handbags and the sexiest boots and stilettos ever
seen. Some of the most exciting looks included: The fox-brimmed louz hat at Oscar
de la Renta worn alluringly low on the forehead. Imperially high on the neck, Christian Cota’s printed onde fox collars were
feathery and flattering. Long on sex appeal
were J. Mendel’s open-toed, thigh-high
boots in navy Indian broadtail, Ohne Titel’s cuff stiletto boot with fox trim and Alexander Wang’s dyed red fox stilettos with
mud flaps. Dennis Basso’s marigold chinchilla and alligator handbag and Michael
Kors’ all-fox messenger bag were sporty
chic at it most luxe. Last but not least,
Venexiana’s striking fox muff with fox tails
shown with a chiffon evening gown and
Elene Cassis’ wine fox muff paired with
matching fox neckpiece made a strong case
for a serious revival of the muff.
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
CHRISTIAN COTA
MICHAEL KORS
DENNIS BASSO
J. MENDEL
ALEXANDER WANG
ELENE CASSIS
Elene Cassis presented a range of lady-like
luxe looks for Fall 2011. Inspired by the
New York skyline, the collection — mostly
dresses in graphic patterns in black and
white and shimmering neutrals — was a
study in sophistication. Plush fox neckpieces and hats added to the glamour and
cosmopolitan allure. A black mink vest
with leather belt and a black mink short
top worn over a black and white silk jersey
dress expressed an easy, casual elegance.
The designer took a walk on the wild side
with a cape — a strong silhouette this season — in black mink and bouclé wool that
needed only the thigh-high boots to show
how fabulous it was.
THE NATURAL, RESPONSIBLE CHOICE
Fur Information Council of America 8424 A Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 860
West Hollywood, California 90069
323.782.1700
www.fur.org