NEW VICTORIAN

(L) Valentino; (R) Victoria Beckham.

Designers did indeed go back for style inspiration to the late 19th century. There was a romantic feel that flowed through fall, winter and resort collections, carried out by the New Victorian look. Ruffles, high necklines, and lace had a significant impact on the runway. While some designers ventured out into jewel tones, our favorite pieces had to be the black and white renditions by Tamara Mellon, Alexander McQueen, and Valentino’s Fall 2015 ready-to-wear collections.

FUR

(L) Tom Ford; (R) Anna Sui.

Fur permeated the Fall collections, but designers had different approached to their presentations. While some fashion houses opted for collars and cuffs accents, others went all out. Anna Sui’s fur pieces are a nod to the 1970s, mainly an ombre burnt orange and brown vest. Givenchy preferred monochromatic drama with a spectacular red Marmot coat, and Tom Ford went for reinvention, mixing fur and denim and playing with varying hues to create chevron stripes and patchwork ensembles.

VELVET

(L) Tom Ford; (R) Erdem.

Soft and smooth, velvet is the perfect luxe material for the fall and winter seasons. Velvet showed up everywhere, from skirts to dresses to shoes. Some designers chose to go all out while others incorporated hints of the rich material to add dimension and depth to their looks. Givenchy’s Fall Collection mixed velvet with other fabrics to create amped up little black dresses while Chloe’s Fall Collection surprised all fashionistas with patchwork designs also reminiscent of the 1970s. The outcome were pieces that look cozy, yet lush, and that’s a combination that few can argue with.

FRINGE

(L) Victoria Beckham; (R) Tom Ford.

Fringe isn’t going away anytime soon, at least not this fall or winter. It has moved on from bags and shoes and made its way into more structured pieces. Tamara Mellon updated her famous fringe skirt by adding pops of green, purple or red. And Tom Ford brought movement and flirtiness to classic pieces, like a knee-length skirt and perfect white dress, with tiers of fringe. For her 2016 Resort Collection, Victoria Beckham added movement to her coats with minimal, asymmetrical fringe accents.

PANTSUITS

(L) Christian Siriano; (R) Victoria Beckham.

A menswear-influenced design becomes a flattering, timeless piece that screams sex appeal. These year’s fall/winter and Resort Collection pantsuits are enhanced by flattering silhouettes and unconventional materials. Polished and never complicated, pantsuits are ideal for the woman who prefers a little edge but still wants to look smart. Givenchy’s Fall Collection added femininity with brocade while Victoria Beckham used sequins and Tom Ford, ingeniously, added fringe. Christian Siriano created a figure flattering classic suit, in a fun monkey print perfect for the woman who likes a little whimsy in her structured suit. More about fashion trends: Luxury Becomes More Discreet. ■