runway trends

The Lady Bag for fall

 in General Fashion / Handbags / Trends  tagged fall 2011 / runway trends / satchels / winter 2012 by

The “Lady Bag,” or top handle satchel, was a huge handbag trend for fall 2010. When the spring 2011 runway collections hit the catwalk, the top handle satchel was nearly absent; minus the classic designers who keep the style in their collections regardless of the trends du jour. While Hermes and Christian Dior showed Lady Bag styles for spring, most designers such as Roberto Cavalli and Gucci opted for the trendier, 1970’s inspired shoulder bag with a long strap.

Consumers and Fashionistas everywhere were not ready for the classic yet trendy “Lady Bag” to fade into the background for spring, so shoppers continued to purchase the handbag style and store buyers happily stocked shelves with the satchel. Due to the demand for the classic top handle satchel, designers retuned the style to the runways for fall 2011; as if the handbag had never left the catwalk.

Almost every designer imaginable featured the top handle satchel for fall 2011 on their runways in New York, London, Paris and Milan. Some designers such as Christian Dior, featured the style with a detachable cross body strap to add versatility to the style. Gianfranco Ferre and Nina Ricci showed the classic silhouette with one top handle while Hermes and Christian Dior showed double handle totes for fall.

Whether you purchase the double or single handle style “Lady Bag,” the handbag is a classic and perfectly on trend for now into fall. The best colors to look for when purchasing a top handle satchel are neutrals that will last the test of time such as shades of Ivory, black, brown and navy. Happy shopping and stay fabulous 

Fall 2011 Fashion Trends: Vintage

 in General Fashion / Trends  tagged 1930s / 1940s / 1960s / 1970s / 1980s / fall 2011 / runway trends / vintage styles by

The fall 2011 runways in New York, Milan and Paris gave the fashion world a glimpse of what will be hitting store shelves later this year. Although there were many trends and unique looks from designers around the world in February, March and April, one of the more dominant trends from the runway was the vintage trend.

The vintage trend seems to make its way onto the runways every season in various forms from accessories to hair-styles to overall silhouettes and ensembles. The fall 2011 runways seemed to favor a few time periods this season which are continuing from spring 2011 as well as appearing for the first time in a few years.

The 1960’s and 1970’s were all over the spring 2011 runways and continued to make an impact for fall 2011. Designers such as Blumarine (1960’s) and Marc by Marc Jacobs (1970’s) featured a simple decade in their collections and created an instant vibe that took viewers back to a different time. The influence in the runway collections as a whole from these decades gave the fashion world a continuation of 1960’s bright colors, 1970’s wide leg pants, 1970’s hats, 1970’s shoulder bags and shoes from both eras.

The 1980’s also made a small appearance on the fall 2011 runways. Dolce Gabbana created collection for fall which instantly took the fashion world back to a time of bubble gum pop, oversized shirts and eclectic mixtures of colors. The 1980’s showed Fashionistas that mixing colors and loose tops over thin bottoms are du rigueur for fall 2011.

The Great Recession has led designers to be inspired by the styles of the Great Depression. Designers such as Louis Vuitton showed vintage silhouettes from the 1930’s and 1940’s with top handle satchels, below the knee skirts and ladylike looks that evoke memories of black and white film.

The vintage trend for fall 2011 is diverse and includes contrasting decades and influences from bright and swinging eras as well as times of struggle. It should be interesting to see which time periods buyers decide to gravitate towards. 

Paris Fashion Week fall winter 2011/2012 recap

 in General Fashion / Trends  tagged fall 2011 / paris fashion week / runway trends / winter 2012 by

Paris Fashion Week ended on Wednesday and left fashion fans sad and happy at the same time. Sad because we have run out of runway shows to watch, and happy because we now have a glimpse of which trends from spring are continuing into fall. We also now have insight into new, up and coming trends.

New York and Milan visited past decades from the Art Deco era, the Depression era, the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s. In Paris, the tone was more sedate and although designers took their inspiration from the same time periods that were shown in New York and Milan, the tone was dark and serious.

Louis Vuitton took visitors on a train ride in the 1940’s with a serious yet classic tone. The music was deliberate and the silhouettes were ladylike and tailored. Chanel sent their collection down a runway that seemed as if it had been bombed out and dressed models as if they were walking on the city streets; not showing Chanel’s collection to buyers, editors and clients.

The overall vibe of Paris Fashion Week was tailored; long hemlines, dark colors, luxurious fabrics and a return to ladylike dressing. Black was a dominant color with spots of red, burgundy, mustard, forest green and shades of grey. Winter white also made an appearance on the runway either alone or paired with black.

The shoes shown on the runway varied between high heel booties, lace ups and menswear inspired tie shoes. Paris showed a handbag collection that mirrored what was seen in Milan with a large amount of top handle satchels, shoulder bags and daytime clutches.

It should be interesting to see which styles hit city streets and which trends remain on the runway and in the archives. Will we be seeing a large amount of red? Will everyone dress in black and grey? Will worn jeans make a comeback paired with luxury aka Chanel? Will Art Deco and the Depression push the 1970’s out of 2012? It should be interesting to which trends store buyers gravitate towards, and which ones are left without any orders for fall.

To view a video of the Louis Vuitton show, please click here.

To see fifty photos from Chanel, please click here.