City Pulse

NYFW Fall 2012: Richard Chai LOVE / Rebecca Taylor

By Laura Werling

New York Fashion Week has begun! This season, quality and modern functionality seems to be the priorities in the collections. I saw a perfect example of beautiful quality at Richard Chai LOVE, which included both the women and men’s collections.

“I want it to be clean and crisp, accessible and believable,” said Chai, and the inspiration for the collection was “handsome femininity.” The result was a strong and androgynous look across the board; the line between the men and women’s pieces is blurred and the opposing sides are overlapping to mix into a beautiful display of modernity. James Kaliardos for MAC Cosmetics created a face to complement the collection, clean and bold. As for the hair, an effortless, side swept look was created by Kevin Ryan and Frank Rizzieri for Aveda.

Another notable show was Rebecca Taylor, which was definitely a departure from her usual delicate, feminine aesthetic. She branched out from the pretty ruffles and flowers, and delivered us with an edgy and urban collection. The dark, rich colors and plush velvet and leather mix together for a hard vs. soft collaboration. The look was completed with the perfect, thrown-together hair. Dai Michishita for Cutler was responsible for the textured, loose hair pulled back into a low, perfectly disheveled braid. Sil Bruinsma for MAC Cosmetics painted a beautiful, strong face to conclude the look.

Rebecca Taylor (Image Courtesy Style.com)

“Our girl has a slightly darker heart,” said Taylor. “Our prints were feeling a little stale, so we took Rebecca Taylor staples and digitized them.” Layering of fabrics and prints, classic Rebecca Taylor style, was given a darker twist this season.

Originally published February 2012

Richard Chai Fall 2011