The Big Four - Fashion Week Recap

The big four fashion shows - New York, London, Milan and Paris - have come to a close and what a whirlwind it was. In this multi-part series, we are going to take a look at some of the highlights from the shows and trends seen on and off of the runway. To get this series kicked off, I'm going to recap some of the more newsworthy happenings from each city.

New York Fashion Week

The first of the big four, New York City's most memorable show goes to Ralph Lauren. The designer was celebrating his 50th anniversary, and he chose to hold his show in Central Park. The attendee list read as a who's who in the fashion world. Also on display in Central Park was an installation that paid homage to Lauren's work by highlighting how he has drawn inspiration from England to the American West. Here's what the brand shared on social media about this exhibit.

"During the 50th Anniversary Show in New York City’s Central Park, a one-of-a-kind immersive experience dove into Ralph Lauren’s story through a series of monolithic LED sculptures and holographic projections, including mini-movies narrated by Mr. Lauren himself. True to the city’s DNA, the installation blended a reverence for the past with an excitement for the future—as the event was also a benefit for the Central Park Conservancy, which has helped preserve and protect the park for several decades."

Ralph Lauren Instagram

This installation would then go onto London, Beverly Hills, Paris and Tokyo. This tour, if you will, also highlights Lauren's global reach and impact he has had on so many during his 50-year career.

London Fashion Week

Victoria Beckham celebrated her 10th anniversary by showing in London, which marked the British designer's first London Fashion Week appearance. Historically, Beckham held her show during New York Fashion Week. And, she went all out for her show in London, as she even showed her runway collection live in Piccadilly Circus.

Another highlight from LFW was the debut of Riccardo Tisci for Burberry. There was a lot of anticipation built prior to his show with the British brand unveiling a new logo and had many of its facades/windows "overtaken" with its new logo. There were also various Burberry installations that popped up, such as in London's Marble Arch, and even a skyscraper projection in Shanghai. On the runway, many of the looks were "See-Now, Buy-Now", which I found an intriguing move as it was Tisci's first collection for the brand.

Milan Fashion Week

The shows from Milan were amazing. Some of my favorite looks came out of Milan. Yet, the biggest news to come out of Milan was after the shows ended. The news of the American brand Michael Kors purchasing the Italian fashion house Versace for roughly $2.1billion rocked the fashion world. Even those not in the fashion industry were asking me about this announcement. In fact, it seemed there was so much buzz around this (and not necessarily all positive), Donatella Versace needed to or felt the need to speak out via social media to confirm she wasn't going anywhere.

"Ciao a tutti! You all know how I love the interaction that I have with all of you here. First of all, I wanted to let you know that I am NOT going anywhere, so for those who wanted to get rid of me, well…it ain’t happening! I also wanted to reassure you that Versace will remain ITALIAN, Made in Italy and that it will keep its GLAMOUR, DARING and INCLUSIVE attitude that has made you all love it. This is just the beginning of an exciting, new adventure that I hope you will live together with me!"

Stay tuned on this topic, as there will certainly be more news.

Paris Fashion Week

Where London had Tisci, Paris had Hedi Slimane, who made his debut for Celine. In addition to changing the spelling of the brand's name - no more accent, the look of the brand shifted from that of what Slimane's predecessor Phoebe Philo had created during her tenure at the French fashion house. Overall, the collection received mixed reviews.

Chanel. Karl Lagerfeld. What else is there to say? Just when you begin to wonder how Lagerfeld will outdo himself, he does it again. Before we get to his show, let's preface it by saying shortly before Chanel's ss19 show, the brand announced their purchase of British swimwear brand Orlebar Brown. Keeping that in mind, it should not come as too much of a surprise that for Lagerfeld's show, he took us to the beach - figuratively of course, as it was held in Paris' Grand Palais. There was sand, water, lifeguards and lots of amazing clothes.

Chanel on Instagram

Now that you have your runway fix, it is time to do a little shopping of your own. As fall is here, why not add a pair of Adea Leggings to your wardrobe?

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