The 70s? Not Here, Pal

Wes Gordon showed a series of slip dresses smartly laid out in thick enough fabrics to wear now on Friday morning. There were also chunky turtlenecks that surprisingly accentuated a neck’s length and a couple of high waist trousers shown in a light weight chambray that can pass for appropriate, though decidedly sexy, workwear. Through the overaching 90s motif was a light nod to the 70s in the case of a corduroy jacket and floral print, which was set in black, white and deep yellow.

I like Wes Gordon. He knows his clothes, which are sexy — and often dance along the fine like that separates the tasteful from what is less-than, championing the former. This season, with most heels supplanted by refined combat boots, ankle length skirts often equipped with thigh-high slits, cropped double breast coats and mink — a new fabric for the designer, it seems his biggest success was eliciting a large, collective “there’s nothing I wouldn’t wear” from the audience. Surely, a profound selling point.

The fabrics at Jason Wu are getting very technical. Wool isn’t just wool — it’s a finely torn print that envelopes the bottom of a dress that makes it impossible to reimagine these clothes at the hand of a super copycat like Zara. A fine but thick knit looks more like the ribbing on a deer’s neck when flexed. The fur is lush, the micro-beads are meticulously sewn to cover a t-shirt (and two dresses rendered in navy and white), and the draping is exquisite enough to make you wonder whether it is possible that a young man could understand a woman’s body better than she can. But that’s not even the genius of Jason Wu. There was a penultimate tuxedo that did not feature an actual tuxedo tie but went over no heads at all because when you’re Wu, you disregard a runway season’s narrative arc, build your own and watch.

And when you’re Adam Selman? You get to have fun. For fall, he channeled a 1950’s school yard with hair bigger than spray, scarves worn over it and several takes on the era so literal — gingham, mini skirts, shrunken sweaters and ankle socks — the show almost felt like a dress rehearsal. But underneath the jokes lain interesting and wearable clothes — cargo pants replete with knotted flaps on pockets, well fit suits, sewn appliqués and a couple closing gowns that might well grace the body of long time champion, Rihanna.

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Images via Style.com