Nothing is more bankable than a woman’s love for handbags and shoes but the diffusion range, when aimed right, is attaining that level of bankability alongside. There are a plethora of diffusion ranges out there, some don’t quite meet the mark; quality for one, style for another but most importantly the confusion about who their customer is. But in New York Fashion Week AW’13, the standard was set with some of the most stand out collection from Marc by Marc Jacobs, Victoria by Victoria Beckham, DKNY, ICB by Prabal… Sometimes diffusion ranges can be seen as tacky or cheap, fillers for the designer’s back end but these labels showed a quality and craftsmanship, worthy of a mainline collection even and an astounding attention to detail. The middle market is becoming the heart for the brand.
Victoria, Victoria Beckham. I’ll say it again, like I said it last season and right from the Spice Girls. I adore Victoria Beckham. Posh Spice was my spirit animal and now as a designer she is my dream girl. Her looks are always refined and her silhouettes (yes that word again) divine. Not a stitch is out of place, every cut, every piece, every bit of her collection, both diffusion and main line, has been well thought out, perfectly targeted. Victoria, Victoria Beckham is in its fourth showing at New York Fashion Week but is by no means a cheap thrill. Still a tad pricey, but worth the investment because Victoria Beckham is a woman who knows how to dress women. She gets how we want to look, ease, comfort and sublime sex appeal. Its all in her DNA as a designer; the woman is always her starting point. For this season the look was part art school student emo with the dark colours and mellow mood, maybe from one of those old money families, some part androgyny, some part girly; sleeveless tuxedo dresses with formal shirts lent a cheeky kind of sexy feel; you know, class the morning after the night before and we all know what you did…the little dress with a poodle type detailing technique punching through it. Sequinned pretty dresses brought out the girlie girl in her. The big woolly hats and the bags which are new for the season. Ease, ease and more ease with fun. Nothing complicated, get up, get dressed and get out there.
DKNY. As always Donna Karan knows her customer, she’s the ultimate New Yorker, even if she is not really the New Yorker its the attitude you see, that brassy cool babe about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime. I am that woman, you are that woman, we all are. And for AW’13 there is a lot of cool and confidence and not to forget Donna’s iconic besties. Oversized coats; an absolute must, prints, tailored pieces in the mix. That über fresh laid back feel instrinsic to the label was juxtaposed perfectly with the swish feminine dresses, tailored separates, edgy sportswear and leopard print everything. Donna has brought the look, you bring the attitude. This long Biker coat is just EVERYTHING.
Marc by Marc Jacobs. Where Marc Jacobs is all kinds of grown up and quirky and luxe, Marc by Marc has always felt wayward, rebellious and playful. This carried on for AW’13 but there was an element of grown up to it. The look was slick, hair and make up was on point; big hair-full face, red lips the works. The 70s came alive, this nice parts of the 70s, with print dresses, those beautiful accessories, and a look well put together. But nothing about this was stuffy, there was still an element of fun to be had and we still saw smacks of the grunge so atypical of Marc. Its not Marc by Marc if you can’t have fun with it. The look was for every kind of girl, the working girl in her cool suits and separates to the party girl about town in the shiny disco queen get up. Funk and cool. Its what Marc does best.