Pristine white runways strutted on by lanky models, the most elite examining the myriad
of clothes in the front row, and never-ending after parties filled with giveaway swag. These
are just a few of the glamorous perks of attending New York’s Fashion Week. If you are a
college kid growing up in a small town on the West Coast like myself, these extravagant
experiences may seem foreign to you. Luckily though, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week made
it possible for us “unfortunate” crowd to have the ability to view all of the amazing pieces
debuted during the week of Sept. 6-13 online. To say the least I was glued to my thirteen-
inch computer screen for those eight glorious days of every top designer unveiling his
or her new collection. For readers out there who did not have the chance in their active
schedules to peruse the newest spring collections, I selected five of the most inspiring new
and familiar trends that could be taken from the runway to a night out on the town.
1. Crop Tops
For the 2013 spring season it appears the higher the hem the better, and I’m not talking
about a skirt hem. All over the runway barely there tops and bralettes were spotted at
numerous designer shows. Marc Jacobs dressed his models in sheer tops that revealed
midriff bearing bralettes. Jason Wu skipped the sheer tops and sported his models in
lingerie-esque bras and hot pants. To say the least, “Fifty Shades of Grey” has infiltrated the
fashion world.
2.Sporty
Sports meets runway. Many unexpected designers covered their models in zippers,
visors, and sports bras this season. Donna Karen fashioned her models in metallic wedged
sneakers along with trendy oversized coats for the DKNY 2013 spring collection. Also
Michael Kors, who is commonly known for his stunning red carpet gowns, strategically
placed zippers on a few of his dresses to add an athletic vibe. This sporty trend
demonstrates that fashion is no longer for the girly girl, but rather the modern day
adventurous woman.
3. Mixed Patterns
Whoever said flowers and stripes could not be mixed has been proven wrong during the
2013 spring fashion shows. Bold is back! All over the runway prints and patterns of all kind
screamed, “Wear me”. Marc by Marc Jacobs sent models down the runway in eye-catching
geometric shapes from head to toe. While Philosophy mixed pale red, blue vertical, and
horizontal stripes to create strikingly sophisticated suits. It seems that matching is totally
out now that the 2013 spring collection has arrived.
4. Leather
Leather: the epitome of seduction is back again. Black, brown, and blue leather ensembles
graced the runways during multiple shows. Derek Lam used immeasurable amounts of
leather to adorn his models. His most memorable piece was a show stopping blue leather
frock. From his creative take and use of dyes on leather, Derek Lam nailed the familiar
trend that never seems to want to leave fashion.
5. Cut Outs
Cut outs throughout dresses were a must on the runways for spring 2013. Designers went
to town on creating pieces that tactfully revealed skin. Alexander Wang sliced out pieces on
the top and sides of a demure white dress to add sex appeal. Herve Leger subtly exposed
the décolletage in hip hugging mini. Cutouts always run the risk of being too trashy, but
designers this season kept the cutouts sexy while exposing minimal amounts of skin.