Full disclosure: Nanette Lepore is one of my favorite designers ever–I love the way she uses pattern in her collections, her choices of color are always vibrant but tasteful, and her clothes fit me like they were made for me. So when I had the opportunity to attend one of her shows, I may or may not have squealed with delight. I’m happy to say my squeals were not in vain. Lepore’s Fall/Winter 2014 collection was inspired by the traveling bohemians, the free spirited gypsies.
The look began backstage, with hair by James Pecis for Beauty.com, who chose a gorgeous woven bang of sorts–no, he didn’t cut models’ hair, of course! Instead he used Alterna haircare and T3 tools to give the hair a rumpled texture, then took a section of the hair normally reserved for bangs and braided the edges across the forehead. The result was truly in the gypsy spirit. Next was makeup by Sarah Lucero for Stila, using a grey eyeliner and a berry lip to create an air of light smoke around the eyes and an idea that the gypsies had been eating berries on the lips! It was perhaps the best execution of a designer’s inspiration by a beauty team I saw during the week.
Lepore’s collection featured fabrics that moved–nay, traveled–like flannel and jersey, as well as earthy textures like mohair and alpaca. Many pieces themselves were softly ruffled, calling to mind the idea of a gypsy’s ruffling skirts. Colors ranged from deep wines and purples to golds and perky pinks. I was especially taken by the first piece shown in the collection, a bordeaux v-neck dress with an A-line skirt; a magenta embroidered pleat dress with a plunging v (I am about those v-necks, aren’t I??); and a balck, gold-beaded flannel dress with an asymmetrical hem and, yes, a plunging v (what can I say? Old habits die hard).
Take a look at more pieces from the collection here on Style.com, and view here for my pictures behind the scenes and at the show.