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NEW YORK, United States — Fashion brands are increasingly thinking about end consumers as they stage their shows which now appear instantly on Instagram, Facebook and other digital platforms. But behind all the marketing activity, are brands creating products that people actually want to buy?
Derek Lam, for one, seems to design with his customer in mind. This season, his inspiration was Alexander Calder and Richard Avedon, and you could see the former's influence in the line drawings that were engineered into a black and white viscose knit turtleneck and matching skirt. But forever a modernist, Lam's pieces invariably deliver on this brand promise no matter who or what appears on his mood board. Here, there were subtly puffed sleeves — on a scoop-neck navy crepe dress, a draped fuchsia velvet top or a white dressing gown belted at the waist to restrict volume.
An adult version of the pinafore — a piece with a plunging V-line neck done in double-faced wool and worn over a skinny ribbed turtleneck that rippled at the top — felt as if it was new enough to compel Lam’s clients to buy, as did the collection’s solid lineup of outerwear, including a cognac leather coat with a substantial collar and a diagonal-plaid fur paired with a skinny white belt and witchy white boots. Lam loves a draped, Grecian moment for evening. However, the black tulle gown and silk jersey dress felt out of place when considered with the rest of the collection. What worked better for evening was a series of sequinned cocktail frocks, a jangle-y spin on the hand-crocheted piece Lam proposed for day.
