By Sarah Tinoco

February 26, 2014

New York Fashion Week

While New York City endured another polar vortex, the fashion industry’s most elite braced themselves for an exciting month of fall and winter 2014-2015 collections.

New York Fashion Week kicked off on Feb. 5, with many New York-based designers beginning their shows with their dark colors. Jason Wu, Diane von Furstenberg, Alexander Wang, Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta exhibited a significant amount of black ensembles in their collections.

Herrera brightened her collection along the way with geometric graphic patterns and bursts of red and blue. De la Renta also lightened up with black and white jacquard prints and then transitioned into his feminine aesthetic of lace and embroidered designs colored in deep red, indigo and gold.

The duo of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler also featured similar black and white jacquards in addition to their leather and wool dresses that were a part of the texture blocking trend seen on many runways this season.

Phillip Lim of 3.1 Phillip Lim featured black leather and brown and lavender shearling patchwork in his collection. Tommy Hilfiger included similar maroon coats made of suede with patches of leather on his ski resort-inspired runway.

As chocolate dripped down the white wall next to the runway at the Opening Ceremony, designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim also displayed texture blocking of velvet and quilted nylon. In addition, Leon and Lim featured slouchy leather knee high boots that also made a similar appearance at rag & bone.

Sharp, open-calf boots at Alexander Wang’s show held in Brooklyn, rather than Manhattan, opposed the baggy boots trend.

Sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte turned many heads after their texture blocking sparkly velvet and chiffon gowns, with their finale evening gowns featuring pictures of Star Wars characters.

Designers presented colored furs throughout many of the collections, including de la Renta, Herrera and BCBG Max Azria.

Marc Jacobs ended New York Fashion Week with an ironic, somber tone that included simple neutral and pastel garments and fur bomber jackets as a spoken rendition of the song “Happy Days Are Here Again” played in the background.

London Fashion Week

The popular color of black traveled across the pond to London Fashion Week as it started on Feb. 14. More than half of both Erdem and Christopher Kane’s collections were composed of black garments.

Famous for her eye-catching prints, Mary Katrantzou did not exhibit a single print. Katrantzou opted for jewel tones and decals and embroidery of tribal-like designs and Aztec god-inspired figures.

Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos at Peter Pilotto headlined with rich colors and digitally printed geometric and floral graphics.  The duo began their show with texture blocking of fur trimmed, embroidered sweaters and carried on with pattern blocking.

Tom Ford continued on trend with onyx dresses and pencil skirts and purple and red fur coats. Ford also sported models with sequined sports jersey dresses representing Team Tom Ford.

Designers for Topshop Unique gave light with gray and tan dresses and coats. Fur coats were color blocked with patches of red, black and tan.

Christopher Bailey at Burberry Prorsum revealed earth tones and fall shades of orange, pink and blue on dresses and jackets of long lengths, each with flowing patterned scarves tucked into belted waists.

British fan-favorites Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney will show their collections in Paris.