Fall 2009 introduces many new fashion trends including the thigh high boot, the sharp shoulder silhouette and a continuation of the 80’s trend. Velvet made a comeback at many of the runway shows including Prada, Lanvin, Chloe and Ralph Lauren. My favorite collection of the season was Louis Vuitton, where Marc Jacobs focused on the romance and glamour of Paris in the 1980’s. I loved the ruffles, the lace, the bold colors, the exaggerated bows and don’t even get my started on the accessories! Paper chain style leather necklaces, thigh high boots, ankle strap platform high heels, amazing leather handbags all made an appearance on the runway.
Key items you can count on for Fall include the pencil skirt, the draped dress, the disco dress, the belted coat, the oversize blazer, and the leather jacket. Fabrics that will be important for fall include leather, velvet, lace and tweed. Must-have accessories include the thigh high boot, printed tights or leggings, a classic clutch handbag, bold necklaces, ankle strap high heels, skinny belts, and platform pumps.
From the totally outrageous designs of
Marc Jacobs to the contemporary minimalism seen at Jil Sander, Fall 09 promises to be refreshingly colorful, elaborate and sophisticatedly sweet. In order to get a snapshot of what Seattle would look like this fall I asked local designers and boutiques how they were planning to interpret the trends and what key items they were most excited about.
Sway & Cake’s top trends for fall include punky ruffles, pastel florals (from Patterson Kinkaid, Daftbird and Rory Becca), studs and zippers (from JJ Winters, Black Orchic and
Rececca Minkoff), tie dye jeans (from J Brand, Blank, and Orchid), Statement jewelry and thrashed leggings (from Lna and Nightcap). “We’re also getting in some embellished blazers and faux fur vests from 32 Flavors by Young Fabulous and Broke and a few other brands,” says Laura Paige, one of the Sway & Cake buyers, “and of course jumpsuits are still super hot from brands like
Ra Mona La Rue and Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent.” Fall at
Sway & Cake will be a lot of 80’s punk. Expect to see a Sequin Black Blazer paired with a hot pink tulle ruffle mini and don’t forget to get in on the pre-sale of the Ramona La Rue Jumpsuit that was featured on the premiere of Entourage.
La Ree in Bellevue just recently received their first fall deliveries from
Helmut Lang, A.L.C., Alexander Wang, and Rozae Nichols. “It is all about mixing sophistication with a tougher urban look for Fall- Introduce your classic black pencil skirt to rough metal zippers, and your classic denim jacket topper to black leather sleeves,” says Anika from La Ree. Key items you’ll find at La Ree this fall include the Helmut Lang Zipper Belt Dress, the A.L.C. Zipper pencil skirt, and the
Alexander Wang Goatskin Sleeve Jacket. Shop online by clicking
here.
Online chic boutique La Rousse also has some great merchandise for Fall including designs from
Margarita Saplala (NY), Mary Meyer,
Masha Osoianu,
Neurotica (UK), Obesity & Speed (NY),
Sophmore, Something Else, Seneca Rising and serial Cultura. Shop online by clicking
here.
If you’re looking for thigh high boots or fabulous footwear for Fall ‘09 look no further than Seattle-based Report Footwear. Their thigh high boot “Kane” comes in both leather and suede and has stud and zipper details.
Some of you might not be quite ready to commit to the thigh high boots and in that case Report Signature has a great ankle boot called the “Kline” which comes in black, dark brown and grey.
For those of you who prefer high heels you’ll love Report Signature’s “Dante”. It’s a platform, ankle strap heel with a zipper detailed bow. This shoe comes in black leather or your choice of black or purple satin. Check out Report shoes at Nordstrom.
When it comes to handbags, Clutch tell us they are very into the rocker trend for Fall including studs, fringe and of course, leather! Owner Kimberly loves
CC Sky’s interpretation of leather fringe done in metal- and she’s not the only one! This bag has also been seen on Fergie! Click
here to shop online.
Speaking of fabulous handbags, the classic bag is one of the major fall trends and Seattle-based handbag line Rocco E Dante has a great bag called the Hancock. I love the Italian leather, basic styling, back zip detail and of course, the gold hardware. This bag comes in black, brown and forest green. "The collection features top grain Italian leather that’s very supple and thick in dark classic hues. Overall the collection is classic but has a bit of an edge with the screw top studs and zipper details,” says designer Tara Sauvage. Her favorite bag from the fall collection is the Prude Bag, “It features a cross body strap and a triple gusset. Tons of pockets and easy to wear for everyday.” To shop the Rocco E Dante collection online, click
here.
Fashion Ethic, Seattle’s eco-friendly online boutique will have lots of great pieces for Fall including an organic cotton twill two-piece suit, high waisted skirts by
Emily Katz, and lots of “double-duty” tops which can easily go from under a blazer at the office to a great night out. “With the uncertainty of the economy,” says owner Candice Caldwell, “women should get more out of their Fall pieces while still maintaining a sense of newness in their wardrobes.” My personal favorite for fall is the Emily Katz trench coat made from recycled poly/hemp denim and features a drop waist and skirted styling with a tie belt. Check out more eco-friendly fashion on the Fashion Ethic site by clicking
here.
Local footwear designer
Carolina Pagano has a great calf hair zebra pump and gold fish scale flat for fall. “The idea behind these two styles for fall was to go wild with the prints! I took the inspiration from the roughness of the woods and forests in the south of Brazil and wanted to create that wild look with perfection in the finishes and the gold and patent leather to give that sharp sophisticated look to the shoes. I think it falls in the wild animal trend that is going on right now,” says designer Carolina Sadowski. Her designs can be found at
Posh on Main in Bellevue.
thinknow design a local eco-friendly jewelry line has a great metallics collection for fall (which fits right in to the 80’s theme!) The metallic earrings are made from a rich walnut using metallic paper. Designer Becky Ellis notes that these beautiful earrings are the perfect way to transition your jewelry from summer to fall while still being eco-friendly. “The Metallic Papers we use allow us an eco-alternative to traditional precious metals with a range of metallic, pearlescent and irridescent colors that are both sophisticated and natural,” says Becky. To shop the thinknow collection click
here.
