Boston Fashion Industry.com - The Blog

Taking center stage at the new fashion venue at Milk Studios, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez thrilled all those in attendance with a fun, flirty, and joyously colorful Spring 2010 collection. Bright psychedelic colors were on display in cool hues of blues and greens with touches of yellow and violet mixed in. I liken the color palette to a psychedelic ocean. The materials on most pieces were a mix of feathers and sequines creating interesting effects. Prints were reminiscent of 60's tye-dye but without all the rainbow colors. Buyers loved what they saw, so it's a good bet that you'll see a lot of Proenza Schouler in the shops next Spring if not on actresses and models first.

The winner of Season 5 Project Runway, Leanne Marshall, showed the judges a higher level of design skill that the audience only got glimpses of during the run of the show. What the judges saw during fashion week was a complete collection with a selection tops, dresses, pants, skirts and even shorts. They saw a chic, modern and refined style that was uniquely Leanne's own and not easily confused with other designers.

In a market glutted with designers, it's very important to have a look that defines you without trapping you. That of course, was the major concern of the judges from the collection. Leanne made several pieces using the design element of petals. The use was highly inventive but it might have been overly used. The judges don't want Leanne to be remembered as "Petals".

The judges made their decision feeling that Leanne would continue to grow and evolve her look. That said, I would agree. I think Leanne will grow as a designer an go beyond the petal look. I didn't think that she could create a collection like this during the first few weeks of Project Runway. I never would have expected her to win it all earlier on.

Her collection really caught my eye. If I were a buyer, I would have picked up a few of her pieces because of the destinctive yet comprehensive look. My personal taste leans on designs that make good use of unique shapes and forms. I do appreciate the use of architecture in apparel design. I'm a fan of high technical skill. Leanne went with a subtle color pallet similar to Calvin Klein but in the future, I'd like to see her use bolder colors such as jewel tones as well as embellished fabrics. I can't wait for her offical debut collection.

I remember the first time I fell in love with the fashions of Ralph Lauren. It was in that movie, The Great Gatsby with Mia Farrow and a dashing Robert Redford that I came to understand the heart of his work. It was the fantasy, that dream of casual yet elegant American Luxury that so many of us connect with and desire to be a part of. The dream is still alive and still very strong, as is Ralph Lauren himself at the young at heart age of 69.

There's no word of retirement from the famed designer. The Ralph Lauren fashion empire has grown considerably under his close supervision. Last year saw an expansion into Russia with two major flagship stores to go along with a 40th anniversary celebration. This year, there was a recent expansion into Turkey. Even with a slow down in retail ahead, the Ralph Lauren brand will weather the storm. The stock remains strong, though off its high of over $80 (usd) last year, it is no where near the levels of 2001 which saw a price near the low 20's. The clothing is as elegant and as desirable as ever with the recent showing of Spring 2009 for New York Fashion Week.

Is Ralph Lauren recession proof? Not much is but let's just say that it's resilient. Ralph Lauren, like his contemporaries Giorgio Armani and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, offers a fantasy of glamour and luxury that even in difficult times, we still hunger for. With the shake up in the World markets and the loss of capital, retail spending will no doubt decrease but the strongest luxury labels will endure. Ralph Lauren, the genius that he is, will never let the dream die.