Best of Fashion's Rest: Top Five

Dear Kristin,
A brief summary of recent shows.  In the form of a top five.

5.  The texture - the subtle sheen -  at ADAM.  Ah, and the tailoring.

4.  The cut and paste show at Altuzarra.  I think I even saw tape.  I especially loved the faux cutouts - it is as if you can see the girl's insides and her insides are made of snake skin.  It's not exactly wearable, but it is inspiring.  And if you can't be one, you must be the other.  (See Ohne Titel for another cool collection - it's worth your time.  I'd post it, I just hardly know were to start and, frankly, it needs to bee seen as a whole).

3. The fun at Suno.  Fun in the Sun(o)!  These are the only prints, the only downright playfulness, I've responded to this season.  Also, Suno makes everyone look like their best self.  (I'll address that in a later post (eventually) with some convincing before and after photos).

2.  Charlotte Ronson loves me just the way I am.  The lazy 90s: a gray hoodie hanging off the head, flannel with a sheer panel, worn sweaters around waists, midi-skirts, lace-up boots, and all of my primary colors.  I'm skipping the fat socks with sandals look though; it hits a little too close to cankle town.

1.  The back and blue at Christian Cota.  Those pants almost hit me in the face they're so wantable.  They are the notable exception to a collection that, while pleasant from the front, really knocked it out of the park from the back.  Skimming through these photos, I would note the new look, but become almost immediately distracted by the previous one.  Had I missed something?  I'd click back to discover that no, I really hadn't; it was simply the back of the dresses that really brought the drama.  So sneaky.  So welcome.  It reminds me of that cheesy line, "I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave."  Just because it's cheesy doesn't make it less true.

0.  Zero is totally the hero here.  Derek Lam, like a badass, reminds me why I look at almost every collection on style.com, slide after slide, for too many hours of my Sunday.  This is at once wearable, inspiring, and what I'd like to look like next spring.  Or every spring.

Love,
J. Benny

P.S.  I found little to gush about at Alexander Wang, although I did enjoy the finale photos.  The colors do work well together:

(Photo from nymag.com)

and the best thing going for Rag & Bone was, sadly, this little lady:

(Jessica Stam, photo from nymag.com)

Not that she isn't great.  But no matter how lovely she is in your past season's wears, it doesn't change how far less appealing this spring collection remains.  It only serves to remind me of how great you can be.