Getting the scoop on fall fashion can be fun and unique experience

59db8f544ad75.image Getting the scoop on fall fashion can be fun and unique experience 

(Photo:vintage formal dresses)Every year I try to get to an event or two during Philly Fashion Week (PFW), just to be a part of the excitement and see what Philly’s designers are presenting to the fashion world. Let’s face it, PFW is not just plain old fun, but rather, it’s more of an experience! Philly’s Fashion Week isn’t stuffy and serious, only for the swanky rich, famous and connected, like New York’s Fashion Week or L.A.’s, or Paris’ or London’s shows appear to be. Truthfully, I have never attended all of those international shows, so I am only guessing what they are like, based on the movies and news clips that I’ve seen. But I have been to PFW more than once, and everyone who wants to go or has the interest is invited to join in the fun and glamorous pizazz of this weeklong, full-of-life party for Philly-area ‘phashionistas.’

Although there were many fashion shows and events during the week-long PFW (Sept. 18-23), including a show at Macy’s in Center City and an afternoon children’s fashion show, I could only attend one event this year. I chose the Friday night Runway I show located at Dilworth Park, right smack in front of City Hall. This year’s venue was a breathtaking scene with the fountains and lights at night. The event looked just like something one would see at New York Fashion Week, with tents, lights, a long runway for models wearing the city’s hottest fashions, a PFW backdrop for photo taking, photographers milling around with expensive cameras with long lenses and attendees glammed up in outfits that you’d only see, well, at a Fashion Week. There was even a trunk show following the runway extravaganza.

Some of the outfits off-stage, worn by those in attendance, were just as all-out, over-the-top and eye-catching as the outfits worn by models in the show. In fact, half of my amusement that night was checking out the outfits that people chose to wear to the show — the high boots, flowing overcoats, high heels higher and more exotic than I had ever seen before in person, unique hats, and all kinds of other ensembles that screamed, “Look at me, look at me,” so that is what I did throughout the night. I looked at them — one extreme outfit after the next. The operative word of the night was “glam,” and I really enjoyed seeing guys and ladies dressed to the nines for the evening of fun and fashion.

The designers that showcased their work during the Runway I show were; Love Cili, J. Pratt, Victoria Wright Designs, Ke’ Collection, Mariah Lynn Designs, Shahedah Textiles, Tertu Designs, Burning Guitars, Shrutis Designs, Steel Pony, Clarence Clottey London, and Laura Gomez, Dominique Albertini and Amira Myers from the Moore College of Art.

Most of the outfits on the catwalk were way over the top. In other words, I can’t picture too many average people who would wear them out in public, although I don’t want to generalize. There were definitely many that would look stylish, flattering and smart on the under-35 population. I attended the fashion show with my two daughters, so every other outfit or so, I would have to lean in to ask what these younger-than-me ladies thought of a piece on stage. I did this to confirm that it wasn’t just my age preventing me from fully understanding the beauty of certain pieces.

In all honesty, some of these designers presented hats that had to be 2 feet tall, women’s shirts that were completely see-through, dresses that looked like sewn-together shredded rags, men’s jumpsuits that were brightly colored and patterned (Thinking as hard as I could, I could not come up with a single guy that I know who would wear one), and a men’s outfit that consisted of two blankets sewn together. I felt stupid as I watched the room erupt into a standing ovation and applause, because I just didn’t get how the blanket outfit worn on top of a pulled-around-the-face hoodie was a fashion statement. This is the night that I learned a valuable lesson.

I always wondered why designers had so many outfits in a show that seemed unpractical, ridiculous, outrageous and — do I dare say — often quite hideous. It was at this show that I learned from the experts sitting near me, that fashion designers purposely make these outlandish fashion statements on the runways because they get people to pay attention and talk about them and their collections. They take the risk because they want to entertain, be remembered, stand out from the others and create publicity and noise by their outrageousness, their out-of-the-box, off-the-charts creativity. Designers rarely get noticed by parading hum-drum ensembles on the runway. I had never realized that designers created some of these fashions just to get noticed and get people talking about them, not really for the clothes’ street value wearability.

Runway designs are a form of wearable artwork, I was told. The emphasis is supposed to be on beauty and innovation, not functionality. Now I know.

Within all the collections presented, if you look really hard, you can pick out the emerging styles which will be available to the masses (us) this year. I had to pay really close attention to find these trends. Here are a few that I picked out after watching all of those designers’ collections. Flouncy sleeves are in — the bigger, the wider, the more embellished the better! Intricate, geometric and exotic patterns are also the rage on everything from dresses and blazers to skirts and pants. Mismatched patterns (striped bottoms paired with floral shirts) seemed to trend in most designer collections. Lots of ponchos, jumpsuits for men and women, suede and leather, lace, paisley and ruffles seemed to also be the fashion theme for fall. I noticed the sailor look and army fatigue chic look were both featured for women. High boots and noticeably bold, sassy, and powerful accessories were also big for fall.

One of the noticeably big changes in PFW, one that went with its more inclusive nature, was the diversity in model body types at the shows this year. The fashion shows incorporated models from the usual thin-framed variety to, average-build, to plus-size models. According to a press release, PFW co-founder Kerry Scott said, “We needed to highlight all body types, all shapes and sizes, and that’s what we did. We sought out designers who cater to every size, because we realized in the fashion industry, we can show you a sample size 2, but at the end of the day we want to give you what the average person is wearing, what the average person would look like.”

While it was refreshing to see some more realistic, larger body types in the show, and the more curvy models certainly received thunderous rounds of applause from the audience, I would have been more impressed if they were dressed in clothes that actually flattered them. Many wore clothes that appeared a few sizes too small. Although I appreciate that some larger women were comfortable in their skin, it was painful to watch them in Friday’s show, wearing skimpy bathing suits that absolutely did nothing to flatter their full figures. It would have been much nicer to see the plus-sized models in clothes that were flattering to them and complimented their curves. However, there’s always next year, when maybe the over 90-pound models will be dressed in clothes that enhance their silhouettes and flatter them, as clothes are meant to do.

Local fashion shows here in Delaware County usually present fashions from a nearby dress shop or boutique. People attending the fashion show can visit the stores after to purchase the dresses, coats and outfits that they saw on stage. These “looks” are always more practical and mainstream, something that you can definitely envision yourself wearing. Don’t get me wrong, these shows are always a great deal of fun and can let us know what’s in style and what a certain store is featuring for the season. However, they are a whole different animal than the high-energy excitement and creativity caused by these far-out, fabulous fashion fits on the runway at Philly Fashion Week. We are lucky to live so close to a city with its own fashion-forward style and once in a while, it’s fun to be a part of it all. Having hosted the week of catwalks and creativity for a dozen years now, Philly has absolutely put itself on the world’s map for its own style and look. There’s just something special about being amidst these cutting-edge designers, as well as students in local design schools and all kinds of other people who live and breathe high fashion.

Philly Fashion Week, which grows bigger and better every year, has become a staple in the national and international fashion world and will be back in the spring with another lineup of top designers and their innovative fabrics, textures and colors and another whole slate of fun and fabulous events. I may not have discovered too many fashion finds on the runway that night for an average person like myself, but I sure learned a lot about the fashion world and had a heck of a good time checking out the unique Philly-style creations of this area’s superstar designers.Read more at:marieaustralia