In my mind, there are two types of designers: those that make us think about fashion and its relationship to philosophy and art, and those that make fashion accessible and wearable to the average fashion fan. Each pursuit has its own challenges, but it’s without question that Diane Von Furstenberg has the second type of clothing on lock.
Menswear was a dominant theme in DVF’s Fall/Winter 2010 collection, but it was styled in such a way that it would be totally accessible and wearable outside of an office setting. Blazers were layered over floaty chiffon, a girly rose-covered bolero was layered over a suit, and it all looked functional and fun to wear. The textural layering continued with chunky knits over sparkly patterned dresses, and Von Furstenberg threw in a few of her signature wraps for good measure. So what does this collection tell us?
First and foremost, it tells us that DVF is still, and will always be, a master of print. If I had the cash on hand, I would be the first to line up to buy every patterned party dress in this collection, and there were quite a few of them. They were styled more casually than they might have been in previous collections, but the presentation choice gave potential buyers plenty of ideas about how to get extra mileage out of a fun dress.
Wearability has always been a great part of DVF’s clothing, and this collection continues the tradition. I want almost everything that she presented in my closet now. Yesterday. It’s of-the-moment, richly rendered and will speak to a variety of customers.
Photos via Style.com.
