New York Fashion Week Fall 2011: Top Trends

Anyone who’s anyone in the fashion world showed their collections at this past week’s New York Fashion Week, and although each designer brought their own unique aesthetic to the runways, several trends emerged. With the festivities coming to an end, it’s time to get a head start on shopping for your fall wardrobe, so make sure you keep your eyes out for the following trends when filling up those shopping bags:

Sheer Fabrics
Dare to show some skin this season in flirty sheer fabrics. Designers such as Theory left little to the imagination in their completely see-through tops, while others, including Narciso Rodriguez, Marc Jacobs and Monique Lhuillier, incorporated sheer patches into their designs for a peek-a-boo effect.

Rodarte used sheer fabrics over and under opaque fabrics for a layered look, while Carolina Herrara layered sheer upon sheer to give her dramatic coats and dresses a translucent appearance. Vera Wang, Badgley Mischka, Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger, Max Azria, DKNY, Derek Lam and Halston all also incorporated the sheer trend into their collections.

Fur
The fur was definitely flying on the runways this season, with top designers including the luxurious fabrics into their fall collections. Many showed fur collars, including Marc by Marc Jacobs, who added a fur collar to give a twist to the classic trench coat. Vera Wang used fur as lining for sleek leather jackets, while Donna Karan’s collection included fur-trimmed evening gloves and stoles. The Olsen twins’ The Row line was all about the fur, and included drapy hats, vests, collars and even a fur dress. Also incorporating this not exactly PETA-friendly trend were Alexander Wang, Peter Som, Rachel Roy, Carolina Herrera and Tommy Hilfiger.

Luxe Metallics
Don’t be afraid to shine, literally, in metallic statement pieces this spring. Tory Burch incorporated gold lamé into a full skirt, Marc Jacobs used a bold, bronze fabric for a shimmering blazer and cropped pants, and Derek Lam layered a gold blouse to add some interest to a pant and jacket look.

Bright Red Palettes
While bright colors in general are surprisingly on the forefront of a normally muted fall fashion season, bold reds seemed to be the “wow” color of choice on the runways. Monique Lhuillier showcased a gorgeous bright silk blouse as well as several red evening gowns, while Diane von Furstenberg’s show included a muli-textured multi-piece head-to-toe red ensemble and a red sequined evening dress. Other designers favoring the ruby tone were Prabal Gurung, Jason Wu, BCBG Max Azria, Rodarte and Derek Lam.

Seventies-Inspired Styles
It seemed like several designers had disco fever, bringing back 70s styles while revamping them to make them current. The Marc by Marc Jacobs show utilized Studio 54-worthy fabrics (including the bold bronzes mentioned above) and funky stripes. Tommy Hilfiger, who usually sticks to classic American looks, seemed to venture away from this with a collection he described as “bohemian prep,” showcasing long Boho skirts and wild prints. Diane von Furstenberg also seemed to have the 70s on her mind, with a collection that featured disco-ready sequin gowns.

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