Isabel Marant: Forwarding Fall Fashion

Isabel Marant is one of my always favorites: ohh-la-la French incarnate, uber-wearable, ultra-chic.

See what I mean? It's oh so French, oh so cool.

Her Fall 2010 line-up is no exception and highlights to finely-tuned elegance and STYLE some of the best of this fall’s “trends.”¹ So here, without further ado, five of the hottest (read: most prevalent) trends for Fall as interpreted by Mlle. Marant.

Faux Fur

PETA must be so pleased that with all the furry on the catwalk, so much of it, though definitely not all of it,² this time around is fake. The look though is extremely luxurious, sumptuous, and fantastic in the way of literal fantasy. You’ll find stripes not seen on beasts, colors only found in flora,³ and poufs of long-haired pretty.

Skinny jeans and a big ol' crazy fur coat: You need nothing more to be hip as a hellcat. The great thing about this trend is that it's oh-so-easy to find it in a thrift store.

Printed and/or Embellished Pants

Look, jeans and simple black slacks are never going to go out of fashion, but one of the coolest things going on right now on the runways is the reexamination of the pant. The whole harem thing might not appeal to most (as it’s essentially widening the thigh) but this one, I think, can be done to great aplomb.

It’s cool, it’s easy, it brings interest.

Here we've got the great Freja Beha Erichsen rocking the sleek slack in stupendous print. Also, bringing along the bad-ass and highlighting the next trend...

Leather

Another classic redone, leather was everywhere on the runway and if you’re going to get one new piece–or re-imagine any old favorite–this season, I’d suggest it be a bad-ass leather coat. Or splurge on those leather pants you’ve always not-so-secretly wanted.

Sasha Pivovarova (I love her name--so many V's) rocking the wild print and strong shoulder with THE BEST PAIR OF LEATHER PANTS I've ever seen. Covet.

Fall 2010 saw more than just a plethora of leather pants and coats (consistent favorite of rock stars and bikers and their wannabes), but Stella McCartney, Celine, Chloe, and Dior (to name a few) also sent down leather tops, dresses, and skirts.

This is another thrift-able trend. Truly though, I think these Marant pairs are the coolest ever. My birthday is in December, ahem.

Texturize

I’ve spoken of it before, and I will again, but the mix-and-match movement in prints is one of the coolest things happening in fashion and it’s showing up everywhere. In a similar way, we can see how monochromatic makes good with a conscious effort toward mix-it-up materials. Wool, silk, leather, brocade, cotton, linen, knits, sequins, lame: You can keep it sleek and still hold interest by playing around with texture and tone. Mix mattes and shine, sleek and soft, harsh and sheer.

It's all moody greys, but what could be easily dull and tired instead pops thanks to sparkle paired with brushed wool and easy cottons.

Shine On with Metallics and Sequins

Again, this is a trend we’re seeing everywhere right now. Again, this is something of which I have spoken highly in the past. Granted, like so many things in the Industry, metallics are come-again favorite. That doesn’t make the latest incarnations any less chic IMHO.

Yes. Please.

It’s important to KEEP IT SIMPLE, though. Unless you’re going ball gown, keep your gold or glitter down to one key piece, and mix up the rest.

1. I say “trends” with finger-quotes because, let’s face it, these are all modes that arise again and again and again and again. More than trends these are classics. As always, the trick is to play them in a new tune, with a new twist, to make them your own.
2. Seriously. Fur turned up but EVERYWHERE.
3. See Armani, Versace.