Post Fashion Week Chat: Cynthia Rowley's...
Kari: Hi Jetty Jane. So are you recovered from Fashion Week yet?
Jetty Jane: Just barely - It was a whirlwind of a week!
K: Yeah, it really was. What was your favorite thing about NY's spring 2009 fashion week?
Mine was definitely the off-site shows. This was the first year that I left the tents and saw some of the more indie and emerging designers.
K: I know you stayed under the tents and the shows there are SO theatrical and fun and very glamorous. What was your favorite show?
JJ: My favorite off site show was Cynthia Rowley. It was a great way to integrate New York, the city by requiring fashionistas to go into different neighborhoods and real NY buildings - its hard to remember that those tents aren't there most of the year!
In the tents, I would have to say my favorite show was Richard Chai and the Project Runway Show.
K: Yeah they do seem like permanent structures. I didn't see Cynthia Rowley, but I loved the piece that you wrote on her. How would you describe her spring 09 collection in three adjectives.
JJ: oh my!
Futuristic
Sleek
but also quirky
she played alot with detail. I really liked her spinal elements and the way she alluded to the "under-side" of dressing with reference to bones and the body.
Little added quirks that made me smile when the model walked down the runway - like I mentioned in the article, she had a simple black dress but then included a pin of porcelain eyes!
K: mhm, indeed.
JJ: The comedy in her clothes is extremely subtle, but once you see it, its hilarious
K: How do you think this will trickle down into mainstream fashion, if at all?
JJ: Ooo, good question. I think that stores like H&M and Forever 21 definitely pay attention to those details to replicate in their stores. I remember the huge craze for the Marc Jacobs clock necklaces in pear and apple shapes trickling down to those stores
I don't know if Rowley has the kind of voice in the bizz that Marc does to have one of those stores copy her ideas directly, but I definitely think that the desire to play with fashion is already in mainstream fashion.
K: I think we'll see a lot of reference to the body in spring 09 and fall 09 too. We're already experiencing cool cut outs from a lot of designers that put the emphasis on the figure. Most will probably shy away from being as creative, as Rowley with the idea of the actual human body— but I think we'll see a good deal of figure fitting looks with gestures to the female physique.
K: Rowley is so great because she's a risk taker and yet she's super commercial at the same time. She's very much a renaissance designer and woman. I hope more designers take the time to create original looks like she does.
JJ: Yes, that is very true indeed. It is all about sleek silhouettes that hug the body, but it is also about flounce and volume that is made to echo natural movement. Both techniques are beautiful.
Sep 17th