Fashion Notes:
For her latest collection Pamella Roland created a winter wonderland that was inspired by her days skiing in Aspen. The setting was perfect for her glamorous winter gowns and dazzling fur coats. We especially loved the unique wood prints that most people would suspect as a marble pattern.

Key looks:
Red carpet gowns including stretch twill draped dresses and gowns with icicle beading and tuille

Textiles:
Structured silks, metallics, fur and subtle jacquards

Silhouettes:
Definitive daywear and lux layering pieces were shown alongside cocktail dresses and sleek, flowing gowns for all occasions and red carpet appearances.

Fashion Notes:
If you’re going to attend a Dennis Basso fashion show, make sure it’s the winter collection. The man is undeniably the master of fur and the designer showed lots of it in his latest runway collection.We saw fur arranged in all types of ways– horizontal, vertical and diagonal. So many beautiful shades of color makes you wonder why customers always go for black and brown. Perhaps a shot of orange for you next shrug?

Key looks:
Loved loved loved the sapphire chinchilla, which is a great alternative to black or brown

Textiles:
Fur and lots of it– Russian sable, broadtail, ermine, lynx, chinchilla and Fox

Silhouettes:
Dazzling elegance topped with the richness of fur fur fur

Scene:
Joan Rivers, Kelly Bensimon, Susan Lucci, Ivanka Trump and Star Jones

Fashion Notes:
The winter Fotini collection was based on the commanding strength of woman– Cleopatra, Helen of Troy and Queen Nefertiti. Through a ranging combination of fabrics the designer created a capsule evening collection.

Key looks:
Black and silver lace cocktail dress

Textiles:
Chiffon with jacquard, leather lace and scaly and snakeskin jersey

Silhouettes:
Special event cocktail attire

Fashion Notes:
Marc Jacob’s collection seemed as if it were cast from a fairy tale that bisected Marry Poppins and Alice and Wonderland. Fluffy top hats were the exclamation point of each outfit. This tale primarily consisted of playful proportions and a full range of texture and color. Overall, it is a season of fashion that wowed both the most critical fashion insiders and lovers of MJ.

Key Looks:
Perfectly fitted coats and chunky scarves tacked with oversized safety pins

Textiles:
Marc Jacobs used a wide variety of textures throughout the collection spanning from heavy knits, fine wool coats to metallic separates, hooped dresses and fur.

Silhouettes:
Almost every element in this winter collection seemed oversized, including the hats, scarves, pilgrim buckle shoes, bags and jackets.

Scene:
The magical backdrop, which was made out of large cutouts were as magical as the fashion. Artist Rachel Feinstein created an aura that only added to the fantasy of the fashion. You can watch the full fashion show here.

Fashion Notes:
With the red backdrop and black graphite runway, designer Reem Acra was setting the mood for a fierce show. The collection was inspired by feminine power and she did a fabulous job creating fearless female looks for evening. The show started out with leather outfits that accentuated all the beautiful parts of a woman’s body and then came a traffic of chic black dresses, followed by what she does best – striking evening gowns.

Key Looks:
Tweed jackets and pencil skirts, black dresses, sequined pocket lines and collars, form fitting gowns in sequins

Silhouettes:
Leather dresses that accentuate the curves, geometric effect (from embroidered lines), beautiful cuts and negative space created with skin-like fabric

Textiles:
Leather, silk chiffon, metallic

Overall impression:
Reem Acra really understands woman’s body and meticulously constructs her clothes for those who are confident to show off all they have, inside and out. It is obvious that her expertise is in creating embellished gowns that just float across the floor and turn heads

Chrissy Kim – business coordinator at Cosmopolitan Magazine and fashion blogger. Follow on her personal blog Needle and Fork

Fashion Notes
Carlos Miele’s latest collection was inspired by the pampas of his native Brazil. While many designers this season have been showing hats, Miele topped off his look with “gauchas,” which are traditionally found in the Rio Grande do Sul. Miele was able to combine pieces that are very rural and make them appropriate for an urban environment.

Key looks
Eveningwear consisting of ruffled gowns that flowed as light as air along the runway

Textiles
Although this may be a heavy winter look the fabrics never seemed so heavy as to overwhelm the outfit. Light wool ponchos and light silk chiffon equally flowed down the runway. Even a full fur poncho had nice movement.

Silhouettes
Urban cowgirl for day and traditional Brazilian princess for after dark

By ManhattanMataHari

Fashion Notes
Mara Hoffman is bringing back urban cowgirl in a new way, without beating the proverbially dead horse. It can be difficult to make western-inspired wear work in the city, but Hoffman’s collection of Navajo and tribal inspired lightweight prints paired with exotic headscarves worn under hats certainly made a statement.

Key Looks
A body-conscious tribal print dress with a strategic triangle cutout, as well as a black and gray wool sweater that struck the perfect balance between a cape and parka.

Silhouettes
Hoffman showed a lot of flouncy maxi dresses and skirts, with some layered nicely under wool knits. She took a risk by accenting many of her looks with a combination of headscarves and hats, although this tended to overwhelm many of the looks.

Textiles
We were surprised to see so many chiffon and silk flowing maxi dresses and skirts in western and tribal inspired prints, although many in black and white had nice pops of color. Her chunky wool knits were hit or miss depending on the print, and many were too bulky for anyone over a size two to wear successfully.

Overall Impression
We were confused by the plethora of lightweight maxi skirts and dresses, especially the more colorful western-style prints reminiscent of a resort collection. Hoffman left us yearning for more winter-appropriate wear, and we wish she left the overplayed Navajo and tribal themes back a few seasons ago.