Time/Place: May 2008, the Penthouse @ the Chambers Hotel, West 56th Street, New York, City
Text, Vivian G. Kelly
Images from preview, J. Ecochard and Richard Spiegel
Image of Lanvin Fall 2008 runway show, courtesy of Lanvin
Image of Grace Kelly, a still from “To Catch A Thief”
According to SANDRA WILSON, NEIMAN MARCUS’ ACCESSORIES DIRECTOR “THE WORD TO WATCH FOR FALL 2008 IS GLAMOUR. We saw a very modern, simple sophisticated and feminine look going down the runway.”
In the background on the flat screen TV the stylish Fifties classic, TO CATCH A THIEF played on, a nice touch. Grace Kelly, as she appeared in this film, epitomized classic glamour. While there weren’t the eye-popping pieces of seasons past [Balenciaga’s sporty crayola colored sandal or Prada’s molded floral heel pump] there was plenty to like. Sometimes classic glamour is just the thing, there’s comfort to be taken from gorgeous timeless pieces like the ones Neiman’s showed during the topsy-turvy economy we’re presently in.
CLASSIC PIECES = A GET, for fall
Classic Glamour though does not mean, “boring”. We were anything but bored while gazing at the luscious café au lait CHANEL purse dangling from the showerhead in the vignette set up in the upstairs bathroom.
•LUXURY FABRICATIONS are a key component of this type of glamour. While out shopping, you’ll see plenty of lush lace and fur. This doesn’t mean that you have to walk around in full-on lace overlay dresses that verge on looking like you’re part of a wedding party. To hit the right note of this more refined sort of glamour, the pointy toed lace covered pump is just enough.
•The strongest COLOR STORY us a TEXTURAL one featuring BERRY TONES and most especially, PURPLE.
The reds and hot pinks from summer segued into deeper and richer tones that look great with sumptuous furs we’ll be seeing plenty of for winter ’08.
•PATENT LEATHER lovers, you’re in for a treat. Patent’s still a trend and the newest variation is the METALLIC PATENT story. There were some great sexy patent booties, and a great lace up brown pair by TORY BURCH.
•Love Animal skins? PYTHON is huge and there was a sizeable vignette on the first floor devoted to exotic skins.
•Our favorite though was the JEWELRY that was impossible to overlook.
TREND: LARGE FACETED BAUBLES= Glamour with a capital G!
While delicate gold necklaces are lovely, put them away for now and think
BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST when it comes to jewelry. Big, oversize FAUX jewels are back, with a vengeance
THINK: LARGE-FACETED STONES particularly the art deco inspired pieces as that was all over the runways at top houses, perhaps most notably at LANVIN and VERA WANG. In their June 2008 pre-fall issue, HARPER’S BAZAAR reported that it’s chic to be ON THE ROCKS again.
Neiman’s interpretation, laid out on the big bed on the penthouse’s 2nd floor translated to some irresistible Art-Deco inspired pieces by perennial favorite, JOSE BARERRA and a lovely VERA WANG silk ribbon necklace.
Unlike the out of this world but pricey fantasy pieces by the likes of Cartier, Tiffany and Nicholas Varney, these baubles won’t require you to take out a hefty insurance policy. We love them because they provide a satisfactory fix, delivering glamour and style without breaking the bank. Better still, they add an enormous impact on the quietly sophisticated clothes on tap for fall.