NYFW AW10 LAST DAY: Ralph Lauren, Isaac Mizrahi

NYFW's final day ever at its legendary midtown spot saw the sun rise on the shows of the most iconic, ultra-American fashion gods there are. The male (I believe mostly straight) quatrofeta: Ralph, Isaac, Calvin and Tommy. While I unfortunately had to surrender my tickets to the latter two so as to utilize one far less glitzy meant to whisk me back across the pond into the hungry, waiting arms of madness continued at LFW, the two I did hit, Ralph Lauren and Isaac Mizrahi, were worth the hectic pre-airport show scramble.

After Mizrahi wrapped at the big tent (last show ever underneath its iconic sheet plasticed glory), I made a quick stop at Trias next door at the Promenade. It's dull duds hardly worth blogging about save for the fact that I plopped down in the front row so managed to have some joyous shooting minus bobbing heads crying out for Photshop and other such annoyances handicapping my lens.

Ralph Lauren
275 Hudson Street
11:00

Leave it to the king of Uptown Elegance, the Jewish-American designer who holds the white breaded golf clubbing hearts of the US's upper WASP crust in his preppy hands to make the Upper East Side crowd drag themselves to the opposite end of the island in the Village for his show. But despite the downtown locale (same as last season, where the clothes in their farmboy wannabe chic echoed the faux-authenticity of rags to riches syndrome), the Upper East Siders, the REAL REAL housewives of New York, got what they came for.

It was full on good old Ralph and the country clubbers were literally breaking a sweat in their twin sets. Chunky cashmere knits in forest green were layered underneath blanket-style herringbone coats and topped off with honey leather accessories and a bit of mink about the throat. There were floor-length chiffon georgette dresses in ultra feminine florals slipped on over sheer lace long-sleeve tees (or, one can imagine, body suits) swishing down the runway...one particularly pretty print draped lazily over the gazelle-like form of Chanel Iman.

But Ralph on the Ranch was also countered by Lauren in the city: a black sequined jumpsuit was worn long for evening over a black bodysuit and topped off with pom pom popping beanie with a side of passementerie embroidered silk ottoman coats. A palette of black black black, a puff sleeve there, sharp tailored and pin striped suiting here and with just a flurry of leopard print in the form of a bolero, New York Style boiled down to its barest essence. There you have it, come Hamptons or highwater, the man is back doing what it is he does best: understated American elegance with an appetite for all things luxury in its nouveau bones.

These ladies are just so Ralph, I couldn't handle it. The REAL housewives of Ralph Lauren: I can just hear those Amex Black Cards stirring inside their Birkins

These caps are pretty cute

Chanel

statement hoods: another of the emerging trends from NYFW (see Isaac below)

70+ and still head to toe in skintight black, atta boy Ralph

Isaac Mizrahi
Bryant Park, Tent
12:00

On Bryant Park’s final day ever playing host to the runways of America’s best designers, the theme of Isaac Mizrahi’s show seemed particularly apropos. The classic New York designer bid adieu to the famed 42^nd Street locale with a collection dedicated to the city’s other most famous natural recess, where foxes frolic instead of fashionistas, the one, the only, Central Park. Fur hooded models in mismatched autumnal hued separates (mustard silk trousers teamed with a metallic shearling gilet, for example) kicked off the show with an air of elegance navigating a sort of sartorial camping ground, an urban forest as cued by the fairytale like tree cut outs hanging from the ceiling pitched against a blurry black and white rendition of the lights of midtown at the head of the runway. Glittery sequin shifts in popping oranges worn under thick wool boyfriend blazers of the same color and delightful fox fur pom pom trimmed satchels and backpacks completed the feeling of an Upper East Side camping trip. What Gossip Girl hits the great outdoors without a glass bugle beaded cashmere coat in tow?

Fashion mimicking real life, or in this case, the weather (two blizzards over the last ten days nearly brought NYFW to its Givenchy leather-trouser-clad knees), the heavens of the main tent opened up to reign down magical snowflakes upon the final evening looks as a live band accompanied. Said looks, classic Mizrahi red carpet Cinderella ball gowns executed in glitzy golden tones, were constructed of enough chiffon tulle to keep one of Central Park’s real pigeon ladies warm well into spring.

All in all, using one park to salute another and wrapping up two very different walks of New York life into one collection seemed a very fitting farewell to Bryant Park.

And the band played on til the bitter end...not the sinking of the Titanic, but the final dismantling of Bryant Park's tents

Hoods: selling now as separates is a definite retail cue for TREND ALERT

The snow reminds me of the dance of the snowflakes in the Nutcracker...my favorite scene since I was 5

Trias
Bryant Park, The Promenade
1:00

I don't have much to say about what I think is a Spanish born label called Trias. Although the tailoring was excellent, I found the silhouettes stiff and dated, the colors ultra-muted and unable to reawaken my hunger for runway, by that time thoroughly satisfied on the gorge of the previous 7 days. But I did score a front row seat and manage to pap to my heart's content, as I've already said. And is there really a better way to bid Bryant Park adieu for good than sitting front row at your very last show in said tent?

Textured tights were the most interesting part

and that's all folks

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