At New York Fashion Week

• Author: kissfendi
• Filed under: Alternative Lifestyle, Dresses, Entertainment, Fashion, Fashion Week
• Date: Feb 8,2008

New York Fashion Week, that biannual ritual of luxury and excess, came this week at an odd time.
Day after day, dour predictions about the economy have prompted warnings that consumers will be tightening their metaphorical belts. That makes it hard to put a fur coat on the runway and try to convince retailers, editors and stylists that the look will be all the rage next season.

Fashion insiders, though, are mixed on how to handle the grim financial news. While some have focused on go-anywhere basics and investment-worthy outerwear, others are working extra hard to find look-at-me trends or small bits of understated luxury that women might find worthy of their limited pocket money.

Michael Fink, fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue, said he was focused on finding clothes women don’t already have in their closets.

“No basics — that’s my mantra. No basics,” Fink said. “The whole industry is looking at things with a fine eye at price points, but, as a luxury-brand store, we’re still interested in luxury products.”

On the runway so far this week, luxury has had a subdued presence in feather adornments, a little bit of fur, and beading or metallics added to knits and tweeds. There seems to be a concentrated effort to present more daywear instead of evening gowns, and the colors are fairly subdued, with a palette rooted largely in black, purple, dark blue, mustard yellow and green.

Men’s clothes, meanwhile, were built around the suit, albeit a slim, narrow one.

“I think when there’s sort of an economic downturn looming, at least men tend to be a bit more conservative and they want to return to tradition,” said Perry Ellis creative director John Crocco.

Off the runway, there were few signs that times are tough.

Gucci footed the bill for a celebrity-studded gala at the United Nations Wednesday night and opened up its biggest store in the world on Fifth Avenue. The store covers 46,000 square feet, with marble floors, walls covered in bronze glass and mirror, and a free-floating staircase. It includes a special VIP shopping area. /AP