Spring 2003: Peasant Fever
Moved by the predominance of peasant looks that were pervasive at the ENK Early Spring 2003 show held at the Javits Center, August 4-6, 2002, I've written an ode to the designers whose collections reminded me of the first back-to-the-land, love-the-one-you're-with, style go-round:
- Hippies, love children, peasants and waifs
- Dancing barefooted through fields of daisies
- Head-to-toe ruffles, gathers and puffs
- They're right on, groovy, rockin' and stuff
- Peace symbols, patchouli and crystals galore
- Over the top or quietly demure
- This is what the coolest lines showed and more
BABY CHIC: Getting it Right From the Start
TOSHA HAYS INC.
DESIGNER: Tosha Hays
Those who have watched this young Christening wear company grow will agree: Tosha Hays is the master of understated elegance. This season Hays has added wedding gown quality lace, bodices with full skirts and Grecian inspired column gowns to her spare collection.
Outstanding Piece: The all-lace column gown. The lace on this narrow gown is heavy yet very soft, and is as detailed with white-on-white embroidery as anything you'd find at Vera Wang. This dress--and everything in the Tosha Hays collection--is all about the beauty of the textile, and the beauty of the baby, of course.
Tosha Hayes Inc., 3209 Goneaway Road, Charlotte, NC 28210. Tel. 704-643-6799,, e-mail: tosha@toshahays.com, www.toshahays.com, www.jamesgirone.com/toshahays
PIXIE LILY
DESIGNER: Leda Jackson
Designer Leda Jackson of Pixie Lily presented a carefully coordinated collection of knits in creamy tones of apricot, soft sage, pale sky blue and ecru. All the knit pieces in this line are edged with delicate, crocheted trim and close with tiny pearl buttons.
Outstanding Piece: The one-piece with the little matching hat. Knit in apricot, trimmed in ecru; tiny pearl buttons close the legs. A baby dressed in this understated creation will look like an antique porcelain doll.
Pixie Lily, 5500 Prytania Street, Suite 514, New Orleans, LA 70115. Tel. 504-891-5210 Fax. 504-891-5212, e-mail: plily@bellsouth.net, www.jamesgirone.com/pixielily, www.pixielily.com
THE SPORTING LIFE: Designers Mix Up the Pieces
MIN ZHENG
DESIGNER: Min Zheng Veneau
Each season Min Zheng Veneau presents a line of sophisticated sportswear with the kind of touches--ribbon ties, frog closings, interesting pleats, a simple ruffle--that soften her modern pieces. Zheng introduced two new groups for spring, colored in tones of white, pale pink and dusty light blue. One linen group included scalloped-edged tops, pants and sleeveless dresses; and a chiffon group featured two new floral tone-on-tone prints: one in pink, the other blue.
Outstanding Pieces: Feminine tone-on-tone linen dresses in pale pink or white with a narrow ruffle around the sleeves and hem. The ruffles suggest a party dress, yet the dresses' narrow cut is casual and modern. Also, a casually dressy, fine gauge knit cardigan with a single ruffle framing the front. The sweater's soft sheen and its lovely aqua blue color will flatter any complexion.
Min Zheng, 817 West End Avenue, Suite 2C, NYC 10025. Tel. 212-222-3834, Fax. 734-758-7673, e-mail: min@mzstyle.com, www.mzstyle.com, www.jamesgirone.com/minzheng
JUDITH LACROIX
DESIGNER: Judith Lacroix
Each season Lacroix puts her modern spin on the latest trends. For spring her reversible, side-wrap jumper, a mainstay of her collection, sports a red and white toile print that reverses to a solid pale aqua. The simplicity of the jumper's lines--and that fresh color combination--breathe new life into toile.
Outstanding Piece: A deceptively simple A-line. Every detail, from the thin elastic bands used as shoulder straps, to the tiny pearl buttons, to the mix of Asian motifs and men's wear striping manage to look sleek and uncomplicated, not fussy.
Judith Lacroix, 15 rue Hippolyte Lebas-75009 Paris. Tel. 33 (0) 142821250, Fax. 33 (0) 142821678, e-mail: judithlacroix@aol.com
IVKA
DESIGNER: Tanya Amari
Tanya Amari is a pattern maker extraordinaire. Subtle details enhance her pieces--a pleat in a simple mini skirt opens to a contrasting color, and side-slits on a boxy A-line reveal the plaid lining of a pocket and a little of the wearer's midriff. Her up-market color palette of neutrals brightened with sunny yellow, sky blue, lilac and peach, make the job of merchandising this collection a snap for better boutiques.
Outstanding Pieces: The classically tailored button-down blouse in a playful Liberty floral worn with a cream colored box-pleated mini. The slight puff of the sleeves and the skirt's contrasting pleats add a touch of whimsy.
Ivka, 162 5th Avenue, Ground Fl., Brooklyn, NY 11217. Tel. 718-230-0404, Fax. 718-398-4088, e-mail: ivka22@hotmail.com, www.jamesgirone.com/ivka, www.ivka.com
CHIARA
DESIGNER: Pam Smith
Pale linens cut into simple, wearable shapes define the Chiara line, but it's all in the details this season. Embroidery, delicate hand painting, and appliqués in floral designs or figurines have a vintage feeling.
Outstanding Piece: A belly-baring white linen top with side ties and matching linen bell-bottoms. The lollipop-like pink floral embroidery on the top adds a touch of whimsy to the set.
Chiara, 33 Kings Highway, New City, NY 10956, Tel: 845-638-3263, E-mail: Chiarakids@cs.com, www.jamesgirone.com/chiara
LUCKY STRIPES: For Knit Wear--It's all in the Line up
PENNYCANDY DESIGNS
Designer: Jane Sydney
Buyers can't go wrong with Jane Sydney's sweater collection. Boys' looks include classic navy and beiges in loose-fit, pullover sweaters. One great new piece features galloping horses prancing along the hem. Girls stay sweet in pretty pastel florals.
Outstanding Piece: A riot of stripes line up along a white sweater. The sleeves are topped with thin pink stripes, pink flowers sit atop a lime stripe on the sweater's front, and on the back is a different configuration of floral stripes. The simple, pink and lime coloring keeps the look clean.
Pennycandy Designs, 115 Spinnaker Way, Portsmouth, NH 03801. Tel. 603-427-6500/888-383-5830, www.jamesgirone.com/pennycandydesigns
GRANDMA NES
DESIGNER: Michele Uzbay
Michele Uzbay loves the clean lines of classic stripes for her sweaters sets yet she isn't adverse to sprinkling her baby dressing with playful polka dots. The dresses' cotton candy colors up their cute quotient.
Outstanding Pieces: The multi-striped, nautically inspired, one piece with matching, square-necked cardigan. Uzbay's set is awash in beachy tones of marine blue, aqua and gold. Say bon voyage to that old sailor suit.
Grandma Nes, 39 Caumsett Woods Lane, Woodbury, NY 11797. Tel. 516-921-7778, Fax. 516-921-6151, e-mail: lokum2@aol.com, www.jamesgirone.com/grandmanes
DRESSING DU JOUR: Specialty Dressing at its Best
SAYANG
DESIGNER: Angela Yang
First, observe the way the raw silk catches the light and shimmers, then notice the refined silhouettes and Yang's penchant for rich jewel tones. You won't find another collection with Yang's contemporary design sense.
Outstanding Pieces: The rich, ruby color of a long, narrow, Mandarin collared jacket makes the piece a versatile choice for Holiday and special occasion dressing. A less dramatic, but still engaging holiday selection is the pale gold dress, edged in lilac with a spray of embroidered blossoms. The dresses' colors have a quiet sparkle.
SAYANG, 16 West 16th street, Suite 10 NS, NYC 10011. Tel. 917-224-9075, Fax. 212-898-9028, e-mail: angela@sayangsilk.com, www.sayangsilk.com, www.jamesgirone.com/sayangsilk
Tina Barry
has been involved in many facets of the fashion world. She
has traveled domestically and to Europe to research color
and design trends. For many years she styled textiles for
the apparel and home furnishing industries. After designing
her own line of children's wear she now freelances as a
children's wear buyer and private label designer. This year,
Tina begins teaching a marketing course at The Fashion
Institute of Technology in New York City.