Ralph Lauren shows carefree, spirited styles

NEW YORK  — Ralph Lauren’s spring styles are for women “who define fashion by their own set of rules.”

That’s how the designer explained his inspiration in his notes to editors, stylists and retailers at his preview Friday, the final day of New York Fashion Week.

But no one can tell Lauren what to do or how to do it.

So while his collection featured many of the trends seen on the runway during Fashion Week — including suits, longer dresses, higher waists, nautical touches and white — the garments were still distinctly Ralph Lauren. The overall look was charming yet sophisticated, and despite the ruffles and eyelet, it wasn’t too frilly.

Lauren said he was going for “a carefree, sexy spirit.”

“It was a really beautiful show,” said Candy Pratts Price, Style.com’s executive fashion editor. “The little skirts and ruffles mixed with men’s shirting looks beautiful.”

Slideshow: Fashion week Contrasts such as the feminine swing skirt with a little flounce in the back paired with crisp button-down shirts were what made the look contemporary and fresh. But unlike other designers who send out highly stylized outfits that pack a dramatic punch but would never be seen on the street, Lauren’s opposites actually complemented each other.

There were several blue-and-white striped pieces, each featuring a different size and direction of stripes, that looked great coming down the runway in rapid fire.

Lauren also used casual mattress-ticking fabric in dressier silhouettes, including the finale dress: a strapless gown with a ruched bodice and flowing tiers on the skirt.

An airy white linen dress with a henley-style top also was a juxtaposition that worked.

Lauren’s casual looks were weaker, especially the patchwork denim and other bohemian touches, which seemed more dated than trailblazing. However, a vintage indigo-blue linen embroidered officer’s jacket with gold buttons and tails in the back was very nice.

Inspired by paintings and graffiti

As snappy as Lauren’s collection was, Donna Karan’s was artistic. She dubbed it “brush stroke” and explained that she was inspired by New York’s modern art — both the priceless paintings at museums and the graffiti on the street.

“Everything is fast and moves forward with a stroke of shape and a splash of color,” her notes said. “Classics are infused with new light and air. A pure silhouette raises the waist and floats like a cloud.”

Karan was extremely successful in getting movement from her clothes; the tulip skirts sashayed down the runway just like the models. Tulips, though, are a hard shape for anyone without the slenderest of hips to wear.

For everyone else, Karan featured a different silhouette, jersey dresses with a thick black bow around the front of the waist to give definition but a free-fall back to get that swing. They were interesting and unlike anything else shown over the previous eight days, but Karan did show a few too many of them and what was totally new soon became old.

Karan’s palette was somber and sophisticated, mostly taupe, dark ink blue and black, and she splashed around a little bit of red and yellow. A stiff cotton canvas trench coat was reversible with the primary-color trim on one side and black on the other.

Her necklaces that linked thin triangles, circles and squares were among the best accessories on the catwalk.

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