Trend Scouting at Dover Street Market
I love fashion. I know, shocking right? I'm always enthralled by how style changes from season to season, and how individuals are constantly finding ways to reinvent trends. With winter in full swing, some traditional December/January trends are repeating themselves from previous years, while others incorporate a fresh new twist. I decided to go on a mission to one of my fave style emporiums, Dover Street Market, so I could find out for myself what trends we'll be seeing while there's still a chill in the air.
Dover Street Market is a modern, high-end, seven-story store on 30th and Lexington Avenue in NYC that features some of the world's most prominent designers. Each small floor is stacked on top of each other, with a glass elevator moving through the center of the space and a cafe off the entrance. Despite the fact that most of what they sell is extremely pricey (I stumbled upon a $6,000 bomber jacket while shopping), somehow, the store doesn't seem pretentious. Its hip vibe makes you feel right at home. The first trend that I noticed was something relatively new and innovative: plastic. You may be thinking, “why would I want to wear something that makes me look like a human Ziploc bag?" No, no, no...this is couture. Designers are wrapping winter fabrics like fur and wool in plastic or even creating overalls or dresses that are completely see-through. Comme de Garcons picked up on the trend as well but decided to incorporate it into accessories instead, wrapping their totes in plastic. Must. Have.
Dover Street Market also had a variety of animal-shaped accessories to offer (and no, I don’t mean that they are made out of animal skins). Designers use different fabrics to sculpt or construct bags that resemble a particular animal, such as an elephant (Loewe's bags are iconic), an owl or a cat. My fave was a penguin shoulder bag by Thom Browne--so cute!
Next, I was shocked to discover that there was a variety of clothing and accessories that utilized duct tape for accents and trim! High-end designers have taken the material that is usually used for securing loose cords and turned it into something quite extraordinary. Small amounts of duct tape on a beanie or dress are just enough to make a huge fashion statement in the wintertime.
One word. Well, actually two: embellished sneakers. Over the past year, they have dominated the footwear industry, and are continuing to be produced in high fashion collections. Whether the sneakers are embellished with pearls, sequins, or beads (in Gucci’s case, they opt for all of the above), these shoes surely belongs in your closet as your new cold weather statement piece.
This may come as a surprise to you since it’s not spring yet, but butterflies are so in this winter. Especially on bags, high-end clothing lines do not hesitate to incorporate tons of butterflies to add dimension to the accessory. Forget the sun, J-Lo shows us that it’s totally acceptable to wear a butterfly dress in the cold, rainy weather!
Taking style to a whole new dimension, multi-dimensional tops were all over Dover Street Market. Designers are adding layers of different fabrics or material to create texture and depth in their designs. Think tassel, yarn and string adornments--even a plastic stacked monogram. My fave look was an oversized grey hoodie from Doublet with red fringe “pouring” out of the words “New York." This 3D trend is going to be the ultimate street style look in the coming months.
I spied tons of fur (both real and faux) inside the market, which was not unusual. What was surprising, though, was that fur is no longer just reserved for long winter coats--it was incorporated into accessories as well (Balenciaga’s beige fur tote really stood out to me). I came across fur slippers, and get this: they are no longer just for lounging at home...they can take street style to the next level! The black fur slippers I found from Avec Moderation would work perfectly with leather pants and a bomber jacket.
Innovative bombers are going to be huge this season. Designers are embellishing them, quilting them, and even cutting them in unique ways. Although they are usually reserved for September and October, bombers are proving themselves to be a style force to be reckoned with year round! What makes the winter bombers so special is the detailing that brands are adding to the backs of the jackets. Gucci serves as an incredible example for all of the other brands (their gold bomber with a sequin cat on the back is to die for). People have truly started to get creative with bombers; take Walter Van Beirendonck, a Belgian fashion designer who added giant fabric hands to his bomber. We are finally breaking boundaries in fashion, and I am so excited to be along for the ride and experiment with my own style as well.
