NYFW Fall 2013: Organic by John Patrick, Degen, M. Patmos, Whit

by The Daily Front Row

(NEW YORK) Organic by John Patrick
“Back then, to catch a glimpse of Patti Astor was like spotting Greta Garbo,” said John Patrick of the East Village in the seventies, his former stomping grounds and the inspiration for his latest eco-friendly offering. What, pray tell, does the Organic girl wear below 14th Street? Slinky “fawn” colored biodegradable slips and oversize tees, grey flannel hot pants with wool and cashmere pullovers, and recycled cashmere Mouline knit suits with crop tops, naturally. Those were paired with a slew of outerwear options—storm coats, anoraks, and classic trenches—crafted from C02 natural yarns. Guilt-free and comfortable to boot? We’ll take it! Color came into play primarily during the finale, thanks to a flamingo pink sweatshirt dress. “Color evokes emotion,” Patrick told The Daily backstage post-show. “I use color to make people happy.” If the elevator chatter, not to mention the spontaneous games of ping pong on the sidelines, were any indication, it worked.

Degen
Designer Lindsay Degen didn’t have to look far for her Fall inspiration. The twentysomething arbiter of zany knits cited her geneticist parents as a starting point, telegraphing their lab slides into an abundance of playful knit separates, with prints by Isabel Wilson, from a “DNA”-emblazoned crop top and “germ” shorts to a “Factor 9” sweater. (That’s geek-speak for a mouse with hemophilia.) “Knitting is very nerdy,” Degen told The Daily at her lively presentation at Industria Super Studio. “It takes a lot of math: sign, tangent, cosign.” This is one equation that seems to work every season.

 

M.Patmos
The masculine-feminine dichotomy is as old as time, yet somehow Marcia Patmos managed to update the classic reference with her own modern spin. Here, ladylike silhouettes like a fitted, daytime frock were tempered with mannish details, like a camo motif, while a leather front jacket was juxtaposed against a cashmere waffle crew and grid skirt. In sum, the key to this collection was in its ease, whether in mix ‘n’ match separates for worry-free travels or in the reversible factor. That’s right, all the camo pieces can be flipped inside-out. Likewise with the red crew. Happy travels!

Whit

Whitney Pozgay
is in a romantic state of mind this season. “We were so bright and poppy for Spring, it was refreshing to go darker and moodier,” said Pozgay during her 13-look presentation at W Hotel’s Union Square outpost. Her muse du season? Marianne Faithfull. Think kicky, thigh-grazing dresses and flirty skirts with casual cool toppers, plus a leopard print lounge suit for good measure. P.S. Pozgay joined forces this season with artist pal Jemme Aldridge, who lent her creative slant on original prints and calf-hair accessories. 

Shades of Grey 
Emerging talent Micah Cohen one-upped the competition on Wednesday with a well-edited collection permeating with understated, sportif elegance. Vibrant hoodies and slim track pants, for instance, were balanced with expertly tailored blazers and prep school knits. The curve ball? Cohen’s debut womenswear line with new incarnations of his signature menswear line—layered, tailored, and styled with the same precision. Like, a suede and leather outfielder jacket paired with a body-con dress and boyfriend button down. Or a grey sweatshirt atop a black crepe shift atop relaxed running trousers. “It’s an extension of the men’s line. I actually have no womenswear experience, so the fitting was the biggest challenge.” Mission accompli. 

Shades of Grey 
Emerging talent Micah Cohen one-upped the competition on Wednesday with a well-edited collection permeating with understated, sportif elegance. Vibrant hoodies and slim track pants, for instance, were balanced with expertly tailored blazers and prep school knits. The curve ball? Cohen’s debut womenswear line with new incarnations of his signature menswear line—layered, tailored, and styled with the same precision. Like, a suede and leather outfielder jacket paired with a body-con dress and boyfriend button down. Or a grey sweatshirt atop a black crepe shift atop relaxed running trousers. “It’s an extension of the men’s line. I actually have no womenswear experience, so the fitting was the biggest challenge.” Mission accompli. 

 

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