Feathers & Fur: Fashion week Fall 2009: Proportions and Fantasy

Erin Fetherson backstage at her Fall 2009 presentation in a dress from the collection. Photo by Justin Campbell

Dark and whimsical are the words that come to mind when I think of Erin Fetherston’s Fall 2009 showing at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in February. The collection was a return to whimsy and girlish fantasy, details definitely appreciated in these dark economic times. So why not have models walk down the runway looking like sweet Goths about to go to a fantastical tea party?

Thankfully for us, that’s exactly what Fetherston did. The shoes were at least 7 inches tall, and it was slightly amusing to watch the models teetering about with their tiny legs on these sky-high heels. However, the heels themselves really lent to the odd proportions in the clothing. Stiff, exaggerated bell miniskirts came down the runway in blacks, grays and purples. The skirts were so wide and the material so stiff that the models, tired from their walk on the runway, were able to rest their arms on them. The waistlines came very high up on the models, which made their longs look even longer.

Bows were everywhere in this collection. Bows adorned the waist, the hair, and the necklines. My favorite piece was a three-quarter-sleeve jacket, all black, with a huge black bow front and center on the chest. The jacket itself seemed like a nice renovation of le smoking, albeit with a girlish, modern twist.

Towards the end of the collection, Fetherston presented softer silk dresses, and along with them came some truly odd head-pieces. The sequined hats, designed by her fiancé, were of animals’ faces; there was a pink rabbit hat, as well as a shiny silver goat one. This collection truly was like stepping into another world (a very fashionable one at that) full of escape and fantasy.

Along these same lines of fantasy, fashion veteran Narciso Rodriguez presented a very strong collection at Fashion Week as well. The Narciso woman in his collection was a James Bond reincarnate; the collection exuded sex, mystery and strength all at the same time. Neckline was crucial, and many of the dresses had attached scarves wrapped tightly around their necks. Some of the necklines even continued on as head coverings, lending a Grace Jones space-age look to the models. Jackets were zipped up from the floor to the neck, leaving all to the imagination. Models pranced down the runway wearing the same color; from the heels to the stockings to the dress, it was mostly monotone.

As usual with Rodriguez, the architectural clothing genius, the dress was the main focus of his show. Hard looking dresses came down the runway; one dress had a bustier top made of black leather, adorned with sequins, complete with an attached hot pink silk skirt. This balance between tough and feminine could be seen in the hats as well. There were bucket hats with the brim coming all the way down to the nose, and the eyes were only visible through tiny slits. These cat-woman hats oozed mystery and femininity, even if their functionality measures a zero.

Narciso Rodriguez and Erin Fetherston presented entirely different collections that revolved around the same goal. Both took their audience to a Never-Never Land, filled with whimsical party dresses and sharp A-line sheaths. I don’t know about you, but my bags are packed and I am ready to go.