KEY POINTS:
NEW YORK - Spring fashion will look like a rainy day, if the latest predictions are true, with plenty of gray and brown and just brief glimpses of color like the sun breaking through a cloudy sky.
Neutral shades and earth tones predominate in spring clothes and reflect
a mood of caution over issues such as the economy and the environment, say experts at New York Fashion Week, where hundreds of designers are showing new collections.
Missing are the pastels, pretty florals and bold prints that typically arrive with spring. Instead, bursts of bright colors show up as small accents.
"When people get concerned about what's happening in the world around them, they have a tendency to pull back," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.
That caution extends to what shoppers are willing to spend, leaving them more likely to splurge only on smaller items to complement the basic pieces in their closets. "Accents are where they are much more willing to do brighter color because it's not costing them as much money," she said.
In the collection by Generra, splashes of color dubbed "lipstick" and "flame" lit up neutrals sand, lead and chalk. The Y-3 collection by Yohji Yamamoto was dark, heavy on black brightened by dashes of bold red and blue.
Gray, not a traditional color for spring, was among the most popular. BCBGMAXARIA showed shades of gravel, charcoal, dove and heather, along with ivory, oatmeal and taupe rose.
Jason Wu displayed gray chiffon gowns and nearly colorless nude and tan. Derek Lam mixed slate gray and brown in a two-tone dress enlivened by its satin shine and swingy cut.
Gray represents stability, Eiseman said. "Charcoal gray, banker gray, gray flannel, those are always very serious colors we know we can depend on," she said.
Deep, woodsy tones flowed in Vera Wang's charcoal, moss, olive, grass and silver. And Canada's Jeremy Laing used an "Arctic palette" of whites and pale blues, with some yellow and green he linked to the environmental movement's influence.
"People are becoming more interested in knowing where something came from and feeling good about it," he said.
The popularity of green, such as the muted tones by Nicole Miller, reflects environmental concern, said Stan Herman, former head of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
"Certainly there's enough talk about the Planet Earth these days that I would take it seriously if I were doing a collection," he said.
SEQUINS, FEATHERS
Nevertheless, a somber mood doesn't necessarily make for an entirely somber season. Carolina Herrera's show featured cheerful florals, lavishly decorated with sequins, feathers, lace and embroidery. Michael Kors was sunny and upbeat with floral ruffles and rainbow stripes, and hot pink, orange, turquoise and cobalt blue blazed at Diane von Furstenberg.
Tracy Reese used hues of mango and pineapple, and Lyn Devon's geometrically inspired collection was filled with muted fuchsia and burnished orange.
(Additional reporting by Jan Paschal and Martinne Geller)
- REUTERS