Lauren puts English country look on NY catwalk

Ralph Lauren kicked off the final day of New
York Fashion Week Thursday with a collection that blended an English country
gentleman look with cowboy dandy, and was crowned with liquid gold evening
wear.

British actress Sienna Miller was guest of honor, dressed in black,
and sat
next to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and Lauren’s family for what is
always one of the most popular shows of the week.

The 76-year-old self-taught designer, who has done so much to define
modern
American chic, sent down the runway a masculine look for daywear — a
meditation on taupe, truffle and mocha.
He made extensive use of plaid and checks for fall/winter 2016 with
signature suiting that included loose-cut pants, blazers and trench coats
finished off with men’s ties at the throat.

The suiting was lightened when styled with delicate cashmere knits,
pleated
silk crepe pants and silk shirts.
To the tweedy country gentlemen look he added quintessential American
cowboy-style belts, bootcut jeans and sturdy boots.
His evening wear had its roots in a Victorian-era elegance, with frothy
high-lace collars and black velvet, and a Prussian pigment printed coat that
looked like a Romantic-era smoking jacket.

There was a stunning black velvet evening dress finished with
oversized
pleated white cuffs and a pleated white ruffle at the neck worn by
Illinois-born supermodel Karlie Kloss.
A black velvet cocktail dress was made similarly exquisite — embellished
with tightly pleated black leather ruffle sleeves and a collar that defied
gravity and made the outfit look like sculpture.

Liquid gold

Lauren broke new ground by finishing the show with a mikado evening
dress,
its billowing skirts in his trademark style, but giving off the overall
effect
of liquid gold, glistening like plastic.
He fashioned the same material into a billowing skirt worn with a stretch
black jersey turtleneck and black boots.

Rich jewel
tones and a flowing, liquid gold-lamé skirt make for an unforgettable
finale moment. #RLRunway Fall 2016 #NYFW

A video
posted by Ralph Lauren (@ralphlauren) on Feb 18, 2016 at 3:45pm
PST

It was Lauren’s first collection since he stepped down last November
as
chief executive of his global empire (although he remains chief creative
officer), replaced by Stefan Larsson.
Born Ralph Lifshitz in the Bronx in New York to poor Jewish immigrant
parents, Lauren began his career as a self-taught tie designer and unlike
most
people today, never went to fashion school.

In 2014, the Ralph Lauren Corporation rang up 7.6 billion dollars in
sales and
Lauren ranks 74th on Forbes’ list of wealthiest Americans, with a personal
fortune of 5.6 billion dollars.
He is a household name thanks to his signature polo shirts finished with
the polo player logo that have become leisure uniform of choice for the
world’s rich and aspirational class.

His runway collections embody a “preppy” look that harks back to
old-world
European aristocracy but whose clean lines and simple elegance create a
uniquely American look.
Fellow American design royalty Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs follow suit
with shows later Thursday as New York Fashion Week wraps up and the style
posse jets to Europe to continue the fall/winter season.

Proenza Schouler showcased a collection late Wednesday based on the
abstract ideas of control and release from design duo Jack McCollough and
Lazaro Hernandez.
“Things were like really kind of tight and body conscious on top, with
lacing coats and jackets to create this tension, and usually in the bottom
it
became really flowy and loose,” Hernandez told AFP. (AFP)