Tom Scott, whose Fall 2009 presentation took place in a garment district storefront transformed into a mannequin-filled drycleaning studio, took a step further in his exploration of fashion presentation as conceptual installation for his Spring/Summer 2010 collection last Thursday.

Inspired by “’some of the old-fashioned things you can find in your grandmother’s house,’” Scott upped the Fashion Week ante by moving the location of his most recent presentation out of the garment district altogether, and into Room 710 at the historic Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan’s contemporary gallery center. The hybridization of art-fair theatrics with clothing design resulted in a environment with charms hard to resist.

In a fully-furnished apartment redolent with the spirit of mid-century domesticity (complete with pink tiled tub, overstuffed couch and an array of milky glass plates filled with sweets on the sideboard), models dressed in Scott’s collection played the roles of glamorous residents in the household vignettes staged in each room. The attention-grabbing detail, beautiful light and authentic tone of the presentation almost overshadowed the understated beauty of the clothes themselves.

Taking cues from the nudes of photographers Melanie Bonajo and Georges Tony Scott, the designer showed knit separates and dresses and in muted flesh and pastel palettes that draped on or exposed on the body in unexpected ways. Notable pieces included a jersey drape-back curtain dress and sheer drape pants.

Visit Tom Scott

All photos by The Totam

Tags: 2010 fashion week, Chelsea Hotel, knits, Spring Summer 2010, Tom Scott.

The lovely Garance, Susie, and Camille

Our favorite bloggers have left their desks and are all over New York Fashion Week. We spotted Susie Bubble at Tom Scott and Camille of Childhood Flames at the Matthew Ames show. Also out on the town is Paris-based Garance Doré who has been busy snapping lush pics of New York’s stylish set. Following up with their coverage, we have noticed a common theme of said bloggers writing about being greeted by amorous fans and humility ensues. Ms. Bubble comments, “YAY! I have readers in New York! I apologise for sounding so flustered and awkward when people come up to me. I’m a hardcore geek who can’t communicate with real human beings.” Likewise, Camille writes, “Apologies for being terribly awkward in person but I definitely appreciate you guys reading the blog and it’s so fantastic to meet some of my readers! You are all so lovely!”

This sort of bashfulness from the girls who regularly post images of themselves in amazing, sharp outfits for the world to see. Such a conundrum! While blogging is a very personal art form, actually getting out from behind the computer and realizing there are legions of people who actually read and follow every word and image is quite another thing. Maybe best said by Ms. Doré, “I turn around and someone jumps on me asking me if I am Garance Doré, and I assure you, it’s a little weird..”

Tags: bloggers, Blogs, Camille, Childhood Flames, Fashion Week, Garance Dore, New York, Susie Bubble.

Images via WWD.com

New York Fashion Week brings with it every year unique collections that range from the bizarre to the clean-cut, but few have the distinction of including fabrics that were blessed by the Dalai Lama like at Ecco Domani Award winner Bodkin’s presentation. The show was hosted at the Horticultural Society, located on the thirteenth floor of an inconspicuous building on West 37th Street. The small space teemed with fashion editors, presumably friends of former Vogue writer and creator of Bodkin Eviana Hartman, who were all eagerly awaiting the newest collection from the eco-friendly line.

The Horticultural Society on West 37th Street

The low-key event had models standing on a runway displaying a total of twelve sustainably sourced looks. Great care was given to each piece, from the silks dyed with natural materials like blueberries which created the ethereal dresses to the handmade, sustainably-dyed leather and wood shoes worn by all the models. Catsuits in soft, organic fabrics were layered underneath tie-dyed dresses and oversized tunics. High-waisted skinny pants paired with loose-fitting tops and oversized jackets completed the collection. The casual aesthetic of the collection fills a niche that is often overlooked amidst the forced avant-garde sometimes expected at Fashion Week and many are looking forward to what is in the future for this innovative designer.

Previously: Bodkin in Escape from Bryant Park: Fashion Week’s Other Venues

Images by My Nguyen unless noted.

Tags: blessed, blueberries, Bodkin, Dalai Lama, eco-friendly, event, Eviana Hartman, Fashion Week, Horticultural Society, natural, new collection, New York, presentation, silk, sustainable fashion, Vogue, wood.

Conservative times call for conservative.. headdresses. Fashion week has turned out a new trend we can only describe as chaste-chic as numerous designers sent their models down the runway resembling nuns and monks and obscuring hair and ears by wrapping heads in costume-like hats and wraps. Ninja-like head coverings first appeared at threeASFOUR’s Saturday evening presentation and then mysteriously emerged again barrelling down the runway at Zero + Maria Cornejo’s Monday show. Matthew Ames‘ entire collection seemed to be a commentary on modesty and restraint by using enormous amounts of fabric to cover the models up as much as possible. Skin was hard to find as even wrists and ankles disappeared underneath billowing folds. Even Marc Jacobs whose show was about exuberance and color sent a model out in a large folded wool hat whose expanse resembled that of The Flying Nun’s.

Tags: chaste, Fashion Week, hats, head wraps, headdress, Marc Jacobs, Matthew Ames, monk, monochromatic, New York, ninja, nun, Runway, The Flying Nun, threeASFOUR, Zero + Maria Cornejo.

Far from the bustling crowds at Bryant Park, people quietly filled the seats of the Altman Building in Chelsea for the Karen Walker fall/winter show on Valentine’s Day. In this collection, the designer stayed faithful to some of her favorite silhouettes but incorporated a somewhat unusual inspiration. According to a source close to the designer, Walker examined “basically trash and things that are considered ugly, like weird prints or track pants, wanting to reinvent them into something pretty.” This was evident in the cracked china and shattered crystal prints that adorned dresses and tops which were made of thick sweatshirt material. Working in a palette of subdued browns and grays, the designer included structured dresses and separates topped with voluminous double-breasted coats that evoked the feeling of crisp fall mornings. The collection, appropriately titled “She’s Cracked,” embraces the beauty of destruction and unconventionality in a way that is feminine and wearable.

Lower images by My Nguyen.

Tags: cracked china, double-breasted coats, Fall 2009, fashion show, Fashion Week, Karen Walker, New York, reinventing, Runway, sweatshirt, track pants, wierd prints.

For Fall ‘09, Ecco Domani Award recipient Matthew Ames has produced a timeless collection. While the pieces could easily be reminiscent of vintage Halston in their draping, they could also just as easily resonate with the future; with the ultra-suede hooded jumpsuit, the billowing pants, and the love of volume and boundless fabrics. Ames skillfully straddles that precarious middle ground of being influenced by the past and creating for the future.

This season Ames stripped things bare, leaving his usual pop of geometric patterns and textures for past seasons. Using a classic color palette, Ames’ draping and love of volume held its own ground. Floor-length cashmere coats draped over wide-leg jumpsuits were crisp with clean finishes and nearly hidden seams. Silhouettes appeared never-ending as fabric folded into itself, sometimes draping across or wrapping around into a denim kimono or cashmere poncho. Ames’ signature waist gathering emerged this season in a standout red silk crepe dress amongst the collection of modern looks for the woman of today, or tomorrow.

All images c. The Totam

Tags: cashmere, draping, Fashion Week, geometric, Halston, jumpsuit, kimono, Matthew Ames, New York.

On a faded stretch of West 37th Street, designer Tom Scott held his fall winter presentation yesterday in an old garment district storefront. Just a hop from the glitz of the Bryant Park tents, but worlds away, Scott’s conceptual attitude towards fashion strangely but perfectly fit in with the seedy street which is home to zipper shops, delis and knockoff handbag stores. The collection was appropriately titled, “things I don’t like,” and is meant to be a playful stab at his working through the aspects of design which he is normally uncomfortable. Scott who works with knits primarily attacked his fears of cable-knits, popcorn ball stitches, and “Golden Girls” type sweaters. All pieces were given Scott’s unique treatment - the enlarged cable knit became a caricature of its once humble beginnings and found its way onto a voluminous and vibrantly hued vest. A loud thrift-store striped pattern was reinterpreted into an oversized dropped sleeve sweater with an exaggerated neckline. However funny these pieces may have seemed, the irony was not lost in the intricate details along with the plush yarns that Scott is known for.

While the back room of the space resembled a dry cleaners with metal racks floating hundreds of plastic garment bags and pieces displayed on “We love our customers” hangers, the front room resembled a scene out of the Twilight Zone’s The After Hours episode, where mannequins come alive in a department store and take turns leaving for a month. Here the “girls” seemed content to hang out - “Priscilla” relaxed in the front wearing a colorblock mohair sweater and large alpaca earmuffs, listening to her record player. “Tom,” the only male mannequin hid in the back and wore a “polka dot” sweater - the “dots” being the negative space in the knit. “Shirley” in a strapless alpaca dress which resembled the tufted bottom half of an ostrich pressed her hands up against the storefront and gazed outside - possibly ready for her month leave.

–Joyce Tota

When some designers want to use humor, they usually end up with M.I.A.’s Grammy performance outfit. Designer Tom Scott, takes his wit and talent to a less overt level where it becomes more of an inside joke. This season for fall ‘09, Scott stayed true to his completely wearable, modern, and just plain cool knitwear, by being open to the upside down and unconventional manipulations of the average sweater.

Scott takes his reluctantly intellectual approach to fashion and has fun with it. With hairy cuffs on alpaca sweaters, drapey cashmere tube skirts, a fishnet mohair dress, and quirky sweaters with colorblocks or just plain holes, Scott creates key pieces that quietly evolve knitwear for the modern age. He effortlessly pulls off beautifully draped knits, like a heavy zip-front cardigan with an enveloping back, or the knit blanket with sleeves, that doubles as quite the warm coat.

–Hillary Rocker

All images c. The Totam

Tags: Bryant Park, conceptual, dry cleaners, Fall 2009, Fashion Week, garment district, knits, knitwear, New York, Tom Scott, Twilight Zone.

Madcap prints have always been Rachel Comey’s signature and fall’s collection has no shortage. The vivid variety included florals (delicate liberty prints and generous cabbage roses), a graphic leopard print, and a “doorman” print of a dancing man with an umbrella which appeared in inventive layers with cozy woolen knits, menswear-style trousers and ankle-grazing skirts. Comey who also has a very popular accessories collection sent girls down the runway in numerous oversized hats, earmuffs, and headwraps to keep heads warm. Even a large side bun on one model vaguely resembled the knotted headwrap on another.

Above images via style.com

The collection was shown last night at the Taxter & Spengemann Gallery near the East Village whose raw white-bricked walls were the perfect backdrop to Comey’s richly layered outfits. Pre-show, journalists cajoled members of the well-dressed crowd to pose for pictures as the small space filled up.

All images c. The Totam unless otherwise noted.

Tags: Fall 2009, fashion show, Fashion Week, knits, liberty print, New York, prints, Rachel Comey, Runway, Taxter & Spengemann.

If you happen to be in New York this week, you’re in luck. Not only can you claw your way through the Barneys Warehouse Sale but get ready to party 1990’s Grind-style, or head over to Craigslist for fashion week tickets and you just might score a free ride to Jersey.

Join the frenzy. Indeed.

1/ The bi-annual Barneys New York Warehouse Sale starts today just in time for fashion week. Now is the time to find your Dries Van Noten, Lanvin, and Marc Jacobs at 50-75% off. Our tip: Wear a dress or skirt for easy try-ons as there are no dressing rooms. We would love to hear what treasures you find as well!

*255 West 17th Street, between 7th & 8th Avenues. 212-450-8400

Hours: Thursday, Feb. 12th - Friday, the 13th: 8am - 9pm / Weekdays: 10am - 9pm, Weekends: 10am - 7pm

2/ Party like it’s 1992 again at photographer Clifton Parker’s fashion week bash with host Eric Nies. Yes that Eric Nies, the early ’90s host of MTV’s dance show The Grind. Our tip: Don’t forget your baja jacket.

*Friday, Feb. 13th / Hudson Terrace, 641 West 46th Street, between 11th & 12th Avenues / Doors at 9pm /  RSVP necessary to info@cliftonparker.com

3/ British designer Matthew Williamson will be opening his first U.S. store in New York’s Meatpacking District, with an opening party on Sunday night. Fans of Williamson’s Indian-inspired togs include Sienna Miller and Jade Jagger. This one will be a tight list. Our tip: Ogle from across the street.

*Sunday, Feb. 15th, 6:30 - 9:30pm / 415 W. 14th Street, near Washington Street

Hopefully Bryant Park is a little more organized.

4/ Who says there are no free rides? Maybelline and Marie Claire are teaming up to offer complimentary taxi rides to fashion week attendees as they leave the Bryant Park tents on Thursday, Feb. 19th. The stunt is to promote the Style Network’s new reality series Running in Heels, starring Marie Claire fashion editor Nina Garcia. No word yet on how far one can go once inside the cab. Our tip: Hoboken, please! (Fashion Week Daily)

Surprise, honey! We're not on the list!

5/ Can’t get into the shows? Need a Valentine’s Day date idea? Try Craigslist. For anywhere from $80 - $500, you too can stand with the best of them. Since the last time we checked, Charlotte Ronson show scalpers seem to be pretty popular. Our tip: Don’t waste your money. Instead, stay tuned to The Totam for fashion week updates from the Rachel Comey, Karen Walker, Tom Scott and Matthew Ames’ shows. (The Cut)

Tags: 1992, Barneys, Bryant Park, Clifton Parker, Craigslist, Dries Van Noten, Eric Nies, Fashion Week, Hoboken, Jade Jagger, Karen Walker, Lanvin, Marc Jacobs, Matthew Ames, Matthew Williamson, New York, Nina Garcia, Parties, Rachel Comey, Running in Heels, Sienna Miller, store opening, Style Network, The Totam, Tom Scott, valentine's day.

The site of Cushnie et Ochs' Fall 2009 show on Friday: The Celeste Bartos Forum at the New York Public Library / Cushnie et Ochs' Spring 2009 show via NY Post

New York’s Fashion Week officially commences tomorrow on the hallowed grounds of Bryant Park and beyond. Designers who either can’t afford to show in the tents or feel it is too commercial of a venue are adopting other various staging grounds. With a Parsons Designer of the Year Award to their name, Cushnie et Ochs are using the breathtaking Celeste Bartos Forum at the New York Public Library to show their sophomore collection. In a similar literary vein, menswear label Loden Dager has rented out The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen, (a library and school which was originally founded to educate families of skilled craftsmen) for their Saturday night show.

Eco-friendly line Bodkin and their air plant invite (image via Teen Vogue)

In perfect harmony, designer Eviana Hartman of eco-friendly line Bodkin is appropriately utilizing the Horticultural Society to show her third collection. Clever invites were literally alive - paper pyramids housed small air plants (which will grow just about anywhere and without soil) - and went perfectly with the sustainable line’s ethos.

The Robert Miller Gallery, where Zero + Maria Cornejo will show.

Numerous other designers are showing in art galleries and museums which are always the perfect blank canvases. Rachel Comey whose pieces are works of art on their own will be showing at the Taxter & Spengemann gallery Friday night, while Zero + Maria Cornejo’s sculptural designs will hold perfectly in the Robert Miller Gallery’s austere space. Rounding out the artistic venues are red carpet favorite Marchesa at the Chelsea Art Museum and Vittadini at the International Center of Photography.

Tags: alternate venues, Bodkin, Bryant Park, Chelsea Art Museum, Cushnie et Ochs, Eviana Hartman, Fall 2009, Fashion Week, galleries, International Center of Photography, Loden Dager, Marchesa, New York Public Library, NY designers, Parsons Designer of the Year, Rachel Comey, Robert Miller Gallery, Taxter & Spengemann, the tents, Vittadini, Zero + Maria Cornejo.