Nanette Lepore’s Fall ’09 collection was a jumble of colors, textures, layers, and playful hemlines that, disappointingly, felt like it’s been done before. I call the look Bohemian Gossip Girl.

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It was one of the first shows of Wednesday morning and the fashionable trudged in with lattes and iced coffees in-hand, still a bit foggy-eyed from the huge Armani store opening party the previous night. When the lights came up, though, everyone perked up a little at the bright rustic tones, sequin accents, and animal print accessories that made their way down the catwalk.

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I was in the 3rd row for this one so I got to see the collection pretty up close. Looking through the photos now, the pieces photograph *much* better than they appeared on the runway, which makes me wonder how they’ll fare in stores as opposed to online retailers (and will Web shoppers be disappointed once they open their packages)?

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That aside, some of the individual pieces were lovely: a tweed dress with a triangular sequin panel and fishtail hem, a filmy red-orange mini-dress with balloon shoulders, and a shift dress done in an intricate–you guessed it–tribal-like pattern, were singular standouts. I’m with y’all about “tribal”: it needs to be retired or left up to the tribes themselves at this point.

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I’m normally a fan of Nanette and while this collection wasn’t a failure, it didn’t exactly break new ground. Still, there were some very wearable coats and frocks (two of the label’s strengths) that I’m sure stylephiles will snatch up come September.

~Adriana

5 thoughts on “Show Review: Nanette Lepore”

  1. i actually loved the collection. I thought it stayed true to Nanette’s aesthetic. sorry don’t agree with you fashion bomb on this one.

  2. @fashion lover: I don’t feel that remaining true to one’s aesthetic or producing wearable clothes constitutes a good collection, though. Labels like Oscar de la Renta, Michael Kors, and Dolce & Gabbana remain true to their aesthetic season after season but doesn’t render each collection a good one. For me, a good collection is a mix of both that and whether the designer evolves in his or her creativity (which I felt this collection lacked).

    I’m curious to know what other readers think about what makes a good collection. Thanks for sparking the discussion, fashion lover. :-)

  3. I agree with Adriana about this collection. It was very boring and made me go blah. There seemed to be no life or true creativity in the collection. I like to wear clothes that express what mood I’m in therefore I like a variety in my wardrobe. This collection did not showcase that.

  4. I love her collection. I think it was hip and modern with a serious look to it. Every designer is different and her clothes are very wearable…..

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