70s Fun In The Park .... Diane von Furstenberg Pre-Fall 2011

December 18, 2010

70s Fun In The Park .... Diane von Furstenberg Pre-Fall 2011

The 70s sense of fashion is meant to be perpetual. And I can foresee that the 70s style will dominate the 2011 fashion scene throughout the four seasons. No, six, if you include Resort and Pre-Fall. I always ask myself why the 70s style remains popular among fashionistas till today, when styles from other eras seemed to be ephemeral?

Could it because the silhouettes are less constricting and sophisticated if compared to the trashy 80s (Oops, sorry Madonna) and the overly domestic goddess 50s and 60s? Well, since fashion is always a subjective matter, I believe everyone has her own reason after all.

At Diane von Furstenberg – the woman who rocked the 70s fashion scene with her iconic invention, the wrap dress – her upcoming Pre-Fall collection for 2011 harks back to the glorious era when perpetual Queen of Style and Timeless Elegance Jacqueline Kennedy ruled by day in her sophisticatedly tailored pantsuits, while von Furstenberg and her Studio 54 coterie took the fashion centre stage by night in flashy, disco-worthy garbs.

But for the Pre-Fall collection, you won’t find anything that’s either too spangling or disco worthy. After all, von Furstenberg’s paparazzi-filled Studio 54 nights have long gone.

Instead, it will be the ones that you’ll see on New York girls and women, strolling in the Central Park or Greenwich Village at the start of autumn circa 1970s. The working palette, a combination of rich yet contrasting hues such as earthy mustard, cinnamon, orange and bright shades of blue (turquoise included) and jade, seamlessly suffused with the clean, basic shapes.

Some of the ensembles look collegiate to me, especially the one with burgundy turtleneck top, V-neck vest and leather belt paired with skirt, all in contrasting colours. The suede shifts and trench coats with wide lapels in earthy colours on the other hand, are the real epitome of the 70s fashion. There’s also a stunning fully suede ensemble of bolero or cropped jacket, top and cullotes, all in tan. Besides, there are no other seasons that are perfect for you to wear suede other than pre-fall and autumn.

Aside from the suede dresses and coats in one hue, prints are also abundant within the collection. And just like the shapes, the prints too are heavily influenced by the 70s with a bit of psychedelic colours and repetitive geometrical patterns in assuaged brightness.

Accentuating the era’s edgy feel are leather and suede knee high boots in a variety of colours, as well as the oversized sunglasses a la Jackie O that superbly complement the heightened hems and the divine American sportswear for women looks.

Diane von Furstenberg Pre-Fall 2011 collection will be available at all Diane von Furstenberg stores, select multi-brand retailers and fine departmental stores worldwide as early as the third quarter of the year.