Best of the Best of Pre-Fall 2018: Sacai’s mad genius

Best of the Best of Pre-Fall 2018: Sacai's mad genius
Best of the Best of Pre-Fall 2018: Sacai's mad genius

This is actually the only collection I’ve looked at so far from Pre-Fall 2018, but I’m declaring Sacai the Best of the Best, because what could possibly outdo it? The whole thing is a nutty textile-nerd dreamscape, wherein classic suiting fabrics and buffalo checks and Nordic sweaters have cross-bred into insane hybridized garments so imaginative I wonder what the design team was smoking. While I love the idea of 4 sweaters being smashed into a single garment, I don’t necessarily love or want all of the end results — as much as I admire the vision and creativity on display. But some of it I do want. Badly. Like, I love the floor-length cable-sweater/white-cotton dress (look #31 if the links are wiggy) so much I want to renew my vows just so I can call it my wedding dress. (Definitely with the orange boots.) And I’d love to have the zip-up lopi/suit coat mashup outfit (#32) for my getaway ensemble!

I have no idea where I could ever go in look #20, but I might be trying to figure it out for the rest of my days. I mean …

Best of the Best of Pre-Fall 2018: Sacai's mad genius

PREVIOUSLY: Best of Spring 2018

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First of the Best of Spring 2018

First of the Best of Spring 2018

The big-4 Fashion Weeks are currently underway (NY, London, Milan, Paris) and I haven’t seen any of it yet! But Stockholm went first, and I’m crazy about this collection by new-to-me label Totême.  The Spring collections are often my favorite because I find them inspiring for the early fall moment that’s upon us and also interesting for seeing where fashion is headed six months out — how spring builds on the seasons before it. But this particular collection — especially the look up top — actually makes me a little bit nostalgic for my Paris suitcase, and extra excited to wear some of those outfits that either didn’t get worn or have only been worn that week. I believe the pants in the first two photos (looks 15 and 4) are rib knit, and I want them; they look amazing with both of these tops. The red blouse sent me running back to Folkwear’s smock patterns, and I want this exact same scarf in knitted shawl form. (Although my striped sweater serves that purpose beautifully.) The stylized cable sweater (look 7) stays just on the right side of being stylized but not overly gimmicky or trendy, and the entire look below (5) makes my heart race. Overall, amazing silhouettes and so much food for fall wardrobe thought right now.

First of the Best of Spring 2018

PREVIOUSLY: The best of Fall 2017

The rest of the Best of Fall 2017: Scarf season

The rest of the Best of Fall 2017: Scarf season

Random observations on the Fall 2017 collections: It’s a very strong army-green season, which happens every few years and always feels like home to me. (It’s always army-green season in my world.) There’s a tremendous amount of denim in the shows — deconstructed/reconstructed pieces of all kinds everywhere. Celine says it’s safe to take your blankie with you. This might be the best twinset ever. Conversely, the one-armed sweater is back. But what I really want to talk about are all the scarves (and matching scarves and sweaters) and the button-up ruanas — scarves-as-garments — which I’m compelled to called scarfigans: Exhibit A, the army version, at Apiece Apart (above). Exhibit B at M.Patmos. And a non-knitted, big-pocketed variation, Exhibit C also at M.Patmos. Among others. The best of the best of the scarves is the one below, from endless-summer label Lemlem — a show full of appealing mash-ups of fluttery tops and sweatpants, the best of both worlds. But it’s the garter-ombré-stripe effect of the scarf, seen also on a hoodie, that I can’t get out of my head. I did something slightly similar with a scrappy cowl when I was very first knitting and I’m now re-pondering all that for my long-planned leftovers sweater.

(Speaking of army green: The army Porter Bin will officially be back on July 28th!)

The rest of the Best of Fall 2017: Scarf season

PREVIOUSLY: First of the Best of Fall 2017: Simple shapes and sweaters

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First of the Best of Fall 2017: Simple shapes and sweaters

First of the Best of Fall 2017: Simple shapes and sweaters

I started to type I’ve begun to think about Fall, but honestly, when am I not thinking about Fall? What I mean is I’ve begun to think in earnest about shapes — especially what shape I want my fisherman to be, and how I want to wear it in the near term. So naturally, I took a stroll through the Fall 2017 shows, which I hadn’t had a chance to do yet, and I am in love with the Elizabeth & James collection — so many lovely intersections of proportion and knitwear to be lingered over. Like the simple red mock-neck with slightly exaggerated skirt, the incredible cardigan-coat in grey and charcoal, and the chic little waffle sweater — the coolest long johns top ever — with narrow black pants. To name just a few.

First of the Best of Fall 2017: Simple shapes and sweaters

PREVIOUSLY: Pre-Fall 2017

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Best of the Best of Pre-Fall 2017: Joseph

Best of the Best of Pre-Fall 2017: Joseph

It’s good that the Fall 2017 collections will be starting in about 10 minutes, because I’m fairly underwhelmed by the Pre-Fall ones. Not surprisingly though, Joseph is once again at the top of my list of exquisite knits (alongside incredible woven pieces with all the giant patch pockets I love). Just look at those incredible long layers up top, the exaggerated turtleneck and impeccable cardigan in the middle, and then the long rib-knit tunic and pants paired with that exceptional pink coat. Nevermind how unwearable those pants are, I want it all. But especially that army sweater-coat.

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PREVIOUSLY in Pre-Fall 2017:

First of the Best of Pre-Fall 2017: Funnelnecks and midiskirts

First of the Best of Pre-Fall 2017: Funnelnecks and midiskirts

The Pre-Fall 2017 collection images are gathering slowly, but one silhouette trend I’m already loving is the combination of hip-length, funnelneck pullovers with midiskirts and killer boots. Seen here at Adam Lippes (top) — my always-favorite skirt length there, hitting just at the bottom of the kneecap — Protaganist (bottom left) and TSE (bottom right).

Definitely fueling my slouchy turtleneck fantasies

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PREVIOUSLY: Spring 2017

Prada’s hippie-Cowichan funhouse sweaters

Prada's hippie-Cowichan funhouse sweaters

There was this thing on the Prada Fall 2016 runway last spring that I quickly clicked right past, aghast at the … well, at the whole thing, let’s be honest. I didn’t linger nearly long enough to notice or wonder about the knitted fabric that made up the body of that cardigan. Then last week a reader sent me an email containing the image at the top of this post — from Prada’s current ad campaign — asking if I could shed any light on it. A few days later, a friend texted the Eddie Redmayne becardiganned version below it. Both images had the opposite effect on me: I could not take my eyes off them. The fabric is fascinating, but the vest! It’s like some kind of hippie patchwork version of my fitted Cowichan-ish vest, one of my all-time favorite garments. The colors in the Prada vest are too Bob Newhart Show for me (although I like it against the pink!), but the palette of Eddie’s cardigan is mesmerizing — like The Plucky Knitter was involved.

But what IS IT, you’re wondering? So was I! For a diagnosis, I turned to my friend Kate, who sees it as a variation on the short-row scallops you see in something like Olga’s Aranami shawl, with intarsia for the color changes, and a single-row stripe worked as a purl stitch running along the upper row of each scalloped ridgeline. No big deal!

I’ve never knitted anything in the scallops category and never done intarsia, but I’m sufficiently fascinated with that vest that I might have to give something like it a try someday. (Thank you, Ece!)

Prada's hippie-Cowichan funhouse sweaters

PREVIOUSLY in Fall 2016: Best of the Best: Dries’ epic sweater