Class & Business

The return to grown-up glamour that is making its return this week puts an interesting new perspective on fashion. When adult clothes for adult women are being shown on the runway, the childlike 15-yearold Ukrainians modeling them suddenly look out of place and one starts to long for the curvy glamazons of the ’80s. Perhaps this is a sign of female empowerment, perhaps not. But it’s nice to see that designers suddenly seem to be romancing the 40-something career woman, instead of just her 18-year-old daughter.Doo.Ri’s artfully draped and ethereal clothes have made her a darling in fashion’s hauter circles. You can often judge the hotness of a designer by the contents of their goody bag. While many young talents have to make do with water bottles and a lip gloss, Doo.Ri’s bag was crammed with Aveda products and Shiseido makeup. It will be interesting to see if her fall collection will be as popular as her previous efforts, as the clothes she sent out were almost radically serious and grown-up. Fluid wide-leg trousers in masculine fabrics paired with blousy leather tops with bondage-like sleeves, and strapless dresses in silk jersey with draped backs and crystal embroidery brought 1980s icons like Sean Young in “Blade Runner” to mind.This is a look that fashion has not bothered to revisit until now. But it seems like it just might be perfect timing.Power dressing was the theme for Diane von Furstenberg’s fun and flirty “Working Girl” collection. (And yes, the soundtrack blasted both “9 to 5” and “She Works Hard for the Money.”) Drawing inspiration from iconic silverscreen career women from Rosalind Russell to Melanie Griffith, the collection was a greatest hits parade of sweet and sexy office fashion of the 20th century. Slim, highwaisted pencil skirts were worn with matching jackets with pointed shoulders, or wispy chiffon blouses. Soft knit dresses in abstract graphic patterns were shown with swing coats in the same fabric. The classic Diane wrap dress was done in a slender chiffon button-down version, with short princess sleeves and bold geometrical prints. And — as the designer proved by triumphantly strutting the entire length of the U-shaped runway — the clothes were ageless as well as timeless.Even the perpetually whimsical Alice Roi has left some of her girlishness behind and ventured into more sophisticated territory. Although accessories like children’s shoes and lunchbox bags weren’t particularly ladylike, many of the fluid A-line dresses, sumptuous knits, and tailored trouser ensembles were. The design was nicely balanced between sweet silhouettes and innovative details such as unexpected pleats and cutouts. This appeared to be a breakthrough collection for Ms. Roi, and it will be interesting to see what she comes up with for next season.

Class & Business

Class & Business

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