N.Y. Fashion Week: Derek Lam and fall’s vivid color story

Derek Lam’s fall 2014 collection exemplified the vivid color story that’s emerging for the fall 2014 season at New York Fashion Week.

The look: Sportswear with an audacious 1970s feel. Cozy, tactile fabrications and a mix of offbeat colors, lavender with forest green and ochre yellow, for example. Sliced cut outs and pleats created sensual movement on skirts and dresses.

Key pieces: Sleeveless, pale blue boucle button-front shift dress. Great-looking white bonded crepe blazer and knee-length skirt. Gray double face cashmere coat. Black suede jumpsuit with gold toggle belt. Black-and-white hand knit chunky sweater and sweater skirt. Black cashmere fringed turtleneck. Suede culottes. Leather patchwork pencil skirt. Black rose velvet and white gray draped cashmere dress. Blue silk georgette, body-skimming column dress with gold bead details and sliced cut outs. Color block bootie with pyramid heel. Tall, hair calf wrap boots. Lavender mink paper bag-style clutch.

The verdict: A home run. This collection was full of forever pieces. It was clean and modern but not too minimal. It’s interesting that there was far less fur than we’ve seen in Lam’s past fall collections, and I think he’s better for it. He put the focus on cloth coats, knitwear and sportswear pieces, the workhorses of a woman’s wardrobe, and it paid off.

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