Derek Lam Spring 2015: Earthly Wonders

Strong silhouettes and stylish separates take root

From the LifeMinute team

September 7th, 2014

At Derek Lam, Nina Garcia was aflutter with excitement. "New York is just buzzing," says the Marie Claire Creative Director, "It's New York Fashion Week. We're seeing new designs. It's like back-to-school for the fashion industry as well."

And designer Derek Lam is giving the fashion world an education in back-to-basics simple sophistication, breaking through a season dominated by dresses with a collection in which smart separates gain ground.

Lam is bringing beige back, along with rich chocolate browns, deep tans and stunning jades, mixing it up with soft purples, in everything from skirts with playful patchwork to dramatic high-waisted flared pants with big buttons, lightly hinting at some 1970s style influences.

Black-and-white makes an appearance as well, in sleek pocketed-pant ensembles and subtly shimmering tees in whites and creams, topped by buttery lavender leather trenches.

Orlando Pita acknowledges that "there's a little bit of a '70s feeling in the collection," but the Lead Hair Stylist for T3 and Phyto says, "The hairstyle is not inspired by any 'woman in the past.' It's more [about] creating a texture in the hair...I just put in a few waves and bends towards the front and the layers, just to add a little flyaway when [the models are] walking."

In attendance was Harper's Bazaar Editor-in-Chief Glenda Bailey, who thinks the neutral palette will be big for Spring, "I think that we're going to be seeing...like a pale khaki or biscuit color, neutral colors that sort of make you think of safaris, that sort of look and spirit...it's going to be everywhere. And, of course, there's always that touch of black-and-white through everything."