Denim at NYFW SS14

New York Fashion week has come and gone, but I have rounded up the best denim pieces which walked down the catwalk at many of the designers shows. Take a look inside!

(All images via Style.com // Designers: Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, Jen Kao, Veronica Beard, Diane Von Furstenberg, Creatures of Comfort, Black Denim, Donna Karen, J. Crew. Jill Stuart, Rachel Comey, Sachin + Babi, Mark McNairy New Amsterdam, Tanya Taylor, Timo ,Elie Tahari, Donna Karen, Kenneth Cole)

Unfortunately I missed out on NYFW this year, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t on Style.com everyday pinning my favorites or checking out all the shows as if I was there. A part of me likes this way a little bit better because you don’t have to worry about blurry photos, standing for hours, running around like crazy, walking for miles, and being exhausted. I do, however, miss the buzz in the air, getting your photo taken at Lincoln Center, hearing the music live and loud, seeing the details of the clothes, meeting people and of course… New York City.

When I got this assignment, I planned on covering my favorite shows, new trends and generally the week in fashion, but what I found was really surprising and exciting denim was a HUGE part of the shows this season. Denim has been on the rise for a few seasons now, but it was amazing to see full collections in denim that normally aren’t, I.E. Tommy Hilfiger. There were TONS of denim trims which were fun to spot out and also some denim sets and of course, overalls. A lot of designers played with denim this season and aside from the fact that it made my assignment more exciting, it was great to see. All the shows had a lax vibe and ended with some amazing gowns or spruced up pieces leaving me exceptionally pleased with this seasons collections. Now, on to highlighting some of the designers above!

Tommy Hilfiger

Like I said above, this collection contained a lot of denim which was exciting to see. The whole line was based on California lifestyle with athletic accents and denim pieces like jackets and shorts. The highlights? The thick, colored zippers and the playful, color accents. If you didn’t get the beachy, chill mood from the collection, the setting definitely sealed the deal. The models walked on a wood runway as if it was a boardwalk or pier which was then surrounded by white sand. A blue backdrop made for a great background and transported you straight to Venice Beach.

DKNY

Oddly enough, DKNY was also inspired by LA lifestyle, bringing you to the streets of bright and sunny Los Angeles through their collection. The graffiti background really set the tone and the layering was on point. The clothes and accessories were on the masculine side, but every look was paired with a feminine shoe making for the perfect balance. With a couple of overall pieces and a denim jacket and pants with patchwork, DKNY captured the essence of “street” wear.

Jen Kao

Jen Kao brought a beautiful, contemporary collection to NYFW with minimal pieces and boxy silhouettes. Not only did she have a good chunk of denim pieces, but they all fell into the minimal theme with no hems or seams and all with raw edges. Complimenting the collection, the foggy, blue, background was a perfect canvas for the models. The hair was straight and classic and the makeup had a beautiful glow. This show was perfection.

Veronica Beard

The Veronica Beard collection was a presentation which means no runway or walking, just models standing around looking beautiful while everyone snaps photos. I tend to like presentations because it makes it easy to do what you can’t at the shows take crisp photos, look up close at the pieces and stand there as long as you please to admire the looks.

A lot of people go full out with their presentations with themes and full sets, but I like that Veronica Beard placed her models on what might be soap boxes as if they were making a statement as they stood there without saying a single word. I also liked that the background was white which made the colors pop and the box had color which complimented her pieces.

Unlike Jen Kao, Veronica had some great, tailored looks and were not so much minimal. I loved her use of denim, including a denim crop top that went with a beautiful and bright yellow pencil skirt and also, the denim set of a jacket and a skirt (the hem is amazing on that jacket). I felt like it was the perfect mix of uptown and downtown chic and was easily a favorite.

As we move on to London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks, we leave New York Fashion Week behind with a feeling of LA living, casual denim and simple color pallets, ready for the next set of shows. Join me in watching the runway season fly by faster than you can say fashion, taking tons of inspiration and outfit ideas with you. Happy Fashion Week season!