The Row FALL
Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen are widely credited for popularizing the oversize silhouettes that have become a hallmark of the quiet luxury trend. Now that the look has gone mainstream, how can their label The Row stay ahead of the pack?
For fall, they sucked out the volume with trim suit jackets and cigarette pants with a minimalist '90s vibe. An equestrian-style six-button version sat high on the hips, while a longer threebutton style subtly curved in at the waist.
The three-button blazer was also among the new styles for men, which similarly stuck to a palette of black and a smattering of neutrals.
Flat shoes were traded for heels, from the thong sandals worn with an elegantly draped black evening dress, whose graphic lines conveyed a 1930s elegance, to the red pointy buckled stilettos that added an unexpected pop of color to the simplest of black cocktail dresses.
The label's signature layering was stripped back, reduced to a fine turtleneck sweater worn under button-up shirts.
Fans of the boxy look needn't despair: there were plenty of coats and jackets with sloping shoulders, and roomy outerwear, including a weathered shearling leather aviator jacket, and a belted beige utilitarian jacket that was a marvel of lightweight construction.
But with midcentury style poised to take over the airwaves, courtesy of TV shows about Cristóbal Balenciaga, Christian Dior and the 1950s society Swans, chances are their polished slimline look is the one that everyone will rush to copy next. — Joelle Diderich
Toteme FALL
Toteme's style universe expanded Monday night with its first runway show in Paris. It marked the 10th anniversary for the Swedish brand, cofounded by husbandand-wife Karl Lindman and Elin Kling.
Overall it was a calming, cohesive presentation of precise, polished and very wearable wardrobe staples that fit cleverly between men's week — with this season's masculine tailoring bent — and couture — with its continuing focus on sustainability and craftsmanship.
“We always stay true to our DNA, but now we are very confident in our uniform,” Kling said after the show. And it showed.
Outerwear was an emphasis point, with wider-cut blazers gently sloping at the shoulder while retaining their scaffolding, while coats were single-breasted or faux fur that built out plenty of volume. Pants were slim cut and settled gently below the waist, with skinny, relaxed belts on the hip.
Some of the looks were elevated takes on their archival pieces, and they reinterpreted their viral scarf jacket in a wrap-neck sweater. Lightweight knits were layered to envelop the body like a soft hug.
Shades of cream, caramel and this season's chocolate comprised much of the very soothing palette.
Pointed shoes were the sole sharp edge in the collection, hitting a vaguely '90s edge.
Speaking backstage the duo were clear they are designing with the real-life, working woman in mind and don't intend to do otherwise. Their market is clear — and expanding. They added the jewelry category last fall, and expanded handbags for fall, a few of which were seen on this runway.
The brand took over the former Balenciaga space on London's Mount Street on Dec. 15, and will open its first doors in Los Angeles at the beginning of April.
What's next? Lindman joked: “We're going to the moon.” — Rhonda Richford