Do you think the new NY guard is overrated?
 

I'm refering to designers such as Kate and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte, Proenza Schouler, Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Alexander Wang and Rag & Bone.

What do you think?

Yes. I wouldn't include Prabal on that list. His hype just started like 3-4 seasons ago. Biggest dissapointment would have to be Rodarte. Things havent been the same since they started transitioning into "wearable" territory.

I actualy think does are the light of NY Fashion Week. Other than those who are the exiting designers in NY?
I dont like Prabal but other than that I love those designers. Without those fresh talents. Rodarte for experimental and quirky design. Proenza and Altuzarra for the chic cool girl. Wang for an edgy NY look. Rag & Bone for the sporty look and Wu for a more conservative client.
I like this new generation of NY. Without them NY would have no energy...

Not at all. I think Rodarte, Wu and Gurung are indeed overrated. I'm not saying they are bad designers, but their appeal as of late is lacking.

That being said, I feel strongly that people enjoy putting NYFW down simply for the sake of putting it down. Some really interesting ideas have been created in NYFW for SS 13. To say that NY is the weakest in the global arena isn't fair. There are just as many repetitive, rip-off laden designers in London, Milan and Paris as there are in NY. To single NY out isn't fair. Plus I think people expect way to much, in all areas. I saw ten great, trend defining collections this season that have really left an impact on me...

Honestly, if i was to be harsh id say that if you would remove the lot there wouldnt be much left thats interesting for me in nyfw. Well, almost anyways...

Would really be interested to hear who is underrated in opinion of those who will say they feel they are overrated? Whose spotlights do you think are they stealing?

Why do you think Prabal shouldn't be included here? Would be interesting to read your take on him...

My problem with most of these designers (save for Rodarte, whom I consider aimless most of the time) is their blatant rip-offs of iconic designers/collections that are not even that 'vintage' so they could reference or take as 'inspiration' so freely and carelessly :innocent:

You think THOSE designers are overrated? How about the current crop of menswear designers that have sprung up in recent years..the ones who are repeatedly featured in all the blogs, in all sthe (US) mags, in all the e-stores? Like Tim Hamilton, Patrick Ervell, Billy Reid, Simon Spurr, Adam Kimmel, Band of Outsiders, Michael Bastian, etc etc etc. Besides another pair of chinos and another rehashing of "classic American sportswear" codes, I'm just not seeing what sets them apart from what Ralph & Tommy have been doing for years...and when I actually do see it in stores, I'm really lost as to what's so special.

I agree with you on the men's wear designers. To me there's only a very small group of designers that embody a new fresh era on men's fashion and none of those that the magazines include, as you pointed out, do this well. I always look for those out-of-the-box designers for men's wear and I'd say only Unconditionnal, Yohji Yamamoto, Rick Owens and John Galliano and a pair of Asian designers really keep pushing forward men's fashion, but that's about it.

However the group of NY designers cited before do represent for me the golden age of interesting fashion designers, so I don't see "too much hype" vibe coming out. I mean the problem is that, they're very young still in their career and approach so they don't have the knowledge or feeling of fashion big names such as Armani, Ralph, Marc, and Calvin have, but it's normal. Soon they'll have a definitive signature style, but we have to let them grow. Perhaps the New York fashion scene glorifies them a bit too much but I don't know I'm a french boy living in Spain and I still see their names features here too.

At least there is a new guard in NYC. Who's the new guard in Milan and Paris? It's forever Dolce, YSL, Chanel..etc.

You are absolutely right. It just never figured to me to include them, I just really don't pay that much attention to menswear, though I'd agree, after what I've seen from them, that they mostly do slight tweaks on classic American, to ho-hum results. I mostly think they benefit from their cool-sounding names the most (Band of Outsiders, etc.) :innocent:

Well, that's an altogether different discussion, though I think, if the so-called 'old' guard is doing things so well (meaning certain names like Miuccia Prada in Milan and countless others in Paris), it is not so desperately needed. And still, there are new, interesting additions to those line-ups, including Hakaan in Paris and Franceso Sconamiglio and Aquilano.Rimondi in Milan.

Interesting thread. I would not use the term "overrated," however, I would say that maybe their pieces aren't as original or (better) unique as some of their predecessors. But I also say give them some time. They are getting their creative energy going. I consider this their warm up phase.

Are they overrated? Only time will tell. I think we've seen a return to form from Rodarte. Continued improvement from Wang. Proenza continue to interest my eye and Rag&Bone have grown on me. I have thought Wu overtouted. His offering had something a little more this season but he has a long way to go.

We could measure the current force of the US new wave (some of these are of course west coast people even they show in NYC) by thinking of euro comparators and seeing how we think they shape up?

Rodarte's euro equivalent is maybe Rick Owens. Ok he's been around a while but I think he's really only come on major the last few years. Whoops, Owens is American? Pugh as EuroWang? Pugh has that hard urban edge and if he's given to more theatrics and, new in recent seasons, romance, that is from his european nature. Proenza's equiv - perhaps Christopher Kane? Wu, Erdem? I didn't say it was easy. I guess in general the US new guard is holding up ok.

I think they are, I dont see a Donna Karan or Ralph Lauren, mayeb Zac Posen seems to appeal to the masses alot

There is a new guard in these towns (Guillaume Henry or Christophe Lemaire in Paris for instance ... ).

In Paris, the problem is that it's real hard to get the attention when there are so many famous and wonderful houses (which is not NY's case). It's easier to be seen in NY when you start in this business ... And young designers in Paris also suffer from not being actually supported by the fashion press :( (Anna Wintour did a lot for the new guard in NY ...).