Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2013

[Stereo_Flo]

Last Christmas, Carolina Herrera’s husband, Reinaldo, designed an exquisite compact for his wife decorated with a day design on one side and a starry night on the other. Made by Verdura, the piece served as a starting point for Herrera’s pre-fall collection. “I was so fascinated by night and day, I decided I wanted to have this [idea] in my collection,” she said. The result was an abundance of celestial motifs, from golden stars embroidered on a lovely navy gown to tarot card images on colorful dresses.

Herrera’s day looks, meanwhile, featured charming cocktail dresses, including one with a stem flower jacquard, and suits in a magnified houndstooth pattern that almost looked digital.

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[Not Plain Jane]

Don't like the suits, but the some of the dresses above are quite lovely.

 

[Maximilian S]

The long floral dress looks like bouquets in the sky, like a ceiling mural.

 

[Stereo_Flo]

instagram / harpersbazaarus

 

[TianSoFine]

I don't really like the first two looks, but the other looks seem pretty great so far.

 

[elle_gb]

The while long dress is pretty.

 

[ultramarine]

She is trying to be younger. Maybe her team does try to do it by the choice of pattern on the fabrics and such. And some of the materials look quite lovely.

The matter is, how does this differentiate from ODLR or something like it. I guess if they keep churning this is because it does sell, right?

 

[Stereo_Flo]

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[Stereo_Flo]

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[Phuel]

To group Carolina as an Oscar-clone is an insult to her.

Whereas Oscar's collections are just a ragtag grouping of high-priced department store offering for the rich old ladies, Carolina's is in a different league. If it weren't before-- it definitely is with this offering. Just her sense of color is stronger and more forward than Oscar's watercolor froufrou mess. Combined with clean and sharp lines-- particularly in the dresses and gowns, and vivid and graphic prints, she's so much more modern than Oscar; She's like HDTV next to his old CRT.

Carolina will never be in the same league as Ghesquiere, Prada and Tischi for the most coveted and hot labels to namedrop, but I don't think that's her motive. She's designing modern and timeless pieces for the Ladies That Lunch without trapping herself into that dusty and moldy bourgeois aesthetic. I just think it's great that she's got such a clean, modern, and stately approach to separate herself from the blandness of Oscar, Jason Wu and the likes.