Spring 2011 Fashion Week All-Stars

By Leah

One of the hardest parts of going back to school is how quickly my work is interrupted by New York Fashion Week.  I know I should crack a textbook, get started on an assignment or two, but it’s nearly impossible to focus with pictures from an endless number of talented designer collections.  Add in Style.com’s iPhone app and I’m even having trouble staying focused in class.

Thanks a lot, Fashion Week.

And now that the week is done and I’ve spent every last second of it drooling over flowy dresses and a whole lot of bare bellies, it’s time to narrow down the best of the best from this year’s Spring Fashion Week. It was exceptionally difficult to choose favorites (it seemed like every single designer pulled out all the stops and created nearly perfect collections this year!), but using a very scientific formula (a scale ranging from “I’d totes wear that” to “I’d cut out my own kidneys and sell them on the Black Market to buy that”) I’ve determined this year’s Fashion Week Designer All-Stars.

Sorry, Marc Jacobs and Tory Burch – I really did love your collections – but as Iman (of Canada’s Next Top Model) would say: you just didn’t make the cut.

[Click on the images to see the entire collection.]

Anna Sui

After twenty years in the fashion biz, Anna Sui continues to stay true to her design aesthetic in this collection with cute baby dolls in gorgeous patterns.  The free-flowing pieces fit into the theme of ’70s inspired fashion seen throughout Fashion Week while still managing to stay modern and totally wearable in 2011 . The whole collection was flirty and feminine with fringe and feather accents complementing every look. In other words (or Rachel Zoe’s words….), Anna Sui Spring 2011 is major.

DKNY

The DKNY Spring show created a list of must-have items for the college girl.  Though other collections have bits and pieces us college girls might take inspiration from, DKNY is truly targeted at our age group.  Smart investment pieces (hello, khaki trench!) alongside fun prints and feminine ruffles show the perfect way to dress: combining the classic basics we can wear for our whole college career (and beyond) with youthful pieces in bright colors to add some zing to your wardrobe.

Tracy Reese

The trend of ’70s inspired fashion continued into Tracy Reese’s collection.  This woman knows how to work a print and knows how to do it well. With everything from watercolors to ethnic prints and even tie-dye, Tracy Reese brought out the drama in a way Betsy Johnson could never understand. Read: with elegance and class. I want it all!

Vera Wang

I’ll start out by saying I LOVE the rope knotted belts in this collection. And the quilting. And the layering. And the mixture of feminine and masculine pieces. And the homage to Kill Bill. OK, so there’s pretty much nothing about Vera’s collection that I didn’t love. Except maybe the price tag.

Vivienne Tam

If white cotton lace and crochet dresses are a sign of Spring, then Vivienne Tam should sponsor the season. Her whole collection had a light, airy, feminine feel. The florals, fluttery sleeves and open backs were incredibly classy while at the same time being totally relaxed. Fall has barely begun but Ms. Tam already has me thinking spring and planning my outfits for when the snow finally melts.

Which designer collections were your favorites?