A very ambitious collection, Jill Stuart stayed true to her feminine roots while breaking out of what seems to be her safe zone and moving into something much more daring. While some shapes were similar to her Fall 2013 pieces, it’s a far cry from her previous spring collection of light colors and conservative lengths. Spring 2014 was all about mash-ups of leather and lace, with patterns and form we haven’t seen from her before. Her '70s and '90s silhouettes with a distinct rock-n-roll vibe were edgy, but still feminine, and polished for the coming seasons.
The collection is mostly black and white (a common color palette we’re seeing from many designers this fashion week), with a few blue and jean pieces thrown in for good measure. But the lack of spring hues left nothing from the collection, as the fresh clash or organza, lace and leather looked new and wearable for next year. Sweet, sheer babydolls were tame in comparison to some of the more revealing mini-dresses with plunging necklines or midriff-baring tanks. A combination of form fitting dresses, full-shaped skirts and large shoulder crop tops made the collection well rounded and closet ready. While I wouldn’t suggest wearing some pieces with quite as much of a body-baring attitude as the models, they will be easy to wear and coordinate throughout the year, not just spring.
If the dark colors and leather wasn’t enough “tough-girl” for you, the models strutted down the runway in messy, shaggy cuts, and dark kohl eyeliner, giving them a fresh-off-the-stage look. This tousled, rolled-out-of-bed hair has been hitting runways all week, and I’m betting it’s the new hair for spring. The whole look encapsulated a sexier, darker side of Jill Stuart that gave a modern, feminine kick to the current trends of leather skater skirts and cutouts—and she did it more successfully than any designer has this week.