During NYFW this week Cynthia Rowley presented her Spring 2015 collection, a bright, mod-inspired lineup that was an easy transition from her Fall 2014 looks. Using similar materials, cuts and colors she played on the same ‘60s motifs and bold shades, though with arguably more success than last season. Her presentation today was bright and fun, filled with celebrities, press and style lovers that filed into the low-key space for a glimpse at her updated works. She created a collection that was feminine, flirty and sporty enough that it would look just as cool styled with heels as a pair of Birkenstocks, and the fashion set, as we know, loves a good pair of Birkenstocks.
The collection is far from the look of your traditional Mod Squad, but with bell-shaped frocks, collarless coats and mini-dresses that would have hung in Twiggy’s closet, it’s easy to see where influences come from. A lover of the ‘60s decade, Rowley pulls from it constantly, sometimes in more theatrical ways than others. Jumbo floral print and enlarged lace details sit on everything from plunging tops to maxi dresses. While these looks are great for a photo shoot they can be harder to pull off on city streets—but we are more than willing to try. Some of her standout pieces were the trapeze and mini dresses that perfectly blended the past and present for spring.
With a color palette that includes white, pastels, touches of black and pops of an orangey-red (a popular shade in her previous collection), this season is softer than the last; today pieces were shown in movement, left open and ultimately felt more wearable. By treating her ready-to-wear and active wear as separate entities instead of one indiscernible blob of a collection, she was able to maintain a beauty and softness that is hard to find in wetsuits and bike helmets. "It's about making fitness pretty instead of making pretty sporty," she told Style.com when asked why she chose to separate the line this season.
And she did indeed make them pretty. The collection, when seen up close has, an attention to detail one wouldn’t expect for mod looks that are more concerned with shape and silhouette. Crinkle-pattern prints, layered appliqués and added accoutrements such as bows, give the collection personality beyond that of on-trend style. Granted, the flare capris might be a hard look to pull off, but we’re already in love with the billowy trapeze dresses and lace up mules.
