Menswear look is hot for women in previews of fall styles at NY Fashion Week

At NY Fashion Week, girls will be boys

NEW YORK — Fashionable women would do well to raid their boyfriends’ closets come fall, judging from the looks shown Sunday at New York Fashion Week.

Menswear influences were everywhere during the week of previews, from the trendsetting runway of Alexander Wang to the typically ultra-feminine Victoria Beckham, who included trenches in her fall collection, shown to a handful of reporters in a flower-filled uptown townhouse.

DKNY showed boyfriend jackets and Rag & Bone had a collection rooted in tailored suits. Oddly enough, the look melded seamlessly with school girl styles also popular in the fourth day of fall runway previews.

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG

Diane von Furstenberg confessed to the crowd she has a more masculine side. “I always wanted to live a man’s life in a woman’s body,” she wrote in her notes left on the seats of editors, stylists and retailers at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Bryant Park.

She went on to explain that her theme of metamorphosis aimed to capture the yin and yang of strength and sex appeal.

Menswear jackets were worn over flowery dresses; chainmail decorated soft knits. A rose-printed velvet blazer over a stone-colored, soft-crepe dress captured von Furstenberg’s message in a single outfit, as did a chiffon, rosette-covered bolero worn over a gray felted wool blazer.

Some big-gun models come out for von Furstenberg’s show, including Chanel Iman, Coco Rocha and Natalia Vodianova. And was that a smile on most of the catwalkers’ faces?

Vodianova’s finale pewter-collard metallic lame dress with delicate flower appliques hit on the surprising resurgence of the glittery fabric at this round of runway shows.

VICTORIA BECKHAM

From the personal greeting she gave to her two dozen guests to the thoughtful answers to questions about her designs, Victoria Beckham staged an intimate preview that was all class and polish.

The series of 26 dresses maintained her signature sleek, slim shape while adding new elements such as draping and textured fabrics. One of the gowns — a tan silk jersey with a touch of embroidery on one shoulder — is a contender for Beckham to wear to the upcoming Oscars.

Her favorite dress, though, was a strapless minidress in a beige print that was hand-tucked to mimic the airiness of a cloud.

“I wanted to push myself and work with structure and drapery,” Beckham said. She wore dress No. 12, a gray wool tunic that, she said, “you can just throw on.”

For inspiration, she studied the style of 1940s-era comic-strip detective characters and Hollywood femmes fatales. You could see the Dick Tracy-influence in the trench-style pieces, and in the newsprint smudges in the blurred pixel print on the finale asymmetric column gown.

PRABAL GURUNG

Prabal Gurung’s catwalk show was one of the hottest tickets of New York Fashion Week, with a a front row that included Zoe Saldana of “Avatar,” designer Cynthia Rowley and celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe.

He turned out a polished, cohesive collection, only the third under his own name, confirming the status of his label as one to watch. There were many graphic elements to the clothes with an emphasis on contrast colors — one outfit paired a camel-and-black jacket with capelike sleeves with a camel-and-black seamed pant.

The star pieces were a black-and-white, motocross-style dress with crystals, pearls and pailettes that was certainly red-carpet worthy, and a delicate strapless dress in camel and white tulle with laser-cut gazar, organza petals, ostrich feathers and crystals.

It was, however, the chic everyday wear that was most impressive. He created unfussy dresses and coats, including a camel cashmere sheath with white, asymmetrical insets, and a fur-and-crocodile layered jacket.

Still, Gurung is hardly a household name. The one person with the power to change that — even more than a a movie star like Saldana or a power player like Zoe — would be first lady Michelle Obama, who has a reputation of championing new designer names.

She might want to consider the iridescent black-and-white tweed dress.

BAND OF OUTSIDERS

A favorite phrase of fashion insiders is “classics with a twist.” It seemed the mantra of Band of Outsiders.

Designer Scott Sternberg is best known for menswear, winning the Council of Fashion Designers of America prize in that category last year. He continues to shrink preppy trousers and jackets, and, in a winter-vacation moment, added some parkas, flannel workshirts and wool sweatpants.

Those Americana looks, displayed among skis, vintage luggage trunks and even an old Jaguar at the gallery space of Milk Studios, are Band of Outsiders’ bread and butter.

What was more unexpected were the dressier looks for women, including a lovely black-and-gold silk V-neck top, a pencil skirt with zipper details, a tie-front skirt — worn with an enviable shearling coat — and a black wool pantsuit.

DKNY

Donna Karan again reinvented her beloved young New York muse, dressing her in a patchwork of grid patterns, Art Deco sequins, equestrian plaids and schoolgirl sweetness.

Some of the best looks were drop-waist minis that emphasized a long, lean shape with boyfriend jackets on top. The palette was very prep school: black, gray, brown and brick red. Sparkly blue beading turned up in unexpected places, giving some pops of energy.

Yet, as youthful as the collection was, it was missing some of the bounce that DKNY usually weaves into its look.

Karan, however, had more than a little spring in her step as she took her bow, holding the hands of her grandchildren. She wore the “To Haiti With Love” T-shirt that the fashion industry is using as a vehicle to raise money for earthquake relief efforts.

BETSEY JOHNSON

Betsey Johnson took a tour through the Wild West, showing off a newly model-slim Kelly Osbourne as her head bandito.

Some of the looks — inspired by saloon girls, vagabonds, gamblers and other ne’er-do-wells — will be available immediately in Betsey Johnson stores, a nod to the reality of fast fashion.

Osbourne emerged as the first model of the evening with a bandanna mask, playfully wielding toy pistols before revealing her face. She later emerged in a handlebar mustache.

Johnson had luck with some of her looks inspired by bank clerks, gamblers and robbers — perhaps tapping into the adapted menswear trend popular on other runways. Girlier looks with prairie patterns, tiered skirts, corsets and bunching on the behind were less wearable.

But for Johnson, it’s all about the show. Sunday’s had nods to the death of Alexander McQueen — a model in a bodysuit held a “Long Live McQueen” sign — and a more playful tribute to Valentine’s Day, with models spelling out “LOVE” in sequins on their behinds.

Lifestyles Editor Lisa Tolin contributed to this report.