Erin Fetherston (Q3049)
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Erin Fetherston is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Erin Fetherston |
Erin Fetherston is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
Over the past few seasons, Erin Fetherston’s signature frothy femininity has consistently moved in a more bohemian, free-spirited direction, perhaps inspired by the designer’s move to Los Angeles. This season the collection, called In Pursuit of Rhapsody, had a global cast to it with exotic influences from Morocco; Seville, Spain; and Paris (where Fetherston lived for a number of years).“I was really thinking about a romantic, bohemian, free-spirited girl,” said Fetherston. “She’s traveling the globe, collecting little treasures from different corners of the world and bringing them all back. That’s her expression of her personal style.” Fetherston’s girl would have picked up her babouches—worn in the show—in Marrakech, Morocco, while the cascades of fringe are owed to Seville’s flamenco dancers. The fringe worked best when it was in short supply; the skinny scarves in particular added a jaunty chicness to the billowy dresses and blouses with poet sleeves. When the fringe came in torrents—as on a few gowns and cape and skirt looks—it felt a little over-the-top, not to mention cumbersome enough to make dancing the flamenco a challenge.But overall, the ease and looseness of the collection felt refreshing. Some of Fetherston’s strongest looks were, surprisingly, pant-focused, such as an olive turtleneck paired with a matching knit trouser or a jacquard poet blouse paired with a burgundy velvet trouser. The palette—dusty pink, olive, and burgundy, with hints of saffron and indigo—was also on point.Wanderlust wasn’t the only thing that motivated Fetherston to include exotic reference points. “I also feel like it’s a nice message to remind the world that we’re global citizens and that is something to be treasured, protected, and defended,” said the designer, who also placed buttons in support of Planned Parenthood on each showgoer’s seat.
9 February 2017
This season marks the tenth anniversary ofErin Fetherston’s New York Fashion Week debut (before that, she showed in Paris); it’s also her first collection since she became a mother.“I have a more relaxed attitude because you just got to go with the flow,” she explained of her latest lineup. “That has translated in the best possible way to my designs this season.” Indeed, Fetherston’s signature flirty frocks were longer and looser for Spring; of note were the slouchy off-the-shoulder dresses that seemed tailor-made for a dinner party in Topanga Canyon or a casual beachside wedding. More surprising still, were the suits, which were slightly oversize and cut from a pliable crepe. Though at times they came across a little staid, the suits toward the end—which came with blouson sleeves—deserved a second look (the sleeves particularly provided a smart tweak for women who like to look put together, but not buttoned-up). These must have been what the designer was referring to when she spoke of striving for a “refined take on bohemian dressing.”Despite these unexpected turns, Fetherston stayed true to her signature girlish romanticism. The iridescent opal looks—which shimmered like butterfly wings—felt particularly true to her brand. Of the offering, Fetherston said, “I feel like this is a perfect anniversary collection for me because it really reflects who I’ve been, but it’s also very much a look forward.”
12 September 2016
Over the past 11 years as a designer—and for many years before that, as an avid vintage shopper—Erin Fetherstonhas built up an impressive archive full of cherished pieces. Unfortunately, that archive also took up a lot of space, figuratively and literally. So when she became pregnant with her first child (she’s due in a few days), Fetherston decided it was finally time to sort through her “treasure chest” to make room for “new energy.” “It was a really nostalgic trip down memory lane,” she said. “I rediscovered all these beloved pieces, and the memories attached to them.” Besides the specific pieces, Fetherston said she felt nostalgic for a time when not everything was so available, when finding the right piece involved days, sometimes months, of searching. “The fun of the treasure hunt got reawakened in me,” she said. “I wanted the collection to capture that feeling, and to have that eclectic style to it.”Some of the collection’s items were directly inspired by Fetherston’s own pieces. For instance, a burgundy velvet blazer that Fetherston picked up over a decade ago at a thrift shop in Portland inspired a suit, overall dress, and pants in the same material. Generally, though, it was the mix of textiles (devore velvet, crochet lace, corduroy, black brocade) and the palette (dusty pink, burgundy, black) that gave the collection the intended “scrapbook vibe.” Though a ruffle off-the-shoulder maxi gown was proof of Fetherston’s knack for creating feminine frocks—which have become synonymous with her brand—it was the separates that really told the story. The velvet suit and the dusty-pink corduroy blazer felt particularly fresh, and we’re sure the secretary-tie blouses will be a hit at retail. There’s been a lot of talk recently about the emotionality (or lack thereof) of clothing—how to get today’s shoppers, so inundated with accessible choices, to feel passionate enough about a piece to make a purchase. Mining her own precious possessions was a good place for Fetherston to start.
18 February 2016
Roses and peonies are nice, but for Pre-Fall,Erin Fetherstonturned her eye to a more common roadside plant. The humble daisy provided inspiration for her collection, both literally and figuratively.Of the former: The season’s prints (which Fetherston described, accurately, as Birtwellian, referring to iconic print designer Celia Birtwell’s work) explored the beauty of the flowering weed in a multitude of ways. Overblown, moody daisies reminiscent of the ’90s adorned floaty frocks and maxi dresses; teeny daisies found their way into stripes on shirtdresses; and dark, fall-appropriate, ditzy florals popped up on jumpsuits and chiffon dresses. This motif felt especially fresh when Fetherston mixed and matched: One of her favorite pieces was a cocktail dress, in which each circle flounce alternated a daisy pattern. “It was fun to play with tiers and ruffles in a way that felt modern and streamlined,” she said. Eyelets and crochet also paid tribute to the flower, albeit in a more subtle fashion. And while these frocks had nothing fall (pre- or otherwise) about them, Fetherston can be forgiven for holding onto summer just a little longer, since the collection delivers in July.Figuratively speaking, the daisy also inspired the romantic, naive spirit of the collection: “A little bit he-loves-me, he-loves-me-not,” said Fetherston. The dresses, especially, had an early-’70s sweet nostalgia to them; the gingham chiffon number was the kind of thing you’d like to imagine wearing while lunching in a sunbaked field of flowers (if such a date should ever present itself). Yet, as Fetherston astutely pointed out, when worn with boots, tights, and a chunky knit, it would be perfectly acceptable for autumn in the city.
20 January 2016
Since her very first collection in 2005,Erin Fetherstonimmediately established her universe as one of whimsy and hyper-femininity. Jeans have hardly had a place in the designer’s fairy tale. But this season she surprised by showing a handful of laid-back denim pieces, inspired by fashion’s perennial muse,Jane Birkin. Fetherston should step out of her comfort zone more often: The overalls, shorts, and culottes in soft dark denim provided a welcome antidote to the designer’s tendency toward the overly sweet.Also new for the brand: a capsule collection of minaudières that recalled needlepoint hoops and were stitched with cute phrases, faces, or the word love. Branching out into accessories is almost always a smart decision for a fledgling label—even more so when they are as Instagrammable as these. Fetherston hit the nail on the head.Needlepoint was a recurring theme in the collection, paying homage to the designer’s other muse this season: Anne of Avonlea, the early-20th-century, Prince Edward Island–dwelling heroine of the Anne of Green Gables series. “Arcadian reverie,” is how Fetherston described it. There was certainly a pastoral beauty to the floral-print dresses and skirts, some cut with a train or layered with delicate sheer fabric that billowed behind the models as they walked. Slips in sky blue, baby pink, and navy provided a base for some of these sheer looks and also stood on their own, topped, at times, with a matching knife-pleated capelet. White lace maxi dresses with high necks hinted at the Edwardian lace and collars worn by Anne in her day—and reclaimed decades later by Birkin. Like all of Fetherston’s collections, Spring was romantic—yet it was a grown-up romance.
10 September 2015
Erin Fetherston grew up in a small town outside San Francisco, and her Fall collection is named Wildwood, after the oak tree-lined avenue she lived on as a girl. The idea was to bring a sort of childlike, woodland-fairy tale feeling to her typical lineup of sweet dresses and separates.You could see the storybook-forest thing in her palette—teals, burgundies, winter florals—and in some of the silhouettes as well, including a schoolgirl neoprene dress accented with a sharp white collar, or a cape made of the prettiest cream guipure lace. But as Fetherston explained backstage before the show, there was some spice mixed in with all that sugar. While there were plenty of modest proposals, many designs were cut close to the body, like a teal and black lace jumpsuit, or a bodysuit worn under an organza ball skirt. (The underpinning was from Fetherston's ongoing collaboration with Cosabella.) "It speaks to my universe," she said. "She's a polished pixie with a downtown edge."There were some missteps. A metallic pink V-neck top with a brocade burgundy skirt was an off-putting combination, and a teal lace gown lacked originality. That's important, because Fetherston's signature look—girly clothes that are usually smart enough not to be sickeningly sweet—is her strongest asset.
20 February 2015
After seasons of presentations, Erin Fetherston returned to the runway for Spring. "I was looking at old videos of my shows, and feeling nostalgia for how beautiful things are in motion," she said backstage at Lincoln Center. "I wanted to see the models bring them to life again."It was the right time for a runway revival, given that nearly every piece aligned perfectly with Fetherston's own aesthetic. (After all, she has always been her best customer.) A green-and-pink rose motif was inspired by 1960s botanical prints from her grandmother's personal collection—it decorated, among other things, a white neoprene crop top and matching pencil skirt that was so long it almost hit the ankle. That "maxi" silhouette was key this season, but little shorts were a big story, too. They were done in black satin and paired with a rose-print tunic, or with a crop top in lime-colored metallic jacquard. While many looks were cut close to the body, there were pieces with more volume. An organza tiered minidress, for instance, was almost trapeze-like, its black and white stripes overlaid with polka dots.Fetherston probably hates the word "whimsical," if only because it's used so often to describe her clothes. But sometimes one must accept one's fate. These lookswerewhimsical, and all the better for it.
10 September 2014
Erin Fetherston recently spent time researching botanical prints at the New York Public Library. To create her own version for Resort, she bought flowers at the local market and photographed them in-house. The resulting pattern was done in a deep burgundy on lightweight neoprene jersey, and also in a Diana Vreeland-inspired red on chiffon. Both versions played to Fetherston's love of all things pretty. While the designer, who mostly deals in dresses, didn't abandon her bread and butter—standouts included a metallic jacquard A-line shift with a flounced hem, and a pleated chiffon number in that Vreeland-red floral—she added more than a few matching separates. A cropped tank and pencil skirt in reversible metallic jacquard—one side red for holiday, the other light gold for early spring—was a Fetherston favorite. "You can buy two pieces and get six looks," she said with conviction. Indeed, the lineup felt particularly confident. Even a little black dress, so often used as a collection filler piece, was inspired. The swingy bi-level shape, its top studded with black beading in a lattice pattern, couldn't have been more fun.
15 June 2014
Erin Fetherston gave her Fall collection the title "Charmed, I'm Sure." And charming it was. Inspired by the Barbizon Hotel, that Upper East Side female residence hall where Grace Kelly, Sylvia Plath, Joan Didion, and Cybill Shepherd all boarded at one time or another in the middle of the last century, Fetherston presented a collection of fifties-inspired frocks that offered a modern take on what those illustrious women might have worn out for an evening.Fetherston's models stood and sat together on risers in an unexpectedly elegant little room at the W Hotel in Union Square, so the feeling was more cocktail party than presentation. And the ladies looked like they were enjoying themselves more than the typical fashion week gig allows. Maybe that's because these were frocks they might actually wear. The standout was a short lavender and pink floral number that looked as if it popped right out from the pages ofLula. (It could very well end up there in the months to come.) The floral appliqué gown with a ball skirt and a curved crop top was lovely, too, and brought texture to the mix. "I wanted to show it in a tableau format so that you could see all the layers," Fetherston explained. The fit could have been better on some styles—a shimmery pink and orange dress made the most slender girl look frumpy—but all in all it was a fun, clever idea that should give Fetherston a nice little retail jolt.
6 February 2014
In recent seasons, designing has become an increasingly personal project for Erin Fetherston. In keeping with that development, her garden party-themed Spring collection was partly inspired by the lush Barbados location where she was married earlier this summer. Fetherston created a handful of dresses for the ceremony and celebration and reinterpreted several of those special pieces for her new lineup, including a strapless white pleated organza number with allover flounces that she called the "cutting the cake" dress. Similar flirty styles were shown in a range of vibrant wildflower hues like poppy and zinnia. Fetherston played up the botanical motif with a thigh-grazing shift (that appeared to be two pieces but was in fact one) embellished with petal-shaped plastic paillettes, as well as a flowing maxi dress with a puddling skirt cut from floral appliquéd guipure lace. If Fetherston's current dress-only approach to her Erin line seems limiting at times, it's paying off. She happily reported, "This month, I've had more street sightings of real girls in my clothes than ever—and I've been doing this for nine years now."
3 September 2013
The idea of friendship and the female bond was the starting point for Erin Fetherston's Resort effort. "I was thinking a lot about friendships and 'girl time,' so I asked my friend Linda to stay with me for a few weeks," she said. Linda as in Linda Vojtova, the Czech model and longtime Fetherston muse. Drawing from Vojtova's style as well as vintage ballet costume silhouettes and the work of photographer David Hamilton, the best friends ended up shooting the lookbook together, showing off Fetherston's ethereal dresses, tops, and skirts.The wordetherealis overused, but in the case of Fetherston, it's apt. Pleated chiffon dresses—in mint, cherry, and nude—were offset by starry sequins on their bodices. A gold metallic jacquard laid over an abstract polka dot almost resembling a leopard print lent a bit of sexiness to a goddess gown. And an out-of-her-comfort-zone black body-con number was made feminine with an overlay of shimmering rose gold lace. Try as she might've once upon a time, Fetherston never really stretches beyond pretty in her work. Over the past couple of years, and certainly this season, it feels like she's accepted that. She owns her fate. And it looks lovely.
9 June 2013
"A little darker but still ethereal" was how Erin Fetherston described her Fall collection, which was a pleasant change-up from her typically sweeter-than-sweet fare. The season's moodier look was exemplified by a signature chiffon frock toughened up with cracked leather insets. The new feeling was also there in the best outfit, a puddling black strapless gown with corset details that was topped with a Lurex "cocktail parka." Fetherston created it after searching for something appropriate to wear to fancy events on cold winter evenings.Despite making recent efforts to increase her range of separates, the line's focus "will always be the dresses. That's what we do best," said the designer at a showroom appointment (she opted out of presenting this season). Fetherston proved she does well by sticking to her strong suits with several party-worthy numbers in jewel-toned metallic tweeds. There was also a sequined lace trumpet gown, which was a tribute to Olivia Hussey as Juliet in the 1968 version ofRomeo and Juliet. Still, it would be great to see Fetherston shake it up a bit with more items like that cool cocktail parka.
6 February 2013
"Pre-fall is about capturing the last spark of summer," Erin Fetherston told Style.com at her Tribeca studio last week. Reminiscing about a trip she recently took to Los Roques, an archipelago in Venezuela, allowed the designer to do just that. The crystal-clear water and brightly colored buildings lent themselves to a folkloric print that appeared on a shift dress and a lightweight button-down tank. A black and white ikat pattern was the other print story, appearing on a cool motorcycle jacket and a body-con number with a cutout neckline.Dresses have always been a strong suit for Fetherston, and they were the focus here. Among the standouts: a party frock in a metallic jacquard and a black cocktail number whose sequined skirt was veiled with a layer of organza (an attempt to explore sparkle with subtlety that worked). On the other hand, it's evident that the designer is also upping the ante on the separates front. Tailored shorts paired with a fuchsia collared blouse will be fundamental when riding out the final waves of next summer.
18 December 2012
Erin Fetherston may have gone out on a limb booking soon-to-be pop star Alexandra McDermott, just 17, as her lookbook model and presentation entertainment, but she also took a risk with her label's Spring lineup. "I brought in a lot of hardware to balance out the froth and lighter-than-air fabrics," the designer said in a preview. What she meant was that her girly aesthetic got a little tougher. Minidresses were given the body-con treatment while flowy maxi gowns were contrasted with leatherlike bodices. A pink leather jacket decorated with silver floral grommets—the Erin Fetherston interpretation of moto chic—was paired with slick leather leggings. The prints were equally edgy, ranging from a black and white sequined zebra motif to a lipstick pattern made up of lip smooches from all the girls on the designer's team. In the dress category, the highlight was a "snake charmer" sheath number with a crystal serpent embellishment that wrapped around the back from the shoulder to the waist. But overall, the collection's winning look was a slouchy pantsuit in a nude pink hue with lime green trimming. It could very well turn the Fetherston girl into a pant-lover just yet.
5 September 2012
"Resort is the time to refresh your palette," Erin Fetherston said at a preview of her new collection for Erin. "It's about energetic, bright, crisp colors." And that's precisely what she brought to the table—in neon pink, turquoise, and cantaloupe melon, to be exact. Festive frocks were aplenty, in a wide range of styles from structured, jacquard fit-and-flares to free-flowing A-lines, done in everything from metallic Chantilly lace with neon lining to life-of-the-party sequins and a memorable geometric, rainbow-hued print.She also dabbled with perforated leather, which toughened up feminine separates like a hoop skirt and a cropped ivory blazer. The same material lent itself well to a sleek, lightweight motorcycle jacket, shown with a chiffon dress. In the past, Fetherston has been known for her frills, but the highlight here was a simple dress, in solid black, red, and navy, with a peplum tulip waist, which has already garnered a lot of attention from retailers. That piece, hand in hand with a Web site relaunch planned for June 5 and a more vigorous e-commerce strategy, is enough to make you believe that it's not just the designer's Resort collection that's looking bright.
23 May 2012
To mark the one-year anniversary of launching her lower-priced, more accessible ERIN line, Erin Fetherston whisked us away to an enchanted forest where a harpist (in one of the designer's gowns, of course) greeted guests at her Fall presentation. While such sweet whimsy is almost to be expected of the designer, the pieces on display tonight proved that she is indeed exploring new territory.Inspired by the work of artist Barry Underwood, Fetherston described her collection as a "new-age fairy tale." Certainly, there was the expected sea of ethereal party dresses embellished with everything from bugle beads to metallic snowflakes. But the designer went a few steps further, showing voluminous skirts and structured frocks, knits, and printed separates that recalled Underwood's images of nature illuminated by neon light. Standouts included a pair of silk crepe de chine pants done in a bright yellow floral (a nod to Mary Katrantzou?) and a cropped jacket made out of marabou feathers.Also worth mentioning was a herringbone hooded parka, Fetherston's answer to a classic problem for party girls at this time of year: What to wear over a sleeveless dress when it's below zero? The jacket could easily be paired with any one of the collection's dresses—or even jeans, for that matter. It was good to see the designer demonstrate that dresses aren't her only forte.
10 February 2012
An Erin Fetherston collection can sometimes call to mind Henrik Ibsen's classic playA Doll's House. You can imagine a modern-day Nora Helmer (the drama's protagonist) making social calls, attending parties, or nibbling on macaroons in one of the designer's ultra-feminine dresses. Fetherston has been building her lower-priced ERIN line for nearly a year now; the collection is sold at Neiman Marcus and Saks stores around the country. In keeping with the look of the label that she's established thus far, pre-fall sticks to a color palette of blush pink, cream, and black with pops of aqua and carnation and features chiffon pleating, draping, and lace. It's heavy on embellishments like bugle-beaded "Art Deco roses," ornamental necklines, and Lurex micro fringe, too. With prices averaging $350, it's plain to see why girly girls are flocking to ERIN's soft, subtle designs. But Fetherston isn't content to stay put: She experimented with knitwear for the first time here on a tunic-length cardigan with tiny bow buttons, and promised there's more where that came from for Fall.
13 December 2011
If Erin Fetherston's third collection for her ERIN line were a film, in an ideal world it would be "like [Franco] Zeffirelli directingA Midsummer Night's Dreamthat stars Mia Farrow," she explained at her Milk Studios presentation this evening. Fetherston incorporated more daywear and separates this season, whipping up butterfly-print charmeuse shorts that were just as flirty as her signature feminine frocks, and a silk collared blouse with delicate lace overlay. A mod shift dress with a graphic floral print was dubbed the "Mia dress." Fetherston called another one of her favorites the "cha-cha dress, because you just want to do a little dance in it." The cha-cha dress has a tassel and beaded checkerboard pattern, and would look terrific on the designer herself. Fetherston is, after all, her own ideal customer—the Spring lookbook even features a model with a pixie cut that is part Farrow, part Erin.
9 September 2011
Erin Fetherston's first Resort collection for her recently launched ERIN line is mostly party dresses. And with the majority of pieces hitting at around $375 and under, these babies are priced to sell. "You want to have something fun that you can wear on New Year's Eve, and then again a few months later with flats," the designer said at a photo shoot for her lookbook. The set complemented the clothing's effervescence, with model-on-the-rise Wang Xiao blowing bubbles and playing with dozens of jumbo-sized balloons.Fetherston brought back a strapless "petal dress" with tiers of pleated ruffles that she created for her namesake line a few seasons back, but tweaked the materials to accommodate her new, lower price point. Other fun moments here included a navy silk shift that came with a pink "cascade" flourish and grosgrain ribbon strap, and a black drop-waist number with big bow loops made of horsehair attached to the skirt. But as darling as this lineup was, a girl cannot live on frocks alone; it'd be nice to see Fetherston stretch her wings a bit more next season.
5 June 2011
It's been a year of change for Erin Fetherston. After ending her stint as guest designer and creative consultant at Juicy Couture, Fetherston recently decided to pull the plug on her namesake label and start up a lower-priced line. Erin debuted with a Fall presentation at Milk Studios that was formatted like the backstage of a runway show. Models lined up while a stylist tweaked the looks, pulling on a jacket hem here, smoothing down a skirt there. After getting the final approval from the designer, it was time to take a turn strutting around the constructed set. There was even a photographer snapping candids of the girls, who looked to be having a great time (compared to other presentations where they stand still for hours).The good news for fans is this collection was full-on Fetherston. Cases in point: a floaty frock in pleated chiffon with a tie neck, and a shimmering rose sack dress with flattering gathers and volume. Some of the best looks had a more tailored approach. Among the flirty takes on suiting: a baby sequined blazer in ivory with sheer balloon sleeves; fitted, black crepe trousers with a diaphanous train; and a vest-inspired, metallic brocade shift. While there was nothing revolutionary for Fetherston in this lineup, the price tags—ranging from $195 to $600—will be a nice filip for her feminine customer.
11 February 2011
"I like the idea of this woman who travels far and wide, and collects these treasures to add to her wardrobe," Erin Fetherston said before her Spring show. And so it opened with two versions of the safari jacket, overlaid with geometric lace and some particularly Fetherstonian little bows. (Eugenia Kim contributed the safari hats.) Here was the quester, out on her search. But the collection was more about the wild flora and fauna she found. It was called "Birds of Paradise," and a large section of it came in the distinctly un-Fetherstonian shades of parrot green and pumpkin orange.But if the palette was different, the pieces were much the same—not that the designer's fans should mind. One-shoulder cocktail dresses and pretty peplum jackets are her signatures, and a champagne-colored frock in three-ply crepe was particularly strong. It's a small gripe, but one was left wishing that wanderlust had pushed Fetherston a bit farther afield.
11 September 2010
Erin Fetherston is buzzing about her new side gig as creative consultant and designer for Juicy Couture, calling the position "exciting and energizing." Does that mean terrycloth has found its way into her signature line? Not quite, but Fetherstonisworking with denim this Resort season, a first for her. Hence, a sweet peplum jean jacket and skinny high-waisted trousers. "The idea is that this collection is a self-contained wardrobe," she explained. "It's not just about cocktail dressing."The more relaxed focus continued with chiffon sweetheart-neckline dresses featuring elastic waists and a blush silk crepe number with a draped knit overlay. Fetherston is smart to offer customers more versatile pieces, but she still couldn't resist a version of one of her signature silhouettes: a one-shouldered textured gold metallic minidress that's a far cry from a tracksuit. It was the collection's real knockout.
6 June 2010
"My muse this season is Nico," Erin Fetherston explained a few days before her show. "And she always wore pantsuits." Does this mean the self-confessed "dress obsessed," fantasy-driven designer is exploring new territories this season? Well, yes and no. She continued, "I wondered, if she did wear dresses, what would they look like?"Fetherston infused her latest collection with a bohemian, seventies rock 'n' roll spirit—more realistic inspiration than the deer andNutcrackerthemes she's looked to in the past. Pleated chiffon maxi dresses replaced Spring's shorter hems. Groovy purple velvet blazers, fitted vests, and flared trousers proved Fetherston is pretty adept at tailoring, too. Still, the designer couldn't resist tossing in some of her signature silhouettes (a little strapless coral silk frock with dévoré bustier, for example). They didn't quite vibe with the soundtrack of "All Tomorrow's Parties," but her overall message was clear. "I could make party dresses forever, but it's good to push yourself to try new things," she said. Even the biggest dreamers need to return to reality sometimes.
13 February 2010
Erin Fetherston's mood board for Spring recalled memories of a childhood trip to Nara, Japan, where a public park houses more than a thousand free-roaming deer and a multitude of cherry trees. Even for Fetherston, who's known for her fantastical bent, the images of spindly-legged Bambis surrounded by carpets of pink petals seemed to be from another world. Thankfully, her interpretation of the scene was much more rooted in the here and now.Plunging halter dresses in khaki twill or printed chiffon were coquettish and confident all at once: "I made sure they were plunging, but nottoomuch," Fetherston said a few days before the show. A cherry blossom print looked lovely on a dark navy chiffon dress, shown belted, while sequined short shorts—which, in abstract gold and white checks, were Fetherston's nod to Nara's sika deer—garnered appreciative nods from the likes of Sarah Sophie Flicker and Becka Diamond in the front row. There were moments that were a bit too-too much, like a navy and black ruffled "tuxedo" jumpsuit paired with an organza bolero, but the majority of the clothes were wearable and well finished. They would work equally well at cocktail parties uptown or downtown, not to mention the occasional gambol through a fairy tale.
12 September 2009
Tonight's collection was, in Erin Fetherston's own estimation, her "most graphic to date." Gone were the floaty princess dresses of seasons past, and in their place were a number of tailored toppers—little tweed peplum jackets and Empire-waisted jacquard riding coats—paired with skinny wool trousers. These looks were inspired byThe Nutracker's tin soldiers and other tales of toys springing to life (after all, it wouldn't be a Fetherston show without a dose of whimsy).This designer is at her strongest when she reins in the preciousness. A lambskin swing skirt, part of her first foray into leather, and a black tuxedo jumpsuit with plunging neckline had real chic. Barring a too-long series of polka-dot tulle party dresses, Fetherston pushed herself—successfully—to offer more than her standard fare.
14 February 2009
Much has been written about the beauty of the Paris skies, and for Erin Fetherston they were a constant source of daydreams…until her relocation to New York this year. An "autobiographical" designer by her own admission, she used this transition—and, specifically, a comparison between the light of each city—as the basis for her Spring collection. The theme played out delicately at first in a procession of relaxed, seventies-inspired sportswear (old photos of Lauren Hutton and Estée Lauder models had been part of the inspirational collage, too). Sequined flutter-sleeve blouses and linen trenchcoats shot through with metallic thread shimmered like sunlight across the Seine. Asymmetrical chiffon tops and jacquard bell-bottoms suggested she was pushing herself beyond the princess frocks she made her name with. But at last the dresses did emerge—unfortunately, as an all-too-literal look toward the heavens. Siri Tollerød appeared to be essentially wearing a cloud, inner tube-like, around her waist; and a trio of tiered ball gowns with voluminous ruffles and an ombré sunset print could be difficult sells for even the most die-hard Fetherston-frock fans. Still, we'd wager that as they left the venue, Peaches Geldof and Emma Roberts were replaying the earlier part of the show in their minds and thinking about which pieces they'd most like to take home.
4 September 2008
Erin Fetherston set up two tableaux vivants in the jewel-box-like space of Van Cleef & Arpels to present her Resort collection. Her groupings of girls in icy pastel-hued evening looks were inspired by Cecil Beaton photographs, and the designer cut dresses in photo-printed chiffon and taffeta created by innovative Swiss textile house Jakob Schlaepfer. Some gowns in the latter group too readily recalled the age of society dames in Charles James, but numbers like a one-shoulder bubble cocktail frock brought things back around to modern day.
3 June 2008
Erin Fetherston's first look—a long black felted-wool overcoat, worn over a black chiffon floor-length gown, complete with rosary and hand-knit bonnet—suggested that the guru of girly was going goth. That, or she'd made a study of Mary-Kate Olsen's closet. But it was just a tease. After last season's more elegant outing, Fetherston chose to reprise many of the youthful shapes and silhouettes that first got her noticed. There were a few new, good-looking peacoats; a charming metallic-shot tweedy cape; and a coat-dress in a navy and black brocade. But what followed was a parade of familiar drop-waist frocks, bell-skirted dresses, and Empire princess looks, many of which were worn with opaque tights and ballerina slippers that accentuated the innocence factor. A tank dress that was short in the front and long in back was the freshest of the bunch, not only because it was so different from the rest, but also because of its vivid, almost hyper-real floral print.Already this season, much has been said about the end of girly and the return of grown up. This wasn't a step backward necessarily, but Fetherston will have to push herself further next season if she wants to keep up with fashion's changing winds.
31 January 2008
Backstage before her show, Erin Fetherston tossed around such fashion-isms as "eccentric glamour" and "kooky sophistication" before remarking, "I think the ultimate luxury in fashion is to be yourself, to celebrate your personality." Combine those utterances with the fact that the collection was named Flights of Fancy, and it seemed like we were in for a typically whimsical outing from the designer. It was a surprise, then, to witness an elegant, grown-up parade of plain silks in grays and pales. Fetherston didn't neglect the sweetly girlish sensibility that has made her clothes must-haves among a fashion-obsessed clique of starlets such as Kirsten Dunst and Zooey Deschanel. But by sending out looks like a nipped-waist blouse paired with slim, dove-gray-hued pants, she should attract new fans. Her kookiness revealed itself in stealth form, most engagingly in two charming line-drawing prints of birds and shells, cut into slim shifts and trenches. Fetherston accessorized her polished outfits with cat-eye glasses, a pearly conch handbag, and enough headgear—from feathered headbands to turbans—to make Arden Wohl green with envy, but none of it was a distraction.
4 September 2007
To open, Erin Fetherston asked her friend Zooey Deschanel to croon the jazz standard ¿Dream a Little Dream of Me¿—a fitting gesture for a clothing line with a misty, otherworldly quality that can scarcely be written about without the use of the wordethereal.Inspired by the George Méliès filmThe Eclipse, a slightly kooky, turn-of-the-century vision of outer space, Fetherston dubbed her Fall collection ¿Wandering Stars.¿ She twisted the night-sky motif into delicately sparkling tulles, floaty chiffons beaded with tiny stars, and jacquard patterned with bright silver moons. A silver satin coat with a padded collar captured both the space-age and romantic leanings of the show, as did the sequined cloches worn throughout.Though Fetherston revisited many of last season's silhouettes (like the love-it-or-hate-it romper, the bell skirt, and the puff-sleeved princess gown), she says she is experiencing a touch of trapeze fatigue. As a panacea, she nipped wool jackets and dresses in at the waist, then flared them out to a ruffle. It wasn¿t groundbreaking, but it was nice to see an attempt at newness. Though the collection occasionally ventured toward the less-sophisticated side of girlish with a couple of Lurex pieces, it was a solid effort that will keep the growing Fetherston fan base more than happy.
3 February 2007
Erin Fetherston's pre-show soundtrack—a music-box version of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star¿—set the mood for a collection that was girlish and romantic, if risk-free. The Parsons-trained, Paris-based designer's debut runway outing was inspired by the idea of her customer as "a flower sprouting from a sidewalk in an urban environment." (Perhaps she had friends like Karen Elson and Zooey Deschanel in mind, both of whom will appear in a short, filmed showcase for Fetherston's clothes that photographer and front-row guest Ellen von Unwerth is shooting.) In any event, the floral theme was used literally—models wore daisy chains in their hair, and Fetherston's wafty trapeze dresses and flower-shaped bell skirts were embroidered with petals. Tiny blooms covered the surface of a black tulle dress; the tendrils of laser-cut blossoms dangled from a white look; and a pink organza minidress featured crinkle-petaled flower appliqués set geometrically. If the rompers and the suspender dresses seemed out of place, Fetherston's pretty take on the popular navy-blue gown should be a hit with the flower children.
14 September 2006