New York Fashion Week: Emerson Fall 2013 Leather & Tartan

Three Runway Looks from Emerson Fall 2013 (photos M Hall)

Last week I left a glamorous Grammy party to see the Emerson show at New York Fashion Week at 9:00 pm in the evening.  It has to be an interesting designer for me to venture out in the freezing temperatures and leave a good party.  But Jackie Fraser-Swan, the designer behind the Emerson line, is interesting, talented and then some.  She is imaginative. Who else is puts together a collection based on what happens after the end of the world? For Fall 2013, Ms. Fraser Swan takes a look at the notion ” that the Earth would come back to life in a much more beautiful way than ever imagined.”   Hmm….that’s big stuff for fashion. 

So what was this show all about? At the same time Natasha Bedingfield was stepping out at the Grammys in a traditional Hollywood red carpet gown beautifully executed by Ms. Fraser-Swan, a show consisting of leather, heavy  knits, and a splash of tartan plaid was walking the runway at New York Fashion Week.   That’s a versatile designer.   For Emerson Fall 2013, leather was used throughout the collection in pieces such as, pants, jackets, vests, and accents on dresses.   From the picture above, you can see that many of the pieces could be worn for years like the  classic oversized sweater and a knee-length dresses in specialty metallic knit. The collection also featured  rock star like leather and shearling jackets, plus an asymmetrical vest and a calf hair/leather bomber jacket.  More traditional, and even perhaps vintage inspired looks, included classic button-down tops offered in silk chiffon prints, and also in a red cotton gauze with black leather trim and collar.

The end of the show featured several full length gowns with striking tartan plaids, not for the faint of heart.  You have to be bold to wear those plaids, but they are striking.  You can see the  Emerson Fall 2013 show final walk on The Recessionista’s YouTube channel.