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In the 15th collection he designed for Coach 1941, Stuart Vevers returned to his starting place, the shearling. He revisited some favorite sources of inspiration, such as Terrence Malick films and the Great Plains; in fact, the set, with a broken-down house frame with tumble weeds and prairie grass, referenced his first runway show near the then-under construction High Line (and Coach headquarters).
This time, though, he did a style mash-up by mixing prairie with Eighties hip-hop, inspired by the book “Back in the Day.” The tomboy was also a reference point — think Tatum O’Neal’s character Addie in “Paper Moon,” to be exact. But with the Smashing Pumpkins’ “1979” playing throughout, and a voiceover from “Badlands” spliced in, Vevers’ prairie-hip-hop combo took on a grunge feel.
The brand is keen on a lifestyle, but specific categories stand out and currently, outerwear is king. Shearlings were distressed with raw edges and floral and eagle embroideries all over. He pushed the shearling idea even further with a dyed hoodie style with intarsia floral designs and a full-length topper coat that was dyed several shades of brown. The bomber and parka took on gargantuan proportions, the former in an allover embroidered floor-length, black-satin version; the latter, a brown, floral style reminiscent of a mattress design.
His house

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“She was feminine but spoke her mind.” Tory Burch referred to Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord in “The Philadelphia Story,” George Cukor’s witty send-up of that city’s late-Thirties high society.
Yet this was no ode to screen queen power glam. Rather, inspired by the indomitable Ms. Lord, Burch created as her fall muse a young woman whose surface haughtiness belies the regular gal beneath. The reference provided a touch point that allowed Burch to draw from her own tony Philadelphia upbringing decades later. “It’s about familiarity, things I know,” she said backstage. That led to an invariably charming lineup. And if it was wanting in surprise, it offered appealing fare for girls not bitten by the streetwear bug.
This young woman projects a cool reserve that has nothing to do with reticence. She loves the notice-me calm of a winter white coat, such as the show-opening twill topper marked with a big, swirling “TB” in gold cord embroidery. And she’s always game for a good graphic mix: Fair Isle sweater with plaid pants; large-scale plaid for a shearling over silk plaid shirt and skirt. She also loves her classics, incorporating a varsity cardigan, baseball jacket or checked blazer into her wardrobe with

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Zang Toi’s handsome classic fall collection gives his ladies exactly what they expect. Sleek pantsuits, swirling skirts with turtleneck cashmere sweaters and tailored jackets in luxurious velvets over perfectly cut pants in a navy, black and white palette all had Toi’s signature chic. Newest and youngest here was the high-necked crisp white cotton Gibson shirts paired with long slender skirts in dark tones and mini coat dresses, one worn under a long ballgown coat. Other standouts were fur-trimmed great coats and classic button-down shirts in white cotton that are much like the Charvet shirts that Toi himself wears. His point of view, simple shapes and even an occasional touch of the excessive evolve a bit each season, but he gives his fans what they want, so there’s no need to reinvent the proverbial wheel.
 

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Brand: Alistair James
Designers: Nicholas Alistair Walsh and David James Wise
Founded: 2016
Showing at: The British Fashion Council Designer Showrooms
Backstory: Walsh and Wise met while working at Alexander McQueen and launched their label last year. Born and raised in West Yorkshire, England, Walsh grew up in a family with fabric in its blood. His father worked at a textile mill that made drapes for the theater, while his grandfather worked as a fabric dyer. Walsh graduated in 2014 with a B.A. in Women’s Wear from the University of Derby, and honed his skills at Gareth Pugh and McQueen. At Pugh, he was a studio assistant and created show pieces and installation projects, while at McQueen, he was stationed in the couture department, working on bespoke pieces.
Wise, who grew up in London, studied fashion promotion at Ravensbourne College, specializing in fashion photography. He graduated in 2010 and since then has worked for a range of fashion houses. At McQueen, he started as an intern then became a textile designer. He has also freelanced as a textile consultant and retoucher for Hugo Boss and Dries Van Noten.
The designers said their brand offers a “romantic aesthetic, referencing English sensibility, craft, charm and literature,” and call

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Buzz Aldrin has made plenty of history in his life, and last week, he became the first astronaut to walk a fashion runway. The second man to walk on the moon did the same honors at Nick Graham’s men’s wear show in Manhattan, which suitably had a Mars theme and also featured Bill Nye, aka the Science Guy. And if getting to the moon was tough, so was walking as the finale of a fashion show. “I wasn’t sure what side to get on,” Aldrin remarked, referring to the crowd lined up tangent to the presentation’s linear walkway. “If I walked too close to the people, then not enough
of them would see it. I’m always calculating time and distance.” Always the astronaut.

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GOLDEN IS THE NEW BLACK: Kindness and commerce are rare bedfellows but Browns is aiming to change that with a campaign set to launch Wednesday in the London retailer’s windows, WWD has learned.
For one week beginning Wednesday, Andy Leek, the street artist and creative behind “Notes to Strangers,” will be working at Browns’ South Molton Street and Sloane Street stores, hand painting large-scale messages inspired by positivity and the Golden Rule directly onto the windows.
The artworks will be refreshed throughout the week, and the store said it is hoping they will pump up the positivity in London ahead of London Fashion Week, and serve as a backdrop for anyone wanting to take a selfie — with a focus on self-esteem.
“Fashion should be fun, after all. So we’re kicking off a yearlong campaign, placing the spotlight firmly on this, the most perennial of trends: kindness,” the retailer said.

A visual from the Browns “Cool to be Kind” campaign. 
Courtesy

Browns added that the #cooltobekind campaign is part of a larger initiative “that allows us to show what we’re all about here. It really is cool to be kind and we’re leading by example.” Browns will also be giving away free stickers — A5 size and

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WWD looks at the latest crop of fresh faces set to make a splash at New York Fashion Week.
 
Mae Van Der Weide
Mae Van Der Weide started her modeling career in Los Angeles, racking up a few editorial shoots after being scouted in Iowa City by Mother Model Management. “I’ve never walked the runway before, so I think it’s going to be cool to learn how to do something new,” she said.
Age: 18
Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa
Agency: Next Management
Height: 5’8″
Instagram: @maevdw
 
Emm Arruda
Arruda was a Proenza Schouler runway exclusive in New York last season and went on to walk for Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Dior and Chanel in Paris. The curly haired Canadian said she’s most looking forward to prepping her street style: “It’s so fun to get all dressed up and be photographed on the street. It’s a chance to express yourself.”
Age: 17
Hometown: Toronto
Agency: Women Management
Height: 5’10”
Instagram: @emm_arruda
 
Noemie Abigail
Noemie Abigail won the Elite Model Look contest in France in 2014 and recently walked in the Dior and Valentino couture shows. As for New York, Abigail said, “There’s a special energy in that city — I can’t really describe it, but it makes me feel good.”
Age: 18
Hometown: Lille, France
Agency: DNA
Height: 5’11”
Instagram: @noemiiiiiiiiiie
 
Yoon Young Bae
Yoon

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The sweltering temperature at Dennis Basso’s show Tuesday seemed like a cruel joke on the many fur-clad guests — and runway models — within the gallery at Skylight Clarkson Sq.
“It’s hot as blazes in here,” exclaimed one front row guest while Paris Hilton hurriedly reapplied powder to her glistening complexion. Outfitted in a leopard print jacket, the fragrance maven and DJ, 35, sat alongside sister Nicky Hilton Rothschild, 33, but don’t expect to see either heiress in one of Basso’s sumptuous authentic animal skin creations.
“I only wear faux fur,” Paris explained. “I’m an animal lover and just got a new puppy named Diamond Baby. She’s a micro-mini tiny teacup chihuahua, but she’s back in L.A. because New York is too cold for her.”
Rothschild — who rushed out of the afternoon show to start a four-hour lasagna recipe for her husband in celebration of Valentine’s Day — vehemently asserted: “I do not wear fur.”
Surrounded by a swarm of Secret Service agents, Tiffany Trump, 23, in a grownup crimson cocktail dress, made a last-minute entrance seconds before the runway was cleared, which caused many to make an audible observation of her arrival.
Basso, who has known the youngest Trump daughter almost all her life, noted how adult she suddenly seemed

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Phoebe Neuman

Throughout the past year, backless versions of classically designed loafers have become runway…
Phoebe Neuman