Until the designers send Fall 2014's finest down the New York Fashion Week runway, it's anybody's guess what's in store . . . until now! That's because we've got a sneak peek at the shows you can't wait to see from labels including Carolina Herrera, Monique Lhuillier, J. Mendel, Rebecca Taylor, and BCBG Max Azria.
When we asked some of our favorite NYC-based designers to reveal a sketch (or two!) from their soon-to-be-revealed lines, they were all too happy to share. In reality, though, the pleasure is all ours, as we got a head start on our Fall shopping list. Get in on the coveting, and read on!
"A whimsical play on proportions." – Carolina Herrera
"Fall 2014 is inspired by graphic architectural detail and Old World French Parisian couture techniques, while also incorporating a dark romantic side." — Monique Lhuillier
"For Fall 2014, I challenged myself to combine clean, crisp lines with textural depth. This collection is modern but not sterile, blending feminine and masculine silhouettes." — Wes Gordon
"For J. Mendel's Fall 2014 collection, I was interested in graphic color play and controlled asymmetry." — Gilles Mendel
"Architect Luis Barragán's geometric structures, coupled with nature, inspired a deeper exploration and play on transparency and opacity." — Misha Nonoo
"Fall 2014 explores nature deconstructed through an infrared lens. Menswear-inspired elements, hand-painted prints combined with geometric lines, and a saturated color palette commends the modern woman." — Rachel Roy
"Divergent matter." — Yigal Azrouël
"Playing on Camelot-era codes of feminine dressing, the [Fall collection] finds inspiration in the legendary Barbizon Hotel." — Erin Fetherston
"The exuberance of New York City’s architecture, as captured by TJ Wilcox’s In the Air exhibit at the Whitney Museum." — Pamella DeVos
"These are pieces for an imaginary tale of power and strength. Books of European fairy tales spun with vintage military paraphernalia were used to explore new techniques in couture finishings, leather, and thread tracing the body's curves . . . " — Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra
"Moorish palaces by moonlight." — Tadashi Shoji
“This season I was really inspired by street artist Philippe Baudelocque’s work. He does a lot of interesting murals . . . I just love the way he uses different textures and patterns in his work. I tried to incorporate that layering of textures and patterns into the collection.” — Rebecca Taylor
"We started looking at a series of photos taken by Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, capturing the lives of the Roma of Sinesti gypsies . . . To capture this essence, we played with traditional prints, paisleys, and lotus flowers, mixing them with modern blocks and stripes. Traditional golden jacquards set against techno metallics." — Max Osterweis and Erin Beatty
"Purity in spirituality." — Bibhu Mohapatra
"Little Lord Fauntleroy" — Charlotte Ronson
"The collection draws inspiration from juxtapositions, playing the loud and ecstatic against the pragmatic and quietly complex to create classically modern silhouettes in commanding cloths." — Tracy Reese
"Designing the Fall 2014 collection, I was inspired by female warriors — fierce, strong, and confident women. I referenced iconic images from history and films for detail and fabric inspiration." — Nicole Miller
"Different from carnivals and fairs . . . amusement parks capture the essence of a small city, using dreams and science to create an experience that, upon entering one, feels completely strange to our daily lives, even if the park happens to be nearby." — Katie Gallagher
"We imagined the Joie girl roaming through Paris on a Fall afternoon, exploring hidden alleyways and local flea markets. Naturally cool, her look, characterized as perfectly undone with moody undertones, is complemented by her laissez-faire approach to life . . . " — Serge Azria
"My inspiration are some of the great American contemporary artists, interrupting their extraordinary creativeness into my Fall 2014 collection." — Dennis Basso
"For Fall 2014, we explored the theme of monastic opulence." — Brian Wolk and Claude Morais
"The long explanation is that this collection is inspired by the BBC miniseries The Singing Detective. The more concise explanation is that it is channeling 1980s film noir." — Emily Saunders
"Rock star progenies — strong, sexy, and demure — inspire the Jay Godfrey Fall 2014 collection." — Jay Godfrey
"This Fall 2014 collection is our take on Scandinavian art, folklore, and woodlands." — Whitney Pozgay
"Unbalance elegance." — Lubov Azria
"Sporty couture." — Yoana Baraschi
"For my Fall 2014 collection, I drew inspiration from Northern Africa and all of the textiles, jewelry, and elements of nature picked up along the way. The journey continues." — Mara Hoffman
"Inspired by the Rihanna's smokin' style and the year's sultry film American Hustle, Betsey's FW14 is sure to thaw New York's polar chill." — Betsey Johnson
"This collection is inspired by sharp and extreme contrasts, in both color and texture." — Lie Sang Bong
"The Sally LaPointe Fall 2014 collection is about the delicate truth compared to the outer strength we present day to day." — Sally LaPointe