Derek Lam Womenswear S/S11

Early on Sunday morning, the NYC fashion veteran took on Anna Wintour, her Vogue posse and every other fashion critic present in the Lincoln Center. He did so with a flurry of denim-dominated looks. Trench coats came out in almost every shape and form possible, and many of his trousers had a 70s influenced flare hemline. To hammer home the 70s feeling, Lam dressed some of his models in platform shoes.

Colour wise we saw olive green and mustard yellow, often in abstract floral and dogtooth prints. The grand finale was a section of floor length dresses, some even sporting long sleeves; a nice antidote to a lot of other under dressed S/S11 collections.

Dazed Digital: What influenced you for this season?

Derek Lam: I was influenced by a New Yorker article that looked at a late 60s, early 70s Californian art movement. The piece was a review of these artists who mixed east coast minimalism with the sensual and atmospheric Californian west coast attitude.

DD: So it made sense to use that theme for a Spring Summer collection…

Derek Lam: Both seasons excite me. Fall is about texture and layering, for summer I work more with prints.

DD: What sort of fabrics did you use?

Derek Lam: Many new innovative fabrics, they created a crisp look. I was after a soft flow but with a defined silhouette.

DD: Favourite items?

Derek Lam: I love a good trench coat. I love doing them, they’re the sexiest item a women a can have in her wardrobe. I especially like this season’s linen an twill mix trench coats…