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By Isabella Redmond Styles with backstage reporting by Qianna Smith
POSTED February 16, 2011
Rachel Roy has found her Prints Charming for Fall 11
Rachel Roy takes a more laid back approach to Fall/Winter 2011
Although famed for being a fashion favorite of Michelle Obama, Rachel Roy has moved away from the glitzy and ceremonial to focus on a more casual,
daytime aesthetic. That’s not to say her fall/winter 2011 collection lacks glamour or presence; it is a more than adequate showcase of Roy’s talent for
pairing print and texture with a healthy inclusion of luxe fabrics. It’s just perhaps more geared at city girls than first ladies. Roy demonstrated how adept
she is at layering, the first few looks were a masterclass in how to balance multiple elements and still end up with a groomed result- a floral chiffon dress
worn with a sleeveless wool jacket and thick black leggings had a girlish prettiness about it whilst remaining practical.
Roy was on top form with her selection of color and print. She confidently held her own with difficult color combinations such as purple, or ‘black dahlia’ as
Roy dubbed it, and yellow and a very 70s style tumeric hued suede wrap dress. Roy’s ‘wall paper floral’ print was a hit, warm enough to be relevant for fall
but still fresh and lively. As was the feather print, particularly when combined with an oatmeal tweed jacket and ivory wool snood, which had a casual
glamour all of its own. Her pairing of separates was faultless, highlights included exotic ‘lotus’ print silk cargo pants worn with a grungily striped boyfriend
cardigan. There were a few darker and more drab pieces that didn’t demonstrate Roy’s way with print, texture or layering but then she pulled it back again
with her aptitude for creating harmony out of seemingly clashing prints. As further evidenced by the ‘Oselot’ print top and skirt matched with a floral wool
cardigan. The collection had some brief flashes of the Oval Office polish that gained Roy a powerful celebrity following such as the blueberry airsilk
draped dress and it would have been interesting to see a few more pieces not so highly bedecked in print. However it’s clear that Roy can do downtown
cool just as well as she can do state banquet sophistication. Her knack for color and print are infectious and stylish whether worn by political heavyweight
or fledging fashionista.
Although famed for being a fashion favorite of Michelle Obama, Rachel Roy has moved away from the glitzy and ceremonial to focus on a more casual,
daytime aesthetic. That’s not to say her fall/winter 2011 collection lacks glamour or presence; it is a more than adequate showcase of Roy’s talent for
pairing print and texture with a healthy inclusion of luxe fabrics. It’s just perhaps more geared at city girls than first ladies. Roy demonstrated how adept
she is at layering, the first few looks were a masterclass in how to balance multiple elements and still end up with a groomed result- a floral chiffon dress
worn with a sleeveless wool jacket and thick black leggings had a girlish prettiness about it whilst remaining practical.
Roy was on top form with her selection of color and print. She confidently held her own with difficult color combinations such as purple, or ‘black dahlia’ as
Roy dubbed it, and yellow and a very 70s style tumeric hued suede wrap dress. Roy’s ‘wall paper floral’ print was a hit, warm enough to be relevant for fall
but still fresh and lively. As was the feather print, particularly when combined with an oatmeal tweed jacket and ivory wool snood, which had a casual
glamour all of its own. Her pairing of separates was faultless, highlights included exotic ‘lotus’ print silk cargo pants worn with a grungily striped boyfriend
cardigan. There were a few darker and more drab pieces that didn’t demonstrate Roy’s way with print, texture or layering but then she pulled it back again
with her aptitude for creating harmony out of seemingly clashing prints. As further evidenced by the ‘Oselot’ print top and skirt matched with a floral wool
cardigan. The collection had some brief flashes of the Oval Office polish that gained Roy a powerful celebrity following such as the blueberry airsilk
draped dress and it would have been interesting to see a few more pieces not so highly bedecked in print. However it’s clear that Roy can do downtown
cool just as well as she can do state banquet sophistication. Her knack for color and print are infectious and stylish whether worn by political heavyweight
or fledging fashionista.
Backstage Beauty Notes
Roy and makeup maven Bobbi Brown teamed-up for another season of beauty, but instead of seeing a strong, black, edgy eye like we did for spring, fall is all about blendable hues. "In
terms of colors for the makeup, Rachel and I talked about a lot of sparkle. The color focus was green - in particular, olive green. We wanted to use colors that gradually blend into each
other," says Brown backstage. If you want to recreate the Rachel Roy fall/winter 2011 eye, Brown says, don't! "You never want to take a runway look and copy it exactly because it would be
too much," Brown advises. "But, do take pieces of the look you want to recreate by using a toned-down application." She suggests using a sage or olive shimmer eye shadow, a dash of
gold glitter and, finally, puckering up with an orangey-brown 'twiggy' color lipstick then blot.
Q+A spoke to Ted Gibson's latest mentee, Sade Williams (pictured below, top right) from the Ted Gibson Salon New York, about the hair concept for the collection. "When Ted and Rachel
met, she expressed that she wanted to create a look of innocence. For Ted, innocence comes in the form of two braided pigtails that come around the head and 2 inches away from the
forehead," says Williams. "Each braid on the model is interlaced with two different fabrics from the collection to give the hair a very distinctive Rachel Roy look."
Roy and makeup maven Bobbi Brown teamed-up for another season of beauty, but instead of seeing a strong, black, edgy eye like we did for spring, fall is all about blendable hues. "In
terms of colors for the makeup, Rachel and I talked about a lot of sparkle. The color focus was green - in particular, olive green. We wanted to use colors that gradually blend into each
other," says Brown backstage. If you want to recreate the Rachel Roy fall/winter 2011 eye, Brown says, don't! "You never want to take a runway look and copy it exactly because it would be
too much," Brown advises. "But, do take pieces of the look you want to recreate by using a toned-down application." She suggests using a sage or olive shimmer eye shadow, a dash of
gold glitter and, finally, puckering up with an orangey-brown 'twiggy' color lipstick then blot.
Q+A spoke to Ted Gibson's latest mentee, Sade Williams (pictured below, top right) from the Ted Gibson Salon New York, about the hair concept for the collection. "When Ted and Rachel
met, she expressed that she wanted to create a look of innocence. For Ted, innocence comes in the form of two braided pigtails that come around the head and 2 inches away from the
forehead," says Williams. "Each braid on the model is interlaced with two different fabrics from the collection to give the hair a very distinctive Rachel Roy look."
Photo credit: Jennifer Sweeney