runway report

When the first five looks hit the runway at the Banana Republic fashion show yesterday—a denim trench, chambray shirts, and distressed jeans—it looked like Creative Director and EVP of Design, Simon Kneen, was headed back to Great Depression much like Ralph Lauren did for spring. Instead the denim looks gave way to Banana Republic staples including cropped peacoats, ruffle trim tanks, cotton cardigans, and wrinkled linen dresses.

For women there were great leather moto jackets in white and cognac, classic khaki trench coats and easy, colorful day dresses. As for accessories, the season's obsession with the clog continues. Models rocked what might be one of the best (and most affordable) styles we've seen thus far—gray and tan leather slingbacks with an open toe.

The men were casual yet cool in straw fedoras, navy blazers, suede boat shoes and drawstring pants. Overall, the show offered exactly what we love to see at Banana Republic—comfortable classics with a subtle nod to the season's most important trends.

Nicolas Ghesquière returned to urban futurism for spring 2010, dismissing last season's draped cocktail dresses for skinny motocross pants, hooded vests, and ankle boots.

Cathy Horyn called it "graphic, tough and linear" and noted Ghesquière's mix of materials and textures kept the collection from not looking new enough. Suzy Menkes agreed writing, "It had the feeling of clothes never before seen quite like this, even if the first silhouettes of skinny pants touched on the geometry that the designer previously had drawn up for Balenciaga."

The beauty look—black shadow streaked like racing stripes and eyes smudged with florescent orange, blue, yellow and green—was also noteworthy, mimicking Ghesquière's pops of color tucked between leather tops.

Source: Getty

That hot pink dress Sylvia Heisel showed us during our pre-fashion week studio visit remained intact, in case you were wondering. It appeared right after a pair of trousers in the same fabric, looked smashing, and made us giggle over the fact that we'd been discussing its outcome for days after the visit. If it 'aint broke, Hesiel taught us, don't fix it. The full Sylvia Heisel A/W 08 collection will be up later, along with the rest of today's shows.