Camel Coats Fall 2010
I wrote an article about camel coats just a little bit ago which was inspired by an interview I did for the New York Times. That article was featured during this past week-ends issue and is now online. I wish to thank Pamela Dittmer McKuen for a great article.
Camel Coats
The commonality is the camel, but the styling is entirely yours
By PAMELA DITTMER MCKUEN
Perhaps
you have a camel coat languishing in a closet, too good to throw out
but too date-stamped to suit your sensibilities. Pull it out and take
another look. This revered classic has returned to shed a welcome ray
of light on an otherwise gloomy winter.If you don’t own a
camel coat, how fortunate. We shall shop. Most every designer and
purveyor of fine apparel is offering a rendition or several, for women
and men alike. It’s part of an overall focus on investment dressing,
prompted by a tough economy. But only partly. There’s also an
undercurrent of chic, which opens the wardrobe door to tantalizing
choices.
Forget preconceived notions you may have about
the color. Susan Klope, head designer for the Per Se Collection, says
that today’s coats push aside the old definition of camel as
“dependable.” Instead, they bear a sophistication and edginess that
appeal to young women who might be wearing the hue for the first time.
“Also, to Baby Boomers, who are cooler than ever,” she adds.
“Many
men haven’t seen camel before, so it’s new and hip to them,” says
menswear designer George Zaharoff. “They will accept camel as a
neutral, just like grey or black.”
To be found among the
season’s collections are traditional trenches, oversized wraps,
minimalist toppers and sporty jackets. Some are decked with
military-inspired brass. Others sport whimsical touches such as
ruffles, belts, knit and leather trim, hoods and detachable sleeves.
“The commonality is the camel, but the styling is entirely yours,” says Chicago fashion stylist Susan Mowder of The Style
Principle.
Michael Kors, who christened the color as “barley,” created
streamlined double-breasted coats with elbow cutouts. Per Se’s toffee
wool jacket has empire styling and detachable black cuffs. At Chloe,
Hannah MacGibbon stitches grace and fluidity into menswear-inspired
coats. Max Mara pinches oversized maxis at the waist with leather
belting. The Lauren coat, by Ryan Roberts, has an asymmetrical leather
closure and a collar that can be worn up or down.
Traditional gents might consider Burberry’s double-breasted topcoat
with epaulettes and back half-belt, or Ralph Lauren’s Howard topcoat
with sloped shoulders and notched collar. For more contemporary flair,
Kors’ crombie and Chesterfield are fashioned from crinkle flannel.
Zaharoff is working on a slim-silhouetted paletot for Fall 2011.
A camel coat is not flashy, but it does stand out, especially against
the mass of black so typical of Chicago streetwear. Says Mowder:
“Someone who wears a beautiful camel coat exudes a confidence that says
‘I am willing to be seen. I am willing to be different.’”
Published: October 10, 2010
Issue: November 2010 Arts and Politics Issue
Posted by George Zaharoff at 13 October 2010, 1:06 AM 
Categories: Collections
Tags: new michael lauren kors george zaharoff life burberry coats chloe york chicago times NYT paletot camel ralph
Categories: Collections
Tags: new michael lauren kors george zaharoff life burberry coats chloe york chicago times NYT paletot camel ralph
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