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SAY what you will about disco, the 1970s were a good time for American fashion. It's when New York really carved its niche as the sportswear capital of the world.And now, for spring 2011, designers have reclaimed the look as their own.
At the recent New York Fashion Week, Marc Jacobs led the pack with models in frizzed-out hair, jumpsuits, hot pants, culottes and striped knits. But he's not the only one to embrace the billowy shapes, scarf-tied tops, tunics, crafty macramŽ looks and long, wide-legged trousers indicative of that era.
Badgley Mischka, Rachel Roy and Elie Tahari embraced a '70s muse too. Halston and Diane Von Furstenberg always have a touch of 1970s glam, and their spring 2011 collections were no different. "We were looking at videos all around us in the Lincoln Centre and were like 'Oh, there's a '70s thing, there's another," James Mischka told fashion writers. "It's happening all around us, and it's just kind of in the water, I guess."
RODARTE: There's a lot of fashion, of course, at a Rodarte fashion show, but there's also a lot of show. And, apparently, there's now a movie too. Guests previewing Kate and Laura Mulleavy's wood-themed collection were informed that cameras for a Rodarte film would be rolling during the show.
Using a soundtrack of mellow '70s hits, models worked their way around a maze of shipping pallets in dresses that mimicked tree bark and panelling, jackets with cut-out shoulders.
BADGLEY MISCHKA: Mark Badgley and James Mischka personify glamour every season. The inspiration for their collection was the 1987 movie White Mischief starring Greta Scacchi, as an affluent woman in the 1940s who visits Kenya and finds romance and adventure. But there were more than a few nods to the '70s.
Among other designs, they delivered a pool-print chiffon top and a long, white georgette skirt dotted with white petals, a strapless sand-and-ivory gown with petals and beads.
HALSTON: The city-loving night owl that has long defined the Halston customer probably doesn't get out into the garden much, so designer Marios Schwab gave her a few reminders of what it might be like out there: light, pretty and soft.
"I started looking into florals and wild orchids and that was my inspiration," he said in an interview before the New York Fashion Week presentation at a Chelsea gallery.
But this was no garden party. Halston is built on the easy, sexy chic of the '70s, and Schwab embraces it while adding his own modern touches.
RACHEL ROY: In the 24/7 cycle that so many women live, they dress up, they dress down; they like colour and they want neutrals. So, designer Rachel Roy aimed to address all those needs with her inspired spring collection.
She was particularly drawn to a neutral sandy shade that she dubbed 'Band-Aid'. It was her way of getting around the potentially thorny issue of calling a colour 'nude', which really only addresses one skin tone.
"I'm considerate of skin tones, and I always make sure something looks good against a variety of different colours," she said.
MARC BY MARC JACOBS: Marc Jacobs knows his clientele and offered up some colourful and fun, flirty styles for his secondary line. His show opened with a model wearing a long, black dress that hit below the knee. There was also a long, gray dress with a gray top which was paired with yellow wedges.
Another striking look was a parachuter's jumpsuit, paired with beige platforms and a pretty red and white striped long dress had bows on the shoulders.
ELIE TAHARI: Elie Tahari was among the designers reclaiming the bold look of the '70s, using a super-stylish woman like Lauren Hutton as a muse. The designer explained as he presented his collection.
"As we were working on the collection, it just seemed like the right time to revisit that period of fashion," Tahari said.
"The result was a sort of cleaned-up memory of that era, without overdoing clichŽs."
TRACY REESE: Tracy Reese likes her catwalk to be a happy place and she consistently turns out clothes that suit that mood. For the spring collection that previewed at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, she used words like 'mellow' and 'groovy'to describe the prevailing look.
Among the collection was a black halter maxi dress, a waves-and-orchid print peasant blouse and a poncho worn over a tie-neck blouse and Bermudas, all of which channelled the relaxed style.
DIESEL BLACK GOLD: Flowing rock goddess dresses and tomboy suede jackets in neutral khaki, rich browns and camel were set against the sunny New York City skyline for the earthy Diesel Black Gold presentation.
Diesel called the collection an ode to the wild creativity of the West Coast arts and crafts movement and the sun-drenched landscapes of California, as seen through the eyes of designer Sophia Kokosalaki.
