NY Fashion Week runways full of bandage dresses and slashed fabric

Slashes and bandages are hot at NY Fashion Week

NEW YORK — With all its slashed material and bandaged dresses, New York Fashion Week could be mistaken for a haute hospital ward.

The banded look was everywhere — at Herve Leger, of course, where it is the signature item — but also at Carolina Herrera on Monday, Alexander Wang, Lela Rose, Nicole Miller and in Victoria Beckham’s new collection.

Everything has been formfitting in the spring collections, and the bandage dress epitomized the look — a softer version of a super-skinny dress.

Slashes and cutouts came along with the bandages, adding a little sex appeal without showing much skin. The look was shown at Derek Lam, Rachel Roy and Zac Posen, among other runways.

The look is formfitting, but surprisingly forgiving — bandage dresses are almost always in a stretchy material that pulls you in. And the cutouts and slashes show some skin, but not so much that it couldn’t be office-appropriate when placed on a shoulder or back.

ZAC POSEN

Zac Posen did things differently Monday. He switched from a nighttime blowout show to a tranquil morning one, a big venue to a small one and — most importantly — he presented clothes you might see someone wearing.

Posen had increasingly focused on dramatic, over-the-top clothes. Remember the whole Midwestern storm theme a few seasons back? All great looks if you happen to be an edgy multiplatinum rocker.

His 2010 spring collection was a complete switching of gears, with adorable, see-through, candy-colored raincoats setting the tone of an upbeat, youthful collection.

Posen hit on the floral trend with a gladiola-print gown with an open back, and a series of finale gowns with sequin flower appliques. He also used the trick of using cutouts to create sexy silhouettes without showing too much skin.

HERVE LEGER

If you follow the Herve Leger brand, you might wonder what else Max and Lubov Azria could do with their signature, skintight banded dress. For spring they moved away from the tough-warrior muse toward an artsy-craftsy — or as they say “homespun” look.

To keep that recognizable Leger silhouette, new designs have to straddle tradition with innovation. The most successful versions for next season were the metallic dresses, the tie-dyes and the braided ones with rows of horizontal fabric loops in place of flat bands.

The sexiest ones were flesh-colored numbers that gave the illusion of bareness but actually didn’t show any skin.

Eyebrows went up when the looks strayed from cocktail dresses: A banded denim jacket doesn’t quite have the same effect.

CAROLINA HERRERA

Carolina Herrera showed transporting clothes — to a Latin dance beat — that had exotic rope and raffia details.

There were many textured fabrics, offered in a natural color palette that ranged from redwood brown to light stone. The occasional use of amber, rose and caramel were made to match the “waning light cast at the end of a summer’s day,” Herrera said in her notes.

Her overall inspiration was baskets, she explained. That translated well into a strapless gown with a woven bodice and a quartz-colored dress that looks like a checkerboard of organza. Fully beaded rope-weave print shorts, paired with a subtle floral top, had the effect of snakeskin. She used the same beading on a cotton dress with a big bow in the back.

RACHEL ROY

Rachel Roy is working it with a smart, sophisticated spring collection that still infused a bit of sexiness for the woman who wants it all.

Can’t go wrong with a tailored pantsuit and jacket with feminine flange on the front and slim, flattering trousers. And for the more fashion-forward, there were hammered satin suits and a gray matte crepe jumpsuit.

Roy said in her notes she was inspired by “40s’ screen legends, 70s’ chic and a return to the 90s’ power suit.”

There also were a few prints — a brown-and-blue “Cray-pas” print, sort of unrestrained artist look, worked for a blouse-and-skirt set. So did a gray version of a brushstroke print. That same print, though, looked a little bit like spilled wine in a muted pink color.

ERIN FETHERSTON

Erin Fetherston called her spring collection “Ladyland” — and it’s a place many women will want to visit.

Fetherston’s delicate designs were ladylike in the best way — not prim or overly fragile, but delicately refined.

A cherry blossom print in sheer navy chiffon was elegant on a dress with a cape-like back that was belted, like many of the designs, with a whimsical heart-shaped buckle. Plunging necklines were rendered almost demure with ruffled detailing and structured hips on a dress made from floral cloque.

It’s always been clear that Fetherston enjoys being a girl. With her spring collection, she showed she can be a lady, too.

REEM ACRA

Eveningwear designer Reem Acra nodded to the 40th anniversary of Woodstock in fabrications no hippie would recognize.

The Lebanese-American designer’s spring collection was a magical mystery tour from a silky boudoir to a chic hippy enclave — with a stop or two on the red carpet. If the collection seemed riotous, that was Acra’s point: She called it a tongue-in-cheek response to “a year of belt-tightening introspection.”

There were some beautiful red carpet-worthy gowns, particularly a floral-print wrap and goddess-like draped strapless gowns in poppy, white and sulfur yellow. Another promising look was evening jumpsuits — versions were shown in sequins and a garden print, with a finale of beautifully draped white harem pants.

But starlets would be wise to skip Acra’s ’60s flashback that paired kaleidoscope prints with camouflage-inspired pants.

ZERO + MARIA CORNEJO

The fashions were a little off-kilter at the Zero + Maria Cornejo: A tunic with one sleeve longer and drapier than the other, droopy jumpsuits and short rompers, a dress with a wide black stripe wrapping around the body and disappearing from view.

Cornejo sought to capture her love for the energy of the city with the pull of nature. A black and gray print bubble dress was worn with a wood cuff that cinched only one side of the waist. An airy silk water print dress was half bandeau with a black strap covering the other shoulder and wrapping around to the back.

The collection included a couple of swimsuits for the first time, including a one-piece with a cutout in the back and another with one wide black strap across the front that created a strapless look on one side.

Associated Press writers Megan K. Scott and Lisa Tolin contributed to this report.