From dainty to daring and flapper to fantabulous, elegant and exuberant and sultry to shimmering, I'm tempted to write a 5th grade style acrostic poem as an attempt to list all the relevant adjectives that sum up one of the best, most wearable collections I have seen in a long time. Nicole Miller mightn't be a household name, but I know I'm not the only one completely enchanted by her cohesive collection of some of Spring's most timeless themes. While Miranda Priestley is (in)famous for sarcastically commenting on the groundbreaking nature of florals for spring, I'm far too taken with Miller's futuristic interpretations of fashion's most beloved "S/S" motifs to care about recycling trends that I actually really love. So what if designers do stripes and florals every Spring Summer season? There's a reason for such fond favorites to continuously reoccur - because we love them very very much. After all, the best way to reinvent your style for SS14 is to do it the Nicole Miller way: wear stripes, florals and tons of summery color all in one explosive, seamless ensemble. Here's to revisiting and reinventing favorites!
Some of the most stellar pieces in the collection made use of a simple black and white palette, spotlighting the intricate detail and workmanship of the pieces by toning down color. Geometry reigns supreme with a modern, glamorously fitted top and a pencil skirt with inverted color placement (centre left) - perfect for creating a sleek silhouette on any shape or size. A black leather crop is balanced out neatly with a flowy white knee-length skirt; another universally sensuous match made in monochrome heaven. Speaking of contrast, few things are more strikingly delicate than the white sheath skirt in the centre right image - statement making with a graceful, feminine touch has never been easier.
Deeper than turquoise, bluer than aqua yet still oddly green… I have no idea what that captivating color is but it's delicious and seems rather fit for the season. It's fresh but not adolescent, sophisticated minus the stiffness. It's an organic cross between stained-glass and the interior of a kaleidoscope, and the flecks of magenta and sky blue make this print utterly magnificent and easily translated onto a number of ensembles. I'm loving the shapely punctuation offered by the thick black panel stitching in the two dresses on the right; I wouldn't mind a strapless minidress in that print! While I'm not as much of a fan of the seemingly magnified print as seen on the top on the far left and skirt on the centre left, I'm so head over heels with that deep, luscious color that it hardly bothers me at all.
And now onto the outerwear, possibly the hardest aspect of a collection for designers to strike a balance between artistic, statement-making and wearable. Nicole Miller seems to have no issues with making her designs down-to-earth enough to be worn by actual human women (let's hope her price tags echo that strength!), and these jackets are testament to her "wearability is key" philosophy (she didn't actually say that quote, I just decided three seconds ago that her brand's philosophy should be wearability yep). A bit punk, a lot embellished, but slightly verging on too topshoppy, these are very cute. Very cute indeed.
True glamour always contains a concealed edge, and in Miller's world, this takes the form of beautiful stained-glass shards positioned in an angular, geometric explosion on various tops, skirts and dresses. Pristinely defined, perfectly contemporary and another universally flattering success, these ensembles help jagged color and classic silhouettes balance out beautifully. I'm totally in favor of the sporty, cut-in necklines (far right) and casual, cropped lengths which show a hint of midriff. If these pieces can't be worn to the office, out at night, to fashion week or anything in between, then what can?
Fashionista.com describes this collection as being inspired by "the aftermath of a gang of rebel girls storming the castle," and it couldn't have been better put. This gloriously colorful, decadent juxtaposition of grunge-chic rebels and elegant femininity culminate dramatically in the seven looks above. By infusing bold monochrome stripes with watercolor florals, throwing a raw white leather vest over a fitted power dress and punctuating a striped pencil skirt with bursts of blooms, the result is no less than pinstripe perfection with a springtime-appropriate dose of bright florals. Top marks for reinvention, wearability and sex appeal.
Towards the end of the show, a shift in focus to a less "teenage rebel" and more "refined princess" look can be noted through the evolution of colorful florals to gold baroque embellishments and modern white base hues to sheer pearl ones. Black becomes increasingly dominant as necklines reach a sexy, all time low in deep Vs decorated with ornate gold detailing. Tasseled jewelry becomes a permanent fixture, adding an ornate finish to pared-down, floor sweeping gowns with a sexy, linear finish. Nicole Miller's astounding ability to manipulate simple lines of color and fabric to construct the aesthetic framework of her pieces continues to boast success throughout the collection, adding dimension and shape to her expertly crafted pieces. Sequined floral motifs epically clash with baby pink twirly skirts, decadent glimmering accents glint with movement and bold, cloudy prints add lustrous mystique. Perfection.
So, what do you think of Nicole Miller's gorgeous Spring/Summer 2014 collection?
