7. Fringe

If you thought fringe was over, think again. But swingy tassels and feathered hems were more couture than cowboy, adding texture to complex cocktail dresses and injecting movement into attenuated silhouettes. Floor-sweeping fringe lent a deconstructed edge to the classic gowns at Versace, revealing unexpected slashes of leg through curtains of silky thread. The more daring might take cues from VPL, where a model strutted the catwalk in a plumage vest and not much else. Accessories, too, were decidedly shaggy; the necklace at Roberto Cavalli did double duty as a top, while the orange handbag at Blumarine was an instant focal point. Though designers won't be resurrecting Minnetonkas anytime soon, the surprising refinement and offbeat elegance of fringe on the runway proved that it's time to forgive and forget its tacky connotations.



Anna Sui

Blumarine




















 

Iceberg



Emanuel Ungaro

 

Matthew Williamson

Louis Vuitton



Nina Ricci

Ralph Lauren

 


Rue du Mail

Roberto Cavalli

 




















Vionnet

 

Versace

  





















VPL



Zac Posen