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‘Tis the season for all kinds of dresses. That was the gist of the spring 2007 collections in New York. Everything from baby dolls, wrap dresses, chiffon gowns and short dresses over leggings was shown on the runway. And what designers attracted the most attention? Style.com, home of W and Vogue (which, like WWD, are owned by Condé Nast Publications), has provided the New York collections whose pages garnered the most hits for the 12-day period following their shows. And Marc Jacobs is, in a word, untouchable. His Marc Jacobs collection received a whopping 1 million more page views than last year (a 45 percent increase), while he also grabbed second place with his Marc by Marc Jacobs show. In all, the top 20 designers accounted for over 28 million page views, which was 33 percent above last year.
1. MARC JACOBS
Page views: 3,195,530
“Jacobs kept the palette and the mood light as air,” said WWD. In addition to his signature oversized handbags, Jacobs sent out frocks full of metallics, lace, glitter and ruffles. “The more loaded up, the better,” he said. “People like fashion at the moment.”
2. MARC BY MARC JACOBS
Page views: 2,330,080
Jacobs kept his sister line in check with separates and dresses that the kids will love. “Though piling on was the order of the day at the designer’s main line, this collection displayed a savvy paring down, a shift from fall’s brooding, art-student attitude,” wrote WWD.
3. MICHAEL KORS
Page views: 1,954,256
“Warming up never had it so good,” said WWD of Kors’ collection. The “Project Runway” judge showed off jersey dresses, sexy T-shirts and an impressive set of knits, including cardigans and pullovers.
4. ANNA SUI
Page views: 1,820,140
The romance fest on Anna Sui’s runway was alive with girlish dresses that were both “charming and cool,” said WWD — not to mention wearable. Sui kept her pieces playful with florals, stripes and “punkish trimmings.”
5. RALPH LAUREN
Page views: 1,709,455
Though Ralph Lauren’s return to smart sportswear could have easily been construed as a bit quiet, WWD deemed it a beautiful collection, acknowledging the no-nonsense style that included black polos, bibbed shirts and tailored suits.
6. OSCAR DE LA RENTA
Page views: 1,679,430
No one does evening like Oscar de la Renta, and spring was no exception. He revealed countless dresses, including “poppy prints to frothed-out Empire poufs, each with a certain charm,” WWD said. But the favorites: “Two utterly simple navy gowns.”
7. DIANE VON FURSTENBERG
Page views: 1,507,228
Those fabulous signature wrap dresses were only part of a much larger view for Diane von Furstenberg this season. Tulip skirts, lantern dresses, miniskirts and off-the-shoulder numbers hit the runway, done up in bold prints of butterflies, bumblebees and ginkgo leaves.
8. VERA WANG
Page views: 1,351,205
In addition to chiffon gowns, Vera Wang delivered a bold spring representation that included cozy sweaters and cashmere cardigans. WWD called the collection “beautifully moody” — fitting for Wang, whose father, Cheng Ching Wang, had passed away earlier that day.
9. ZAC POSEN
Page views: 1,269,136
Though the short fringed dresses and silhouettes stood out, Zac Posen’s use of heavy fabrics were a distraction, as were his stiff ballgowns and use of gigantic bows. The collection forced WWD to ask, “For whom is Posen designing?”
10. DKNY
Page views: 1,241,778
Working with a primarily neutral palette, Donna Karan again showed her love for New York City in her designs. She sent out sophisticated belted trenches, sleek jackets and boxy dresses that reeked of urban chic.
11. CAROLINA HERRERA
Page views: 1,216,410
“Herrera loves to inject smart classics with a touch of the artiste, which made for some lovely aspects to her spring collection,” said WWD. Dresses were crisp with black lace, blouses were intricately detailed, even her sporty pieces were subtle and feminine.
12. CALVIN KLEIN
Page views: 1,138,118
Designer Francisco Costa’s boxy croc coat and thick fabrics stood out on the runway, while the rest of his Calvin Klein collection was filled with subtle dresses that “charted a direct course for Helmut-land,” said WWD, referring to Helmut Lang-inspired designs.
13. DONNA KARAN
Page views: 1,089,635
Donna Karan hit the mark for spring with her draped dresses, linen blazers and short skirts — all of which reflected impeccable tailoring. WWD called her collection “artsy without the affect,” noting she’d struck the perfect balance between “urban finesse and exotic flair.”
14. L.A.M.B.
Page views: 1,065,493
Collaborating with the designer Zaldy, Gwen Stefani revealed a versatile mix of clothing for spring with her wrap dresses and cheetah-print pieces. She also showed off her new handbag collection, which included frame bags and clutches.
15. DEREK LAM
Page views: 1,032,261
It wasn’t his loose silk blouses, patchwork trench or even his classic Grecian gowns that stole Derek Lam’s spring show; rather, it was his much-buzzed-about accessories — which included handbags, shoes and sunglasses — that impressed the crowd.
16. NARCISO RODRIGUEZ
Page views: 1,029,048
Narciso Rodriguez’s lineup of slinky dresses and gowns will surely dazzle Hollywood starlets and socialites. But the “outer-space chic” was a little much, and some of his color choices and tailoring looked “both austere and tricky,” said WWD.
17. PROENZA SCHOULER
Page views: 1,001,074
Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough showed a playful and humorous spring collection with skintight minis, linen blazers, a linen sundress and body-hugging knits, some of which bore inspiration from Hervé Léger but all of which should please the duo’s fans.
18. 3.1 PHILLIP LIM
Page views: 962,511
Phillip Lim’s version of spring was light, graceful and delicate. He revealed a lineup of angelic dresses and tailored lace jumpers, all of which WWD found to be “alluring” and “hopeful.”
19. LUELLA BARTLEY
Page views: 936,893
It was a pattern love fest at Luella Bartley. In an attempt to bring out the geek in all of us, Bartley mixed everything from plaids, florals and stripes into her pieces — “the sort of combinations that only the most self-assured would pair up,” said WWD.
20. BADGLEY MISCHKA
Page views: 909,309
Incorporating white cotton lace and lots of ribbon and crystal beading, Mark Badgley and James Mischka sent out plenty of refined pieces for spring, staying true to their Shaker-style theme of elegance and simplicity.