Fashion
COAT REPORT 2O14
TREND
GETTING DOWN
Puffer coats have blown up in the ready-to-wear world. Sure, they’re practical, but are they provocative? SHAWNA COHEN unzips the sexy truth. quilting in solid nylon colours. Those basic styles have drastically transformed into a variety of silhouettes, patterns and fabrics. We now see cropped, peplum, oversized shawl collars, casual and formal styles coming down the runways.” These nouveau toppers also incorporate printed patterns and a range of fabric mélanges including wool and leather. While Jones lauds labels like Donna Karan and Balenciaga for creating chic formal versions with sleek silhouettes, curved shoulders and oversized lapels, her favourite is Max Mara for its luxurious fabrics like herringbone, cashmere and tweed. The brand’s impressive lineup includes a printed plaid coat in neutral colours with a fox fur-trimmed hood. “We all want to keep warm and look good doing it,” says Josie Harlow, women’s divisional merchandise manager at Toronto retailer Sporting Life, which carries dozens of high-end coats including posh puffers by Moncler, Sam and Versace. “We’re seeing lots of down coats with quilting on the inside. The result is a smooth finish that looks much more elegant.” Many women are spending upward of $1,000 for a winter coat that looks chic with skinny jeans and boots for day, but can also be dressed up for night. Adding to the appeal is a high-shine finish (one of the hottest outerwear trends of the moment) from go-to labels such as Goldbergh, Duvetica and Canada Goose, as well as mixed fabrics such as nylon with leather, cashmere or wool from the likes of »
PHOTOGRAPHY: MODEL BY STEWART SHINING/TRUNK ARCHIVE; FEATHER BY ISTOCK
“TAKE THAT OFF. YOU LOOK LIKE THE MICHELIN Man!” My mother uttered these words some time in the early ’90s when she saw me sporting a shapeless puffer jacket that, in retrospect, resembled a sleeping bag better suited for winter camping than a downtown stroll. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way: Nowadays, down-filled coats are sleek, chic and weigh next to nothing. On the Fall 2014 runways, designers from Stella McCartney and Chloé to DKNY and Thakoon showed streamlined puffers (the latter emblazoned with Technicolor blooms), while designers like Yohji Yamamoto and Junya Watanabe boasted quirky, oversized versions (one oddly reminiscent of a bouncy castle). Off the runway, everyone from high school students to sophisticated, 60-something women have made a fashion statement out of a Canadian necessity: keeping warm. And thanks to a highly tailored fit and unexpected details (leather trim, flirty ruffles), many of these coats are not only practical, but also super sexy (not the first word that springs to mind when talking down—until now, that is). Jaclyn Jones, a womenswear editor at online trend forecaster Worth Global Style Network, says down coats are more popular than ever. “There has been definite growth in the development and design of down coats over the past five years,” she says. “In years past, we saw basic boxy silhouettes hitting at either the hip or the knee with horizontal channel
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FASHION NOVEMBER 2014