The romanticism and elegance of the fall shows has brought an explosion of rich and decadent color tones-with raspberry, clarets, and merlot the most visible. The blue based red tones seen at the shows come from a need to create balance in clothing that was dominated by masculine fabrics and earthy colors. It emerged as the passionate yang to a subdued cool yin of iron greys and moody browns from the collections of Anna Sui, Burberry Prorsum, BCBG, Marni, Louis Vuitton, and Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. The chinoiserie influences at Yves Saint Laurent allowed Tom Ford to use shades from the red family that evoke a sense of entitlement and strength. It was evident from the first look, a satin shiny suit that mixed a Mao jacket with a pencil skirt (the season’s important silhouette) in two shades of red. The suit with that mix of tones created an indelible impression of power, seduction, and sensuality. Tom Ford’s underlying message seems to say, “you’re going to miss me.” At Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs’s choice of red tartan for his Scottish Highlands-inspired collection was delivered cleverly on different shapes from a gorgeous opulent coat trimmed with gold fur to a shirt with a girly bow and a high-waisted skirt mixed with a gorgeous red bag and mules. The total look was coquettish and sultry. At Marni, the color palette played on beige, gray, and navy until the red emerged to add a needed tinge of excitement. And Anna Sui offered a collection filled with reds, violets and eclectic accents blending rock n’ roll and ’60s chic. The sexy reds featured this season will surely be more pronounced with more surprising mixes for Spring 2005.

-Jenny Moda

Photos: Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2004
Louis Vuitton Fall 2004