Perhaps it’s the 90’s revivalist in me that keeps waxing nostalgic, but did I spot some flannel shirts tied around the waists of the Nicholas K models during their Fall 2011 show? A quick check-in with the photos and sure enough, there it was: the waist-tie. And this reviewer couldn’t be more excited. I love when a designer goes the grunge route and the brother duo execute it with just the right amount of finesse to keep the dark, edgy and rebellious spirit alive. This is moody dress. This is 90’s romanticism with a bit of Victorian flare and maybe rounded out with a lumberjack sensibility. The show’s mainstay was suede patch leggings, sometimes fitted with banded stripes or worn loose and easy in surprising fabrics like crushed velvet. The designer duo did not shy away from colors:  emerald green and velvet black leggings dominated the first few looks and were paired with lace up creepers re-designed as a hunter boot! Also present were the familiar plaid shirts but wrapped in softer, more feminine silhouettes while the color palette turned to cooler stone and olive tones. Classic items such as belted parkas, trench coats and leather zip ups with fur trim topped the layered looks that felt both nostalgic and current with a fresh, urban reinterpretation of my most favorite era.
—Jeanie Kwak
Photos by Stevyn Llewellyn