Day Five with Myfashdiary’s NYFW contributor, Melissa Liebling-Goldberg, Editorial Director, Gilt.com
http://www.gilt.com/uk

My morning started off with thoughts of the Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton, on my mind, and I didn’t shake the image all day long.

Jenny Packham, a favourite of Catherine’s, kicked off the day with a ’40s-influenced collection of gowns, cocktail dresses and jumpsuits that fairly screamed glamour. But which one would the Duchess wear?

One of the pale blue charmeuse styles? The gossamer champagne ones? I identified a closet worth of looks that I could picture her signature glossy curls tumbling over, and a few more that I can probably only dream of seeing her in (see black V-neck jumpsuits). But those might be better for another one of Ms. Packham’s famous fans, Angelina Jolie, who has worn two of her gowns in so many weeks.

We may have never seen Catherine wear Donna Karan before, but the tiny chapeaus perched like fascinators on her model’s heads immediately brought to mind the parade of fabulous (and infamous) hats at the royal wedding. But the looks at Karan had more to do with men’s morning coats than lacey gowns, with flannel, pinstripes and sharp tailoring defining the looks. Even Donna Karan herself made her final bow in a smart vest and blazer over narrow pants.

Even more gowns fit for a fairy-tale princess came through at Reem Acra (sparkles and cut-outs galore) and Carolina Herrera (balancing bold prints with volume majestically). If only we all had social calendars like the royals!