NYFW – Charlotte Ronson A/W 2014 collection

After a long wait within a crowded queue that was almost vibrating with anticipation, we were guided through the Hudson Hotel on West 58^th Street to the Hub to witness the presentation of Charlotte Ronson’s latest collection. Though the show was littered with all of our favourite current trends, there was nothing overly innovative within the collection.

Black sheer sections, a seriously fabulous pair of cranberry-coloured velvet trousers, leather shorts, winter florals and delicately romantic lace, this collection had every aspect of autumn trend beautifully executed. The only negative was that we’ve seen most of it in our British high-street shops already. None of the pieces were blatantly original… perhaps a specific shade or print, but for the most part, we’ve seen all this before.

However, that doesn’t mean to say that we didn’t absolutely love Ronson’s latest collection. You can’t fault someone for perfecting the tried and tested roots of autumn trends! We were big fans of the heavy velvet pieces, which came in the form of some delicious loose trousers, poppy printed tops and two black and red poppy printed dresses with sheer inserts.

The use of leather was also received very well. A pair of braced high-waisted shorts definitely caught our eye, although we didn’t think much of reversing the braces so that the cross-over was at the front and the straights were at the back. It simply looked like the model had them on back to front. There was also a rather fabulous calf-length A-line skirt that expressed the same theme. The velvet returned among gothic black, sheer and lace, including a high-necked crop top and a few gorgeous blouses. Our favourite piece of the whole presentation was a black maxi dress, very simple with a heavy fabric for the skirt and a lace top. It was elegant and had the capacity to be completely versatile.

London-born Ronson was raised in New York and launched her first collection back in 2000. 2002 saw her open her first boutique and by 2005 her brand had flourished into the Charlotte Ronson works we see today. She’s worked with Urban Outfitters, has her own beauty line and even collaborated with a sportswear range. Ronson is clearly very experienced in her field and has gained a huge amount of support and an enormous fan base. Despite the lack of innovation in her autumn 2014 collection, we can find no fault with any of the pieces. They are wearable, versatile and totally on trend.

Elizabeth Finney
Photos: Esther Horvath

For more from Charlotte Ronson, visit her brand website.