fashion know it all

Fashion Know It All: ShearlingAnne Slowey shows you how to get the right coat
By Anne Slowey | July 16, 2010 12:00 p.m.


Photo: Imaxtree


Fall 2010 looks from Céline, Burberry Prorsum, Derek Lam

Dear FKIA,
There’s so much shearling for fall, I don’t know what to buy. Help!

Dear Karen,

Shearling coats haven’t made such a statement since the 1980s, when oversize bomber jackets and trenches lined in nubby fleece were all the rage. What makes them new this season is that designers have turned them inside out: What was traditionally just a lining is taking center stage, turning up on cropped jackets, car coats, and capes. Christopher Bailey’s Burberry Prorsum show was a veritable homage to the fluffy stuff, which was paired with everything from silk ribbon dresses to lace skirts. His skill at combining fine fabrics with such sturdy outerwear is subtle and ultrasophisticated. Plus, the genius of shearling is that it keeps you warm but doesn’t share in fur’s inherent snobbishness—it’ll also look great with your more casual garb, such as jeans and chunky sweaters.

Phoebe Philo, who in two seasons at Céline has perfected the idea of utilitarian luxury, knows the merit of the big, simple gesture. Her clothes, for all their simplicity,carry hefty price tags worthy of their couturelike details. Her showstopper for fall—in a collection of gorgeous, long shapes, such as her floorsweeping skirts, caftans, and down-to-there white blouses—was a below-the-knee crème-anglaise-color shearling cape that could double as a sumptuous blanket on a chilly night. If you’ve got the cash or credit, it’s a museum-worthy investment to have and to hold forever.

Derek Lam’s western-inspired fall show was one of his best in years. He mined an urban-cowgirl vibe, sending out models who were equal parts Grace Kelly and pioneer heroine, as if New York were readying itself for a showdown at high noon. His tan shearling car coat, supersmart and classic, is perfect for a high-powered career girl. Lam showed it with eveningwear, but it would work just as well over tailored pants or a skirt. At a recent charity event in his architectural gem of a store on Crosby Street, Lam racked up more than $20,000 in sales in just two hours. Women seem to love his talent for creating sophisticated American sportswear with an elegant edge. He’s the hometown answer to Céline, with a slightly less pared-down silhouette. Add a soupçon of glamour, and you get the difference.

—Submitted by Karen from Portland, ME
Sierra Roberts