Is Victoria Bartlett picking up cues from Lady Gaga and, more recently, Ke$ha? The sheer volume of briefs-as-pants the designer turned out for Fall is a strong argument. Or it could just be seen as classic VPL (which stands for "visible panty lines," remember). Whatever the reason, underwear-as-outerwear was an even stronger than usual focus for Bartlett this season. In addition to her classic color-blocked underpinnings, she showed a patchwork bodysuit with cutouts, gold sequin bandeaus, and a flesh-toned spandex crop-top-and-biker-short combo. That s not to say the models were sent shivering down the runway. Most were swaddled in some kind of enviably cozy topper—a pressed faux-fur sweatshirt, say, or a metallic wool cardigan. "For me, it s always about things that are falling off, splitting apart, and being put back together," Bartlett said when interviewed in her studio the week before her show. Case in point: some sliced jersey dresses with slipping shoulder straps and open backs (too open, perhaps—it s tough for those of us without catwalker proportions to imagine wearing said numbers outside the house). Still, in a crowded fashion-week schedule, kudos to Bartlett for creating her own distinct look. And amid the variety of today s offerings, there was something for every girl—even us non-models and non-pop sensations—to slip into.
