While half of our team is in Toronto covering the Film Festival, our fashion director Liz McClean and her team have been busy making the rounds at New York Fashion Week. Since we aren’t exactly a “shopping” magazine, we’re less concerned about the top trends of the season or the celebrities wearing them. Instead, we’ve got our eye on the talented crop of designers behind the clothing, and the way they spin their inspirations into a cohesive collection. These are the designers who bring new ideas to the table, without ever wavering too far from the foundations and principles of strong, classic, design — something we aspire to do here every day at Corduroy as well!

Read our reviews and see photos from some of our favorite shows from the past few days, after the jump.

Jen Kao
Jen Kao’s backstory involved girls wandering the desert in an altered state where they find the man of their dreams. Kao all but tossed her body-con reputation out the window with these dreamy and crafty looks, finished with dangling silver earrings, macramé foot wraps in lieu of shoes, and back-combed hair that looked clotted with salt. But the designer grounded the dusty pale crocheted knits and billowy silks in reality, with measured doses of tailoring and structure.

Though it seemed to venture further than ever from her established oeuvre, Kao pronounced the collection “the most me I’ve been.” Mr. Right might be a mere figment, but sometimes reality can be just as exciting, like this solid push forward from a young designer.

Billy Reid

Menswear designer Billy Reid’s spring collection inspiration came from his birth state of Lousiana. Reid says he “focused on his cherished memories, incredibly unique and eccentric people and a culture, that is deep in my hear and shapes me still.”

Set design was influenced by American surrealist photographer Clarence John Laughlin, capturing the decaying architecture of the South during the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, particularly in New Orleans. Throughout his 20 looks, Reid’s color palette focused on neutrals, navy, turquoise, khaki, vintage destroyed beige and brown, pale blues and greens, with washed denims, white cottons, and natural plaids and stripes. In addition to his rugged-meets-preppy clothing, Reid is also known for his line of handsome, signature accessories. A staple piece in Reid’s accessories this season is a handmade natural duck/cordovan messenger bag, a handmade cognac Lousiana wild alligator d-ring loafer, and, incorporated in almost every look this season, is a distressed cordovan skinny belt with an antique brass plaque buckle.
(*BONUS: Check out Billy Reid’s list of “Ten Things That Never Go Out of Style” HERE)

Rachel Comey
Rachel Comey’s inspiration was more practically inspired by the HEAT of a New York summer. To paraphrase the designer: How do you dress for the heat without looking like a hot mess?

Comey offered a multitude of enticing options for those who don’t want to be stuck in cutoffs when the mercury rises. The designer played with prints and layers, with a hint of Victorian tailoring in an embroidered shirtdress. But she kept the fabrics nice and breathable with light black and white linens and printed chiffons. This season’s collection saw the designer adding a bit of quirkiness to the slightly dressier and more grown-up look. So when the heat hits this summer Rachel Comey’s got an easy and chic look to keep you feeling — and looking — cool.

Band of Outsiders

In just a few years, Band of Outsiders has taken nostalgic boarding school-esque prepster appearance and modernized it into an All-American, wearable brand, updating classic sportswear with quirky and subtle details. The spring collection not only brought the same type of retro vs. modern clothing, but this season, the Band Of Outsiders “boy” met their new counterpart: the “girl.”

Alss the name of designer Scott Sternberg’s new collection, the “Girl” was introduced as a quirky tomboy who mixes the occasional quilt-like short skirt and oxford shirts, while comfortably throwing on a blazer. Some of the girls were dressed in pique white polo shirts, accompanied by navy bermuda shorts, and penny loafers that appeared to have been re-designed into a wooden platform slide.There were also some amazing wooden-soled espadrille platforms with simple laces that resembled friendship bracelets eloquently flattering the foot.

The boys collection had many American staples, with a mix of casualwear — including washed hoodies and cropped sweatpants — and more classic pieces, like polos and the madras button down. Navy Blazers with trim, white piping around the lapel resembling men’s pajamas from the 40s, were paired with rolled-up, light washed chinos and a muted grey oxford, worn with the classic Sperry topsider in grey (a footwear staple for Band of Outsiders since its inception). Keith Harring/Harry Potter-esque glasses completed the prep school look. The collection was very wearble and re-introduced classics in a more youthful way.

- Compiled by Kathleen Jerry and Lexyrose Boiardo

For his spring/summer presentation, Band of Outsiders designer Scott Sternberg turned Milk Studios into a California beach party, complete with mounds of sand, a tidal wave backdrop and even model airplanes. It was an elaborate set-up for his new men’s collection and BOY by Band of Outsiders women’s collection, inspired this season by 1970s Malibu and Beach Boy Dennis Wilson’s solo album “Pacific Ocean Blue.”

The influences were seen in both collections, with cuffed khakis, boat-neck sweaters and shrunken blazers for women, and light tuxedo suiting, chambray shirts and madras prints for the guys. The look for women was loose and relaxed (think pleated drawstring dresses and oversized boyfriend shirts), while the men sported trimmer silhouettes with subtle details like silk trim on the blazers, and inside-out shirts and polos. Band of Outsiders’ footwear partnership with Sperry also continues for spring/summer, with reconstructed penny loafers and suede/nylon boat shoes and chukkas (The women’s shoes were made by — get this — Manolo Blahnik, especially for the collection).

We love Band of Outsiders for being hip without being trendy, and Sternberg has a way of taking classic pieces and updating them with modern, unique touches that make them refreshing to see and wear. In fact, we saw more than a few pieces that we wanted in our closet. And judging by the huge turnout for the presentation (celebs like Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman included), we can safely assume that the clothes will be in many other closets this season as well.

We took our FLIP camera with us to fashion week this year. Check out video clips we shot of the models hanging out at the Band of Outsiders presentation below:

- TC

Having learned about his love for polaroids, we were stoked to see Sternberg’s vision come to life in Band of Outsiders’ latest lookbook, starring Jason Schwartzman. The actor-musician was photographed on Chung King Road in L.A.’s Chinatown, in a series of polaroids wearing clothing from Band’s fall 2009 collection. Schwartzman’s quirkiness gives a nice balance to the new looks, which range from double breasted blazers and penny loafers to wool flannel trousers and — what do you know — a structured corduroy jacket. Turns out we have more than a love of polaroids in common.

Check out a couple photos from Jason Schwartzman’s Band of Outsiders campaign below and see more images HERE. Then check out Corduroy’s celebrity polaroids (taken at the end of all our photoshoots) by clicking over to our gallery.

- TC