New York Fashion Week: Ralph Lauren

Hilary Alexander reports from New York fashion week

Hunting, horse-back riding and fishing has never looked sexier than in the hands of Ralph Lauren.

	‘Sex and the Country’: Ralph Lauren's collection gave off a hunting lodge feel

America’s fashion king, who owns a ranch in Colorado and is well versed in the rich, rustic life, was in a ‘Sex and the Country’, rather than the city, mood on the final day of New York Fashion week today.

Three specially-constructed chandeliers, made from antlers and crystals dangling from the ceiling of a downtown studio, set the scene.

Lumberjack plaids, fishing vests, hacking jackets and lashings of leopard-print, all accessorized with extravagant hats and caps, emblazoned with pheasant and partridge feathers – by the London-based milliners Philip Treacy and Patricia Underwood – carried the inspiration through to the collection, which paraded to a soundtrack of The Eagles and the gravel-voiced Bob Dylan.

This was the country life lived on a lavish scale: spike-heeled red suede boots instead of wellies; a perfectly-tailored red plaid shirt tucked into a be-feathered frothy skirt instead of a waxed jacket and cords. And not a splash of mud in sight.

Neat peplumed spencers, belted with leather, leopard-print and antler buckles, in a mix of black cashmere and leopard-print or bright, cashmere plaid, came with black pencil skirts or fine silk twill combats tucked into high-heeled boots.

Flame-orange and emerald plaid blouson-jackets were worn with longer, flared skirts. Other skirt suits, tailored in an hourglass silhouette, were in a mix of small and large checks.

Velvet set the tone for romantic dinners around a log-fire in a secluded hunting lodge; just the sort where Nicolas Sarkozy and his new bride, the former Carla Bruni, honeymooned.

Purple and jade velvet short dresses featured black, feathered skirts. Bright orange and purple velvet slinks clung to the curves and had jeweled, feather corsages on one shoulder.

The military mood was referenced in a scarlet captain’s jacket with a black, feathered-fishtail long skirt and a leopard-print beret.

Ballgowns, strapless, one-shouldered or high-necked, in red and black checked chiffon and green and black checked taffeta, were extravagantly swathed at hip and knee, their skirts embroidered with feathers and jewels.

The finale gown, a raglan-sleeved creation in royal purple velvet, featured an Art Nouveau motif in gold thread and beading, which extended right down the torso to the be-feathered skirt.

New York Fashion Week finishes today (Friday) with the showings of next autumn/winter’s collections by Donna Karan, Sean P.Diddy Combs and Marc Jacobs.

London Fashion Week opens at the tented village in the grounds of the Natural History Museum on Sunday.