Photo courtesy of Ken Downing Instagram (@kendowningnm).
Neiman Marcus Fashion Director Ken Downing made a rare visit to Fort Worth on Friday to host The Spring Trend Report runway show. Downing sits front row at all of the fashion week shows in order to guide his buyers on what to buy for Neiman Marcus stores.
Friday's show, hosted on the second floor of the new Neiman Marcus at The Shops at Clearfork, featured looks for Spring plus a few sneak peeks at Fall. The runway show also highlighted jewelry by Devon Leigh. One model walked the runway with turquoise necklaces layered from her navel to her chin as Downing, known for a more is more aesthetic, proclaimed, “This look is quintessentially Ken Downing.”
In true Ken Downing fashion, models also walked the runway in multiple pairs of earrings and rings on every finger. It's a trend Downing recommends. “Go home and put on every ring you own. Then go to your mom's house and put on every ring she owns,” he said as a model strutted down the runway.
Other trends included stripes, fur, tribal, feathers, white shirts and bare shoulders. “I would mix any and all of them,” he said of the trends.
Here, a few other pieces of fashion advice Downing shared at the show.
“Sequins don't just go out for cocktails.”
Downing thinks sequins are more than appropriate for daytime. Especially a sequin shoe.
“Chokers are in and you should wear them with everything.”
“No one loves a dress with pants under it as much as I do.”
Downing put two dresses down the runway with palazzo pants underneath.
“Wear stripes together and with abandon.”
“I love the thrill of a quill."
Downing shared this love as a blush feathered dress made its way down the runway.
Plus, Frog frans will be excited that fuschia and purple are back. Downing says lilac also made an appearance on many Fall runways, a departure for the hue that's usually reserved for Spring. But, when asked about any “rules” for purple this season, he didn't hold back. “Wear purple together in multiple shades.” No problem, Ken.
