Dur Doux Eclairage NYFW 2021
Dur Doux – Eclairage “Illumination” AW2021
New York Fashion Week is upon us again, and Doux’s fall 2021 line “Eclairage” lived up to its name — “illumination” in French — when it was released this Tuesday, February 16. The brand debuted an impressive collection with over 20 pieces including dresses, skirts, pants, sweaters, and bodysuits. As fashion week this year is completely virtual, brands debuted their collections in video live-streams in lieu of fashion shows. In the 17-minute video, Dur Doux displayed a collection golden faced models wearing golden clothes, walking the golden hallways of the Perry Belmont House.
Gold wasn’t the only color found in this collection. “Eclairage” brought forth a number of rich browns, animal prints, and even borrowed some prints from their Resort 2021 line. Dur Doux kept true to their signature blend of wearable pieces complete with avant-garde features. Alongside the more wearable items, the luxury lifestyle brand completed their collection with four “Dur Doux grand tulle creations.”
The video release for the NYFW debut was filmed at the Perry Belmont House in Washington DC, and there could not have been a more appropriate setting for this collection. Much like the models, the house is dressed in gold. Stunning marble grand staircases, pristine hardwood flooring, deep red paneled walls, and loads of antiques all worked together to intertwine fashion with its surrounding, creating a show that pleased both the eyes and the mind.
Look 1 is a midi yellow tunic dress with a bird print jacquard design, made of a faux silk polyester blend. This is such a sophisticated look, espeically when paired with these yellow gloves.
Look 2 is one of my favorites of the entire collection. These wide leg animal print denim pants are incredible. As described in the collection on the CFDA’s Runway360, this is truly “animal print denim at its finest.”
Recycling material from their resort 2021 line, “Femmes Voyageant,” I am obsessed with this ruched, asymmetrical, tiger print jacquard dress. Here it is paired with an Italian ribbed silk bodysuit, but personally I would prefer the dress alone. The one shoulder design equalizes the asymmetric hem of the dress. Look 3 could easily be dressed up or down, making it perfectly ready-to-wear.
In look 4, we see the same “Birds” jacquard print from the dress in look 1, but this time in a pair of full legged slacks. Worn with a goldenrod yellow faux leather semi-fitted puffer vest, this look gives us a perfect union of trendy and avant-garde. “An absolute must have for fashion week.”
Look 5 is a sultry cocoa brown faux leopard crop top and pencil skirt set. Styled with cow print above-the-knee boots, this chocolatey look elevates everyday wear to a new level.
Turning a dress into a wide leg pant for the second time, Dur Doux’s sixth look styles the “Tigers” jacquard print with a black sleeveless corset top. I would kill for this look, it’s perfect for a night out.
Look 7 is a sophisticated chic off-the-shoulder midi pencil dress in the same cocoa brown faux leopard featured in look 5. The cow print boots bring a playful aspect to this otherwise rich, sultry look. I would be interested to see how this look could be dressed down with a pair of caramel-colored sneakers for a more relaxed daytime look.
Another of my top picks from this collection, look 8 is a brown long sleeved caged body suit, matched with a deep chocolate pleated faux patent leather midi skirt. Brown is so in right now, and this look is something I would definitely save into my “style, style, style” Pinterest board. Putting the gold-mustard faux suede shearling jacket and the cheetah print mini bag takes this look over the top. Absolutely drooling over this.
Look 9 is the definition of athleisure. An oversized sweat top and super chic stretch knit biker shorts are the perfect way to make a statement on your way to the gym. Dur Doux proves its design versatility by pairing this look with the coveted over-the-knee cow print boots, allowing this look to go from SoulCycle to a night out with the girls.
Look 10’s tunic-top reminds me a lot of something we would see someone like Bella Hadid wearing to an event like the Met Gala or Cannes Film Festival. The faux chain mail fabric nods to the Y2K styles like Paris Hilton’s birthday chain mail dress making a comeback. This is one of the less everyday pieces and more of an avant-garde look, and if I had somewhere to wear this to, I would.
Look 11 brings a new meaning to the idea of looking like a cow. This long sleeve duster dress comes with an extra-wide tie belt to create a more fitted design and is accurately described as “upscale yet simple.”
This cocoa brown and leopard print set is the example of everyday luxury wear. I love the cage knit detail in the crop top. Look 12 gives us that real luxury lifestyle feel that Dur Doux is built on.
I love that this print got recycled from the resort collection into this one. It is truly a print that can be worn across seasons. Look 13 is a mid-thigh body contoured dress with a deep back and puffed sleeves. This dress has my two favorite design details in one look, securing it’s place as one of my favorites.
Moving into the “entertaining at home” styles, look 14 is a stunning golden yellow floor length dress with a high slit on the leg, completed by a winged shrug. That is the most elegant cherry on top I’ve ever seen. This dress is jaw-dropping, and I could only imagine the home they are entertaining this in as the Perry Belmont House.
Another stunning “entertaining from home” look, this high-low dress screams high end. Not only is this dress in one of my favorite patterns, but it is also decorated with a fully detachable sweeping train, bringing an element of mystery to whoever is lucky enough to wear this one-of-a-kind dress.
Look 16 is a futuristic ankle length lattice duster coat paired with cage full body suit. I don’t know what it is about this look that is so mesmerizing, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it after I watched the show. The duster is designed with an iridescent silver and gray lattice weave and can be worn with more casual everyday look or with the body suit. This body suit’s cage detailing reminds me of a few pieces in Prada’s ready to wear spring summer ’21 collection. It’s offered in metallic black or the silver and gray blend.
This keyhole ruched gown designed with faux chain mail and a high neck is absolutely stunning. It comes in silver and black and is another dress I could easily see one of the Hadid’s wearing.
This sea blue ball gown is the first of the “Dur Doux grand tulle creations” featured in Eclairage. Look 18 is a tiered ball gown with layers of ruffled tule with a sheer bodice and half train. The construction of this dress is intricate and reminds me of the pink Giambattista Vali dress Rihanna wore to the 2015 Grammy’s.
The second tulle creation is a free form style layered wrap gown in gold. In the show, this dress was styled with a metallic silver bodysuit underneath. This is such a modern gown. It brings a little more edge to the brand, all the while remaining soft and elegant, thanks to the tulle. This is a truly visionary dress made for the modern woman.
Look 20 combines old styles with new to create a ball gown fit for a princess. This yellow gold gown is designed with a swirl bodice, ¾ train, and a hoop skirt. This dress gives me Beauty and The Beast vibes, and I am living for it.
This silver/gray trumped ball gown is the 21st and final look of this collection. The bodice is intricately beaded to appear as if there were a corset over the dress, while the layered trumpet skirt adds even more drama and depth to this incredible gown. If any dress donned the name “grand tulle creation,” it is without a doubt this one.
Overall, this line was modern, wearable, and on trend. I could only find good things to say about all 21 looks, each of them unique in their own ways. Dur Doux hit the mark with this collection and most definitely lived up to their goal of creating stylish, all season wear for today’s woman. A new season in a new year full of hope and endless possibility, Dur Doux created a line of clothing that, in their words, “perfectly conveyed a message of optimism and positivity.”
Article by Katie Harkey, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Destina Marotta, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
