14 - Sunday. October 25. 1992 - North Shore News a FASHION ~ Fall coats chase chills THE COATS you'll bundle up in this season are unclut- tered and clean-lined. Fashion designers leave frivolous details out in the cold, sticking to classic tailoring in outerwear. The silhouette is sculptured and soft, in slim proportions that provide just or two of clothing. The best coats give emphasis to luxurious fabrics with lots of tex- ture. Soft, soft, soft wools, cashmere, fuzzy mohair, alpaca, textured weaves and silky nylon Carol FASHION STATEMENTS are shown. Any-weather Jeather in butter-soft lambskin and calf, suede and warm sheepskin are very important this fall. Coats go longer, to complement pants and plunging skirt lengths, and reach from the calf to the _ ankle. There are shorter options, too, for those who are not ready to give up short. skirts, and prefer. the look of a parka coat with pants. : Long coats battle for style su- premacy .in traditional topcoats with erased shoulders and belted waists, in city-smart car coats that are tapered and single-breasted, and in swing: coats with flared _ hemlines. : ~ One of the biggest comebacks is the cape, shown long, draped and loose in traditional cape styles and cape coats (with sleeves). Inspired by the Sherlock Holmes era, these cape coats are loose-fitting and reach below the calf or-hover around the ankle. Coats with a capelet around the shoulders are shown in more fitted styles which are-sometimes belted. A clean sweep is made with Russian-inspired. coats. Long coats with full sleeves and large round collars are shown. Fur trim may be generously added to the collar, cuffs, hem and hood. Traditionally dark shades color enough room to top a layer these coats. Slavic, too, are coats in shorter wrapped styles and hooded, knee-length swing coats. Part of the swing-and-cling story are the redingote styles. These silhouettes nip and fit as they button to low waist, and then they sweep out wide to the hem. They often reach to ankle length. The °70s-inspired double-breasted maxi coat is resurfacing, in nar- row shapes that flare out and are belted, with a wide notched collar. Women are digging through men’s outerwear closets as well as their clothing drawers this fall. The mannish Chesterfield is designed for women, in a pared- down, single-breasted and straight shape with a notched collar. Storm coats are shown with a small peaked collar and wrapped front which buttons to one side of the neck, and a belted waist with hidden buttons down the front. Long draped topcoats are design- ed with a minimum of detail, but they do get cuffs and simple shaw! collars. Leather coats are in a class all their own.. Designers reintroduce skins as a major porticn of outerwear to replace the. richness which was shown for -several seasons in the Renaissance tex- tures such as velvet and brocade, and in the deep, rich jewel tones. Leather is also more popular because it has become newly ac- . cessible to the masses since prices are more_ reasonable than ever: be- fore. Whether it’s a sleek and sophisticated style or a street-wise jook, feather is a must-have in your coat closet. Brando black biker jackets now go from breakfast to the ballet, as whey have become a status symbol. Slim, body-conscious sithoueties are never more evident than in leather, so it is used in a variety of new feminine coat styles. Also, menswear inspiration is taken from sports jackets and shirt shapes which are cut in leather and lined for outdoors. Straight jackets hold their own, in shorter lengths with a boxy fit to go over fall’s pants. Traditional hunting jackets are cut straight to the mid-thigh, with either single- See Bundle page 16 Photo submitted LEATHER PURSE by Catherine ‘‘Scathing” Jones features genu- -ine handcuffs WARM TOPCOATS in classic styles reach from the knee to the ankle this fall. Haute dog! Collars go to town WELL-KNOWN Vancouver leather designer Catherine “Scathing” Jones creates feminine versions of the dog collar, thick cuff bracelets and unusua! belt clips in her newest collection which she has titled ‘‘La Puissance.”’ Jones explains, ‘‘This means ‘the power’ in French,’ only it is given the feminine gender.’’ Jones, who is first and foremost an artist and sculptor, creates one-of-a-kind heirloom-quality accessories which are guaranteed for life. Her fashion-as-art pieces are created with no stitching or seams, and no glue. They are moulded and twisted into a shape _ which remains in place due to the skin’s natural ‘‘memorv.” Scathing Jones’ thick, black feather dog collars cinch at the neck with leather rings, steel hardware and a chain, yet they also have -semi-precious stones which are enveloped within the leather or dangle delicately. Jones adds, ‘It’s a combination of a Victorian choker and a dog col- lar.’”. The collars retail for be- tween $110 and $140. Also in the collection are struc- tured and sculpted purses in black which, similar to the collars, have no seams (stitching) and are made entirely with one piece of leather. Sophisticated opera bags, petite hatboxes and salon bags are soft and intertwined in black, white, gold and silver with large tassles and pearls. One style features genuine metal handcuffs secured to each side with the chain linking the two cuffs as the handle. Crystals and semi-precious stones are added. Catherine Jones says that this piece was requested for a photo shoot by Vogue magazine. Bags are priced from $200 and up. Scathing Jones belt clips are decorative leather pieces which clip to the belt loops of jeans or pants. The leather secures large crystal pieces, uncut semi-precious stones, amulets and charms such as polished wood (good fuck Pieces to ‘‘knock on’’). Jones may be best known for her soft, statement-making cuff bracelets in sculpted leather, shown for this collection in black. Her cuffs were recently pur- chased by members of the House of Chanel in Paris. Cuffs range in - price from $75 to $100. Though Scathing Jones’ work is available in selected boutiques throughout the U.S., ske no longer sells to major retailers in Canada, now preferring more per- sonalized service through custom orders and small wholesale clients. Her jewelry is worn by celebrities such as Jerry Hall, Mick Jagger, Madonna, Alice Cooper and Natalie Cole. To view her line, contact her studio .at (604) 662-3106, from noon until 4 p.m. daily, Suite 306, 825 Granville St., Vancouver, B.C. V6Z IK9. -Carol Crenna _