01 24 2012

COUTURE COLLECTIONS: CHRISTIAN DIOR

PARIS – after the disastrous FW11 haute couture collection presented by the house of dior, i had my reservations about whether or not this season’s couture set would even be of any value. under the direction of dior atelier’s bill gaytten, the collection presented was flawless. seemingly inspired by the same aspects of dior archives that had inspired john galliano for much of his time at the house, the collection presented classic silhouettes of voluminous skirts with a bit of sheer flirtation that was accented by hand stitched floral embroidery. sound tracked by lana del rey’s “video games”, the theme of fantasy was well played & clearly translated. opening the couture presentation, which boasted a front row seat for actress cameron diaz, was karlie kloss of next models ny. use of houndstooth & the signature cat eye were seen on the runway, driving the presence of classical beauty even further. theatrical just enough to remind you that the house has not fallen, i was floored by each look- completely. a controlled palette of black, white & nude was seen as shots of red & some deep purples were added to the mix, but did not disrupt the timeless appeal.

looks in leather, accented by long length gloves were seen alongside techniques of exposed stitching, belted waists & beautifully ombre’d dresses. the power was definitely in the details for dior this season, which was evident in the surprisingly strong collection. writhing in regality, each look was more beautiful than the last & the gowns which closed the collection became more & more dramatized. crystal encrusted beading, plaid & layers upon layers of elegant textiles were presented. with the position of creative director still in the air, i was completely impressed with this season’s couture collection & began to question the need for a new director. under gaytten, whom has worked alongside galliano for quite some time, could be a shoe in. this collection being evidence enough, the house of dior is heavily based on concepts of classic beauty & christian dior himself had created a lifetime of inspiration that could easily be referenced by the atelier who has produced these looks each season. while there seems to be no rush in filling the position anytime soon, ready to wear collections for show season are rapidly approaching. it’s clear, the beauty we’ve come to expect from the house of dior is still very much present & rests on the skills of the atelier, who has done a commendable job in the absence of a director. unendingly inspired by how classic this collection is; im excited to see what will be presented for paris fashion week, when womenswear collection are presented in february. applause to bill gaytten for stepping up to the plate this season to slay with classic style & complete sophistication. [source]

01 24 2012

COUTURE COLLECTIONS: ATELIER VERSACE

PARIS - in their return to the runways of haute couture, donatella stood in front of a gold mirrored stair case in paris to unveil 15 jaw-droppingly gorgeous, extensively detailed haute couture gowns. just when you thought you could count the italian fashion house out, due in large part to their collections with fast fashion retailer H&M, the iconic atelier versace collections come crashing onto the runway. in anticipation of the collection, i had been looking at archived collections, both ready to wear & couture of versace, designed by donatella’s brother gianni from the late 80′s into the 90′s. what i love of versace is their use of sex through sophistication. when gianni versace was still alive, death by murder in 1997, he had a way of taking flash & turning it into trend. he took the gaudy & unwearable, transforming it into the chic & ultra-feminine. this move made an indelible mark on high fashion & versace remains one of the most iconic fashion houses for it. in the heritage of the italian label, gianni became known for taking hardware & making it wearable- using taboo concepts & churning them out on the glittering runways of milan & paris. for a while, the couture side of versace had become dormant along with the labels diffusion collection, versus. through industry trials & financial woes following the death of gianni, the house of versace has definitely stayed in the fighting spirit. headlines of downward revenue have been circling for years but now it seems that the label is hitting their stride once more in the new year. take for example, the H&M collections. one thing is certain of H&M, they know how to produce fashion for the masses & the inclusion of versace with their annual design collaboration allows a wider audience to partake in the fashion festivities while not having to suffer the escalated price points. the success of this collaboration brough a new level of luxe to H&M, also proving to be a golden union for versace who has been looking to push their design presence even further into the new & modern market. following their fall collection, versace also opted to follow-up with a cruise collection in a continual effort to push themselves upon consumers who will never be able to drop a couple grand for a gown.

on the heels of their fast fashion domination, the house of versace, under the guidance of donatella, have clearly not forgotten about their home in the luxury market. i was extremely excited to see that they would be making a return to the couture presentation circuit in paris, considering that they had only been producing custom looks from their made-to-order division. all things considered, custom isn’t couture. a few altered hemlines so that your titties sit right is nothing compared to hours spent by the atelier, hand beading a custom gown with a metal neckline. absent from the couture scene since 2004, the collection marked a goddess like return sound tracked by operatic excellence that was beautifully contrasted by the ultra-modern, hyper-sexual image that versace has become known for & delivered so well. dubbed “warrior women” by donatella herself, video previews of the collection truly evoked this persona as models- in order- karlie kloss, daria strokous, maud welzen, jasmine tookes, kendra spears, kati nescher, josephine skriver, lindsey wixson who stole the show with super sass, kate king, arizona muse, sara blomqvist, karmen pedaru, sigrid agren, kasia struss & rose georgiou modeled the 15 hand crafted pieces. do keep in mind that simple images do not do pieces like this any justice. i wanted to take time to find high quality images for you to get a better sense of the artistry that is represented in each piece, with every detail & design technique. exaggerated silhouettes, hand beading, laser cut leather- the collection was a beautiful return to haute couture & im hoping that the house of versace will stick around, with such glamorous consistency, for the next decade. collections like this remind you that fashion is not ‘just clothes’ but an ar tform of historical proportions. [source]

01 23 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: RICK OWENS

 

PARIS – rick owens was always a designer that i was fascinated by but didn’t necessarily understand upon my getting better acquainted with fashion. it’s that lack of understanding that has pushed me to gain a better feel for what true ‘fashion’ is & how it is driven by style. in the context of style, rick owens is one of the best. if looking at just the clothes, just the images & never scratching the surface of the essence of what rick owens represents in fashion- of course you would never understand. as my last collection review for the FW12 menswear season, i wanted to close on a high note. this high note being the true mark of showmanship that can only be done by rick. with his legions of black, grey, white & the occasional bone toned fashion followers- rick is a true original in this game of fake fashion fucks. sound tracked by what i would describe as new wave tribal, everything from sound to stage, cut to seam- rick owens has mastered the art of expression while not worrying about what ‘everyone else’ is doing. while other designers find it necessary to expose nipples, shorten hem lines & add logos, sequins or fur; there exists owens. much of his approach to fashion, as a design force, is almost etched in the crevices of his runway show production. a show by every sense of the word; it’s magical to see sets of models sprayed onto the runway in sleek silhouettes of leather, platformed calve high boots & funneled necks. that is rick owens. it’s almost so mesmerizing to see his collection walk the runway that you become so engulfed in the production that you find yourself having to watch again, because the collection itself is dripping in details. details that stretch the mere style, into an essential.

what i loved about rick owens this season was his feel for that galactic aesthetic. stronger lines, more structure & a runway entrance that was cocaine white & glowing under stage lights. with an upcoming exhibit for his furniture about to commence, owens has taken every opporutnity to immerse himself in celebratory fashion for this event & his latest collection fell into that catagory. dubbed ‘magic mountain’ the collection is cited for it’s aspiration, inspiration & sportiff style direction. the essence of magic, i feel, is represented in the collections use of interplanetary lines that seem unbreakable when added to the rick owens silhouette. this season’s fall collection was praised for being aerodynamic, as rick’s favored silhouettes of relaxed pants & form fitting shirts that drift far beyond the waist were all meticulously combined. what i love of rick’s collection is that they take on even greater creative form in person, when purchased. the true art of rick’s clothes cannot even begin to be felt through simple images or show video- which seem to drown out details, which allow rick’s collections to be received on a greater, much more valued, style level. i am continually inspired by rick’s unbreakable sense of dedication to his own aesthetic, which has spawned many, many trends in high fashion & continues to puncture the culture & their perception of style.

01 23 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: DAMIR DOMA

PARIS – the globalization of fashion is well translated through each designers work & has been more in the past few seasons, over the past couple of years. whether it’s increased luxury demands in china or the incline in jobs of the fashion industry in milan- the presence of the international market is stronger than ever. damir doma is an interesting character, to say the least, amidst the flocks of fashion designers who circle in, out & around the realm of high fashion. of croatian & german nationality, doma cites his mother as most influential in his design career development. growing up in germany, where his mother had a clothing atelier, doma boasts a ravishing resume filed with studies in munich & berklin, followed by his graduating with manga cum laude at munich & berlin’s own l’ecole supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode- which in simpler terms is known as ESMOD, one of the top design education establishments in the world with 17 international fashion design & tailoring programs. after completion of his degree, doma went on to relocate to belgian fashion capital antwerp & worked alongside designers, dirk schönberger & raf simons. again, another designer that i gravitate to whom is based in antwerp; the same theme of experimentation that i seem to have grown quite accustomed to is present yet again. with menswear being launced by doma in the spring of 2008, followed by the launch of his womenwear in paris during the fall of 2010, damir is a designer well on the rise. coasting just along the right lines of the luxury market, damir is a name i’ve associated with high fashion but still also love for it’s under the radar appeal. with a hidden store location in the paris fashion district of marais, damir is also an official member of the fédération française de la couture- which basically certifies that you’re a fuckn boss on the design scene. overtime, i’ve come to appreciate damir’s love for flowing silhouettes, controlled palettes & internationally inspired direction. this season, he continues to represent that beautiful inspiration into the FW12 men’s fashion week season in paris, but with a few exciting new addition to his otherwise controlled concepts of design. though a minimalist myself, i more than appreicated this season’s opposition.

inspired by african, asian & slavic costumes; doma hit the ground running with this collection- presenting extravagent fur out the gate, for the collection’s first look. often thought to be uncluttered, minimalistically clean & less about flash, more about lines & construction- i did not expect the level of glamour we got from damir this season. i was every bit as obsessed as i am any other season with his simplified silhouettes as i was with his use of red prayer beads along with his extensive use of fur. i like when i can come to expect a certain direction from a designer & then they lean all the way left, creating a sense of unpredictability, pleasantly, through design. the inspiration of globalized costumes was very well translated & communicated by each look which was accented by stripes, rich tribal patterns,  dramatic capes & flowing coats. there were some looks that hinted that the familiar doma was still present but an even more dramatic presence, with added depth was seen this season. beyond impressed is what i was upon seeing the collection, look by look & then in my taking a step back to look at the collection as a whole. not that i had doubted prior, but there was a greater presence of story telling in this collection from damir doma, which is another aspect i look for in collections each season. there is a message here, a perspective & actual thought that is going into the clothes. overall, a strong vision with amazing execution. i cannot wait to see how this direction, if my hopes are fufilled, will be mirrored in damir’s women’s collection in a few weeks. beautiful collection, love the inspiration & how each region, though very diverse, were combined & meshed perfectly. [source]

01 23 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: ANN DEMEULEMEESTER

PARIS – obsessed is what i was when i seen the jewel toned blue & ombre effect used by antwerp’s own ann dememulemeester. as one of those designers who basically doesn’t give a fuck about trend, i had expected a blacked out palette from ann & go the complete opposite- which was incredibly refreshing. inspired by poet, arthur rimbaud, this fall demeulemeester decided to change things up & go outside of her color comfort zone by creating something beautifully vibrant. last seasons menswear designs were inspired by the desert & this season, an entirely new direciton was taken. of course, ann created sophistication in her own way by again presenting that look of worn elegance that we’ve come to expect from her. as a designer of the iconic antwerp six, the theme of design experimentation that is so clearly translated was yet again seen. use of graphic prints, which was placed strategically to mirror the look of colored gradation was matched perfectly to the elongated design lines & stretched silhouettes of the fall collection. sleek & modern, the collection quickly departed from it’s usual black pieces & faded into a set of white pieces which were paired with the incredible ombre’d pieces that swam in & throughout the collection to it’s close.

the collections presented by demuelemeester always contain the usual leather pieces, boots & blazers- but this season it was a bit different. in palette the collection was already hit with white early on & soon following, waves of red were dipped into the collection- contrasting against the harsh blacks like lava. hot indeed, the collection palette then grew to a cool which was translated through a rich set of navy, which was followed by grey & then spun into a chic set of jewel toned blue. sharply tailored, the collection held a varied set of concepts in a range of tones that were, well, unexpected. i loved the collection so much for it’s use of color, especially considering how ann seemingly avoids over use of it. the inspiration of french poet, rimbaud almost added another dimension of lively hood. considering the poets literary beginnings during his teens, that same freshness was well translated into the clothes. models walked the runway with gelled hair matted & sticking about- which adds to the edge associated with the demeulemeester brand. likely one of the more intellectually inspired collections, i admire ann for her fearlessness in design & how well she is able to translate her design vision, each season.  [source]

01 22 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: GIVENCHY

PARIS – just like i said of givenchy with their pre-fall collection, im so hesitant to look at collections by givenchy. perhaps it’s me not being content with knowing that whatever the house is going to present will be completely played out for the next two years or maybe it’s the anti-enthusiasm i feel knowing that everyone else is looking at the collection too. i appreciate exclusivity as much as the next bitch & though i applaud ricardo tisci’s efforts in revitalizing the houses image in the present, im much more content with looking at high fashion without rolling my eyes when someone else posts about givenchy on their twitter, facebook or tumblr. of course, as large as the house of givenchy is, it’s almost an obligation to look at the collection. it’s like you’ll somehow be left behind. which isn’t something you exactly aim for when you pride yourself on being well aware of high fashion happenings. that said, again, tisci came out shining like a star this season.

what’s incredibly interesting is tisci’s attempts to further blur the lines of gender through style. i usually don’t like that designers will put womenswear on the runways of men’s fashion week; it’s like men can never truly have an individualized spotlight. but, of course, the rules can be bent when tisci puts joan smalls on the runway. overall, the collection hosted the collection hosted a deep palette of purple, navy with bouts of contrast red, orange, blue, brown & black. horizontal stripes were seen sprayed across the collection as stars were the design element of choice for this season. as tacky & typical as stars sound, what i loved about the few starred pieces was that each embellished star appeared to be of some sort of stone. the embellished star collars were the most beautiful element of the collection & actually got me super excited for couture season which is looming at the close of this month. male leggings, intricate footwear & models on the runway with nose ornamentation allowed the collection to standout among the rest. givenchy continues to slay all other competitors as tisci remarkably delivers with sharp execution each & every season. oddly inspired by mintaurs & the american flag, the inspiration of the collection was well translated & cohesion was never less than stellar at any point during the runway show. male models in skirts, transgendered models, nose ornamentation & inspiration of creatures of greek mythology- as crazy as all that sounds, it’s all well developed in a commercialized set of clothes seamlessly. another round of applause is in order for tisci who remains high fashion’s biggest & brightest. now bring on the couture! [source]

01 22 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: LOUIS VUITTON

 

PARIS – i always find it interesting to see how collections, which are creatively directed by other designers who have their own namesake labels, differ in design direction. usually, bigger labels are seen in more controlled concepts, things are more regulated & more commercialized. marc jacobs is definitely a leader in the fashion game as a designer both at louis vuitton & with his own namesake labels. what marc has afforded for the house of vuitton is truly remarkable & the label is probably more profitable now then it has ever been. while marc is holding things down on the womenswear front, slaying with the labels enormously successful accessories, kim jones was brought on board to hold things down on the menswear front. not to be confused with kimberly jones the rapper, this kim has an impressive design resume which has secured his spot at vuitton. a british menswear designer who recieved a masters from central st. martin, jones has presented numerous collection & debuted his first runway collection in 2003. presented in london, new york & paris- jones has become a seasoned design entity with a cult following in the realm of menswear. in 2008, jones was installed as the creative director of dunhill, which seen him injecting modernized style into the heritage of the label which made the industry shift in his direction. in 2001, kim was put in the position of style director for louis vuitton’s men’s line, replacing paul helbers who was employed at the label for five years. said to be working very closely with marc jacobs in his new role, jones seems to be the right fit for the luxury label & his eye is refined enough to prove to be a successful fit.

this season, the classic palette of khaki, navy along with black & white are seen as sophisticated men’s pieces were seen on the runway. while the collection itself proves to strictly remain in one lane, by the wishes of vuitton im sure; overall, the collection is nothing groundbreaking or even new. though nothing new, the collection was beautifully executed with a refined direction that boasted an ill set of luggage, leather goods & footwear. the male models walked the runway with sleek hair as two tone-sleeved blazers, fur collars, berets & three piece suites all came slitering down the runway. the palette of classical tones that are regularly associated with menswear collections were seen as plummed tones & rich colors seemed to spill onto the runway, gradually. the collections knitwear, along with the bags carried by the models on the runway, were the most impressive. oversized belted cardigans were seen as collars on these pieces doubled as connected scarves. the collections coats were also another highlight for me, the satin parkas were eternally chic & another aspect of the collection which is sure to be a hit on the editorial circuit. after the pieces of knitwear & outerwear walked the runway, the collection closed with a few additional formal looks that were seen in velvet, that added another dimension of sophistication to the collection. though impressive, i was hoping to see something much more evolved in terms of concept. while menswear is weighed by it’s attention to silhouette & tailoring, those aspects were well executed but i was hoping something new would be seen. that said, i understand that jones is still very new to the vuitton design family & im hoping that over the course of the next few seasons, as well as the next few years, he is given a bit more creative freedom that allows him to expand the expectation of vuitton’s menswear, as marc has done for vuitton’s womenswear. overall, strong collection & cohesive translation of vision from start to finish. additionally, im hoping that the campaign for this collection will channel the same amount of sophistication & the right model is cast.

01 22 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: DRIES VAN NOTEN

PARIS – a belgian designer with roots traced back to the legendary antwerp six, dries van noten is a true fashion star. beyond any mark of trend or seasonal sensationalism, van noten is one of the few designers that is tried & true. true to the fact that he creates past the influenced, which every other label creates against. a set of beautifully tailored coats & formal looks filled the fall collection, as the runway also doubled as live artist exhibit. most interesting was the fact that this live art exhibition seemed to spill onto the runway in onto the collections clothes. the collection was inspired by musician, frank zappa & author, oscar wilde; being described by van noten as ‘psychadelic elegance’. the theme was articulated incredibly accurate as the prints used in the collection seemed to take on the electric musical presence of zappa while taking on the animated writing style of wilde. the collection remained streamlined through it’s controlled palette which was well balanced with the use of pattern.

the collection remained pretty classic from start to finish, the most radical concept introduced into the collection was the use of print. this print was applied to the collection’s dress shirts & coats in the form of text prints which added a sense of retro feel. celebrated as one of the most ‘cerebral’ designers in fashion for his eccentric style, dries van noten is one of the few designers who completely embodies the design presence of antwerp. while more experimental aspects of style are often created by designers who are based, schooled & are influenced by that iconic region of belgium; what i love about dries is that his use of design experimentation is still wearable. while i value a experimentation, the purpose of fashion is to clothe us as the consumers, so that is definitely a factor i take into consideration when reviewing a collection. dries is one of my favorite designers being that he is never predictable but always reliable. overall, loved the direction & how well van noten’s inspiration was worked into the collection carefully while not being completely disconnected. unexpected inspiration & thoughtfully executed. [source]

01 21 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: MARC JACOBS

NEW YORK – with collections by marc jacobs, i really have to watch my step- there are some seasons when i just don’t understand the direction. thankfully, this sesaon, for menswear- that was not the case. heavily based in a palette of rich yellows & golden tones of mustard, marc jacobs created a flawless set that captures his love of bold style & vibrant color. i’ve long been impressed by marc’s ability to use color & print in modern ways that balance the retro with the ultra-modern & progressive. this season, he created a very interesting set which balanced both ends of the spectrum perfectly. dubbed “weird luxury”, inspired by ninties skaters & istambul, the collection provides an answer to jacobs’ afinity for combining style genres seemlessly to create something unseen, beautifully inspired & original. most impressive was the collections color story.

i loved the looks that were presented- strong lines were presented along with a range of both formal & casual pieces. as complete looks as well as piece by piece, the collection packed a powerful punch. standing out amidst the sea of menswear collections which present the same knitwear/sportcoat/denim/trouser combo each season. the collection hosted a set of colored-lens sunglasses that worked as a beautiful extension of the collection & is sure to be a huge hit in the accessories market. in addition to the headlining tones of yellow that engulfed the collection, use of oatmealed beige, green, jewel toned red, deep brown & navy were artistically styled into the collection. in terms of collection look book styling, the overall direction of the fall set was done expertly well. use of plaid, suede & additional accessories including hats & bags allowed the collection to standout among it’s american competitors. a standout not only in the american market, but the global market; i was actually very surprised i liked this collection at first glance, considering my feelings toward jacobs’ collections of the past. beautiful palette with stunning use of contrasted colors, modern concepts & surprising inspiration managed to make this collection a must see, in my opinion, for the fall. [source]

01 21 2012

FALL MENSWEAR: CHRISTOPHE LEMAIRE

PARIS – fluid lines, minimalistic design direction- i’ve been enormously obsessed with christophe lemaire since he was at lacoste as creative director from 2000-2011. upon leaving lacoste, lemaire is now installed as creative director at hermès, refining the houses aesthetic even further from what was created at the label under the previous direction of jean-paul gaultier. for lemaire’s  own namesake label, more dramatized use of his love for design fluidity flutters even more beautifully, free from restraints of having to respect historical archives. i’ve long loved christophe’s ability to minimize distracting patterns, manic logos & unecessary ornamentation by creating refined looks that are essential of clean style. in his extensive work with other labels, lemaire’s eye & design signature have remained unfazed by passing trends, remaining clean. the elongated design lines & swift silhouettes we’ve come to expect have all been represented. this season, he stays in that same design lane. consistent through concept, i remain in love with christophe’s direction.

a beautiful, dark & enriched palette of heavy navy & softened greys was seen from lemaire this season. his signature, almost kimono like silhouettes were ever presents as slight inclusions of red & maroon were added for dimensional contrast. overall, lemaire’s design style plays in favor of the minimalist in me. it’s not over done, it’s kept simple & clean. most designers nowadays are clawing to standout. yes, sex sells but not like the simplified. with the attention to tailoring that has consumed fashion, because it’s not just in womenswear now that men are wearing leggings; i appreciate the opposition that lemaire has projected into the high fashion stratosphere in creating more loose silhouettes. the pants in the collection are much more relaxed, as are the coats; everything is held to this standard of ease. though loose, the clothes don’t come off as sloppy or careless, it’s almost as if the care & intention to expand in shape is tended to with that much more concentration. styled in layers, which is seen from just about every label in existence; even the use of layers is not over thought- it’s all as simple as can be. i find that that simplicity is whats most stunning about lemaire. each season, im always excited to see how christophe approaches the season & each time, im pleased. loved the knitwear in this collection as well; styling of a collection speaks volumes for me. especially when collections are presented through look book images. the choice to shoot on a blushed studio backdropped drives the theme of design simplicity even further. love that, even though voluminous, the looks are still sharply tailored & are much more fitted where it counts- on the waist. expected a strong collection from lemaire & we got one- along with umit benan, lemaire is one of my design faves. [source]