Sunday, 23 January 2011
Autumn/Winter- We Meet Again
So I have never really focused on menswear but all is about to change (pause while the blogosphere readjusts). Once again, it's a whistlestop tour of Paris Fashion Week (it's the best and most important on my calendar, k? It's my blog and I shall neglect whichever week(s) I want!).
I am absolutely distraught that I couldn't be there, but I need to put the tears aside and get on with the job.
Part of the beauty of Paris Fashion Weeks is the setting - each one grander than the last - with the aim of invoking the desired atmosphere before the show even begins. Place des Vosgues, Salon des Miroirs, Galerie de Minéralogie... you get the idea, they are usuall pretty epic.
So such an epic week deserves an epic post. The epicness is delivered in the form of one long post because let's face it, we are all too busy getting on with our immensely full lives - bagel in mouth and keys in hand sort of way - to sit through a detailed blog post on Menswear. You want it now, I get it!
Excuse me as I wipe the week old drool from my keyboard as we move to cover Ann Demeulemeester (at Couvent des Cordeliers). She serves as a constant favourite, and this season did not disappoint:
The colour palette, the styling (notice the horsehair woven into the models' hair), and the beautiful cuts of the garments make for an all-round poetic show-stopper. I admit I would wear every single piece myself, if she did skinny girl sizes.
Sadly we must trot along...
To Lanvin:
I think it is safe to say that Lucas Ossendrijver has succeeded in bringing elegance to the youth and the amalgamation of old school suave with a modern twist gives this collection a good balance without feeling disjointed. And who can ignore the always dreamy flow of the fabrics? Impressive..
On to another direction now for Alexis Mabille (at Salon des miroirs):
No brownie points for guessing where the theme of this collection came from. This is a departure for me from the usual mens fashion I gravitate towards and is also a departure for Mabille (no bows!) with an ever so slightly more masculine thread throughout. The strong cut and material of the coats help to toughen up the collection but the styling of the above ensemble is whimsical but surprisingly cool.
As always, Prorsum (from MILAN I know but it's a constant feature here..) delivers some killer coats for AW, which should be strong pieces in any self respecting winter collection but the colours and some of the cuts just don't do it for me.. I'm not a big believer in wearing different coats for every possible weather combination and this is obviously where this collection jars with me. You decide:
(Had to showcase the panelling..) And if you haven't seen it already, find the rather wet Prorsum finale here.
Another old time favourite is Rick Owens (at POPB, salle Marcel Cerdan):
The myriad of influences in this latest outing can porbably be guessed just by careful observation and there is real skill in the way that Rick has managed to combine them all into a cohesive, incredibly cut collection. Men in skirts have never looked so cool since the Scots. Also note his signature awesome boots..
Lastly, on to the rather interesting collection that Margiela (at Passage du Désir, BETC) presented to his audience with a backstage view where they could dissect the pieces one by one:
The choice of models in this show was probably the direct opposite of those by Yamamoto - older and exceedingly handsome, which presents a perfectly inoffensive but strong setting for garments they carry. Some have commented that this is a more wearable collection from the fashion house but we shall see whether this is a trend..
Postscript: I had wanted to feature an amazing designer who goes by the name of In Aisce but until I can find public pictures of his latest collection, I shall refrain. If you are on Style Zeitgeist, you can view the collection here
Couture Week post coming soon..
Until then! Bisous
All photos courtesty of Style.com
I am absolutely distraught that I couldn't be there, but I need to put the tears aside and get on with the job.
Part of the beauty of Paris Fashion Weeks is the setting - each one grander than the last - with the aim of invoking the desired atmosphere before the show even begins. Place des Vosgues, Salon des Miroirs, Galerie de Minéralogie... you get the idea, they are usuall pretty epic.
So such an epic week deserves an epic post. The epicness is delivered in the form of one long post because let's face it, we are all too busy getting on with our immensely full lives - bagel in mouth and keys in hand sort of way - to sit through a detailed blog post on Menswear. You want it now, I get it!
Excuse me as I wipe the week old drool from my keyboard as we move to cover Ann Demeulemeester (at Couvent des Cordeliers). She serves as a constant favourite, and this season did not disappoint:
The colour palette, the styling (notice the horsehair woven into the models' hair), and the beautiful cuts of the garments make for an all-round poetic show-stopper. I admit I would wear every single piece myself, if she did skinny girl sizes.Sadly we must trot along...
To Lanvin:
I think it is safe to say that Lucas Ossendrijver has succeeded in bringing elegance to the youth and the amalgamation of old school suave with a modern twist gives this collection a good balance without feeling disjointed. And who can ignore the always dreamy flow of the fabrics? Impressive..On to another direction now for Alexis Mabille (at Salon des miroirs):
No brownie points for guessing where the theme of this collection came from. This is a departure for me from the usual mens fashion I gravitate towards and is also a departure for Mabille (no bows!) with an ever so slightly more masculine thread throughout. The strong cut and material of the coats help to toughen up the collection but the styling of the above ensemble is whimsical but surprisingly cool.As always, Prorsum (from MILAN I know but it's a constant feature here..) delivers some killer coats for AW, which should be strong pieces in any self respecting winter collection but the colours and some of the cuts just don't do it for me.. I'm not a big believer in wearing different coats for every possible weather combination and this is obviously where this collection jars with me. You decide:
(Had to showcase the panelling..) And if you haven't seen it already, find the rather wet Prorsum finale here.Another old time favourite is Rick Owens (at POPB, salle Marcel Cerdan):
The myriad of influences in this latest outing can porbably be guessed just by careful observation and there is real skill in the way that Rick has managed to combine them all into a cohesive, incredibly cut collection. Men in skirts have never looked so cool since the Scots. Also note his signature awesome boots..Lastly, on to the rather interesting collection that Margiela (at Passage du Désir, BETC) presented to his audience with a backstage view where they could dissect the pieces one by one:
The choice of models in this show was probably the direct opposite of those by Yamamoto - older and exceedingly handsome, which presents a perfectly inoffensive but strong setting for garments they carry. Some have commented that this is a more wearable collection from the fashion house but we shall see whether this is a trend..Postscript: I had wanted to feature an amazing designer who goes by the name of In Aisce but until I can find public pictures of his latest collection, I shall refrain. If you are on Style Zeitgeist, you can view the collection here
Couture Week post coming soon..
Until then! Bisous
All photos courtesty of Style.com
Friday, 10 December 2010
Pre-fall A-plenty
It's that wonderful time of year again where we get the teasingly sneaky peak into the near future of fashion.
My pick of pics will warm you up more than a... picture of a fireplace (not including the cocktail dresses and evening wear). Although the best way to warm up is to buy something furry. Unfortunately, cold weather-triggered buying is generally quite costly - shearling this, fur that, distressed leather those...
I digress.
Let's start with...
Donna Karan:
I was drawn in by the masterful layering. I know that's the only thing I go on about for the autumn collections but you don't know nuthin' if you can't put garments on top of each other and make it look hot. Forget about statement pieces. It's the statement outfit. Loving the double and triple belts - brings a needed edge to the outfits to prevent looking like you had a shopping spree in the GAP.
At Chanel (aka the visual roller coaster):
Once again, a plentiful and heavily embellished collection. You may have noticed the Paris-Byzance theme in all its gold, chunky and emperial glory (if not, don't be alarmed but you may be blind). Unfortunately, 67 looks later and only a handful of stand out pieces/looks. And best not to mention the ever-embarrassing 'menswear' attempts randomly inserted at various points.
Or, maybe I'm just horribly biased because the only thing that might raise your core temperature are some weirdly festive knits and (quelle surprise) tweed.
But let's not forget the sheer workmanship and skill that is required to create these jewel-adorned pieces and the meticulous details. Also, there is no doubt that these evening looks will be embraced on the red carpet. Sadly, that's not enough to receive an all round positive review from me.
*(Karl, now shocked and saddened by the news of my mediocre review, issues a statement that he will be out of the business for a while to rethink his design aesthetic)
Now Eli Tahari:
*(love the matron look!)
I have to say I'm rather torn with this collection. I am definitely a sucker for elegant practicality - but where is the line between that and just quite a good outfit day at the office? The fur slung across the shoulder helps, probably. And the LBD is always a winner. Undecided.
Jason Wu (no relation):
His pre-fall is definitely more autumn than winter. But who can resist (not moi) the beautiful colour palette he chose for this collection?? The strong, yet not overpowering and obvious combinations make my eyes happy. Nude and pastels are still in the fray it seems and are stitched into dresses, jackets and whole outfits in a very pleasing fashion.
With only one obvious boo boo (the white shirt, black bow tie and black trousers combo - plain lazy), this is a very solid, if not a bit whimsical collection (I'm all about the oxymorons today!). Just pause to admire the floor-length stunners at the end.
Will update when more shows roll in and we move past (boring) New York!
My pick of pics will warm you up more than a... picture of a fireplace (not including the cocktail dresses and evening wear). Although the best way to warm up is to buy something furry. Unfortunately, cold weather-triggered buying is generally quite costly - shearling this, fur that, distressed leather those...
I digress.
Let's start with...
Donna Karan:
I was drawn in by the masterful layering. I know that's the only thing I go on about for the autumn collections but you don't know nuthin' if you can't put garments on top of each other and make it look hot. Forget about statement pieces. It's the statement outfit. Loving the double and triple belts - brings a needed edge to the outfits to prevent looking like you had a shopping spree in the GAP.At Chanel (aka the visual roller coaster):
Once again, a plentiful and heavily embellished collection. You may have noticed the Paris-Byzance theme in all its gold, chunky and emperial glory (if not, don't be alarmed but you may be blind). Unfortunately, 67 looks later and only a handful of stand out pieces/looks. And best not to mention the ever-embarrassing 'menswear' attempts randomly inserted at various points.Or, maybe I'm just horribly biased because the only thing that might raise your core temperature are some weirdly festive knits and (quelle surprise) tweed.
But let's not forget the sheer workmanship and skill that is required to create these jewel-adorned pieces and the meticulous details. Also, there is no doubt that these evening looks will be embraced on the red carpet. Sadly, that's not enough to receive an all round positive review from me.
*(Karl, now shocked and saddened by the news of my mediocre review, issues a statement that he will be out of the business for a while to rethink his design aesthetic)
Now Eli Tahari:
*(love the matron look!)I have to say I'm rather torn with this collection. I am definitely a sucker for elegant practicality - but where is the line between that and just quite a good outfit day at the office? The fur slung across the shoulder helps, probably. And the LBD is always a winner. Undecided.Jason Wu (no relation):
His pre-fall is definitely more autumn than winter. But who can resist (not moi) the beautiful colour palette he chose for this collection?? The strong, yet not overpowering and obvious combinations make my eyes happy. Nude and pastels are still in the fray it seems and are stitched into dresses, jackets and whole outfits in a very pleasing fashion.With only one obvious boo boo (the white shirt, black bow tie and black trousers combo - plain lazy), this is a very solid, if not a bit whimsical collection (I'm all about the oxymorons today!). Just pause to admire the floor-length stunners at the end.
Will update when more shows roll in and we move past (boring) New York!
Friday, 5 November 2010
Bonnie Scotland
Me and Sam's latest creative effort is finally ready to arrive on the blogosphere. The adventure (it was an adventure for my heeled Dr Martens, trying to navigate rocky beaches and general countryside uneveness) took us to beautiful Fife, namely Dalgety Bay and its environs (sorry Sam, forgotten the names..).
My fear of rain soon turned into worry that it was too sunny (!) so had to rethink the wardrobe, but made me feel not too bad for putting Amrita in a silk dress.
The combination of beach and rocks was amazing and it was fantastic to see a range of locations in a small but albeit picturesque town..
As you may or may not have heard (me gush about it), my next photo collaboration is going to be situated in the Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh with a Birds of Paradise theme.
Featuring local talent a-plenty (and Amrita again) with talented dress makers and hat makers this one is going to be stunning to the max.
As always, more photos can be found on my port at Model Mayhem.
See you other other side, kids..
Photos by Sam Williamson
Styling/make-up by ME
My fear of rain soon turned into worry that it was too sunny (!) so had to rethink the wardrobe, but made me feel not too bad for putting Amrita in a silk dress.
The combination of beach and rocks was amazing and it was fantastic to see a range of locations in a small but albeit picturesque town..
As you may or may not have heard (me gush about it), my next photo collaboration is going to be situated in the Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh with a Birds of Paradise theme.Featuring local talent a-plenty (and Amrita again) with talented dress makers and hat makers this one is going to be stunning to the max.
As always, more photos can be found on my port at Model Mayhem.
See you other other side, kids..
Photos by Sam Williamson
Styling/make-up by ME
Friday, 1 October 2010
SS Collections: Like Birthdays in December
Eplanation of the title: The autumn/winter season is superior. As a compulsive layerer and being allergic to minute changes in temperature, hot summer days are a styling nightmare. I am less than comfortable skipping around in shorts and vest tops so feel like I have to compensate with manic layering of silks and cottons or heavy embellishments of costume jewellery to distract from a one layer ensemble.
That being said, spring/summer's loss of beautifully cut coats and fur trimmings are forgotten with dresses of every shape and colour and sheer silks.
Let the show begin...
EDIT: Managed to miss Givenchy first time round - how could I forget Tisci? I must be tired. Well, here it is:
Sexy and gothy. Perfection.
At Chanel:
Oui, c'est chic... mais avec 'edge'? Chanel got interesting this season!
At Celine:
Minimilsm rules.
At Alexander McQueen:
From ethereal gowns to ethnic embroidery, this has all the hallmarks of dreamy McQueen with a distinctly feminine touch. Should be appreciated in full. Take five mins to indulge...
At Haider Ackermann:
Such a standout show. NEEDS to be viewed in full to appreciate its diversity. A mastery of leather and fabric.
At Carven:
FANTASTIC reincarnation. A very wearable collection.
At Chloe:
Leather and nudes for another season? Don't mind if I do...
At Isabel Marant:
Toujours cool et sexy.
At Lanvin:
From start to finish... this collection needs to be viewed IN FULL.
At Mulberry:
Cute, flirty and British. But where's the depth?
At Peter Pilotto:
Who loves panels? Jess loves panels. Such a beautiful collection. Beautiful colour palette. I'm feeling this..
At Louis Vuitton (yes, I actually liked a Louis Vuitton collection.. for the most part):
Because oriental influences and zebra print works so well? For three or four garments, yes. The rest (esp. at the end) is bizarrely at odds with the rest of the collection.
At Miu Miu:
Print: check. Bold colours: check. Fit: Like your mother's dress from the 60s - not too modern but the patterns are awesome!
All photos courtesy of Style.com
In other news, my latest photo shoot photos are on Model Mayhem for your enjoyment.
My next phot shoot will be on a beach, hopefully! Not swimsuit, still sexy though!
Until next time...
That being said, spring/summer's loss of beautifully cut coats and fur trimmings are forgotten with dresses of every shape and colour and sheer silks.
Let the show begin...
EDIT: Managed to miss Givenchy first time round - how could I forget Tisci? I must be tired. Well, here it is:
Sexy and gothy. Perfection.At Chanel:
Oui, c'est chic... mais avec 'edge'? Chanel got interesting this season!At Celine:
Minimilsm rules.At Alexander McQueen:
From ethereal gowns to ethnic embroidery, this has all the hallmarks of dreamy McQueen with a distinctly feminine touch. Should be appreciated in full. Take five mins to indulge...At Haider Ackermann:
Such a standout show. NEEDS to be viewed in full to appreciate its diversity. A mastery of leather and fabric.At Carven:
FANTASTIC reincarnation. A very wearable collection.At Chloe:
Leather and nudes for another season? Don't mind if I do...At Isabel Marant:
Toujours cool et sexy.At Lanvin:
From start to finish... this collection needs to be viewed IN FULL.At Mulberry:
Cute, flirty and British. But where's the depth?At Peter Pilotto:
Who loves panels? Jess loves panels. Such a beautiful collection. Beautiful colour palette. I'm feeling this..At Louis Vuitton (yes, I actually liked a Louis Vuitton collection.. for the most part):
Because oriental influences and zebra print works so well? For three or four garments, yes. The rest (esp. at the end) is bizarrely at odds with the rest of the collection.At Miu Miu:
Print: check. Bold colours: check. Fit: Like your mother's dress from the 60s - not too modern but the patterns are awesome!All photos courtesy of Style.com
In other news, my latest photo shoot photos are on Model Mayhem for your enjoyment.
My next phot shoot will be on a beach, hopefully! Not swimsuit, still sexy though!
Until next time...
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