Temperley's Nod to Old Hollywood Glam

As I watched this show, I felt compelled to send updates to Twitter and Facebook.  The collection was pure feminine glam. Some pieces looked red carpet, but all of them had a ritzy, starlet quality. The satin was often accompanied with beading and ruffles.  The sheer pieces were risqué, yet at the same time, quite lovely.

It totally made sense that accessories included opera-length gloves and flowers in the hair. These are the clothes diva dreams are made of.

Artistic Edge is my Weakness

I am naturally drawn to designs with artistic edginess. It's like a drug for me. I just have a strong love for designers that fall into this category including John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, and Rick Owens ... It could be from my upbringing. My father had formal music training and would bring home (and often feed) young artists, dancers, musicians, etc. I'm an artistic appreciator/wannabe ... I love creativity, but am very aware of my limitations.

This is probably why I had such a guttural, knee-jerk reaction to Jean-Pierre Braganza's collection. Fierce and fearless are the adjectives that came to mind when I saw it.

I also just had to feature the video highlights of the esteemed Central Saint Martins' Show.  I love getting a peek at the work of very possibly, at least one of the next, hot, trailblazing designer.

Monique Lhuillier Fall/Winter 2011-2012 - Can We Say Damn Close to Couture?

The question in the title says it all. It was difficult to be objective about the NYFW shows after really just coming from Haute Couture ... It was almost anti-climatic in some cases. I was happy to see several designers add creative twists to their designs.

Monique Lhuillier's show was simply stunning. The details were two of my favorites ... sophisticated and not-the-norm. I saw some pieces that looked Oscar-worthy.

Elie Tahari Fall/Winter 2011-2012 Collection: A Total Win

This collection was elegant with great details and unique touches, plus sexy. There was a lot of black sheer tops with lace details, unique skirts and great accessories (Love those peep-toe knee boots!). I was coveting several items ... wishing they were in the stores right now, or that Tahari had one of those special deals with Yoox or some other site where I could shop the runway.

It was beautiful! I think I kinda fell in love.

Loving The Donna Karan & Carolina Herrera Shows

This afternoon, the beautiful collections by Carolina Herrera and Donna Karan were shown.  They were both very elegant and sophisticated ... a nod to the Hitchcock femme fatale of '60's, my fav era. I read somewhere that this trend could be the influence of the popular show, Mad Men.  Honestly, I've never watched it but just might check it out.

Both designers combined this elegant reference with modern details.  Donna Karan including her signature draping of flowing material to add a beautiful gazelle-like feminine touch.  I loved how Carolina Herrera added shrug-like collars to jackets and coats.  She did one gown that had a sheer top with puff sleeves, combined with these brown gloves that looked fluffed up like bird feathers ... amazing! 








 

My pick for the fall 2011 statement look? The fur wraps Donna combined with the elbow-length gloves.  The two accessories complement each other so perfectly.

To watch the full Donna Karan show, go to her Facebook page.

photos courtesy of NYMag.com

A Look at the Designers in the 'A La Mode' Catwalk Show - Part Four

Berit New York

What drew you to fashion?

I was very young when I first got into fashion. I loved the freedom it gave me to express myself. I've always seen clothing design as an art, and it was an art form that I had a natural talent for. Seeing beautiful clothes drew me in, too, and this has continued on throughout my life. Whenever I saw something on TV, in film, or even in some avant garde editorial, it made me want to pursue fashion even deeper.

What's your favorite material(s)?
My favorite materials to work with are vinyls and synthetics. I usually go to the shiny materials first when I am picking out fabrics. I am a huge fan of texture, so anything that has some character and stands out among piles and piles of fabrics is a plus.

What/who inspires you?
Everything can inspire me and probably has at some point. Colors are a huge inspiration. Movies and characters inspire the themes in my designs as well. I like working with personas, and that helps me envision what designs would look best. Costume designers inspire me a lot, too. Many designers create clothing, but I think it takes a special skill to pull together a collection based off a character or concept, and then make that vision clear to the audience.

What five words would you use to describe your collection?
Mysterious nighttime fantasy samurai fairies.

Theresa Callanan

What drew you to fashion?

A series of events, I started my life at Art school in NZ, ended up doing an accountancy degree (God knows how), then an accountancy role with a clothing company turned into a design role, the benefits of having both the left and right brain working together make for a very sustainable business model .....

What's your favorite material(s)?

Assuming Materials equals fabrics, the label is truly magpie in its tendencies and I love using colour and texture and lots of drama!

What/who inspires you?

The world around me, especially what has been before, from our collections, Such as stop the slaughter, to War of the Roses, they all enable a fresh new design pallet that has very real interest or relevance and open up new themes of exploration.

What five words would you use to describe your collection?
War of the Roses ... Beautifully Feminine, dramatically coloured, limitless uncontrollable, provocative

Cristina Nitopi

What drew you to fashion?
When I was younger my mother use to make clothes for me but I believe I was born with the gift and eventually I was drawn to fashion


What's your favourite material(s)?
I love all fabrics I do not have a favourite

What/who inspires you?
meditation, sprittual healing and connecting with higher self

What five words would you use to describe your collection?
Wild, fun, conservative, sexy and unique

Rajadano

What drew you to fashion?
As an artistic person I have always been drawn to art as an expression of peoples personalities ,feelings and cultural background ...so fashion specially handbags was an exiting medium for me to work with...

What's your favorite material(s)?
My favorite material is leathers and stones that historically was used in the Middle East ...

What/who inspires you?
I get inspired by all the colors and shapes of Nature ...from flowers, trees, fish, mountains and deserts..


What five words would you use to describe your collection?
Fresh, unique, glamorous, luxurious and exclusive ....

A Look at Haute Couture 2011

Dior

When I think haute couture, I think expectations.  I expect amazing details and fantasy luxe.  These pieces are hand-sewn, custom-fit for each buyer.  It takes up to six months to have an haute couture piece created just for you. We won't even touch on the thousands of dollars a  design costs - which makes sense since these are custom-made creations by the best designers.  After all these pieces do not go out on loaner to celebrities for even the red carpet events.

Dior

John Paul Gautlier

Armani

Elie Saab

Chanel

The shows ended only a week ago. As I look at the designs, I like to fantasize about the woman who would wear, and where she'd wear them.  I visualize the haute couture customer as being royalty, perhaps dignitaries, or rich collectors/fashionistas ... and I'm talking uber-rich ... not Posh or the Real Housewives. These pieces go to museums, not sample sales. This is where the best of the best let their creative wings fly free.

Maison Martin Margiela Artisanal

Considering all of the above, which designers stood out?   There was a three-way tie for the beautiful details; Elie Saab, Dior and Basil Soda. My vote for the most uber-creative and way out designers were Maison Martin Margiela Artisanal and On Aura Tout Vu ... My mouth fell open when I saw a model balancing a bird's nest that was the torso portion of an otherwise beautiful lace gown in the color of creamed-butter.

Elie Saab

Two designers who caught my eye were Maxime Simoens (his label is @ two years old) and Stephane Rolland (who left a 10-year tenure at Jean-Louis Scherrer to start his own label in 2007).

Maxime Simoens

Maxime Simoens

Stephane Rolland

Stephane Rolland

Stephane Rolland

Stephane Rolland


photos courtesy of Vogue Paris

A Chance to Go to Fashion Week & Do Good

 

Wouldn't you just love to attend New York Fashion Week AND contribute to some worthy cause? Well here's your chance to indulge your inner diva and your wish to contribute ... maybe even package it as a Valentine's Day wish list item or a gift for someone who touches your heart.

Win VIP tickets to Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center! These incredible NYFW packages (yes, there are several listed below) to benefit charities from LaGuardia High School to New York Foundling.

The NYFW experiences up for auction include:

• 
  Two backstage VIP Tickets to the Rebecca Minkoff show at New York Fashion Week on February 11, 2011, plus the chance to meet Rebecca Minkoff backstage, a Rebecca Minkoff handbag filled with Stila cosmetics, a beauty & hair styling session at Arrojo Hair Salon, and entrance to the official after party! Benefits Earth Organization: Minkoff
• Two tickets to the L.A.M.B by Gwen Stefani Fashion Show in New York on February 17, 2011 to benefit LaGuardia High School of Music, Art and the Performing Arts: you choose.
• Attend the Rebecca Taylor September 2011 Fashion Week Show while staying at the Empire Hotel, plus a custom-designed "Femme Fatale" dress, one of only five made, to benefit New York Foundling: Taylor

If you're one of the lucky ones that already scored some coveted tickets, you can get in on the auction action by adding do-good gifts to your Valentine's Day wish list like Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry, Judith Lieber crystal-studded compacts, luxurious vacations to Sonoma Valley, the Bahamas and Grenada, and the chance to meet Enrique Inglesias, Harry Belafonte and Josh Groban. These and more than 150 other experiences are open for bidding at VDay 2011.

More Fashion News/Event Info

H&M

H&M were kind enough to send me more details on their organic collection, also know as the Conscious Collection. The line is all about sustainability the use of greener materials.

“It’s not just about organic cotton any more, the possibilities for creating a complete fashion statement with eco smarter materials are huge now. By designing recurring Conscious Collections we have the opportunity to show in a variety of ways what’s possible using more sustainable fabrics,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M Head of design. “Shades of white are the season’s biggest fashion trend and it feels right for this collection. White creates a romantic feeling with lace and Broderie Anglaise, but is also the basic colour in a sporty, relaxed style and in a preppy tailored look for men.”

I tend to see the collection as urban resort wear ... plenty of light colors, floaty tunics, leisure-like suits for men.

The Conscious Collection will debut in all H&M stores on April 14th.

One More Sample Sale Event

Fashion News & Invites

Here's the latest hot news on the fashion front:

Prada has a new store opening at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.  In the event you're in the area, the location is:

2 Bayfront Avenue
B1-95/98 & B269/70
The Shopes at Marina Bay Sands
p: 65.6688.7260
f: 65.6688.7262

H&M is boasting new organic arrivals.  The dress shown on the right is just $19.95.

Also, in case you didn't see the Flash Alert, H&M are putting their hat in the "online arena".

I recently received the invite below to what sounds like a very promising event.  As usual, I share what I can.

A Look at the Designers in the 'A La Mode' Catwalk Show - Part Three

Here's round three of the series highlighting the creative emerging designers presenting at 'A La Mode' this month:

BEVZA

What drew you to fashion?

It was a child's dream. From very early years I drew girls wearing dresses. These are really my first memories. I can't explain how, but I knew that it will be my job when I grew up. I graduated with 2 higher educations (1st was economics, 2nd - design) . and then I took a risk and and got bank credit to open my own studio, only few years ago. In the Ukraine at that time, it was so unusual to choose this profession, because the fashion industry in our country is so young..Only nowadays, this sphere becomes more and more popular...

What's your favorite material(s)?
I prefer tissues based on natural materials as wool, cashmere and silk, though I always search for unusual decisions in applying these materials. I work with jersey and suede also.

What/who inspires you?
It's the most difficult question for me). I'm inspired by world around me.. every day, every moment can uexpectively give me inspiration. I see unusual forms in architecture and arts, my life is a rainbow of emotions, moods, happenings. All these unite in the things I create.

But, when I work on collections, I research trends, think of reasons for putting of each item to the collection, try to make things that could bring people comfort, pleasure and sense of beauty and pureness.

What five words would you use to describe your collection?
Minimalistic, comfortable, clear, conservative, eccentric..

Cristina Nitopi

What drew you to fashion?
When I was younger my mother use to make clothes for me but I believe I was born with the gift and eventually I was drawn to fashion

Whats your favourite material(s)?
I love all fabrics I do not have a favourite


What/who inspires you?
Meditation, spiritual healing and connecting with higher self


What five words would you use to describe your collection?
Wild, fun, conservative, sexy and unique

Alana Hale

What drew you to fashion?
The love of creating and obsession with clothing... its the perfect marriage.

What's your favorite material(s)?
Silk chiffon, silk crepe, leather and anything with intricate detailing

What/who inspires you?
Traveling, art, old Hollywood movies


What five words would you use to describe your collection?
Romantic glamour with unexpected alliances