Christian Lacroix and Givenchy Perform the Not-So Same Old Song and Dance

It of course cant be that every single show that has currently held lineup at Paris' Couture Week could be something short of spectacular, as was the case at Dior and Chanel. There of course will be a few misfires each season, and unfortunately, two misfires from this round of shows just so happen to be two of my favorite designers.

Starting with Christian Lacroix, a label that is as much known for its impeccable detail and style ingenuity as it is its quality and "never let ya down" looks. This season, Lacroix published a collection of clothes that were about as cohesive as the bandage-bondage dresses being showed at Givenchy (but I'll get to that shortly). The theme of the show was "The Designs of Her Nature", which is an attempt at some form of ode to what my guess would be Mother Nature. The collection itself, just like Mother Nature,was scattered everywhere. It showcased a full scale lineup of patterns and assortments of color, including polka dots, stripes, birds, bows, and flowers. The problem however, was that the patterns were so under and sparsely used that they quickly became forgetable, leaving the audience in a whirl wind of pattern overload. What was even more unfortunate was the non unity of the clothing themselves, from the silhouettes to the color and style alone. It was as though the designer had tried to dip his toe into every possible lake of concept, and came out drowning in a sea of un-impressive ideas that left the audience feeling cold and wet with let down. Even though there were a hint of Marc Jacobs-Esq layering here, and a nice satin polka dotted trench there, that was in fact the problem; it featured too many ideas. From form flattering skirts to military jackets and overly masculine pant suits complete with vests, it was a hodge-podge of ideas all fighting for the spotlight. The evening wear portion was a mere parade of ruffled silk taffeta and chiffon, and the final piece was a wedding gown complete with sculptured embroidered Edwardian blazer and bustier. It would have been more appropriate to design a final gown that was made for that of a funeral.

Givenchy also had its share of mistakes, though not as brash as Christian Lacroix, I might thankfully say, seeing how this is my personal favorite between the two houses. The collection, which was inspired by painter Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema and dance costume makers Pina Bausch, featured an overall saturated hue of colors, from mid whites, to light pinks, to pastel yellows. Some of the things shown were the now always popular exaggerated shoulder and form flattering skirts. The beginning of the show, which was noticeably stronger and more impressive than the middle, featured what appeared to be very Lanvin-inspired evening and cocktail dresses, which were by far the highlights of the collection. These unarguably delectable yet now-growing-stale pieces were beautifully sculptured, tailored off the shoulder dresses that could make any woman look like a million bucks. After the disappointing mid-part of the show, came the evening portion which was quite a bit better, and seemed to get the collection back on track to where it never should have veered from in the first place. However, the evening portion did begin to showcase the bondage themed detail that the house is so now used to, season after season. It wouldn't hurt to try to bandage up the wound of the bondage dress, and appropriately move on.

It would be all too easy, not to mention merely a fantasy, if every house of fashion put out an extremely ingenious and progressive collection of apparel season after season. That's why we face the reality, and understand that sometimes a designer slides off of their path, and may make a mistake or two. We can only hope however, and never lose faith, that by the next collection the designer will once again re-claim their position as a force to be reckoned with. And hopefully Lacroix in particular will learn that Mother Nature is not a force to be reckoned with, at least when your trying to do so using only some fabric, thread, a needle and an idea.

Couture Report '09:Positively No Grey Areas

As Couture week began this week in Paris, it was nothing short of intriguing to see what would be shown on the runway, given the current economic woes throughout the world. Would we be be seeing a new, simple silhouette with bare color and detail, or would we continue down the path of fashion ingenuity and modernism, using structured ensembles and bold color choices as our sincerest and most modern for of expression? The answer was clear: we would see both. Starting at Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld went back and wiped off the metaphorical slate for his last collection, December's highly Russian inspired extravaganza of bold colors, exuberant silhouettes and overly embellished ensembles. This time around he went for a much cleaner, simple and sleek line of clothes, keeping the economic crisis in mind, and the idea of fashion progression at heart. What we seen were clean lines that were stark to the eye, using an all white canvas as his tool to display the use of simple detail and structure. Elevated and structured shoulders and cropped jackets were once again a must-have, although this time with a newer (not to mention shorter) hemline, that was drawn around the naval. The incredibly structured and architectural coats were paired with A skirts with noticeable open slits done by exaggerated pleating at the waist, and a slew of pencil pants in both black and white. Light weight fabrics were another essential item from the collection. Lagerfeld used an array of lace, brocade, sheer and other light fabrics to fully demonstrate his vision of clean, un-complicated style. The addition of the paper headdresses by artist Katsuya Komo were another great addition that added to the point of simplicity, and the beauty within. The collection was a black and white vision, and was clearly a Victorian-Paris meets a 60's American woman. It was truly, and quite literally a work of art.

In stark comparison to Chanel's simplistic endeavour, Dior found itself toying with the idea of exuberance and elegance. The house's newest collection featured excitingly bold color choices, extravagant fabrics such as silk and satin, and silhouettes that rivaled the balloons at Macy's Day Parade. The collection was all about excess, with taste in mind of course. The 80's inspired show showcased overly exaggerated skirts that looked liked budding roses mixed with sculptured jackets with raised shoulders and overdone sleeves. It was the collection that truly seemed to say "Here I am! I'm making a statement!". It was everything Dior is known for. Galliano's newest creation was what I considered to be "little Bo Peep goes to Sak's Fifth Avenue", if that gives any idea. There were pieces that were starkly black and white, which mirrored what Lagerfeld was doing at Chanel, only in a much more over the top kind of way. The shows evening wear was something that could have come straight out of a Jane Austen novel, and was truly a masterpiece unto itself.

It comes as no surprise that the two biggest houses in not only Parisian fashion, but world-wide fashion, debuted 2009 Couture Collections that were nothing short of spectacular. Two different perspectives, and two different ways of reflecting the times in which we live; in either case, when looking at these clothes we do in fact get a little hope, that things much better are yet to come.

Change for America, Change for Fashion

All eyes were on America this time yesterday. All eyes were witnessing a historic event, and all eyes were witnessing what is hoped to be the new direction that this Nation will begin to take. There was something else that maybe not all, but almost all eyes were on- what First lady Michelle Obama was wearing. It has been great speculation ever since Barack Obama won the election to Presidency last November, of what Michelle Obama would wear to the inauguration. Over the past year, the now-First Lady has become a Style Icon herself- embodying what most women want to be able to accomplish-having a career, being independent and intelligent, all while looking great. She is considered the Jackie O of the new Millennium, and rightfully so. The slim, youthful 5'11" First Lady has the perfect body for carrying fashionable clothes, and will hopefully continue to do so over the next four (and hopefully eight) years. Yesterday Michelle revealed to the world her choice for her inauguration attire. It was a light yellow shift dress with matching overcoat by little-known-designer Isabel Toledo. The Cuban born Toledo has been in fashion for over 25 years, and worked as Design Director for Anne Klein from 2006 thru 2007. The dress itself, in my opinion, was a perfect choice for both the event, and the times we live in. Its cheerful color brought a sign of hope and enlightenment- basically taking her husbands campaign values and placing them, quite literally, on her back. The simple, under-embellished dress was not fussy, but simple instead. After all, to wear a gown dripping in diamonds or gold lame' in the worst economic times in our countries history would just be, well, in bad taste. It was a dress of simple cut, color and detail, but spoke volumes to fashion enthusiasts.

For the evening Inaugural Ball gown, Obama once again opted for a simple cut, simply detailed gown by, once again, a relatively unknown designer. Jason Wu, who is in his mid-20's, designed the white ensemble for the evening. All of the detail was literally in the execution. Once again, the look was about a simplistic, classic style that was meant to reflect the times our country is in.

The thing that is most exciting to fashion insiders about Lady Obama, is her obvious love of new, up-and-coming designers. Unlike previous first ladies who always opted for legendary American designers like Oscar de le Renta, Carolina Hererra or Michael Kors, or high-end designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and Dior, Obama tends to feature new American designers who are at the forefront of their design careers. What this says about Lady Obama, is that she takes her style seriously enough to invest a little time and thought into what she wears. She does her research on current trends and new, lesser known designers, and it shows. For at least the next four years, Michelle Obama will unarguably be the greatest platform for young American designers, and be a beacon of style throughout the world. That is in fact, Change I am glad to believe in.

Dress, and See by Chloe

I can't help but to get excited when I'm browsing online and find something that I personally to believe an incredible bargain. Whether it be an item for me or not, just doesn't matter. I was browsing some of the new offerings from See By Chloe- the branch of Chloe that first began in 2001 as the more casual and urban side of the legendary fashion house. The brand is known for creating simple, youthfully urban and aesthetically intriguing designs that make even the most conscience of fashion lovers seem as though they quickly threw their outfit together. Of the label's more popular items include canvas totes, well layed-out logo tees, and cute, playful, childhood inspired hoes-sandals to be exact. That's when I stumbled upon these neon yellow plastic sandals. They will be absolutely perfect for spring, and will look wonderful with everything from a light sundress, to a body-baring bikini. They instill the current trend of mixing bright eccentric colors with day wear, and will be equally as comfortable as attractive. The price is $125, which may seem steep at first. But for the brand that the shoe comes from-this is an incredible deal. With the shoe also comes the classic Italian luxury and quality that Chloe has brought to the world since 1951. I would buy these little ray-of-sunshine delectables myself, but as one knows, a man cannot not rightfully pull off a neon plastic 2-strapped sandal. So this sweet little confection for the feet is all for you-enjoy.

Get Ready! It's Going Into Print!

Literally speaking of course. One of the absolute most repeated trends on the runway this Spring season is that of Patterns! Prints! and Polka Dots! Oh My! It's absolutely no joke- if there has ever been a time to invest in wacky, off the wall prints for your wardrobe, it is now. Fashion of course represents and symbolizes on the runway, what is going on in the rest of the world, North, South, East and West of the catwalk. In the current era of Not-So-Good-Feelings, and the upcoming inauguration of President Elect Barack Obama, it is only natural that designers would create collections that depicted bright, optimistic and whimsical patterns to inject into the closets of women throughout the world. This season, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Marni, and Dior are just a small hand full of the slew of designers that have adorned their dresses, pantsuits, jackets, blouses, frocks, and even tights in an array of patterns. And it's not just polka dots and straight lines either. Patterns as imaginary, creative and inventive as possible all come together on many of the designer's collections. In bright neons, all the way to toned down natural hues of tan, black and ivory- patterns of dots, spots, lines, splats, geometric Hodge-podges and more adorn the most sought-after pieces for Spring. These lighthearted and inspiring patterns on Spring's Ready to Wear reflect our new hope that Change will soon arrive-both in our closets, and in our world.

Golden Globes 2009: The Good, the Bad, and the Just Plain Awful.

The 2009 Golden Globe Awards were just like any other awards show in any given season- full of great speeches, memorable moments, and of course, Fashion. With each awards show however, comes a new batch of good and bad; of glamour and God-awful, and this year my friends, was no exception. To start with the basics, the 2 main trends were the Mermaid dress (that flows away from the body at the knee area or below), and off the shoulder gowns. My choice for overall best dressed, which I'll reveal a little latter, embodies both of these trends. To start with with the good, first off was Eva Longoria, who looked absolutely stunning in her bright red Reem Acra mermaid dress. The thing appeared to be made solely for her body alone; it fit like a well-perfected glove. Drew Barrymore also looked stunning; from the neck down that is. Drew's hair has, since the awards, become an item of great controversy. It appeared as though she was going for the classic Marilyn Monroe look, although unfortunately for her it turned out as though Marilyn survived a brutal hurricane. What was on top of her head was in fact a travesty, not to mention looking like something that could bare the habitat for small creatures. She did however look fantastic in her light periwinkle Dior mermaid gown. Others to shine on the golden night? Kate Beckinsale in J. Mendel, Anne Hathaway, who is now well known style icon (thanks to The Devil Wears Prada of course), in Armani Prive, and Kate Winslet, the nights literal BIG winner, who was showered in sculptural yet simple Yves Saint Laurent in black.

Now for the fun part. Or, if you were the gals wearing these ensembles, the not-so fun part. As Tina Fey comically said in her acceptance speech for Best TV Actress Sunday night: "If you ever feel too good about yourself, there's this thing called the internet. And you can find alot of people there who don't like you." And indeed, the group of people that I am about to list, are catching alot of criticism on the internet over their choice of clothing. To start off, Christina Applegate looked as though she was drowning in a sea of unflattering, stuffy pile of gold, made by Roberto Cavali. Jennifer Lopez also unfortunately fell victim to the sea of gold; she wore a somewhat confusing number by Marchesa which was overly tight on some parts of her body, giving look of a huge gold body suit over her rather "large assets", and overly loose in others. It was a bipolar dress if I have ever seen one. The second-to-last worst dressed person is Rene Zellwegger. She wore a 2 piece ensemble by Carolina Herrera that was nothing short of awful. Over sized mermaid skirt? Check. Transparent black blouse with an awkward "bust cover" underneath? Check. Exposed zipper down her back side? Check. It was a train wreck on a red carpet.

Ok. Now for my choice of best, and worst dressed for the evening. For worst, goes to MARISA TOMEI. The outfit she wore was in fact, God-Awful. Completely inappropriate for an event as formal as the Globes. Her shirt appeared to be an ode to Seinfeld, and her overall outfit could qualify her as the newest cast member addition of Pirates of the Caribbean. Gangly and gawdy, unflattering and distasteful; this outfit by Oscar de la Renta (who won big plus-points that night with other stars such as Kyra Sedgwick) surely took the cake. And rotten cake at that. As for the best? It's rather simple. As soon as I seen her, without even seeing most of the other ladies yet, I knew that EVA MENDES was indeed the night's best dressed. She was simply stunning in a snow white mermaid gown by Christian Dior. The hair was perfect, the skin was perfect, and the turquoise necklace she wore was the icing on a very sweet cake. The dress itself was gorgous; fashion-forward, right on trend, and done high justice to the person adorning it. It done every job a well made gown should. She was, to simply state it-Spectacular.
Now that the Globes have passed, that leaves room for just a few more glamorous nights of awards shows in Hollywood, all of course leading up to Mr. Oscar himself. It will surely be a ride to remember.

H&M Offers Something For the Fashion Challenged.

I was browsing on the Internet for new clothes for the upcoming season, and I decided to trek on uncharted territory- the land of H&M. While yes, the chain store has received world-wide fame for being known as a low-cost, always-on-trend retail store for the fashion conscience, yet budget driven consumer, I myself have never found the desire to delve into its world. Maybe because, to me, it is "too" trendy, and never tries to create its own trends. I figure a store brand with as much popularity and influence as this one, could by now branch out and start creating trends instead of following them. They do, after all have a very large and dedicated fan base. After such ventures as joint collections by Viktor & Rolf, Stella McCartney, and even Madonna, they have the youthful fashion base wrapped around their well-oiled finger. But I digress. As I was shopping on their site, I stumbled upon a section entitled "Dressing Room", an inventive and useful tool to organize and create wardrobe ensembles from their large selection of clothing. It gives the shopper an entirely new way to see the clothes they want to purchase, and to see what works with what, and more importantly, what does not. Want the neon turquoise tights? Great. Want to mix them with the blue cocktail dress and fur coat, to come off as edgy and youthful? Sounds good on paper, but when thrown on the cyber models, a different story appears. This helpful little tool can be a second opinion for a shopper, and can really help the not-so-fashionable consumer brush up on their skills to make better outfits. It serves as a personal model to each item you select, and does it in an honest way, where that everything you select does not come off as something worth purchasing. The shopper can even create an online account for free, and upload a photo of themself, to make the model an almost-exact replica of their own likeness. Very fun, and of course, very modern. The dressing room is in every store or boutique we shop at, and H&M simply asks "Why should online shopping be any different?". Its a genius attempt at catering to their fan base, and in my opinion, should in fact be a new requirement for all online shopping sites.

• Take a try for yourself:
  http://www.hm.com/us/inspiration/dressingroom__dressingroom2.nhtml

Get Ready For Spring! According to Marc Jacobs

When Marc Jacobs unveiled his latest collection at New York Fashion Week in September, he done what he always does- magically shock people with his genius eye for design and ingenuity. His Spring 2009 RTW (Ready to Wear) collection will be hitting stores within a couple of months, and with a collection as entising as this, you can bet that the trends on his runway will be sure to drizzle into the reality of fashion consumers and lesser retailers alike. His collection was bar-none of the best the fashion world had to offer this past season, and to see it go from runway to racks within short time is nothing short of infinitely pulsating. So, what is to expect to come? Judging from his RTW 2009 collection, we're in for yet another season where pattern and textile design is at the pinnacle of what will define class, style, and above all, trend. His show gave us the ideal form of layering and print mixing-something Jacobs has long been known for. Plaids, shimmering metallic prints, and bold and beautiful applique are just a few of the textiles he has chose to mix this season. Think of his collection as "Swedish peasant goes to New York". A silhouette that is less-than-body hugging, soft fabrics, with vintage textile imagery. The day dresses from the collection stay knee length, just like the past recent seasons, with the exception of evening dresses, where Jacobs makes less pretentious gowns from soft, free falling fabrics in light and soft colors. His dresses are "The Great Gatsby goes to the circus", if you will- an ora of elegance, style, and sophistication, with the injection of wild, erratic, and off-the-wall emotions all attached. And the accessories? Perfection. But what else is to be expected from the same designer that heads Louis Vuitton, a brand much more known for their bags and shoes than their clothing. Think straps. For as far up as the leg will allow. Every shoe from the show was adorned with satin straps, differentiating in length of course. And no closed toes! Every model's toe was to be seen, something quite appropriate for the Spring season. Bags were as to be expected from Jacobs- outlandish, bright and full of color contrast. Just like the clothes themselves, each bag was a melting pot of textures, patterns and colors. A flare for the dramatics, Jacobs is sure to have, and as we roll into Spring 2009, it is best we all soon catch on. After all, in fashion it seems, it is Marc Jacob's world, and we all just dress in it.

THAKOON FOR TARGET: SOMETHING SPECIAL OR NOT?

Even though Thakoon's much anticipated collection for Target isn't out until December 25Th, there is still a much buzzed hot fuss around what the collection will have to offer. Thakoon Panichgul, a young designer who is relatively fresh to the fashion world, is known for his outlandish patterns, simple cuts, and great use of color and unique textile design. He garnered alot of attention after dressing Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention. The much anticipated line will retail between $20 and $80, approximately, for each piece, a more-than-steep price cut from the usual $600+ it costs to own one of Thakoon's basic designs. The question that I ask, however, is "Are these clothes really that superior to the other clothes on the Target racks, or are they considered better because of the man that sketched them out?". The collection for Target has got mixed reviews; some calling it incredibly chic and urban cool, while others say it looks like a "grandma's idea of what a night on the town should be like". Quite the variation in opinion, but none-the-less, the collection does indeed carry much buzz. The collection itself is somewhat representative of what the designer typically does. Bold prints? check. Offbeat color combination? Check. Simple construction and cut? Check. The difference? I'm afraid that the clothes come as looking like a cheap, knockoff version of the designer's handy work. They look more like a Wal-Mart adaptation of Thakoon, which is obviously not a positive, seeing how Thakoon himself designed these clothes as well. The prints are uninteresting, unambitious and carry not genuine aesthetic. The cuts are in fact simple, but to the point of looking cheaply made, and not fashionably groundbreaking; or even current. It appears as though I have answered my own question, but it's a question that you yourself must answer as well. The trick is however, to do it quickly though, because it is inevitable that these clothes will fly off the shelves, if for no other reason, than for the name behind them.

TRUE COLORS: THE RULES OF THE OUTLANDISH JEAN

Everyone either wears them, or secretly fantasizes about wearing them, but lets their lack of self confidence get the best of them. The brightly colored skinny jean has been on the fast track for mainstream fashion success for the past 2 years. First it was neutral colors, such as black, grey and white, then a steady drive into pure color; starting with the basic reds and browns, which led to now- a rainbow of colors to choose from for whatever mood you have. There is literally a color of jean for every style, every attitude, and every person. Jean racks in stores now look more like a candy store full of delicious delictables instead of some endless racks of navy denim.

The even newer trend however, is "print" denim; denim that boasts wildly patterned prints and images on them. Plaid? Check. Flower print? Check. Multi-colored zebra and leoppard print? Check. Wait. Thats where the new rules of colored and printed denim MUST come into play. You don't need so much action below the waist- at least not in this scenario. The trick to doing cool denim without looking like you've just been dressed by a 5 year old is quite simple. It's just like any other thing in life, whether it be dieting, drinking, or shopping; Do it In Moderation. Sure, red jeans are fantastic. Zebra print jeans? Even cooler. But do we really need to see someone walking down the street in "Red Zebra Print" jeans? No. You don't come off as cool. You come off as a wounded jungle animal- probably not the look you're going for. There are a few quick tips that can take you from drab to fab:

• Never mix an over the top colored bttom with an equally outlandish top. Styling is just like a marriage; it's all about balance and compromise. You like the hot pink skinny jeans? Great, but instead of wearing them with a hot pink and purple cashmere sweater, tone them down by wearing them with a dark blazer and simple white undershirt. This makes the look for chic than freak.



• Stick with one theme. If you want to do a colored jean- make it a solid. And vice-versa. If you want to do a printed jean, make sure you keep the color a neutral. Again, it's all about balance. With two looks as strong as a bold print and a bold color, you're going to look like your having Fashion WW3 below the belt-line.



• When wearing colored jeans, printed jeans, or even skinny jeans in general, you have to remember it's all about the shoes. You dont wan't chunky; it makes your legs look like tooth picks with jelly beans on the end. You also never want your shoe to compete with your jean for attention; this means NO overtly brightly colored and outlandishly printed mass of plastic on your feet. A nice simple flat or heel will do the trick.