A Gathering of Grès



Madame Grès, Couture at Work is a retrospective that is entirely devoted to this mythic couture label.
It is planned by Paris-based fashion museum Museé Galliera's new director, Olivier Saillard. It is running until July 24th at Museé Bourdelle.

80 creations, mainly Museé Galliera's vast private collection, spanning the 55 year long career of Grès, is being exhibited along with pieces on loan by collectors such as Azzedine Alaïa and US Vogue's Hamish Bowles.

Germaine Krebs, aka Madame Grès, was a trained sculptor and worked rarely with patterns and constructed designs directly on the body. According to Saillard, who views the designer as the pioneer of sophisticated minimalism, Madame Grès essentially reworked the same dress pursuing her ideal of the seamless garment economy of line and volume. Grès was amazing with colors from neutrals to yellow, bluebell, raspberry, brown and coral. Her heyday was in the Thirties, Forties and Fifties. There was a come back in the Seventies with Yves Saint Laurent and Issey Miyake who among advocates of her work. Among her label's fans were Marlene Dietrich, the Duchess of Windsor, Grace Kelly and Paloma Picasso.

While great designers such as Balenciaga and Pierre Balmain used padding and undergarments, Grès' designs were supple, light and unstructured. Saillard says that she liked her models not to wear any underwear because she wanted the clothes to be in contact with the skin.

What is missing from the exhibition is  information about Grès herself. She was extremely private and that is how she liked it. She was a workaholic who preferred her clothing to do the talking. Saillard learned that she drove in a Jaguar with mink lined seats and she often sat on a piece of jersey to protect the fur.

She named her best selling fragrance after herself baptizing it Cabochard, which translates as stubborn. Saillard said that when she was heartbroken, she sawed her marital bed in two after being deserted by her husband, Serge Anatolievitch, known as Grès, after whom her company was named. Grès was an anagram of Anatolievitch's first name, dropping

the "e".

The firm was liquidated in 1987, before it was acquired by Japanese textile importer Yagi Tsusho Ltd, which still owns the brand today.

Grès died in obscurity in 1993 in a retirement home near Toulon, France a few days before her 90th birthday. Her death was made public only a year after the event. The last dress she ever made, a Japanese style floral gown that features in the Musée Bourdelle show, was commissioned by de Givenchy in 1989.

Grès

The Midas Touch

Midas' Touch has been channeled through many designers this Fall/Winter season.

All kinds of ideas have been molded and constructed into perfect golden garments for one's golden taste.



Balmain

DVF

Stella McCartney



Gareth Pugh









Lady in Red

Red regaled the runways with some ravishing looks.

Always an irresistible color, one can never underestimate the fashion of red.

Akris

Giambattista Valli

Lanvin

Chado Ralph Rucci

Elie Saab





Pesavento Couture by Jamie Pesavento

One of the designers who is incredibly energetic, dynamic and who thinks out of the box is Jamie Pesavento. He designs for his own line called Pesavento Couture.
Jamie's creative passion is playful and explosive, producing edgy elegance that is generous as it flows endlessly through him in an effortless way. The massive amount of ideas pour out of Jamie and splashes onto the canvas of the fashion world.
Nothing holds back this creative power that Jamie possesses and expresses. He never has any doubt in his own creativity and his vast knowledge of and experience in design is quite inspiring, alive and colorful which is attractive to any woman who desires to display their magnificent beautiful splendor in their own unique way.
I invite all of you to have a look at what Jamie has to offer. He is brilliant and a genius in his craft.

Pesavento Couture

208 West 29th St. Suite #602

New York, NY 10001

tel/fax 212-629-3004

Ample Cut Coats with the Greatest of Ease

With the greatest of ease,

great ample cut coats made statements in some collections.

From slightly wide to very wide,

these gave comfort and elegance that will be amply appreciated.





Jill Sander



Burberry



Miu Miu



Fendi





Beauty is emerging from "tsunami" after Fashion Week F/W 2011-12

The earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan was a demonstration of how strong the forces of nature is. What was left over after this event was chaos and destruction. What happens in these situations after a disaster is that everyone comes together and give each other support one way or another and the new beginning of a new chapter in Life begins. Beauty is born from these kinds of situations and Japan will recover and become even more beautiful. In the meantime I asked myself, what is it that creates the beauty after these situations? And the answer that came up for me is Love.

Fashion week in New York, London, Milan and Paris was fantastic this season. A lot of designers have stepped up and thought out of the box and created collections that displayed new looks and silhouettes that were beautifully executed and that are leading fashion into a new direction.

New York pushed through with colors, textures, and shapes that carried a craftsmanship that is getting more interesting and more talked about each season. London continues to show with some restraint that is done brilliantly with their British style. On the other hand, their explosive creative British spirit expressed a flair of colorful fun. Milan is always so seductive with sophistication mixed with sexiness and this season it rose to the occasion tastefully. And Paris as pretty and elegant and creative as can be stretched the comfort zone even more so, increasing the fashion standards even higher.

But it was in Paris where a tsunami hit. The kind that was more energetic. The kind that makes everyone accept change and then move forward. And this was that incident of John Galliano and his journey.

His actions which were small ones yet so immensely big and strong, created a ripple effect that affected the entire fashion world if not the entire planet. His action was the earthquake and the earthquake created the tsunami. And people are still processing it.
The result of this was devastating. There was damage everywhere. A creative job was wiped away. An entire house was shaken up to its foundation, so to speak, and it immediately had to do whatever it took to survive and move forward to create a new beginning. And all those involved in the fashion world was sad and devastated because a creative, talented genius was practically washed away and swallowed into the waves of the unknown.
So some questions I asked myself were, what is the beauty that will emerge from all this? Is there support in everyone's recovery? What beauty is being created following these aftershocks and the floods of this energetic tsunami? The one answer to all of these questions that keeps popping in my mind is Love.
Love is always present and is always straightening out everything that is broken. Love forgives and melts away all resentment, rebellion, and rejection. Love renovates and restores everything.

Right now the beauty is already showing up in many ways. Galliano went to Arizona for his recovery, the house of Dior any day now is going to announce who the new creative director is, and the man who was allegedly verbally abused by Galliano insisted that he doesn't deserve to have his career "destroyed" over this incident. And who knows what the result of the trial will be when the time comes. Love is just going to do what it always does. It makes everything beautiful because Love is in everything.

Right now the fashion world is evolving beautifully. This "tsunami" has caused some more changes to happen not as much on the outside but most importantly on the inside. It is an opportunity for all of us to look inside of ourselves and to see where our Love is and what is holding it back from expressing itself more fully to make us even more beautiful than we are to ourselves and to each other.

Yes. Fashion week in general was interestingly superb and beautiful. All these new ideas and concepts that were designed all have the ingredient of love. And look at what Love has done through all these designers in all these cities! Each city expressed their talents individually in their own beautiful way that is leading the fashion world into the teens of this new millennium. How fortunate are we to witness all of this and be part of this one way or another. How exciting is that? All I know is that Love is doing amazing things all the time!!



Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2011-2012



The Final Shows for PFW 2011

When fashion week is over, the expansion of the huge buzzy and busy creative energy begins contracting or getting smaller in a good way because buyers, advertisers, editors, stylists and clients are all going back to look at every collection that was presented for Fall and come up with visions for stories for the season. Today was the last day to see what there is. What can they take with them?
The collection at Tilbot Runhoff showed a dressy collection that had dressy ensembles, dresses and gowns. Black, white, grey and a tiny bit of red were the colors. The Gowns of graphic designs made an impression.
Elie Saab was an elegant collection presented in ivory, black, purple and red. Beautiful suits and dresses were done with simplicity and ease with a touch of polish. The gowns were stunning and some of them looked as if they were dipped in beads. A lovely collection by Saab. However, I think he held back a little. Maybe there was nothing wrong with that in an understated way because he did beautiful work.

At Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs offered a wonderful lineup of  unique silhouettes of ample cut designs with exaggerated sleeves. They were done in many ways that the collection did not look monotone. A delight seeing the many variations of this vision was on everyone's faces. The french maid dresses were sexy and elegant and sauntered down the runway with demure seduction. There were printed dresses as well as dresses with big buttons in the center front. The suits were so innovative and done in a quite wonderful tactful way with inspiring fabric manipulation and textures. Fabulous skirts and tops that were cinched in the waist with wide belts showed off the body.
Yes, this collection demanded the attention from everyone. And everyone paid attention. By the way, the Louis Vuitton bags and accessories are to die or to live for!

Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2011





The amazing 1940's inspired collection that Miuccia Prada designed for Miu Miu set the tone with the astonishing designs that radiated a clear crisp sense of confidence and glamour. Pieces with exaggerated square or rounded shoulders reminded me of some suits that Joan Crawford wore in 'Mildred Pierce'. Some of the ensembles looked like suits that Hollywood stars wore in the 40's. Dresses were hugging the body elegantly and gave an air of sophisticated class and style. This collection looked mature and there is something for everybody. No doubt about that. By the way, I loved hearing Kate Bush singing in the background during the show.

Miu Miu Fall/Winter 2011



Thank you Paris for a wonderful Fashion Week.

Au Revoir et Merci!



Exposing more wonderful ideas at PFW Fall 2011

The final days of Paris Fashion Week are here. Wonderful ideas were exposed to the world for everyone to see and it is not over yet. For today's presentation continued to expose even more wonderful ideas.
There is something for anyone who loves beautiful ensembles for cocktail or evening. The collection from Collette Dinnigan offers such a variety of prettiness and elegance. There is a variety that goes from classic evening suits to dresses to beautiful gowns. There were some dresses with black taffeta motifs overlaid on sheer fabric and some were of embellished laced with jet beading. One cannot resist getting at least one outfit from this collection. Or maybe two or three....
The collection of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac served up a line of sportswear that was cleverly mixed with trendy wools, tweeds, and leathers mixed with a variety of prints, plaids, detailed motifs and interesting color combinations. This season the collection has wearability power for sure..

When Maria Graza Chiuri and Pierre Paolo Piccioli  took over the designing helm at Valentino, they faced a lot of hard core critiques from the fashion world. And I got to say that this collection will give them high praises for building a beautiful line up of clothes that will tickle the fancy of every woman at every age. A very Valentino looking collection with the ease of modern, contemporary influence looked fresh, classic and youthful that anyone of any age would want to wear. The suits and dresses were a pure lady like luxe, great trenches of leather, and fantastic evening wear. What a wonderful job! What a wonderful vision!

Valentino Fall/Winter 2011

 

Sarah Burton created 'The Ice Queen and her Court' in black, white and lavender and it is so Alexander McQueen. So many creative combinations of hand loomed silk, wools, tweeds. Beautiful velvets with studs, ample skirts of a honeycombed shapes and the marvelous, exquisite evening gowns. Could the rumor be fulfilled that Kate Middleton may be wearing a McQueen wedding dress? Who knows? I do have to say though, that this collection was brilliant and beautiful.

Alexander McQueen

Fall/Winter 2011



Chanel was dominated by menswear. A great deal of masculinity was exhibited with so much Chanel that is more powerful than the dominance. Mostly black, white and gray was present and there were a spot of colored jackets such as a red and a green one. There were Chanel suits mixed with jean like leggings, jumpsuits in thick tweeds and there were some sparkle as well. A tough collection only to have Chanel to dominate it with that Leo pride.

One more day of exposure of ideas are left. Soon we will see some of these ideas exposed even more so all over the world.

CHANEL

Fall/Winter 2011

Creative Expression at Paris Fashion Week

Creative expression is always here no matter how much time goes by. When we are surrounded by it and are open to it then somehow our hearts beat with excitement. And these collections did just that.
A collection to get some pretty basic pieces and separates with the touch of pretty and good quality came from Giambattista Valle. She designed some dresses that are appealing and that for sure would be sold in a split second. Red and yellow were the bright colors that were splashed into the garments to add some flavor to the canvas of her designs. There were some pretty floral prints, ruffles swooping on the hip lines of some skirts and a play with shapes. The show started simple and ended with simple extravagance.
For Chloe, this Fall collection is probably the last one that Hanna MacGibson designed because her contract is up. She does the 70's well and it shows. This time with some cute jumpers, chiffon dresses and shirts, and great comfortable pants and skirts. Snakeskin prints were a trend throughout the collection and bright colors were thrown in to give a smile to the fashion crowd.
At Emanuel Ungaro, Giles Deacon created a collection that provoked a seduction and a sexiness that is sophisticated and had an air of couture. There were some leather biker jackets partnered with some soft sexy mini dresses, sexy mini sheaths, transparent lace that added a seductive quality to the collection. Deacon wrote in the show notes, “Mr. Ungaro always said he dressed the mistresses, not the wives. I decided to do the same.” And you know what? It worked!
Stella McCartney is going to do well with her collection. The ample cut dresses, pants, jackets, and coats had a nice spin to them. The sleeves were wide and interesting. This part of the collection had an ease and comfort. The other half of the collection was more fitted and had a great sense of class and a touch of sexy elegance. There were some gold pieces, peplums that added some quirk, and the very sexy dresses of see through dots had panels that curved on the body. The Stella McCartney clients will be pleased.
The expectations at Yves Saint Laurent were met. And Stephano Pilati did just that. Wonderful tailoring and a very smart way of playing with some YSL ideas from the past. There was a hint of the mod 60's and soft liquid garments that billowed as they moved. This is a true YSL collection and it is perfection.
So just be open and take in the creative expression of these collections. You will see which of them make your heart beat and put a smile on your face. Perhaps all of them will.

Chloe Fall/Winter 2011



Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2011



YSL Fall/Winter 2011

Paris is beaming with pride

Paris has done a great job so far in presenting fantastic collections with pride. And this pride is something that Paris has always had for a long time and it showed. In a beautiful way.
Phoebe Philo's designs for Celine demonstrated a warm, modern appeal that the rest of the world will be attracted to. She injected some fresh new ideas in some classic shapes. The coats and jackets are well tailored and streamlined. Turtle necks under sweaters with big bold stripes were perfect and some suits and dresses were impeccable. Beautiful modern pleated blouses and wonderful flared skirts were some great additions. Philo is doing a fantastic job at Celine and is truly appreciated.
At Akris the collection was a simple painting of autumn. The colors were the reds, sepia, yellows and even the autumn sky was captured in the blues. A perfect picture of fashion made with suedes, wools, satins, cashmere, vicuna with a touch of tailoring. The prints on the dresses of autumn trees amplified the imagination of the fall season. A perfect fall presentation. Thank you.
At Givenchy the collection was pretty and had a thread of alluring sophistication. Mostly in black, there were some violet flowers, gold detailing around jackets. some transparent tops and skirts which had some of the violet flowers on them This collection made me think that it was a little peculiar. I feel that without the cat hats, maybe the collection would have looked a little more polished.
Hermes went through a lot lately. And this collection designed by Christophe Lemaire gave a beautiful light hearted, luxe feeling to the house. A beautiful combination of coats and plush turtlenecks, Hermes prints of dream catchers on blouses and dresses, and a look that reminded me of the outer wear that I would see in the Gazette du Bon Ton and the illustrations in Vogues of the 1920's. Hermes should beam in pride with this collection. What luxury and what a collection!!!
A collection that triggered people here for beautiful and fantastic is that of John Galliano. It reminded everyone of Dior because of the style and inspiration of this collection. Tweed and wools looked so soft as jackets for some suits, a coat with a fur collar that frames the face, 1930's looking dresses that are cut on the bias that is a technique Galliano uses. It reminded me of the society women and Hollywood stars from the 1930's for sure.  A beautiful collection that had people wonder what is in the future for Galliano. The answer is: we don't know.

Celine Fall/Winter 2011

Preview



Givenchy Fall/Winter 2011



Jean Paul Gaultier & Haider Ackermann Fall/Winter 2011/2012

Jean Paul Gaultier has a wonderful imagination and his designs sweeps us up into his world of fashion that makes us either laugh or smile or both in the end. For this season he showed a collection that had a mature playful feeling only to add the humor he embodies to make us smile at the clever pattern, construction and style that he so often plays with. Gaultier called this collection "la beourgoise sans age".
The tailoring on his suits that come with pants or skirts are done and the result always comes out crisp and sharp. The tweeds and wools that they are made of always make me slowly inspect the way they are made.  Wonderful cardigans and turtle necks made a look that I am sure some women would enjoy. Blouses with different prints were beautiful and lady like. There were jumpsuits that were perfect for evening and a lot of trenches that were made of a mix of fabrics.
Definitely a collection for any woman of any age. I even think that my own mother who swoons over any amazing collection would want to wear Gaultier.

Jean Paul Gaultier

Fall/Winter 2011



Here is a designer that everybody has been keeping an eye on. One of the reason is because his name keeps coming up to be the new creative director at Dior. It could be a possibility. We'll see.

And on that note Haider Ackermann has presented a fine collection full of sophistication and modern luxury that is tasteful and well rounded. A lot of elongated shapes and silhouettes walked down the runway displaying the wonderful exhibition of fantastic colors, coats, straps, some draped, liquid, tailored and beaded ensembles and pieces, that were completed with a touch of perfect craftsmanship. The line up was pretty diverse and it never had anyone look away because it definitely commanded the attention of everyone. If there was a thought of ease and breathing space with a touch of luxe and sophistication in Ackermann's mind then this is the result of his thoughts. And what magnificent thoughts there were in this collection! Bravo! 

Haider Ackermann

Fall/Winter 2011



Paris Designer Signature Collections Fall 2011/2012

A group of designers who have the years of experience and the staying power, have shown collections stamped with their own signature looks and influences that they are known for to the fashion world, including some new looks that will increase the staying power they already have.
Junya Watanabe's looks were tough chic with plenty of leather and zippers, showing the biker look that is tough and to soften the toughness are the draped tops, sweaters, skirts and dresses. The pops of fall colors and some leopard print was added to give a sense of lightness as well. Thanks, Junya.
Tsumori Chisato was a playful collection mixed with color blocking, appliques, prints and sequins and beading and a touch of feathers. the Caftan Shaped dresses were quite chic. A collection worth viewing.
A line that was as sophisticated as can be was Martin Grant. Wonderful tailoring. Beautiful neutral, black, white and some red were some chosen and utilised well. The bold graphic dresses were simple, modern and romantic.
A beautiful collection that started in ivory with art nuveau flower prints to black with the same prints from Caharel looked like a modern fairy tale of clothes. Some colors were pastel as well and gave a nice smooth touch and there were some pieces that were beautifully layered. A pretty fairy tale indeed.
I loved what Azzaro has to offer. These designed were cut and made perfectly for the body. Sophistication and simplicity was present and for a lack of better words, sexy and elegant. Actually seductive is a better word. Wonderful cocktail dresses made with beautiful details and fabrics did not steer this collection wrong.
Comme des Garcons by Rei Kawakubo always amazes me how the clothes are put together. There were colorful prints that were mixed with black, jackets that tie like aprons, deconstruction on some dresses, mixture of fake snakeskin with wool. The show ended with some gold pieces that were a perfect expression of Kawalubo
According to Rolf Snoeren, they wanted to create and army that battles for beauty. Viktor Horsting said "to show our passion for fashion, we are ready for the battle.”  This is why, if you were wondering, the model's faces were painted in red because they are the warriors of this army. The Viktor & Rolf collection had a sophisticated medieval influence. The pinwheels, scaling and pleating formed the armour on some pieces. Black and ivory and a passionate red were the main colors. There were silver dresses with pleated details that came out toward the end that looked like a display armour that was kind of fascinating to see. This collection was done with that true Victor & Rolf signature.

Viktor & Rolf Fall/Winter 2011



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Unique is the way to go in Paris!

Wonderful Paris Fashion Week is moving along, demonstrating the different inspirations of each designer. Yes, each designer is demonstrating that every being in this world is unique in their own way.
At 20, Pedro Laurenco is s talent that has such a great vision and it showed. His work with geometric shapes and techniques with insets and panels were superb. There is a hint of 60's influence and a wonderful display of sharp and feminine clothes. I am delighted with this collection and to see how much he is growing.
Rodolfo Paglialunga at Vionnet found online a black and white knot and turned it into a swirling graphic pattern which he used in some of the splendid pieces in this collection. There were dresses knitted in ribbons of silk, organza, wool and suede. A palette of exquisite colors and prints were in the entire collection and made it look sophisticated and glamorous. Vionnet will be very hard to resist!
Vivienne Westwood offered a little bit of everything in her collection. Tweed coats, striped suits, some signature body hugging signature looks.  The body hugging gold column was quite a treat. Yohji Yamamoto's print dresses with negatives of floral prints, there were some hoops and great punk sensibility that Yamamoto went back to. There is a wonderful lightness to the collection that came out from the past dark ones.
Yes. Unique is definitely demonstrated here and truly appreciated. How boring would the world be if there unique did not exist? I would be. Wouldn't you?

Vivienne Westwood Fall/Winter 2011





Chritian Dior Fall/Winter 2011/2012 sans Galliano

The show was feeling pretty sedate . I still feel saddened and dissapointed as most people in the industry feel.
It is going to take some time to get used to the change that took place as well as the absence of a fantastic talent.
Bernard Arnault was absent. Dior's president Sidney Toledano took the stage with humility and gave a message that the house's recently terminated designer is now p.n.g. chez Dior. Galliano's name was not mentioned. Toledano then gave the history of the founding of Dior and a fact that Dior's sister had been deported to Buchenwald. “What has happened over the last week has been a terrible and wrenching ordeal for us all,” he said. “It has been deeply painful to see the Dior name associated with the disgraceful statements attributed to its designer, however brilliant he may be.”
Toledano then closed celebrating “the extraordinary, creative and marvelous efforts of these loyal, hardworking people.” He was referring to the seamstresses and the craftsmen of the Dior studio who took a bow at the end of the show. According to sources, Galliano's own team did not appear on the runway to show solidarity for him.

The hair by Orlando Pita and the make up by Pat McGrath were not as dramatic because it was obvious that someone said not attempt to do the theatrical and fantastical kind of hair and make up.
The direction and tone of the collection was given by Galliano given that he was still officially in house until his dismissal on March 1st.
The collection was pretty much sportswear marking the departure of the bar jackets and fantastical lady like designs that Galliano was so brilliant at creating.
The clothes were quite feminine and pretty. A dandyish attitude as someone said.  Some voluminous capes, great blouses to go with pants or skirts, some pretty jackets with texture and wonderful combination of fabrics and colors that offers a diverse range of pieces for a range of wonderful women. It was a pretty well put together collection. Take a look.

Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2011

Preview





After today the bars were raised higher for Paris.

When designers do wonderful work from a previous season, they need to think about the next wonderful collection they can create because the bars a raised higher. Today in Paris there was a demonstration of it.
Nina Ricci's collection was called "Portrait of a Lady" and it was based on the work of artists John Singer, Marlene Dumas and John Sargent. Very feminine with classic and contemporary mixtures of cut and style, this was one of Peter Copping's more sophisticated endeavors for Nina Ricci.
Another one of these collections where there was a play of masculine and feminine was Dusan. Dusan Paunovic's vision came across as an experiment with shapes and some eighties influence. The jodhpur style pants were an accent and some were tucked in boots and I liked the wool dresses with bat wing sleeves.
The inspiration for Roland Mouret's collection was New York. And what can be found here are great sportswear pieces from maxi to midi and casual to dressy. What is wonderful about the dresses is that they are cut to precision and made perfect for the body.
Isabel Merchant came up with a look that is youthful and artistic. Patchwork in some pieces with some Native American influences of water color feather prints and fringes hanging on dresses and pants were creatively done. The only thing is that the fringes were everywhere through out and was a bit gimmicky.
I LOVED Issey Miyake. This collection was the last show for Dai Fujiwara as creative director. He has designed for Miyake for 5 years and spent 12 years training under Issey Miyake himself. The successor will be announced in a few months. Loved the black and white pieces that opened the show. Triangle shapes, prints and patterns, origami, zig-zag and some bright as well as a sprinkle of jewel tones were just some great artistic elemtnts that colored the entire collection. What a wonderful collection Mr. Fujiwara!
Maison Margiella Couture was like a couture collection. The dresses looked like coats because they were made of heavy wool, techno materials and pastel printed shearling. There some beautiful soft dresses as well with some well done draping and some beading. The deconstruction, which is his trademark was definitely present.
Hardware and software was mixed at Lanvin. Alber Elbaz did a wonderful job in adding metal fixtures on some suits. Gradually there were some large medallions and 3-D flowers. There were amazing silhouettes. Some sleeves were done with the perfect extravaganza. And there were bold prints and wonderful pops of colors that quenched my thirst for Lanvin. Alber Elbas, you did it again.
Yes, the bars were raised and the the designers went over that bar leaving an imprint of some of the best work. Funny thing is that now the bars are raised higher, once again.

Nina Ricci Fall/Winter 2011

Preview

Roland Mouret Fall/Winter 2011

Preview



Maison Martin Margiella

Fall/Winter 2011 Preview

Lanvin Fall/Winter 2011

Which is your favorite so far for PFW 2011?

The volume of creativity that is being shown in Paris is turning up higher and higher by the day. Today I can tell you that there were pretty impressive and desirable collections that were presented.
I have to say that I enjoy Zac Posen. He came again to Paris from New York to show his collection. It was hard to get excited about his sportswear but his eveningwear was his high point. It is one of his strenths.
Sharon Wauchob was an enjoyable collection that had a medieval touch to it. Elegance and softness. Well done with the mixture of basket weaving, beading, chains and textures.
Sacai was a nice little collection that had the best items for any cold fall or winter day or night. Great sweaters and wonderful dresses that were a bit above the knee. This is a fall/winter wonder.
The collection from Barbara Bui is full of sleek and sexy ideas. There was shine and luxe, short and long, great outerwear jackets, some nice tops mixed with knits and beading and some dresses had some well done beading as well. You go, Barbara!
Fantastic displays of colors, fabrics, prints, textures, fabric manipulation, and silhouettes are found in Manish Arora. His collection has wearable pieces with interesting accesories and details that are wonderfully executed.
You want a little rock and roll? A little Hollywood? A little casual chic? Balmain by Christophe Decamin was deigned and styled really smartly and beautifully. Minimalism mixed with glamour. The shiny suit that opened the show made quite an impact and set the tone for the show.
Ever so inventive and creative, Rick Owens always amazes me with his imagination and creativity. How does he do it? He just does it. Long, lean and clean. Definite fall/winter wonders are found here!
Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquiere was exquisitely created and engineered. I love how the fake leather and fabrics were sewn together and how the archival elements of Balenciaga were a trend in this entire collection. Ghesquiere can never go wrong with his great confident creativity was demonstrated in this collection.
Breathtaking is the main word I have for Ann Demeulemeester. Dark, elegant, tough and sophisticated are other words that I use that describes the brilliant and beautiful collection. Leather jackets with lacing details, tops mixed with skins and furs, great slim leather pants, vests, all are precious. The coats made with goat hair were FIERCE!! And finally the drapey dresses with black quill feathers were stunning including the finale dress. I think that this would be a wardrobe for a woman who has an elegant warriior in her.
Whew! Everything can be found here for that lover of French fashion. Which collection is your favorite so far? But wait! There is more coming! Stay tuned.

Balmain Fall/Winter 2011

Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2011





Mugler Fall/Winter 2011 Debuts in PFW

Held at the Gymnase Japy in the 11th arrondissement the anticipated Mugler debut did not dissapoint. The designs definitely had the Mugler signature and they were definitely the stars of the show. The broad shoulders, the colors, the shiny fabrics, the sheer details, the fitted short skirts, the jumpsuits Mugler had made in the eighties were all the inspirations that helped create this edgy and fascinating collection.
At one point during the show, Lady Gaga appeared from the photographer's pit with a black bra, sheer body suit and a long black hobble skirt with long blond extensions under a triangular hat. Then later she came back in corset, body suit, long skirt, long stole that she kept twirling around, all in white. People just drank up her presence as she did her thing on the runway. The real protagonist though, is the collection.
Nicola Formichetti did a great job with all his collaborators. He said, "Mugler was a fashion god for me. It was more than fashion, though, it was entertainment." We definitely look forward to seeing what he will come up with next. I am sure you all will, too!

Mugler Fall/Winter 2011



Paris Fashion Week is carrying on wonderfully

The collections are gaining a momentum that will fill this week with more to offer to all fans of Paris fashion.
Long, boxy, loose fitted clothes can be found at Limi Feu. Dominant colors are grey, white, black and red. It made me wonder if these colors are going to be in every fall collection for 2011. I hope not.
Damir Donna also had loose designs walking down the runway and there was a veiety of color and a Japanese influence. There were great basics as well. I enjoyed the two tuxedo suits at the end . They were quite modern. Anne Valerie Hash presented a lovely collection made of beautiful rich fabrics. There were draping, loose fitted suits, tops, skirts, that were all well done and well made. This collection was comfortable and chic. Guy Laroche had quite a mixture of everything that was pretty but the collection was not cohesive. Rochas had a nice collection that had some chic in its sportswear. It has perfect retail power.
If you want Goth influenced clothes check out the Gareth Pugh collection. Black clothes kept coming out and pretty good ones and then a delight to the eyes! COLOR! There was a beautiful blue flowing dress that was heaven. I loved the black and gold group. The shiny metallic gold against the black leather will dazzle your eyes.
Dries van Noten was inspired by Diaghilev's Ballet Russes with a touch of Ziggy Stardust. The results were a wonderful mixture and combinations of colors, prints, textures, fabrics and shapes. Well done, Dries!!
My attention was kept by the wonderful collection of Carven by Guillaume Henry. I loved this collection. It had a wonderful esthetic. Fresh shapes and wonderful elements of design, color and style through and through. Could this collection make a woman bankrupt? Another job well done!
Carry on Paris!!

Guy Laroche Fall/Winter 2011



A video clip of

Carven Fall/Winter 2011



As Dark as Paris is now, the light of creativity shines through

As Paris is feeling dark and a bit heavy in all the fashion hearts, the light of creativity is still present in the days to come during Paris Fashion Week. The news about John Galliano slowed me down a bit. So now I am catching up. And one of the things I noticed is that the week started with a play of the masculine and the feminine.
Hakaan presented a collection that had masculine and feminine mixtures from coats, jackets and pants to dresses, tops, and skirts. Gray, black, white and red were the colors. There is a modern elegance that makes this line look as good as new. Thimister showed a collection that was loose, flowey and drapey. All in grey, black and white the collection could be a favorite for the goths or any Thimister fan.
I could not help but think that Nicolas Andreas Taralis's collection, which had touches of Victorian influences, was a bit inspired by vampires, because there were shirts that were painstakingly painted and dyed that looked like blood stains. Oh, well.
A little collection that I enjoyed that was designed by the young Anthony Vaccarello was edgy, modern and sexy. All of the pieces were in black and I could not help but give each piece the once over because of the cut and the style of each one. The only thing I was disturbed about was seeing these ultra thin models in these clothes. They looked like they were on the brink of being full blown anorexics. I hope none of them are.
And then there is Hussein Chalayan. He titled his collection Kaikoku, meaning "open country," a reference to the way Japan was compelled to open up to the world in the traumatic aftermath of World War II. Japanese influence was in each piece. New ideas were explored and well executed. They were artistic and powerful. This was the best collection of the day. I was delightfully mesmerized! I think you would be too.
During the aftermath of a big loss in the fashion world, the show must go on.
The light of creativity is still being expressed in Paris today.

Hussein Chalayan's Floating Dress
Fall/Winter 2011




The end of the Galliano Era at Christian Dior

John Galliano was a great fashion force at the house of Dior.
He truly captured the true essence of all that Dior is and swept the fashion world into a brilliant place of highly crafted artwork that were created by the wonderful talented hands that still exist today that work with perfection through and through.
   It seems that Galliano is a person who is dealing with a lot within himself, perhaps one big part of it is the pressure of fashion. The moment that he expressed the words, there was no turning back. I have to say that as I watched the video it looks as though he was totally schnockered and the girls' voices in the background sounded troubled when they heard the words come out of his mouth. At the same time it seemed that they were instigating him further and kept on going and Galliano kept on going as well. So one person is not less guilty than the other. Galliano and the people who were arguing with him all had a part in what happened.
   I am not going to judge what happened, because I was not there and I am not going to point my finger to anyone and say who is at fault because everyone had a part in this situation. The words that were said by both parties were damaging to both sides because both sides were nasty to each other and no one stopped before things got out of hand. When things escalated this was the result. There was no presence of Love at that point. None.
   I don't agree with what Galliano said because what he said was vicious and violent and it was shocking. At the same time I saw a man who was intoxicated and totally annihilated by alcohol and I could only feel compassion for him because some people in my family and friends who I love suffered from alcoholism and substance abuse and I realized how much in pain they were and how ill they were. I am not in any way justifying Galliano's actions at all. What is done is done and now Galliano has to take responsibility for all his actions this past weekend. If you know the Law of Cause and Effect you will definitely understand what I mean. Think of the Law of Newton which is: to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
   Now we are witnessing a life of a very talented and successful person change in a blink of an eye. What is going to happen with John Galliano's career? Is he going to rehab? What is his future going to be like? How is this going to affect his own line? Who is the House of Dior going to choose as their new creative director? How will this affect the business for Dior? All these questions and more are racing through any one's mind who are in the fashion world one way or another. The Fall/Winter Pret-a-Porter 2011 show is definitely going on because if it does not, it will be a big financial loss for Dior.
   What Natalie Portman said at the end of her statement on Monday had a powerful truth in it: "I hope at the very least, these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful." This situation shows us that we have prejudice inside us and that we have love inside us. What has more power? And what can make a big difference in this world, especially in our relationship with each other? What will keep us up? Prejudice or Love?
   So here we are. An era ends and a new one will begin. Monsieur Dior died at a young 50. Yves Saint Laurent went on and opened his own house. Marc Bohan designed from 1960 to 1989. Gianfranco Ferre worked a wonderful 7 years. And now John Galliano gave some of the best years at Christian Dior.
   The House of Dior has gone through big, big changes and continues to thrive strongly and beautifully as it navigates through the winds and fires of the power of Life that is constantly evolving and creating with Love always and forever. A new era begins.

 

...and finally in Milan....

The last few shows were displayed ending Milan Fashion Week.
Piazza Sempione showed a line that was young and very sportswear with a mixture solid colors, prints, short long, loose, fitted. It shows that the designer is getting to know which direction to go with the styles.
Just Cavalli had a little of everything. It just seemed like it was a bit all over the place. Iceberg's collection is long, simple and loose. There were a couple of suits that were tailored and quite modern. The Western was the inspiration for DSquared. Mixtures of denim, leather, fur, a lot of black and white pieces. Sexy short pants, jeans, and dresses. It may have been a tiny bit gimmicky but I am sure it will do very well in sales.
Giorgio Armani  showed "Boudoir" and that it was. Great designs that were signature Armani. The Rose color was an accent through out the collection.The suits are worth to have in the closet or more likely on the body. They were very chic. And the highlight of the collection was the evening wear. What a great ending to Milan Fashion Week with this wonderful collection!

Bravo Milan! Grazie! What wonderful collections you showed off to the world!
Ciao!

Giorgio Armani Fall/Winter 2011