Fashion Blog » Hot Couture

Panama hats are supposed to be the next “must-have” this summer according to Fashion Goodiz.  Even during my vacation in Brazil for Carnival everybody was rocking this hat, man and women.  This hat also gives you lots of possibilities style-wise and you could wear them in lots of ways, whether you would like to dress it up or if you would like a more casual look.

The Panama hats have already been spotted on the runway and celebrities are beginning to get a feel for it.  Will you be rocking them this summer?

Ungaro

Britney Spears

Misha Barton

Terrence Howard

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for Panama hats.

Image Source: Glamour.com, MSN.com,  StyleByMe.net, About.com

One reason I love to blog is that I have a captive audience of readers to whom I can air my ideas, theories and whims.  Here is my current obsession—and for once it has to do directly with fashion: the House of Lanvin.

I wear the perfume (it smells like apricots) the famous ballet flats (so chic, so comfortable) and now I actually own a piece of their clothing.  Granted, it is just the world’s prettiest t-shirt and I was lucky enough to scoop it up 70% off at a Barney’s sale but hey, whatever it takes.  So why am I so enamored?  Excellent question.

Helmed by the insanely talented and Chaplin-esque Israeli born Alber Elbaz, Lanvin remembers its French roots, but is not one of those design houses that is so entirely Gallic that a quintessential American feels out of place in its designs.  I think the thing that truly draws my eye and my jealously guarded dollars to Lanvin though, is the deep femininity inherent in all its designs.

One of the few great couture houses started by a female designer, Lanvin retains a true understanding of women.  Founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, the insignia was and remains a mother and child duo.  Everything the house produces from the elegant but useful handbags (even the practical Michelle Obama occasionally carries one!) to the ribbon tied shoe boxes speaks to the deeply female side of me and I suspect many, many others.

However, the greatest example of the womanly understanding of the house is in the designs.  The clothes created under Elbaz are well known for their magical draping and construction.  More than one lucky starlet has twittered delightedly about feeling sexy yet being able to actually eat wearing a Lanvin gown.  Witness this pic of Thandie Newton looking glam yet actually happy in her Lanvin.

In more day to day life, the justly famous ballet flats are so charming and yet so useful, that I have worn them everywhere from shopping at Neiman Marcus to my son’s T-Ball games. I feel pretty when I put them on and then I forget about it and just get on with my life. And isn’t that what every woman needs?

Get them at Barney’s.

Thanks Alber, a blessing on your house.

Photo Info: by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images at instyle.com.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for Lanvin clothing and beauty products.

That’s right, who is rocking Michael Jackson’s badass jacket?  Rihanna and Beyonce are!  The two divas have been spotted in a military jacket that strangely resembles Michael’s jacket from back in the day.  If you have big hips you should definitely try this jacket as it will make your figure look more proportioned.

I think military jackets look more sophisticated when you wear them in a longer version and has a fitted silhouette.

Rihanna

Beyonce

On the runway….

Beyonce (again)

Jessica Simpson & Taylor Swift

Becky Newton, Beyonce (AGAIN) and Jennifer Hudson

Find at Smarter.com: Shop for more women’s military style jackets.

Who does not salivate over a Valentino or a Chanel walking down the runway and the Red Carpet?  But, there has also been an onslaught of raw, young talent recently that has stirred the pot, mixed things up and made it more exciting.  Here are my 5 personal favorites:

Jason Wu:

When Michelle Obama wore his white, one-shouldered, silk-chiffon and Swarovski crystal gown for the inaugural-balls , it instantly catapulted him to rock star fame. What with the First Lady consistently and faithfully choosing his designs for her public appearances, and the whole nation obsessing over her fashion sense, the 26-year-old has become almost a household name.  His designs are always tastefully done, having a ladylike understated elegance while exuding just the right amount of oomph to grab your attention.  No wonder Mrs. Obama finds so much use for it.  His fall 2009 collection was dominated by sleeveless dresses in striking colors and sweet flouncy skirts tempered with structured blazers.

Esteban Cortezar:

After the retirement of its founder, Emmanuel Ungaro, the legendary French Fashion House, Ungaro known for its playful and sensual interpretations of color and prints, got a face lift with the appointment of the young and dashing 23 year old Columbian born Esteban Cortezar as its chief designer. This design prodigy had already made history at 18 as the youngest designer to ever show at New York Fashion Week in 2003.  His Fall 2009 collection for Ungaro saw him settle comfortably into this iconic brand with renewed vigor and vitality. His young sexy presentation was full of bold colors, pink touches (a trademark for Ungaro), feminine ruffles, body skimming drapes, bandage dresses, puffed skirts and metallic banded sandals with embellished tights.  It was fun, fun, fun!

Hannah Marshall:

This undeniably fierce 25-year-old British designer has mesmerized everyone with her darkly elegant and architectural pieces.  Her deceptively simplistic designs are characterized with tremendous detail and unique juxtaposition of fabrics . Her obsession with the concept of communicating through clothing finds its way into her creations in the form of hidden messages in Braille incorporated into her garments.  Talk about being unique!  Her 2009 fall collection was conceived based on the idea of a body armor as a form of protection and strength.  Body skimming outfits sporting strong shoulders in her signature black color were the main theme.

Erin Fetherston:

Here is a woman who is not afraid to proudly embrace her inner girliness.  Her line, started in 2004, has become synonymous with delicate tea party dresses and feminine whimsicality.  Her 2009 fall collection, inspired by antique dolls paints a virtual fantasy with full-skirted dresses, polka dots, Peter Pan collars, glittery hats, bows as a throwback to every childhood fairytale character that has lived in bedtime stories.

Alexander Wang:

Any list of young designers worth its salt would have to include the immensely talented and dynamic Alexander Wang.  This winner of the 2008 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation award for the Emerging Designer category is the master of everyday, urban chic that finds that perfect balance between clean and edgy.  Wang’s 2009 fall collection was the antonym of frilly and frothy.  Powerful, tough biker chic looks in black, white and sophisticated, muted plum dominated the show.  From menswear inspired stylized white button down to tough rocker girl getups in fur and leather, Wang is the way to go for some downtown cool!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop though a great selection of women’s clothing from top names like Michael Kors, Betsey Johnson and more!

Image Source: NyMag.com

I love to see the runway shots from a fashion show in chronological order because they usually get increasingly eye-boggling toward the end of the collection. A good example of that is the recent Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 08 Couture show, which started out pretty interesting, but soon moved into the realm of very interesting .

Here’s what I mean. The show started out with these pieces:

and then things got very oceanic, very sea creature….

I love it.  Let’s all get aquatic this Spring.

Source.

The couture shows are like candy to me. I just sit back and wait to be dazzled, and I haven’t been disappointed by the Spring 08 runways. Angles, symmetry and volume seems to be an obsession of many designers this season, and nobody is holding back, especially where texture is concerned. Colorwise the pallets have run the gamut from muted at Chanel to vivid (an understatement) at Dior.

Here are some highlights of the Spring couture shows:

Chanel

Karl Lagerfeld plays with the classic Chanel jacket, mixing it with ballet flats and short angled skirts that remind of the 80s. Nylons also make a comeback in this ethereal collection.

Christian Dior

Leave it to John Galliano to do it up. The Dior catwalk was teaming with lusciously grandiose and billowing pieces. And, oh, was the 60s vibe was palpable.

Armani Privé.

It was all in the details for Giorgio Armani, who took a “more is better” attitude this season, working with lines, large floral add-ons, and sashes galore.

Where does the time go? I feel like I blinked and all the big shows had passed. So, with no further ado, here’s the round-up:

Armani Prive

Theme: Giorgio Armani says “David Bowie”

Trends: shots of bright colors, feathered boas, black and white, menswear, cinched waists, one shoulder, full skirts, tiers, a-symmetry, pink fur.

Christian Lacroix

Trends: Eastern European costume, feathers, fur, tiered skirt, crinkled fabric, black, bright color, puffed sleeves, oversized collars, Renaissance, big hats, embroidery

Givenchy

Trends: feathers, hunting jackets, animal prints, one shoulder, a-symmetry, puffed sleeves, muted color

Like this? Read my take on the Chanel and Christian Dior Fall 07 Couture shows.

Photos Source.

Now, I know I’ve got no business critiquing Karl Lagerfeld, and I’m aware that the Chanel couture collection is receiving rave reviews–Style.com called it “brilliant”–but I don’t get this particular piece.

Lagerfeld, leader of the pack at Chanel, was quoted as saying this collection is all about the profile: “Everything is flat at the front. It’s all side effects.” So maybe this looked different from the side, but when I see this from the front, I can’t help but be reminded of the Abominable Snow Monster from Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

Very gauche of me, I know. But I’ll make it up by showing you ensembles in the collection that didn’t make me think of live action figures:

The side profile thing is quite fascinating in this collection–it makes you see things from another perspective.

Photo Source.

The night and the Orangie at Versailles belonged to the supermodels and, of course, John Galiano, who provided a characteristically dramatic finale by donning a matador costume at yesterday’s Dior show. There was romance on the runway, where the familiar figures and faces of Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Shalom Harlow and Helena Christensen showcased elaborate masquerade ball gowns and painted facades inspired by painters, fashion illustrators and photographers.

At times, Galiano’s color palette, consisting of blush, mauve and icy blue, added delicacy to the embroidered, ruffled and feathered ensembles, which would have definitely required a whale-bone corset or two. By contrast, shocks of red, royal blue and black added delicious drama to post WWII-inspired silhouettes, courtly lady gowns that harkened back to old Versailles and Spanish dresses finished with mantilla.

Photos Source.

If you thought that those creepy Bratz dolls were the height of fashion, check out the ultra-sophisticated Fashion Royalty dolls by Jason Wu. While his Ready to Wear collections (for real people) have been praised for their maturity and “immaculate tailoring,” I´m even more impressed by these amazing dolls with their impeccable couture ensembles–I´m talking hand-embroidering, silk gowns, designer handbags, and accessories that put Barbie´s plastic doodads to shame.

And even if you´re not into finely dressed dolls, you should visit the website just to read the hilarious story about the Fashion Royalty “universe.” The Ugly Betty-esque story centers around the backstabbing fashion and cosmetic worlds, where competing companies vie for dominance and the main players deal with cheating husbands, hostile takeovers and unethical business practices. You´ll love it.