Fashion Blog

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

Designer labels. Hmm. I have always had my reservations about the price of designer clothes. The designer label debate has been on going for years and always probably will. I myself own a few designer pieces. All of which I love. All of which whenever I wear them receive a lot of compliments. One of the favorite designer items I own is a pair of white flared denim jeans by Alexander McQueen. I bought them a few years ago from Selfridges on Oxford Street in London. They were a sale item reduced from over $350 t0 around $65. I love them. They still look brand new. However, I would not have paid $350 for them.

I love watching the stars on the red carpet in their dazzling gowns designed by Lagerfield, Chanel, Armani etc.  Yet it all seems to be part of the Hollywood fantasy, fantastic dresses and fantastic prices.

I also love watching  those individuals who smother themselves from head to foot in a whirlwind of various designer labels. A Gucci top with a Moschino belt, Versace jeans, Chanel pumps, Missoni Shades. As long as it has a label. Then off they go down the street, suffering from a chronic case of self delusion - believing that they actually look good. Some of them even feel superior to us, because we are label-less. Never mind that your Versace Jeans have ‘made in Taiwan’ on the label or your Chanel pumps actually say Channel.

I love them, they offer me free entertainment, you actually saved me money on some circus tickets.

Then there are my own handbag designs, which I sold in a few small boutiques in London. I was messing around at home with fabric, feathers,buttons, and whatever. People liked them, then I was asked to sell them. I had to price my creations. I didn’t have a clue. I was advised to consider the amount of time I had spent on making them, the cost of the materials. Then I had to consider the the percentage the boutique would take and figure that into the price. All of a sudden my ‘messing around at home bag’ was now a valued item. I sold to them to my friends for next to nothing and told them that they would be collectors items one day.

For all of you who would like to try your hand at designing, take a visit to Style Shake.

Style Shake allows you to design your own dresses, tops and skirts. Once you have put your design together online, you can then have it made up for you. It’s quite fun too. I designed the following shirt dress, finished in black cotton and lycra:

$45.90

Now you have created your first piece, how about designing something for a good cause. Fashion Favours allows you to do just that. Fashion Favours is a funky website that asks you to take an old garment and redesign it. You then send it in to them where it will be auctioned for charity.  You can also bid in anything available on the site.

This black see through dress has been redesigned from an old garment.

If you do have a penchant for designer clothing, but not the bank account,  take a look at Designer Sale UK.

You can find clothing from all the major designers at shocking discounts.

This Bronze Mesh Mini Dress from Biba was  $335.07 reduced to $38.25. You have to be quick on making your purchases as they sell fast. You can open an account with them and receive updates on new sales.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more mini dresses.

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.

Here’s the second installment of the Pre-Fall 08 fashion shows, including Bill Blass and Roberto Cavalli:

Bill Blass: bows, high-waisted pants, sequins, floral, white, slim lines, silk, color gradation.

Chanel: Metallic, pink, layers, black and white, tweed, plaid, bubble skirts, purple, zippers, Amy Winehouse hair.

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Remember when Marge Simpson bought that $90 Chanel suit (marked down from $2,800–now, that’s a Deal of the Day) to impress socialite contingent of Springfield? The poor thing had to work and rework that pink suit in order to make it look like more than one outfit. Well, here’s Marge’s vindication and in Harper’s Bazaar, no less. Not only does America’s fave mom get to pose with an animated Linda Evangelista, she also got an 8 page spread in the high fashion magazine. The works of Versace, Chanel, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Gaultier, and Victor & Rolfe are all featured in the spread. Check out Lagerfeld and Donatella.

Priceless.

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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.

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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.