Ok. So I have a brief rant to accomplish. But only quickly, seeing as any longer than a few paragraphs is a total waste of digital breath.
That being said...
Designer Emanuel Ungaro, whom I have never heard of before this ridiculous story [and I know things], will conduct his Spring 2010 Ready to Wear show on Sunday in Paris.
Okay. What's the big idea you ask?
The big idea, or more like the colossal disaster, is that --gasp-- Lindsey Lohan is his artistic adviser, overseeing his collection. Yes, that ridiculous hot mess of a "celebrity" that annoys the crap out of me every time I have to see her cracked out face in a picture or plays on her name in a headline.
Does a person that dresses like this know anything about fashion? No. No is the answer.
Sorry for the harsh reality, but I feel like she should stick to either attempts as an actress or go crawl into a hole in some Hollywood mansion and stay there...so this nonsense about her intruding about one of my favorite weeks of the year ceases.
Kthanks. That's all, Miranda Priestly style.
And I had to have some kind of photo. And frankly, I would absolutely rather look at this gorgeous man than any more of Crazy.
On a brighter note... Paris Fashion Week started today! A close second to my favorite New York Fashion Week. Stay tuned for great things, I'm sure. Chanel. Balenciaga. Lanvin. Chloe. I could go on.
The bright red shoes [which I might add, are not pumps. Even better]. The feminine look of a man's outfit. I adore it.
Plus, it could probably hide the extra around my hip/waist area. Or make it look even worse. It really is a gamble, but one I'm absolutely willing to take.
There were only two or three disasters that walked, but the moment this look popped up, I immediately forgave Karl for a couple slip ups and began contemplating how I could possibly make this skirt appear in my closet.
It's rare that I pick one of the formal/red carpet gowns as my favorite. Because of course, they're incredible, but when was the last time [or the first time, rather] that I needed a dress for my red carpet event? Try never.
"Business to Beach" was the theme of Miuccia Prada's Spring 2010 Ready to Wear show that kicked off Milan Fashion week.
She strayed away from her traditional wacky pieces that challenge normal thoughts about fashion. The transition from casual to dressy combined with looks like bermudas and vests made out of dressier material. It started with the business looks and ended with the beach looks, creating a unique fluidity.
Not everything was totally wearable, but a great deal of the looks created a new aspect of Prada's design that could be worn for a multitude of occasions.
Not my favorite show, but definitely one of the best due to the originality of the looks and ideas. That, and Miuccia is a genius, per usual.
Okay, everyone picked this look at well. It's not necessarily something I would walk out of the house wearing, but I love the abstract layers and details.
Today on Reuters, an article popped up that nearly made me pass out.
Tom Ford, the man/legend that made Gucci a big deal, currently only designs menswear and the occasional women's sunglasses or perfume for his own brand.
Well, times could be a changin. His luxury name, Tom Ford International, began searching for quite a large investment of $50 million or more in order to start a womenswear line. Now currently, this is all just speculation. But seriously, life would be unbelievable if he had his own namesake women's line.
His legend spawned from his innovative and unique designs for women, and perhaps a bright future is near for his brand and the women lucky enough to wear/afford his clothes.
And isn't he one of the most attractive men you've ever seen?
Christopher Bailey and his team at Burberry utilized one of the newest tools in reaching a much larger audience that fits in their tents yesterday at the Burberry Prorsum Spring 2010 Ready to Wear show.
From Chelsea College of Art and Design in London, Burberry broadcasted the show live over the internet. I posted the link right before the show started, and was only able to watch about five minutes of the actual footage before class had to swoop in my ruin my life. Typical.
Many of fashion's finest, including current Burberry model Emma Watson [aka Hermoine, in the seriously bright gold dress],Victoria Beckham, and Mary-Kate Olsen sat front and center to watch the newest glam strut down the runway, according to style.com.
This young audience fit perfectly with the overall aesthetic of this season's Prorsum line: young, short, and loud. Military looks and glitter both made appearances, but the ideas mostly echoed around fresh takes on Burberry's iconic pieces.
What most impressed me was his use of drapery and intricate folding, which made old silhouettes look like a brand new idea. The fact that I would seriously drop my few paychecks on nearly every piece is a serious statement.
Obviously, this story is a little closer to my heart.
In a world that completely revolves around the superficial, it comes as no surprise that when someone tries to go against the stereotypical, size 2-perfect body-completely flawless, something dramatic must ensue.
This week at London Fashion Week, designer Mark Fast did just that.
In his Spring 2010 ready to wear show, he cast three models ranging from size 12 to 14 to walk down his runway in the new designs. But some people, apparently including some audience members and people working on Fast's team, were not so comfortable with the idea of--gasp--a non-size two girl taking part in the show.
According to an article from the BBC in London, Amanda May, Fast's managing director, walked out of the show completely because of the casting, citing that there were "creative differences with regards to the casting of those girls."
Also, according to Fashionista, another stylist backstage was so rude to the girls that she was asked to leave and not come back.
The beautiful model in the picture is Hayley Morley, one of the size 12 models that caused this alleged controversy last Sunday at Mark Fast's show. Personally, I'm a size 12 and I don't look nearly that good.
Now, that being said, I could turn this post into a rant about how superficial and ridiculous it is that a gorgeous girl that looks like that raises such hell. Or how ridiculously scared I am to attempt to enter such a world where extra pounds makes me an undesirable candidate for anything, despite my skills or personality. Or how I have always loved fashion and consider myself fairly knowledgeable on the subject, but could be written off at sheer glance due to the tiny number printed on the inside of my pants label.
But I won't. I will give my sheer amount of adoring praise to Hayley and the girls that had the courage to walk where most girls my size would not walk before. And challenge people to challenge their ideals and principles and superficiality.
Sorry for the serious rant. Yay fashion week. Boo bitchy people.
Earlier this evening, we were walking to dinner and I happened to glance to my left a bit and found my breathe completely escaping me.
After a brief moment of composure, I grabbed my cousin by the shoulders and managed to mutter "lookkkk."
I ran across the street to take this photo.
Here is the newest edition to this fine city, on the corner of Rush and Walton.
Thank the Lord. Not that I'll ever be able to enter the store without openly weeping about my inability to afford any item. But I can always dream, and at least breach the doors.
It is very nearly fall. I bought my newest fall sweater piece, a steal from Stella McCartney, and it's taunting me hanging in my closet...begging me to put it on. But as soon as the weather plummets, it is doomed to be freezing until May.
On a brighter note, there are fantastic things about fall and all the trends that come with it.
One of my favorites started with a very tiny detail. Green finger nails [intentional, of course].
Last season, Chanel/Karl sent a rich, jade color down his runway with gorgeous embellishments of green on belts, rings, and buckles. But the thing everyone noticed most was the nail polish color.
For Fashion's Night Out, Chanel finally launched the shade in their SoHo store. For the rest of us, it comes out in October.
So it brings me to my point. Maybe Chanel began this accessories trend, but it is catching on...and frankly, I'm thrilled.
When I woke up this morning, I went through the daily routine of laying around a few moments too long to check the updates on my favorite blogs.
Nearly every one wrote about this potential rumor, and it's safe to say we all desperately hope it is true.
Target, the wonder superstore that it is, has collaborated with many famous designers to bring their designs to the stores at an affordable price for everyone. Last season, it was Alexander McQueen. Right now, until October 17, Anna Sui's Gossip Girl inspired line is in the stores.
That is the simpliest, yet most direct way to describe anything Oscar de la Renta touches.
This collection needs no review. It needs no recount. For me, it defines how a woman should dress and the ultimate in style.
And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Cathy Horyn of the New York Times writes about his ability to create a look for every kind of woman, and have them be individualized at the same time.
The bright colors echoed the season as bright purples, blues, and oranges made many appearances down the catwalk. He showed many different kinds of looks, per usual, from casual daywear to red carpet ready. Oscar defines fashion. Of course, every show has pieces that not everyone addresses with. But this show, so far, is the best of New York Fashion Week. All in my opinion, of course.
The fabulously wacky sister duo Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte, who just won the CFDA's award for 2009 Womenswear Designer of the Year, turned out their newest collection on Tuesday.
I mean how...how did they construct some of these garments? Pieces of the dresses are so intricate I can only imagine what backstage looked like trying to get actual people into them. What truly amazes me about these girls is how delicate garments that are so hard can become with a little inspiration.
Last season, I found myself lusting after the mini dresses that had this unbelievable fluidity without being anything I'd ever seen before. After gaining their sterling reputations in the fashion world, I feel as this collection speaks most to who they are as designers...so far at least.
Inspired by bringing women back to more theatrical, lively ways of dressing, my all time favorite man/designer/person Marc Jacobs presented his Spring 2010 show on Monday.
"If last season was a trip back in time to the eighties," he continued, "this was a trip to the theater, the ballet, the opera."
Now I'm really not sure any show will ever beat out Marc's Spring 09 show, and I mean for the rest of my life. But this show, while lacking the same fluidity usually expected by his fans, brought costumes right off a stage and onto the streets.
The minute details always make it for me. They are why I hold the most respect for him as a designer. He could probably twist around a bag of garbage and sell it for thousands on Madison Avenue.
It has a military feel, which doesn't really go with the rest of the looks. But the skirt fits in, and is completely genius. However, it's really too bad I'd need pants since my legs do not look like that.
...and I may or may not get in trouble as soon as these shoes come out for purchasing them immediately.
At his show on Pier 94 last Saturday, Alexander Wang took an American classic and spruced it up a bit. And by a bit, I mean tons, per usual.
At Nordstrom where I work on Michigan Avenue, the women's clothing departments are on the 3rd floor. I do my best, usually failing, to stay away from that floor altogether. But I always MUST stay far from Alex Wang at risk of spending my minimal paycheck.
He's very young at 24, but has already had collaborations with Gap and Uniqlo, as well as been recognized by the CFDA. This collection surpassed his previous genius as he unveiled his american football inspired collection.
According to the style.com review, he wanted to created a few timeless, staple pieces that will last girls longer than just the fads of the current season. With Wang, there always seems to be a minute detail that you don't find until the last minute, or a fairly typical item that has never been used that way before. And to think, I'm only 3 years younger.
Some of the looks were a bit off the deep end for me, like shirts with the stomachs cut out. But overall, his aesthetic and uniqueness won me over.
The oh, so fun to look at Zac Posen never ceases to amaze.
After he moved his show to Monday morning instead of Thursday, he also switched locations to stir things up a bit. The Altman Building housed Posen's show, and the smaller venue echoed the designer's visions quite well.
Looks featured color block looks and vibrant colors, some with cutouts and various new shapes not typical of Zac's evening and sophisticated style. He did large and small prints, and created numerous fantastic looks that women actually will want to wear on the daily. Minus the pricepoint, of course. One day I found a Zac dress online at Glit for $250 dollars, and didn't buy it. Still kicking myself.
The goddess herself, DVF showed her Spring 2010 collection at Bryant Park on Sunday. The designer was insprired by a girl that is "looking into antiquity for effortless beauty." Her shows and styles always contain ethereal, flowly, and feminine looks. None of these were absent, but DVF also added a few fabulous tailored looks to round out her show.
Every show, a general theme cascades over the runway to compose a liquidity. This show centered around this season's nomad searcher with Egypt and the desert on her horizon, along with a side visit to the Pre-Raphaelites, according to style.com's review.
This is my favorite of her shows in a long time. I really loved last season's Rock Goddess, but this season seems to get back to her feminine roots while adding bold acccessories and new silhouettes to perfect her already flawless clothes.
My one complaint is how I could skip the neon/bright bangles. I get it, but so does Claire's and the 12 year olds that shop there.
So Fashion's Night Out was last week. And I babbled on and on...and on about it.
However, all the good stuff from the night has slowly been coming out, and it's only fair that I let you all in on the stuff I find right?
I mean you are reading my blog, after all.
Here's a video from my mecca, Vogue, recaping some of the highlights. Although I'm not sure you can get better than Oscar, Bette, Barbara and SJP singing...maybe.
So over the many years I have been into this crazy fashion world, I have come to fall in love with the tiny, adorable man that is Simon Doonan.
Besides being one of the most influential men in the fashion world that is not a designer, he is most famous for being Barney's creative director. Although, he has written two novels, writes for the New York Observer on a regular basis, and has a gorgeous [and almost equally famous] husband named Jonathan Alder, who is a furniture/home designer. You may also remember him from appearances on the early seasons of ANTM, if that is one of your guilty pleasures...like me.
While sadly perusing Barney's website for purchases my debit card will certainly not allow without overdrawing, I came across and interesting part of the website entitled "Simon's Babble."
Knowing [and loving] Simon, I clicked on it. This week it's his 5 "obey-or-die" tips for surviving fashion week. Thought it was definitely worth a click.
Read his babbles and articles, if you're into it. He's pretty much a genius.
On fabulous Madison Avenue, during the Fashion's Night Out celebration, Oscar de la Renta promised he would take the stage at his boutique and sing with one of the most famous women in America, Barbara Walters.
I'd heard rumors about this, and wasn't sure if it would happen. Had I been there, I definitely would've gone just to see if the rumors were true.
So if Oscar and Barbara the duet wasn't fantastic enough, guess who else showed up. You'll never guess. Unless of course you've already read it somewhere...
The goddess Bette Milder, and the other goddess, Sarah Jessica Parker, commonly known as SJP, the love of my life.
My favorite fashion blog, New York Magazine's The Cut, posted this in all it's glory. Thank god for those girls.
ok. so perez hilton may or may not be one of my guilty pleasures. i DO NOT however, read his "fashion" blog cocoperez. and you shouldn't either. point is, on his regular website for the past few days he has posted these.
i don't think i've ever been more excited in my life. what has michael patrick king cooked up this time? and pat field (THE costume designer.) with the 80s get up? oh i can't stand the wait. yay fashion week and satc2! :)
Images via Perezhilton.com, WENN and Fame Pictures
Fantastic article from the New York Times today. But makes me want to die inside. Careers in fashion basically are non-existent. And even if I am one of the lucky ones, it's going to take years of terrible tasks to get even close to where I want to be. Guess that is what you do for the dream.
Okay. It seems only appropriate that I begin my senior journalism project, this blog, the day before one of the biggest/fantastic/anticipated nights in fashion industry history and the first official day of New York Fashion Week.
Fashion's Night Out, specifically in New York, will make thousands of peoples' hearts break with public appearances by world famous designers, editors and photographers, as well as one night only sales and opportunities for shoppers to participate in. Collaborators put this event together with the help of people like Anna Wintour and Diane von Furstenberg (the president of the CFDA), to get the public excited about shopping and fashion again by getting them into the stores.
The buzz has echoed all the way over to Chicago, where a poor non-famous me only gets to read all the twitter updates and blog posts from the parties, events, and public appearances.
My highlights of FNO would be Patrick Demarchelier, the ridiculously famous photographer, shooting 100 of the most famous models for Vogue wearing the Fashion's Night Out t-shirt in front of the Bryant Park tents. Or perhaps Andre Leon Talley's hosting of a city wide game for Bergdorf Goodman with famous designers leading the teams and regular ol' folks getting to play for prizes. Or certainly Anna Wintour's Macy's appearance to sign t-shirts [wtf].
However, my personal favorite is the Opening Ceremony block party, where designers such as Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte and Alex Wang will be selling custom made, one of a kind designs out of the back of various cars on the block.
According to WWD, more than 700 retailers are participating in give aways, discounts, goody bags, public appearances, launches of new products, and various games. You can visit Fashion's Night Out online to see the specifics of all the participants and why you should cram each of them into your schedule.
A great deal of the proceeds of this world wide event are going to various charities, so it is not just to get people to spend their hard earned money for no reason. Forty percent of the t-shirt sales goes to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum fund. There is also a clothing drive with numerous drop offs around the city, and these donated items will go to 17 AIDS-related charities around New York.
To all of you who are so lucky enough to attend any of these fabulous events, I am sincerely jealous. Make your itineraries, and shop around all the events and giveaways planned. And say hi to Anna for me :)
UPDATE: Here's a slideshow from style.com documenting the wonder of FNO!
YET ANOTHER UPDATE: I know you all like slideshows. Here's another from New York Magazine.
Some of the ensembles that march down the runway during haute couture fashion shows seem not only larger than life, but the most intricate and time consuming designs ever imagined.
New York Magazine documented a bit of the genius that is Chanel couture. And made a video. It's my lucky day!
“If people talk to me about Sex And The City, I get sick. The taxi drivers recognize me now. It becomes too much and I don’t feel comfortable. I have never wanted to be a celebrity designer.”
My best friend describes me like this:
i am slightly obsessed with new york city, expensive shoes, and pretty things. i tend to overuse certain words and phrases, but it comes and goes depending on who i have last spoken with on the phone or over the internet.
i love my friends more than doing laundry, and i wouldn't have it any other way.
oh, and my dog wears a shock collar.
that's all.
but i describe myself as:
an aspiring journalist who loves my life, friends, family, fashion and writing. and personally boosting the economy with my shopping addiction.
Ok. So I have a brief rant to accomplish. But only quickly, seeing as any longer than a few paragraphs is a total waste of digital breath.
