You're either in or you're out

As a foreigner who has lived in the UK for a while and made a big effort to be absorbed by British culture one of the first things I had to do was religiously sit in front of the tv every Saturday night to watch the X Factor. But not only watch, I had to show great genuine enthusiasm or anger for the my favourite contestants. Honestly speaking, it didn't take long until I was a convert. And now I can't live without it. The year after I lost my X Factor virginity the panel of judges welcomed Cheryl Cole, whom I had never looked at twice. And it was then that our (or my) love story started. I am irresistibly attracted to her face and her accent. Little did I know she'd try and become the fashion-statement maker of the show. I admit she is yet to master such an art. In fact, she provided fashion catastrophes such as that signed by David Koma. This time, though, she seems to be toning it down, playing it safer. But I can smell something good coming up.
I can't complain so far. For the first live show of the season she donned a dress by one of my favourite young designers —Daniel Vosovic. I didn't expect this choice at all. In fact, I originally though the dress was by Antonio Berardi. Vosovic was one of the finalists of Project Runway season 2 and one of my favourite contestants as of yet. He showed such class and taste and his dress-amking skills were rather sharp for someone so fresh off FIT. I had lost track of him for a couple of seasons but he came back on my radar after he showed his SS11 collection in the last edition of NYFW.

The collection mainly focused on utilitarian chic, taking elements from menswear and working garments and very feminine and fragile fabrics and having them worn by a tough woman. It almost seemed as if the collection was intended as a high-fashion option for camping attire —as if you took Unique's FW10 runway and brought it to Central Park. Vosovic also played with digital prints, something he had never done before, on velvet panels which draped over gauze and mesh to form dresses. I can't understand why more attention hasn't been given to him, I am certainly watching.

I'm off.

[Pictures: NYmag.com, Redcarpet-fashionawards.com]