Best Dressed at the 2012 CFDA Awards
Getty

This year's CFDA awards had me particularly excited for two reasons. The first was the fact that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were nominated for Best Womenswear Designer for The Row. The second was the fact that this year, for the first time, I voted for all the categories myself. So I feel like I had some part in making Ash and MK the big winners of the night.
The Olsens obviously chose to wear looks from The Row. They felt a bit more summery than they usually do, which probably has to do with the fact that they belong to their latest Cruise 2013 collection. I was also gladly surprised to see Mary-Kate has gone brunette again. I think it really suits her and it sure makes a lot of journalists' job much easier.
Joan Smalls accompanied Michael Kors in one of his designs. I loved the skirt cut and the sort of scalloped hem line. It was very much summer wear but extremely chic and Joan rocked it.
Hilary Rhoda, who has the most amazing eyes ever, went for a silk Rebecca Minkoff number. It was an unexpected choice for an event of this sort but I like the elegant yet slightly casual air of the dress. The colours and cut out details are super chic and they sure bring out her eyes.
No fashion event feels whole without Kate Bosworth so I was chuffed to find her amongst the attendees. She wore Altuzarra and was the designer's date. I was also super happy for Joseph Altuzarra, who won the Swarovski Awards for Womenswear. I, too, voted for him.

* Take a look at my blog for Harper's Bazaar Spain to see more of my favourite looks.

The unsung looks from the Met Ball 2012
Getty, OneFabDay.com

It has literally taken me this long to find a picture of Jenna Lyons at the Met Ball. She is one of the most stylish people in the world and I knew she wouldn't just go for a gown. I absolutely loved her take on evening wear – a hot pink satin skirt paired with a crisp smart white shirt finished with a cropped denim jacket and pale pink suede shoes. Such an innovative take on eveningwear!!
Another of my favourites was newcomer Lena Dunham – writer, producer, director and actress in the new HBO series "Girls". She wore a custom Wes Gordon dress in green. I love the choice of pink stilettos that made the look really fun. Bet Lena's best accessory was her date: Hamish Bowles who also looked amazing in a Dolce & Gabbana pink blazer.
I felt a bit bad for Lana del Rey. She wore a stunning silver number from Altuzarra paired with a black cape. I feel like Gwyneth's look from the Oscars really hindered Lana's fashion experience at the Met Ball. Even though this was a totally different and beautiful look it was hard not to remember G in the amazing white Tom Ford...

Who do yo like better?

Style.com, Vogue.com

I have been keenly watching all the videos from this year's CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund. I love the fact that they've created several episodes where they talk to this year's nominees but also to the judges. It's really interesting to hear both sides.

I don't want to get into my predictions just yet but I will say that, at least for womenswear, Joseph Altuzarra is one of my favourites. I love him at the beginning of the last video (which you can see here) where he escorts Anna up the stairs to his studio. I've thought he's such a talented designer ever since his first collection for FW09.

However, I will play the superficial character and say that the highlight of the video for me was actually Joseph's Schnauzer puppy wearing a custom made anorak inspired from one of this FW11 looks. I loved what he did with anoraks for this season but I must say I like it more on the pup.

Style.com

I did chuckle a little this morning when I saw the new Alexander Wang and Altuzarra collections. When I posted about this yesterday I never expected to actually be right.

To be completely honest, I don't hate these shoes. I think Altuzarra's lace-ups and Wang's ankle-tied shoes are really cool and sexy, even despite the weird heel height. I just wished they had made them in more of a cream or off-white colour. Alexander Wang should have just gone for black, no? Those shoes would look so kick-ass in black.

What do you think about these shoes? Would you wear them?

Collage Sunday, 13.02.11: Anoraks and fluffy heels

That time that comes every six months that makes Giulia and I so happy is here again. Fashion Month kicked off last Wednesday in New York and we've already seen quite a lot of the usual NY blandness but also some of the genius names that show in the big apple. My favourites so far have been rather unexpected —Lyn Devon, Jenni Kayne, Jeremy Laing and Suno all amazed me in different ways, something which I rarely experience with NY shows. Rag & Bone keeps walking in a straight but really creative line and making collections full of hit. Alexander Wang and Joseph Altuzarra, two of my absolute favourites from NY, showed yesterday and I was happy to find many parallelisms between their collections.

Anoraks had been denied entrance to the fashion world for years until Remo Ruffini took control of Moncler and made Thom Browne creative director. The latter reinvented the idea of luxe sportswear and centred his collections for the French brand around anoraks cut in shapes and produced in fabrics that were previously only related to tailoring. The success of Moncler in changing its perception made everyone change their mind about anoraks, which has designers turn their efforts towards this garment and made it protagonist of several FW11 collections. Wang and Altuzarra have interpreted the anorak both in its traditional coat shape but also as parkas and capes or ponchos. Wang even went as far as making a tuxedo blazer out of it. The other common element on both collections, which will also become a trend if it hasn't already, are the furry heels we saw at both shows. I wonder if they are warm even though they're pretty much sandals. Although, if Prada's chandelier sandals were a hit, why not these?
I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

15 essentials for SS10

Every season, together with the must-have bags and shoes, lists are made about the key silhouettes, colours, textures and garments that a woman must add to add the required savviness to her wardrobe. We have chosen our soVIP essentials for SS10 with a selection of our all-time favourite designers, the most acclaimed of the season and a couple new additions.

1. David Delfín's hospital green, 2. Marni's head scarves, 3. Chloé's denim patchwork, 4. Céline's structure, 5. Rag & Bone's jersey harems, 6. Isabel Marant's cropped tweed, 7. Prada's palm landscapes, 8. Dries Van Noten's printed wraps, 9. Prada's bejewelled-ness, 10. Stella McCartney's denim, 11. Givenchy's stripes, 12. Altuzarra's suede and lace, 13. Preen's fuzziness, 14. Christopher Kane's gingham, 15. Alexander Wang's leather and jersey.

[Pictures: Style.com]

I'm off.

Jude's awesome luggage and CFDA nominations

Things seem to move at a glacial pace after fashion week. The never-ending excitement of weeks of displaying collections takes a while to wear off and, in the meantime, we try and find as much new information as possible. Regurgitating FW10 trends doesn't seem enough. That's why rather trivial things like Jude Law's amazing set of leather luggage (I'd personally love to see what's in them) comes hand in hand with the nominations for this year's CFDA awards.

It came as no surprise that the CFDA's Board of Directors Special Tribute was awarded to McQueen, I hope the first of the many tributes to come. Tom Ford's nomination for best menswear designer did put a smile on my face, I hope he gets back on his game and wins mens and womenswear in the near future. Otherwise, I only feel I have to express my irritation for Marc Jacob's eternal and rather undeserved nominations (best accessory designer, hello?) and my content for Christopher Bailey's best international designer award for his work at Burberry and Altuzarra's nomination for the Swarovski Award for Womenswear. Here are the rest of nominees, make your bets.

Womenswear Designer of the Year:
Donna Karan
Marc Jacobs
Alexander Wang
Menswear Designer of the Year:
Michael Bastian
Tom Ford
David Neville & Marcus Wainwright for Rag & Bone
Accessory Designer of the Year:
Alexis Bittar
Lazaro Hernandez & Jack McCollough for Proenza Schouler
Marc Jacobs
Swarovski Award for Womenswear:
Joseph Altuzarra
Jason Wu
Prabal Gurung
Swarovski Award for Menswear:
Richard Chai
Simon Spurr
Patrik Ervell
Swarovski Award for Accessories:
Alexander Wang
Dana Lorenz
Eddie Borgo
The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award:
Michael Kors
The International Award:
Christopher Bailey for Burberry
Fashion Icon Award:
Iman
The Eugenia Sheppard Award:
Kim Hastreiter (Paper Magazine)
Eleanor Lambert Award:
Tonne Goodman (Vogue)
Board of Directors Special Tribute:
Alexander McQueen

[Credits: JustJared, NbcNewYork]

I'm off.

NY highlights

This New York Fashion Week gave the feeling to be more aware of the times we live in. It was interesting seeing designers tackling with the issue of being practical while having their ideas remain on the garments. As usual, the coat took over the catwalks in its many forms —fur and leather still made an appearance but most designers went for the more unexpensive wool and tweed or the ever-classic cashmere. FW10 trends will be monopolised by layers more than ever. Some combinations that might have seemed nonsensical in the past become the protagonists of this season (see Rag & Bone). Velvet, which is a constant in menswear, made a big-time comeback in the shape of dresses (see Altuzarra) that looked somehow like shabby medieval gowns. However, if I were to choose my favourite trend it would be, by far, the maxi skirt and oversized cardigan combo. I have never been much of a boho chic fan but there is something mysteriously sensual about a woman that's not so keen on showing off her curves (see Richard Chai).

[Picture credit: Style.com]

Which one was your favourite collection from NYFW?

I'm off.

new GLAMOUR

NYC Fashion Week has provided us with some gems during these times of crisis. Click here for my review of the Joseph Altuzarra collection. An up-and-coming designer that has created highly body-con garments with an understated sensuality.

[Picture credit: Style.com]

I'm off.