Grande talento

Going through my messy world the other day, I found an old insert from Vogue Italia. It was about the new era of fashion cerated by new great minds. I started flicking through the pages to see who were, for the Italian bible, the new designers to keep an eye on.
Mary Katrantzou caught my attention from the first time I saw her creations on LuisaViaRoma's website. She's definitely part of the new era of fashion where digital prints are revolutionising the way of creating patterns. Her FW 2010 collection includes a great selection of silhouettes and desing. The whole line, from the prints point of view, reminded me of the splendeur and the richness of Sicilian Baroque churches as well as of portraits of big historical leaders. The collection has a great mix of new sophisticated elegance.

Roberta Furlanetto is one of the new designers who rappresent the essence of 'Made in Italy'. After starting her career under the influence of Azzedine Alaïa, Nina Ricci, Christian Lacroix, she created her own company 3 years ago. Her collection is a mix of artisan-made garments and ethical materials. Her clothes have both a feminine silhouette and a chic semplicity. Her palette for FW 2010 mixes soft pale colours with dashes of intense ones. There are also some pieces in black, which I haven't included in the post, but are worth seeing at www.robertafurlanetto.com. My favourite piece is the fuchsia ruffle dress, a rich volume of colour which makes a woman feel confident and beautiful.

I have always been an 'accessories' kind of girl, always obssessed more with shoes, bags and jewellery rather than clothes. I fell in love with Chrissie Morris the moment I turned a page and saw her shows. Not just another shoe designer. Her shoes are edgy pieces of sculpture. She is capable of juxtaposing elements like precious materials, such as shiny python, and simple 'architectonical' lines. As soon as I saw her collection I thought of the Art Deco period, in which the line were the essence of the creative process.

- Giuls

[Pictures: Style.com, Style.it, ChrissieMiller.com]

Take me to fashion week

With fashion month around the corner it is time to sort out the most important item a woman ever wears —the bag. The essential question to find out whether a bag is fashion-week-proof or not is something close to 'Can I fit a notebook, a Nikon Reflex, an extra jacket and scarf, the make-up box, phone, wallet, keys, a packet of nuts and a bottle of Fiji in it?'. Unless you're Anna dello Russo, clutches are out of the question and one of the bags below will most definitely do it for you.

Which one would you go for?

I'm off.

P.S. Today's the last day to vote for us at the Cosmo Blog Awards. Click here and make us happy!

P.P.S. I forgot to mention is doesn't matter how practical or not, Giulia will be wearing her Chanel jumbo to LFW despite the fact that she has an amazing blue YSL like the one above...

[Pictures: Net-a-Porter.com, MatchesFashion.com, Lochers.com, LouisVuitton.com]

Bring on LFW

With fashion month approaching I can't but start getting excited. Especially about the SS11 shows that will take place in London. I always enjoy LFW because everything feels so fresh and different from any other fashion week. These are the designers that surprised me the most or that I simply loved last season and whose spring lines I can't wait to see. Who are you dying to see?

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Introducing: Clarissa Labin

Today, as I flicked through the September issue of Vogue UK, I spotted a little square column on the right-hand side of one of the pages devoted to a new talent, Clarissa Labin, whose team had emailed me her lookbook a few days before. I was happy to see it wasn't just me that had seen in her debut FW10 line a lot of potential and great pieces. As you know, when I first come across a collection I always look for certain essential pieces. Labin hits all the right notes: a leather LBD, a leather jacket, a chunky cardigan and plenty of revisited basics which make a very modern statement via colour. The lamé skirt and dress and the leather skirt add the winter trend elements that round up the collection.
It's hard to believe this is a first collection. Directional lines are hard to come by in amateur designers. But Clarissa is no amateur. After graduating from London College of Fashion in 2000 she first worked in the accessories design department of Christian Dior. She then moved on to H&M where she specialised in knitwear and jersey (hence the fantastic pieces in her collection) and where she'd work as Head of Design of Divided Black until 2009, when she moved to Berlin to start the amazing line we see below.

Clarissa Labin will be stocked at glassworks-studios.com and Anthropologie in the UK.
I'm off.

[Pictures: Clarissa Labin]

Bailey's flock

I'm not sure if I have finally decided I'm done with summer or if my recent trip to Edinburgh reminded me how much I lover colder weather but the thing is I can't stop thinking about my FW10 wardrobe. Just today, still wearing flip-flops and having an aperitif outside, I had a chat to one of my dearest friends (who is also one of the most stylish people I know, btw) about the kind of shearling jacket we should get. Everyone from Zara to H&M to Acne and Rick Owens is doing at least one for next season so there's plenty to choose from. The problem is I don't just like any jacket and the ones I'm coveting the most go up to the four figures, which is terribly frustrating. I had a look online to see what's the offer a few weeks before the new season dully hits the stores and this is what I found —including shearling accessories that look super chic and very warm.

The truth is that no matter what you find or how hard you look the best shearling jackets are those with the Burberry Prorsum knight on the label. Bailey singlehandedly created the biggest trend for the season and he put Burberry at the head of it. The craze about the jackets in questions is such that the brown leather cropped one (at £1,895 a piece) is already sold out on Net-a-Porter and it's only the middle of August. Cr-azy.

Who do you think will be sporting of of Burberry's coats or jackets during the next fashion month?
I'm off.

[Pictures: product websites, Zimbio.com]

How do you do, Mrs. Draper?

Yesterday was one of those rare summer days in Madrid when the sky gets grey and you can smell the rain coming but it's still quite warm and the only two things you fancy doing are either having a 6-hour brunch in hangover ensembles or stay home and do a TV show marathon. I went for the latter and started on Mad Men season 2. I am already on episode 7 and I can tell you the second season is a whole new world. You have met all the characters on season 1 and now you get to see more of their lives. The writers have this magnificent ability to show 48 minutes of mostly quotidian activities and make them feel absolutely fascinating. Not more fascinating than January Jone's indescribable beauté and Betty Draper's (her alter ego) wardrobe. The costume design seems even more remarkable having in mind the strong (late) 50's trends that will take over come fall. These are some of my favourite Betty Draper moments from season 2 so far.

This is Betty in action:

While I looked for the images I wanted to share with you I came across this 'Mad Men Yourself' tool where you get to choose your hair style, clothes and accessories (including Scotch and cigarettes) to create your 50's persona. This one below is mine (which I believe actually looks quite like me) next to Don Draper, so you also get a feel of the menswear in the show.

I'm off.

[Pictures: imdb.com, amctv.com, Style.com]

Scandinavians know best

Forget about the Parisians, Londoners and New Yorkers. The coolest passport to have these days is a Scandinavian one. And even more so when it comes to fashion. The world known Swedish style staples Acne, H&M, Cheap Monday and COS are being joined by more and more Scandinavian brands expanding beyond their country limits to spread the neat coolness only the they have.
As I slowly started getting into FW10 mood someone from DAY Birger et Mikkelsen emailed me about their winter collection. I am usually reticent to publish content by request but I changed my mind as soon as I saw what they had to offer. For the upcoming season they have created a fusion of urban and countryside inspiration that has transformed into tailored wool pieces that coexist with t-shirts, Breton tops, jeans and even lace to create a very eclectic yet classic collection.

They have recently launched their own e-shop but you can also find some of their pieces at Net-a-Porter and My Wardrobe. Not only their womenswear is beautiful, practical and fresh but the same can be said about their men's line (which you can see over at Fashion, Frankly) and their home range from which I wish I could have every single piece because it is exactly the type of furniture and deco that I love.
Have a look at their website HERE to see the rest of the lookbooks or click HERE to head to their online store. If you do the latter, I do warn you that the site has just been launched this month and apparently they still haven't received much stock. So keep checking back, I'm sure I will because I desperately need the greenish three-piece suit they have for men.
I'm off.

PS. How much does the lookbook model remind you of Agnes? I am till in awe of those bouncing curls from her 'Release me' video.

[Pictures: day.dk]

How do you spell Scognamiglio?

I don't know about you but I am ever so amazed by the power of twitter. More of ten than not, I find myself taking ideas and inspiration for posts from links, images or statements people share on twitter. A few days ago Giovanna Battaglia and Anna dello Russo incessantly tweeted at Francesco Scognamiglio praising his latest FW10 campaign. And so I obviously felt compelled to have a look. It is true that it would have been hard to create a bad campaign for such a stunning collection but I found it specially good. I love how simple yet representative of Scognamiglio's style it is. The hair reminded me a little of what Aquascutum did for winter but this was sexier, more glamourous.

I, then, remembered a video from Garance Doré where Giovanna and Anna chat and giggle away (and give me an overdose of stylish cuteness) and where Anna says she can't spell Scognamiglio. It is thanks to that video that I found out about the Italian genius and that I can type it correctly faster than I can say it (which is quite an achievement). If you go through dello Russo's ensembles for last fashion week you will definitely remember a very short mini-dress with the most decadently opulent belt you have seen in your entire life. That was Scognamiglio. He is, to me, part of the Holy Trinity (Giambattista Valli, Antonio Berardi and him) of Italian-blooded men who transcend trends and create exquisite collections. You can get a hold of some Scognamiglio at Luisaviaroma. The prices are surprisingly good considering you will not only be getting an extremely well-cut piece but also a delicious piece of jewellery (so it's like a high-fashion '2 for 1').

I'm off.

[Pictures: TheFashionSpot.com, FrancescoScognamiglio.it]

You're cold, then you're hot, Karl

I was going to ask if you guys remembered the Chanel FW10 collection, but how could you possibly forget? I remember how indignant I was at the Kaiser for this very odd collection. In fact, I only liked the hot water tweed bags, if you remember my review. I haven't changed my mind one bit but I must admit I did not see this one coming. Silly me. What can you possibly do with a show piece that can't go into production (because it ain't wearable, Karl) but that attracted a lot of media attention? —You use it on editorials. Duh.

And that is exactly what Dazed & Confused has done in their August 2010 issue. Kristen McMenamy, one of the first models to become known because of her androgynous look in the 90's, wears Lagerfeld's yeti overalls in an amazing shoot styled by Dazed's fashion director Karen Langley. I have to admit that, in this scenario, the coats work like a charm. Thinking about it, if you cut the black legs it wouldn't make a half bad coat. After all, we all loved Bárbara Martelo in the Marant one, didn't we?

Click here to see the rest of the shoot at Dazed & Confused.
I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, trucosyfondos.com, RDuJour.com]


PS. They would also be great for a fashion version of "Where the wild things are" with Anna Wintour as Carol and Bryanboy as Max.

3 dresses to remember

I suppose it's common to all of us who attentively follow fashion week season after season to always have in mind a dress, outfit or accessory that was iconic in every collection. This past Haute Couture season there have been three dresses that were like that for me. Be it because of the design, the way it was shown or what they signify to me, I can't seem to shake them out of my mind. I find it quite funny as each one belongs to a collection I didn't post about this week, so it was only fair to at least mention them.

Givenchy was very much perfect. Every single dress seemed to have been created to make memorable moments completely unforgettable. My favourite was this white lace one, which is closed off at the top with zips in very straight lines and slowly gives way to a sinuous split at the bottom. I guess I also remember it because it looks flawless on Mariacarla Boscono.

Valentino was this season's surprise for me. They turned their obsession with bows into very directional motifs that give a flirty cohesion to the line. I loved this 'bird cage' dress because it was unexpected and made me think of something Viktor & Rolf would create in a moment of softness. You also don't need a bag if you're wearing it because you can keep all your stuff hopping around your waist.

I loved Armani Privé's palette in this collection but I didn't quite get or liked the line per se. However, there were two or three dresses at the end, like this one, that looked super sexy. Since the dress leaves very little room for skin to be shown, it is the shiny nude sequins and body-hugging silhouette that have to make the dress sexy. I can't wait to see someone like Anne Hathaway in it.
Which was the most memorable Haute Couture dress for you?
I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Haute Couture shoe edition: what was Karl thinking?

One of the things that keeps me going back to Style.com for catwalk pictures despite their inefficiency is the fact that they do normally include a considerable amount of detail shots —aka: shoes, belts, bags, and ruffles up close. I normally tend to have a quick look and save any pictures of the stuff that has caught my attention. This process is normally really short with the Haute Couture shows because designers (in general) don't like to complicate them too much as it's all about the dresses. Well, this time I spent more time than normal, for better or worse, looking at Couture shoes and this is what I thought.

This was the first Valentino collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli that I actually liked. It seemed as if they're finally gathering all the firstly disconnected elements and turning them into cohesive ideas. The shoes followed the bow-centred theme of the collection and even though the low heels were very Oscar de la Renta for Anna Wintour, I loved them. There was a sense of Louis XVI to them that looked tremendously chic and surprisingly contemporary. I certainly hope they keep it up for the SS10 Prêt-à-Porter collection.

I am tired of Karl's inconsistency and of the world applauding his every move no matter what only because we all know he's a genius. The last Chanel collections (mid-seasons included) have been outrageously indulgent, even for them. We did see stunning dresses, I won't deny that, but Chanel should be about flawlessness and chic and instead we keep getting rococo. I wonder what Mademoiselle Chanel, who believed in simplicity and elegance, would think of Lagerfeld's Russian nightmares.

Elie Saab was apt and all but it was a particular red shoe that caught my attention. If you look closely at them it seems only obvious they should appear of Fashionista's 'The adventures of copyright' section as they're almost identical (apart from colour) to Dolce & Gabbana's FW09 black wedges.
I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, Polyvore.com]

Dressing Jessica Rabbit

Jean Paul Gaultier's Haute Couture like is, without any kind of doubt, the best of all shown in Paris for the FW10 season. Givenchy was definitely a stunner but JPG's collection definitely blew me away. There was a lot of 50's silhouettes slightly evoking a 20's style —tube feathered skirts, suggestive lame layered with gauze and snow white fur. A richness in materials and fabrics that makes one a little shocked upon finding the long-sleveed, high-neck leather tops that are almost latex-like and seem to have escaped from 'The Avengers'.
Hairdos and turbans definitely stole the show. They reminded one of Marc Jacobs' FW09 collection but with a difference; Gaultier's pointed forward, for his woman is a determined one. There was also a certain influence of 30's pin-up —silhouettes hugged and accentuated the hips but the waists weren't as narrow, this is modern sexiness.

As I soon as I saw the picture of Jessica Stam in the see-through top under the white fur stole and the red lips there was 'someone' I couldn't get out of my mind —Jessica Rabbit. If anyone were ever to make a human version of Roger's wife she would have to wear Jean Paul Gaultier. In fact, Dita Von Teese would be a good candidate to cast as Jessica Rabbit and she already walked for Gaultier. She could wear the sophisticated 'bunnie' inspired turban to elegant soirees to match Roger's ears, no?

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Haute Couture Day 1

I don't remember getting this excited about Couture in a while, particularly about Galliano's work for Christian Dior. The truth is his last collection for the French staple was inspired and inspiring and took the so-called 'floral inspiration' to a whole new level. The models impersonated upside-down bunches of flowers with stem wrappers acting as hats (designed by Stephen Jones) and petals facing downwards as skirts. Regardless of the outstanding technical aspects (I loved all the ruching, specially on the nude dress) the best part of the collection were the colours. Tim Blanks, in his review for Style.com, points out how Galliano must've observed different kinds of flowers in different types of light to come up with the very precise colour palette. Personally, I found that the hues on the dresses took more from the captivating degradé of pansies than from any other flower. The bows at the waist and the petal-shaped bustiers culminated looks that, while staying true to the house's foundations and Galliano's signature looked glamourously avant-garde.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

wear art

This is not the first time I talk about Marni's FW10 collection. In fact, I pretty much elevated it to the heavens in the review I wrote about it during last Milan Fashion Week. After that, we saw it in action worn by Sasha Pivovarova, Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl at the Met Ball. And now, after buyers have made up their minds and a bit over a month from the first of the Fall collections hitting the stores, brands such as Marni start to release further details about some of their products.

If you look back at the last collection from Consuelo Castiglioni you will remember how the designer included arty printed t-shirts to go with her innovative silhouettes and interesting colour palette. As it turns out, the designs of the t-shirts were created Gary Hume, a British designer known for his simplification of colour. An explanation is rather out of the question once one glances at Hume's work with Castiglioni's past of bold colours and simplified designs in mind, no?

I'd quite like to get one for myself had I not have to save the banging £437 they cost (even if they're made of silk). Would you spend that much on a t-shirt?
I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, AnOthermag.com, edinburgh-printmakers.co.uk, dogproject.co.uk, sumiki.files.wordpress.com]

Cogito ergo Prorsum

I love Christopher Bailey almost as much as I love Burberry. And I do not only because he is extremely talented but because he has a very positive and forward vision of what bloggers can do these days. Which is why, even though their FW10 campaign doesn't officially come out until July, the pictures have been released online so all of us fashion and Burberry freaks can spread the word much better than a double page in Vogue can.
I can usually do with a little less Burberry check on the campaigns, which is why I truly love this one where Bailey has given us a very welcome overdose of his stunning shearling jackets instead. I always love the fact that everyone in the adverts is 100% British and they have that aristocratic pale beauty that kind os epitomises the young Burberry customer.

What do you think of the new campaign? Aren't you dying to get a shearling jacket?
I'm off.

[Style.com, JustJared.buzznet.com]

Miuccia (hearts) bows

Is it me or is W starting to look a bit more interesting now that Stefano Tonchi is sitting on the editor's chair? For the July issue they have chosen Eva Mendes, shot by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, in FW10 Miu Miu. Eva is not, by far, one of my favourite celebrities. In fact, there is something about her that I find a little annoying, but she does look amazing in this editorial (which you can see here). I love the fact that she makes it look exotic and apt for the summer and I like the fact that the dress is actually 'filled'. It's kind of refreshing to see curvaceous women wearing this amazing dresses.

Looking at the cover, it seems unavoidable to look at the massive (don't think badly) bow at the front. Suddenly I realised Miuccia had used this very rigid bow details not only in most of the FW10 Miu Miu collection but also in some of the FW10 Prada looks and most of the shoewear of that same line. There is something cartoony about Miu Miu's bows that makes me think they'll be a hit next season. After all, everyone loved the cats and birds splashed across the brand's SS10 shoes and pronounced neck lines.

Will you be wearing bows next winter?
I'm off.

[Pictures: JustJared.buzznet.com, Style.com]

David Koma: shape genius

Several weeks ago, Giulia and I attended a multi-brand and multi-designer preview of FW10 collections. This is the first post of a few about some of the things we loved the most there. I wanted to start with David Koma because seeing his clothes up close made me realise how amazing his skills really are. I had seen his designs on the catwalk (online) and hadn't given them much thought beyond that. When you have his dresses on your hands it's almost not possible to believe how well made everything is. He mixes leather, wool and jersey in a dress yet gives the impression that it consists of no more that one piece. Everything looked surprisingly flattering and comfortable. Even the heavily zip-detailed dresses (that can't be made justice in pictures) feel as if anyone could simply slip them on and look fabulous.

The colours of the collection are basic, with slight variations of nude and greys with a hint of lilac. But the shapes are geometrically genius. Every pointy edge is exactly where it should be so as to complement the body shape. In short, Koma is now flickering bright and beeping loudly on my radar.
I'm off.

[Pictures: Giulia, DavidKoma.com, NYmag.com]

Introducing: Irwin & Jordan

Last London Fashion Week, Laia (the beautiful girl in the header) and I paid a visit to the LFW showrooms at Somerset House. We were surprised by how boring most collections were and quickly decided to leave led by disappointment. As we did, a few camel and grey pieces caught my attention from inside a room labeled 'Irwin & Jordan'. It turned out to be a very young British brand which defines itself very aptly as a mixture of "Savile Row tailoring, contemporary cuts and heritage fabrics". Their FW10 collection is, in fact, all of that. Jersey, leather and lace mix with unbelievable tailoring and beautiful silk creating very interesting juxtapositions. The restricted colour palette makes the line cohesive but doesn't limit diversity. Nudes, greys, camel and black are mixed the odd navy and metallics to, again, create super interesting results.

My favourite pieces were the amazing grey suit on the right (make it for men, please), the lace pieces and the grey jersey dress with the leather front that I'm holding at the bottom left. Laia and I also loved the metallic sequinned tunic I seem so amused about. We emulated all the I die's and it's perfection's Giulia would have screamed had she seen a piece so her.

Check out their awesome SS10 collection on their website for more comfortable edgy clothes where you can purchase them as well.
I'm off.

[Pictures: Laia Bonastre, Irwin & Jordan]

Collage Sunday, 16.05.10

For this week I am going a little into FW10 trends. Funnily enough, I despised gold and leopard for a long time when I was younger but I've come to understand that they are not genuinely tacky but misunderstood and worn by the wrong people in the wrong way. They're both going go be quite big next season (loving the lamé everywhere) so why not try to be ahead? Carine, Emmanuelle and Mary-Kate are.

Happy Sunday!

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, Jak & Jill, Garance Doré, Net-a-Porter.com, Cartier, JustJared.buzznet.com, Celebrity-Gossip.net]

Oasis FW10 preview

A few weeks ago Giulia and I attended the press day for the Oasis FW10 collection. We arrived to a lovely country-side like room where we had a delicious chicken and terracotta sauce before we headed into the two floors of showrooms. It was all about chunky versatile knits and a load of black with splashes of red, lace and camel (the colour of the season). We decided to try something new and make videos instead of taking pictures and this is the result. Enjoy! And happy May Day.

I'm off.

[Video and editing by Giulia and moi]