Leelee Sobieski, the new style icon
JustJared

Sometimes it takes me longer than it should to recognise true style, even if it seems obvious. It happened with Rooney Mara a while back and now it's Leelee Sobieski's turn.

Up until recently I had only noticed her every so often like when she wore a stunning Mary Katrantzou I loved. I guess that I didn't really start to remember her until she wore the white Adam Kimmel tuxedo to the 2011 CFDA Awards and shortly afterwards she went for a Jil Sander – I love a woman who can pull off a pant suit and who dares to wear Jil Sander.

But it was this week when I was really blown away. Earlier this week Leelee wore Jil Sander again (the last collection from Raf Simons) to the Tribeca Film Festival Vanity Fair party. I haven't seen anyone look so beautiful in a long time. It was a slick and elegant look very well complemented with the hair.

A day later, for the same festival happening in New York, Sobieski slipped into an über chic Boy by Band of outsiders black gown (see it here without coat) which she wore with a Maroon coat from The Row. I absolutely love her choices of designers – elegant and refined but contemporary.

What do you think of Leelee's style?

Milan Fashion Week: FW12 Highlights
Style.com

What Stephanie LaCava wore - LFW Day 1
Know Wear

Even though London Fashion Week kicked off I count today as day 1 because my dear Stephanie LaCava just touched down! We had a lot of catching up to do because we hadn't seen each other since September.

Last season I tried to do a little photo diary of what Stephanie wore everyday but we ended up having a ridiculously hectic few days so we kept forgetting. Hopefully this time around we get around to it. So far so good. Today I snapped her outside one of her first appointments in London dressed up in one of her famous chic ensembles.

She is wearing a khaki Thakoon jumpsuit gathered at the waist – you should see how amazingly it fits her –, a Jil Sander coat, Ann Demeulemeester boots and the greatest Maison Michel hat!

Show-wise, I am keeping things simple this season because I don't seem to be in a crazy fashion week mood. But I am covering a few really good shows I'm super excited about starting with Acne this evening. So stay tuned for updates on LFW!

Style.com

So far the SS12 season has been great! New York started out a little weak, with the exception of Alex Wang, Prabal and Rag & Bone, but London really picked up the rhythm and Milan is keeping it up.

I was very pleased with Gucci this season because finally Frida Giannini has brought it back to what it used to be –a plethora of luxurious glamour inspired by the golden eras of fashion. We have seen a lot of fringed skirts and drop waist dresses since New York kicked things off but no one has made then as well as Gucci so far. The 20's inspiration is going strong.
Versace, another Italian house who has had a little trouble getting its mojo back, has finally found its place in the current fashion panorama. Donatella is keeping Gianni's essence alive while pushing the brand forward. I love their SS12 collection and its abundance of two-piece tube skirt and top looks –a trend also very well pulled off at Pucci, despite their lose of focus this season.
Two of my favourites, Marni and Jil Sander, never disappoint. The first joined into the 20's silhouettes trend but approached it from its quirky and graphic way, which made it very interesting. Raf Simons, who is not rumoured to become the new creative director at YSL (!), went for more of a late 50's inspiration. He updated the looks by playing with geometric cuts. My favourite were the square necklines that we also saw ar Marni –so chic!

[Style.com]

A few of the biggest names' —Gucci, Lanvin, McCartney, Céline, Pucci— Cruise 2012 collections were published yesterday on Style.com. One of my favourites from the group was Givenchy. I love what Riccardo Tisci has done for the brand from day one (which is why I get so scared about the Dior rumours) and I am even more into this game of layers, graphics and sheers that he started recently. His resort creations for the brand follow a very similar line than his fw11 collection but in a softer more feminine way, AKA: no raging bulldogs.

Instead, he's integrated florals, of which we also saw a little for the winter collection. However, as you click through the pictures the flowers become more and more like what we saw on Jil Sander's huge summer hit collection both for women and men.

I would have put this post on the copycat category if it weren't for Riccardo's involvement. Instead, I prefer to think that he admires Simons' work so much he kindly asked to borrow his flowers over a Lady Grey tea in a Florentine garden.

Would you rather wear Tisci's or Simons' design?

I know bold prints —Jil Sander, Stella McCartney, Céline and the lot— are pretty much old news. But the fact is that I am currently very much inspired by them. Not only they match my jolly summer mood (despite London's temperamental weather) but they look über-cool when carefully combined with other prints.

As a man, I have to be even more careful with my print combinations but you ladies are so lucky to be able to go a lot crazier. I am loving stripes and flower prints at the moment, especially if the florals are a bit funky and look quite collage-y.

Which prints will you be wearing this summer?

It is true that if you put Ashley Olsen in a pair of shabby pyjama bottoms and a tattered tank top I would probably still find her insanely attractive and stylish. Just as it's true that moments like this make me believe she's the one for me.

On her last outing in New York my favourite part of the Olsens wore a Jil Sander suit from the collection. She paired it with Chanel sandals and a breton striped t-shirt. As I've mentioned many times before Jil Sander's spring 11 line is on my top 5 of the season. So this perfect combination must mean we're destined for each other?

I love how Ashley wears the suit in such a casual way and how the fact that she's rolled up the trousers and blazer gives the impression that she's just grabbed something from her boyfriend's closet and ran out (I would be willing to share).

What do you think of Ashley's look?

[JustJared]

Peplum déjà vu

Fashion Month finally wrapped up yesterday in Paris. And when I say finally mean it in a relieving way because it takes quite a bit of effort to keep up to speed with the collections. I don't know if it was just me but it feels like they speed it up more and more every season. I can't imagine the state some editors are in. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bvlgari Spa in Bali was overbooked this weekend. I have managed to catch up with all the collections, which makes me happy because it means I'm not behind anymore. I have decided that it's too boring to just post pictures of the collections and rant about how much I like them (or not) so I'm going to post about the bit of them that I loved or that caught my attention. Like this one below. I loved Giambattista Valli's FW11 collection but I was surprised to see him introduce similar bold coloured peplums to the over-featured Jil Sander ones from SS11. It's not that I don't like them (even if these are attached) but they're just old news, n'est pas?

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Leighton covers L'Officiel

This is exactly the kind of magazine covers Leighton Meester should be doing. Editors of Vogue, ELLE et al., should be kicking themselves in the head for not coming up with such a concept first. The fact is that the Lithuanian version of L'Officiel is one of the best covers I've seen as of late. They have kept it clean and the bright tangerine of the title and the grey of the background are as bang-on trend as Leighton herself. She somehow reminds me of a modern Frida Kahlo (sans unibrow, that's so 1900's) and I love how a stylist has finally combined one of the Jil Sander maxi skirts with something other than a crisp white shirt. I think the skirt goes great with the tight Lanvin top and I absolutely love the bangles. I am going on a London hunt of this issue!

Stylist: Peju Famojure, Photographer: Alexey Yurenev

I'm off.

[Picture: sassisamblog.com]

Carine's colourful farewell

It's that time late in the month when pictures from all the new month magazines start filtering into the Fashion Spot before they magazines actually come out. And, of course, this means I have to post about the new Vogue Paris. And I don't only have to do so because the March issue is particularly good (I am in love with Giovanna Battaglia's story) but because this is Carine's last issue as Rédactrice en Chef. After the big controversy of the Tom Ford issue Carine seems to be making up for all the advertisers she left out then by making incredible over-the-top styling on the spring editorials. My favourite, by far, is Pop Égerie, styled by Emmanuelle Alt and shot by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. Not only they have used an obscene amount of Jil Sander (officially my favourite SS11 collection) but also those Prada stoles that are everywhere, a lot of Blumarine and Miu Miu all modelled by Daria Werbowy!. Do you love?

I'm off.

[Pictures: TFS]

Golden Globes 2011 Apendix

I promised I'd be back with more. This second post has a bit of really good fashion and another bit of quite horrific catastrophes. But let's start with the good. Annette Bening has been the first celebrity (to my knowledge) to wear Tom Ford to an event. I don't understand why no one is talking about this and why it was so hard to find a good picture of a beautiful and elegant woman only because she's older. She absolutely rocked the velvet-dotted sheer dress and I loved the crazy messy hair and the geek-chic glasses. I was also glad she wore Tom because that meant Julianne (in a Lanvin I'm not too keen on) wouldn't, which can only mean she is wearing Tom to the Oscar's. Hurrah! Angelina knows green is her ally. It really compliments her hair and it brings out her eyes. Her Atelier Versace was a stunning piece of understated glamour, which, sadly, wasn't matched by the hair. She was going for a natural effortless kind of look and I would have almost bought it if I hadn't seen her putting lip gloss on all through the show. And lastly, a woman who I should have put as number one because not only she is incredibly attractive but she also makes a bold choice after the other. Tilda Swinton slipped into one of Jil Sander's SS11 quasi-Couture numbers and she literally got me off my seat.

Before I start on the bad I want you to notice how I have included among them a face whose style I usually praise. I have because, sadly, it's where she belongs this time but also to prove that I am an objective person. Michelle Williams chose Valentino (yet again) but she was wrong —it's not a safe choice ever since Garavani stopped signing sketches. The fabric of her Pre-Fall 2011 dress would make beautiful pillows for your back yard's furniture but as a dress it makes Spring feel like in the middle of December. Christina Aguilera in Zuhair Murad. She's halfway in (or out) of it and the nude lining did not help. She should know a woman must cover her shoulders when she's got more than a fold between her arm and her, ahem, bust. I will use this over and over again (because I think it's witty). It was grotesque. And then we have JLo from the seas channeling some Ariel in another Zuhair Murad (go figure). Her invite said fancy dress so she called Mariah Carey for advice and opted for a glittery take on a jellyfish costume accompanied by some very original eye make up, which I can only describe as silver-incrusted sleep.

I'm off.

[Pictures: JustJared.buzznet.com, Celebrity-Gossip.net]

Drew & Jil

I love Jil Sander's SS11 collection of bold-coloured semi-Couture since before I even saw it. I guessed a genius season when I first saw the men's show at Pitti last year. I think Drew looks really alive in this dress. I know it seems like an obvious and almost stupid thing to say but that's the best way to describe her. Just like it happened to Victoria Beckham in the orange Versace dress from seasons ago. There is something about orange dresses that makes me excited. Maybe because they're slowly becoming a classic. In any case, Drew looks incredible and she gives Jil Sander a whole different vibe than Kate Bosworth did (she looked beyond, though) a few weeks ago.

What do you think of the collection?
PS. I changed the picture because I believe the right shot will convince the unbelievers of how good this choice was.
I'm off.

[Picture: Zimbio.com]

Bold colours & wet hair

Yesterday was one of those fashion week days in which the names on the schedule only create excitement for true fashionistas. Jil Sander was one of those names. Or I had better say Raf Simons. His SS11 collection was tightly connected to what we saw at Pitti for men and yet he added an extra twist to the über bold colours and sleek minimalism we're used to see form him. Tim Blanks explains it perfectly when he says " [a] maximalism, which led him instantly to haute couture". We saw that in the shape of gown skirts and dresses that were paired up with more casual pieces like t-shirts and sheer tops. In addition to his signature block hues we saw horizontal and vertical stripes and flowers prints that, while secondary, made the collection even more contemporary.

Bottega Veneta has been growing on me incessantly over the past few seasons. I admire established fashion houses who refrain from being stuck in the past and take risks hiring designers that wouldn't necessarily completely understand their vision. That was the risk (or safe bet as we can refer to it now) when Tomas Maier was hired. The focus was put on the construction and the tailoring which turned fabrics in to easy-to-wear light-weight garments. In fact, the ease of the collection is its most appealing aspect. In line with Acquascutum's "just out of bed" girl from last season, Maier gets the girl right out of the shower and onto flats because she is so confident she only needs perfectly made clothes to feel sexy.

I have to admit that the best part of watching the Pucci SS11 show online was the fact that Mademoiselle Agnès was in charge of walking around interviewing guests with her flawed but chic command of the English language. If any conclusion was to be drawn from what everyone said to her that should be that the Pucci woman is, above all, sexy. And she is sexy because Pucci is ageless (at least in the industry where older women dare to bare their legs), it is sensual rather than slutty and it has that boho chic air every woman loves. Peter Dunda's brought back the Ibiza of the 70's for SS11 in the shape of clothes people like Anna dello Russo would wear to the beach. Gauzy skirts short at the front and flowy at the bottom, backless long-sleeved mini dresses, pompoms and lots and lots of ruffles.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, TheSartorialist.blogspot.com]

Forza Italia

Even though Jil Sander and Haider Ackermann had been the first catwalk shows to open the SS11 season at the Pitti trade fair Men's fashion week officially kicked off in Milan yesterday with big names the likes of Burberry Prorsum and Dolce & Gabbana opening. I am trying hard to catch up as I was flying home yesterday so I decided to sum up the first of the first day in one post. I will, from now on, try to make individual posts of my favourite shows and review them.

Jil Sander was the first show to be streamed live and both the collection and the location of the show lived up to the excitement that first shows entail. Talk about colour blocking. Raf Simons epitomised the famous trend with taste and skill. The bold colours appeared to have been carefully hand-picked to only use the best shades, including the über-famous Klein blue. Tailoring was the protagonist of the collection, with slight variations like crotch-scrathing shorts and belted blazers. And the colourful soles of the shoes were to die for.

Christopher Bailey made me smile. Despite how much I loved the shearling jackets from Burberry Prorsum's FW10 collection I was overall a little disappointed in Bailey's restraint. That's why I loved SS11 so much. The Burberry essence is ever present in the shape of the staple suits and trench coats and the brand's iconic colours. But SS11 introduced a hardness factor by means of leather and spikes that seems almost medieval which creates the most interesting combinations of texture in contrast with the remains of Burberry's traditional romantic softness. A collection absolutely packed with future best-selling items.

Domenico and Stefano already redirected their men's line for FW10 taking inspiration from the Sicily of the 1920's. They opted for the kind of all-star Italian clothing that had put Italy in the fashion map in the past. Fortunately, they continued to follow that line for SS11. They celebrated their 20 anniversary with the most delightful colour palette of whites and faded greys and blues. The kind of clothes a Mediterranean man was expected to wear for Sunday mass when the sun was shine bright and hot. I absolutely melt at the light creme and white combos for suits and the utterly retro underwear.

To me, Corneliani was all about the trousers. They took the baggy linen suit trouser Armani has been doing for years and reformatted it for the younger, cooler man. They wrinkle just the right amount at the bottom to add a touch of casualness without the risk of looking sloppy.

Season after season I always love Trussardi. There is something so Italian and so cool about it that simply drives me crazy. For SS11 they picked up on leopard just as so many women's Cruise'11 lines did. And they did so in just the right amount so as to not look tacky. It is true YSL had done the same belt before and Acne the same desert boots but Trussardi takes it to a new level by creating jackets in blue and khaki leopard prints that hadn't been done before in menswear. I simply can't wait to get a hold of most of the pieces from this collection.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, GQ.com, DianePernet.typepad.com]

Milan highlights

Whether is was entirely due to Anna Wintour's preferences or not, Milan fashion week occurred way too fast. We almost didn't have enough time to savour every collection the way they deserved. As it happened in London, the Italians proved that they know the direction they're going and that they haven't lost that savoire faire that first made them so popular. For the first time, I have organised the collections in order of my liking (excluding, of course, Marni and No. 21 which deserved special mention). Dolce & Gabbana pleasantly surprised me this season rooting back to their great basics and putting special emphasis in power dressing. Gucci, who in past seasons seemed unfocused, came back better than ever with an ode to Tom Ford times. While Donatella is still trying to find something that deserves having his brother's name on the tag, Christopher Kane's intervention at Versus succeeded in bringing the brand back into fashion from obsoleteness. —What's your favourite?

[Pictures: Style.com]

I'm off.

As of late, I have developed two new obsessions when it comes to TV shows. One is True Blood, and the second one is this, Mad Men. All the action is based between the then flourishing advertising industry and the suburban life of the employees of one of New York's main agencies in the 1960's. January Jones (below) plays Betty Draper, the wife of a successful advertising executive. Her style is very much reminiscent of the 50's, and Dior's New Look still plays an important role on a woman's wardrobe. It has been my endeavour to find some similarities between the fashion then and the collections from the last couple of seasons.

From left: Jason Wu, Prada, Valentino.

From left: Chris Benz, Paul Smith, Thakoon.

[Picture credits: Style.com, AMCtv.com]

I'm off.