Baby, you can drive my car

Céline is one of my favourite brands of the last few seasons. Ever since Phoebe Philo stepped in as creative director I find it intensely alluring. For fw11 minimalism acquires a certain 70's air. Philo says she was inspired by cars interiors (I love the wood prints) and you can see it in the precise but dynamic straight lines that she has used in her tailoring. Two of the most stand-out pieces of the collection have got to be the bright orange coat, which had a certain rawness to it, and the tri-colour fur coat —one of the best fur proposals from the season. I liked the sort of sportswear air to the more rigid pieces like the tailored trousers or the shirts and I found the colour palette very interesting, as some of the colours didn't appear more than once or twice. Is this the birth of aerodynamic chic?

And Phoebe is just so... Céline. She's so chic and minimal and, well, British. What else can I say?

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Céline Pre-Fall 2011

I often try to refrain not only from posting but also from saving or even looking at the pictures of the infamous "in-between" seasons. Sometimes, extremely talented people like Karl Lagerfeld create collections like his last Cruise one, which make me have to swallow my words. Cases like the Kaiser's are rare, though. We are currently in that time of the year when Pre-Fall collections keep coming out. I haven't really had a look at any in particular but I knew Céline deserved some of my time. Phoebe Philo has managed the imaginable —to create an exciting line for Pre-Fall. I particularly love how she has combined traditional materials like tweed and wool with other more modern ones like PVC. She's done so in a manner that makes me think of Balenciaga and the innovations that Ghesquière introduces there. and then there's also something almost Prada-esque. And it's not only because of the fox tails but because Philo, just like Miuccia, seems to understand how a designer can push the boundaries without risking wearability. I'm really hoping Viviana Volpicella and Aurora Sansone will be sporting some of these pieces in February for fashion month.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Friday indulgence

I decided to make this post today not out of laziness but because I must have seen all these videos about ten thousand times in the last week. Sometimes I'm looking for a very precise version of a song or a live one and youtube seems to be the only way to find them (because, let's face it, spotify is a little crap). Also, I love watching old fashion videos for inspiration ad much as I love seeing the current collections in motion. Specially if Phoebe Philo's voice narrates the action.

I have a thing for Opera. I don't know the last thing about it but it completely hypnotises me. I do love "Carmen", very much, but I specially love this version because I know Teresa Berganza since I was very young. She is ever-elegant, ever-glamurous, ever-chic. And NO ONE sings Habanera like her.

Should I even explain myself? Anyone that comes around soVIPzone often enough knows about my obsession with Phoebe Philo and Céline. She is an utter genius as well as ridiculously beautiful and super chic. And Céline FW10 was the top.

If you live in London or can get down here easily, don't miss Hair. I have seen it three times, which is a little over-the-top but I love the experience. The cast is very good as they come all the way from Broadway, specially the guys playing Berger and Claude. You leave the show with this incredible energy which seems imported right from the 60's.

This video is hilarious. I cannot think of better vintage fashion moments than this one of Azzedine Alaïa and Grace Jones.

Now, this kid blew my mind. Some people have had the unkindness of calling him a new Justin Bieber but they are only similar in the hairstyle. Greyson Chance sings Lady Gaga's Paparazzi with the most incredibly powerful voice, and he makes a hell of a version too. Plus, the faces of amazement of the girls in the crowd at the back are priceless.

And this is my wardrobe in motion. Dries Van Noten's SS10 collection for men is a series of perfect piece after perfect piece that would make my wardrobe complete. The setting is stunning and the music is a pretty brilliant contrast with the clothes.

Which video you can't stop watching?

I'm off.

Philo-logy

Philo- (also phil- before a vowel or h)
combining form
denoting a liking for a specified thing
Logy- combining form
(usu. as -ology) denoting a subject of study or interest

It looks like we won't have to coin a new word after all. Philology just about covers the still young but promising cult surrounding all things Phoebe Philo. While her FW10 line for Céline walked its Parisian runway a crowd of acolytes wore camel trousers, crisp white shirts and, most importantly, khaki jackets from her SS10 debut collection. It was this last item, the khaki parka, that had captivated Philo's followers and was seen all around in Paris as religiously reported by Tommy Ton.

Clockwise from left: Céline SS10 runway show, Tala from MyFashDiary for Net-a-Porter's Fashion Relief, Céline spotting at Les Tuileries, Céline's parka profile, Paris Fashion Week spotting by Tommy Ton, parka's front.

[Pictures: Style.com, Farfetch.com, Tommy Ton for Style.com]

This jacket has everything that is to be loved about a jacket. Its timelessness is undeniable not only in terms of cut but of colour too. Something that doesn't deprive the parka from being a garment du jour. The front is straight-lined and sober but the back is flirty and curvaceous and unexpected. This is why every woman, be it the established editor or the stylish blogger, wants one. Get yours here. I'll sit an wait for Philo's mens line? If only... [sigh].

I'm off.

chrysalis

Jak & Jill called it 80's Vs. 70's but it can be given any name. Fashion is indeed turning from the hardness of black leather to the softness of nude gauze. Things like this excite me because I feel like fashion history is being written before my eyes and I won't just have to read about the changes and what it was like being right there. But I find it exciting as well because, to me, Phoebe Philo epitomised this change in her SS10 collection for Céline. The series of clothes were simply a constant juxtaposition of this hardness and softness both in fabric and in colour without having the two elements ever merging. They coexist and complement each other perfectly always keeping their essence and remaining individual —a tough mission to accomplish.
[Pictures credit: Style.com]

Click here to see the highlights of the show on video. And, please, google Phoebe Philo —she's such a cutie!

I'm off.

PS. I want to dedicate this post to P, for always listening to my eternal fashion lectures.