Louis Vuitton FW12: Is Marc Jacobs a Harry Potter fan?
Style.com

To be completely honest, I have never really understood what is all the fuss with Marc Jacobs. I have really liked some of his past collections and I appreciate how he's turned his name into a sort of modern-day fashion empire but his collections are usually too gimmicky for my taste.
I never posted about his namesake FW12 collection because, despite the few very nice jackets, it was some more of the same we usually see from him. Getting people's attention for being loud and, frankly, even silly at times seems to have worked all this time. But I still don't understand why everybody loves Marc.
The latest Louis Vuitton collection was shown this morning in Paris. Even though I am usually not too keen on this line either it's usually where we see Jacob's finer work. Despite, again, a few very nice coats or embroidered outfits it was all really gimmicky –full of big plastic buttons, bellboys carrying bags and more silly hats. The only scenario where I can see any of these work is in a high-fashion version of Harry Potter. The LV hats would make a dashing 'Sorting hat' substitute and the bright coats with oversize rounded lapels would make Sybill Trelawney flutter.

When I first heard of Maison Michel a few months ago I couldn't believe the brand had been around for years and I didn't know about it. It was during the FW11 fashion weeks that I really started to notice a lot of fashion insiders like Elena Perminova wearing them. I loved the fact that the colourful fedoras were mostly just classic pieces with a twist introduced by some chiffon detailing and the M logo, which I had assumed stood for Missoni.

Their SS11 lookbook, shot by Karl Lagerfeld, has a lot of standout pieces like the headbands Bambi is wearing. My favourite, however, is the rain hood with Mickey Mouse ears and pearl detailing on the trimming. It reminds me a lot of the infamous mouse and bunny ears the Olsens (who else!) wore a while back.

The hats and headpieces are a little pricey but if you're keen you can get yours from Matches or Browns and soon from Net-a-Porter too. To have a look at the rest of their lookbook and past collections click here to go to their website.

[Style.com, Michel-Paris.com]

Collage Sunday, 06.03.11: Parisian delights

It was so hard to choose only one or two designers to make my Sunday collage about that I chose four instead. They are some of my favourite collections of the weekend so far. Alber Elbaz did it again. I am forever in awe of his skill and imagination at Lanvin (please don't take him away to Dior!). I obviously loved his wide-brimmed hats (where you could have friends over for tea) and the beautiful shoes buckled at the ankle. Cacharel was a pleasant surprise. Cédric Charlier used colours (or lack there of) with prints to express a very modern and chic point of view. I loved the simplicity of the cuts and the layering as well. I hope Giovanna Battaglia gives this a try. I absolutely loved Sonia Rykiel's collection this season. her combination of checks, winter motifs, quilting and dyed hair was quirky but also rather Parisian. I particularly liked the tartan throw-ons and patchwork blazers. And finally, Junya Watanabe. He does extraordinarily well wherever he goes. I am dying over his fw11 light and asymmetrical knits and those slightly cowboy-ish Chelsea boots.

Clockwise from left: Lanvin, Cacharel, Junya Watanabe, Sonia Rykiel.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Meet Peggy

I was lucky to have made it to the Kinder Aggugini show this season in London. They had chosen a beautiful yet reduced venue, which was crammed. Luckily for me, I found a friend who couldn't make it to the show and I was happy again. Kinder is one of my favourite designers showing in London because I always love how he manages to create refined collections that still transpire his rebelliousness. For fw11 he said to be inspired by early 50's French fashion and Japanese designers of the 80's. As a result the collection made a point of juxtaposing from-hugging garments with sculptured jackets and coats, which created very interesting silhouettes. My favourite item was a cashmere mix coat dyed in a type of yellow degradé that seemed almost unfinished and had details, such as the gathered neck and the drawstring, which reminded me of sportswear or parkas.

As he did last season, Kinder commissioned hats from the genius Stephen Jones. This time they were sort of mini versions of top and fedora hats made of red, blue and green plastic and accompanied by veils. Once again, a great fusion of traditional and contemporary style (or "the fictitious marriage of Coco Chanel and Sid Vicious", as he described himself). There was also a rather elegant punk reference throughout most of the show, which, again, contrasted with the sparkly heels cuffed at the ankle that might have easily belonged to Dorothy.

I'm off.

[Pictures: soVIPzone, Style.com]

keeping warm

It is an art to look good and keep yourself warm outdoors. Luckily, there are some celebrities that have their mojo working over the holidays. Such is the case of Cate Blanchett and Gwen Stefani. I already crowned Cate one of the style icons of the noughties and she keeps proving that true class and style are innate. Gwen gave a master class in layering with two of my favourite winter pieces —the cape and the trilby.
Guys are having their moments as well. David Beckham dumps his airport look of baggy jeans and beanie and swaps them for stylish sartorial coats and trench coats and flat hats. And Hayden gives Californian dudes a lesson. I love how the grandpa cardigan looks just thrown on but add the perfect cosy winter touch.
[Picture credit: JustJared]

I'm off.

dress the GUILDS

You have been seeing several S/S 2009 menswear posts throughout the last few weeks and I am quite sure you will agree they are remarkably interesting to say the least. It seems men’s fashion is on its way to be considered as an equal in the eyes of womenswear. Alas, it might still be a little while until that moment comes but in the meantime we can enjoy the process of the little baby growing up to be a handsome (stylish) man.

S/S’09 is a season for the fashioning of guilds. Bizarre as it sounds; if you have a look at the pictures below it will actually make total sense. Everyone from cowboys to fishermen can experience a trendy summer and we can copy.

Modernity filters down to peasant fashion made in Burberry. Necklines go down and cardigans elongate to cover a bit more of tailored and denim pants. The thinnest fabrics appear in earth colours, cut in comfortable and well-looking fits. Rain hats are renewed to culminate the looks.

Gaultier put together the sort of collection that seems not only nuts but also impossible to pull off and then, when looked at for a second time, configures perfectly in your brain until you come to love it. Chequers and marine striped make an appearance on t-shirts and blazers but also on socks. Just like most of the other summer’09 collections Gaultier plays with layering rolling up jacket sleeves and crops pants to show the shirts and socks underneath.

It looks like hats are the next big thing for next summer. Ann Demeulemeester takes them to the next level, taking us back to Salem times when cheese-makers spent long ours under the shining sun. Trousers shorten up while sheer and baggy shirts make their way down to the knee.

Yes, it might seem you’re looking at creations from the hand of Sir Paul Smith. Don’t be fooled. Junya Watanabe is responsible for dressing the modern ice-cream men. Blue and red striped blazers are the clear protagonists although the most brilliant of features is the way Watanabe plays around with white and different shades of beige. Pants widen roll up and, again, hats get their way. Cream-colour trilby hats are everywhere.

Fishermen are not forgotten. Miharayasuhiro uses sailor vests over white shirts and bait hooks on tank tops. The latter have a certain medieval air, like a revival of the chain mail. Trousers starting as jeans and soon transforming into black chinos are my favourite thing about this collection.

 

This finishes up the posts about S/S 2009 menswear. Hope you have enjoyed them.

[Pictures credit: Style.com]

I'm off.

COLONIAL fashion

I watched Out of Africa last night for the first time. Film fanatics out there, boo away. I borrowed the dvd from a dear friend of mine with no specific reason; I suspect that hearing my dad saying what a wonderful actress Meryl Streep is for the past twenty years had something to do with it, though. Whatever the reason why, I watched it last night and was firstly surprised by the quality of it, if it weren't for Streep's perfect skin I would not have been able to guess when was it filmed as this extraordinary film creates a limbo of itself, preventing time to make any effect on it.

However, as much impressed and moved by the acting, the landscapes and the plot as I was, there is something in my retina that wouldn't let me stop scrutinizing the costumes. I don't have the least idea of who the Oscar nominated for best costume design were that year, but I do know Milena Canonero was the perfect winner. This kind of films usually have an ok yet well-studied wardrobe at the beginning and keep the audience expectant to wow them a little later with an outstanding gown during a night gala event. Out of Africa's costume design has something special because the first big wow comes when you least expect it, at the very beginning. Meryl Streep shoots the chilly morning away in a full-length black ensemble with abundant fur accessorizing, letting the audience know that right in front of them there is a rich, powerful woman. This outfit made me think of Oscar de la Renta's chic and exotic feather hats.

One of the following scenes in the film is a wedding, for which Meryl's character gives quite the fashion lesson wearing a beautifully detailed yet untraditional white two-pieces with a hat. I am all about the hat. This made me thought of Proenza Schouler Spring 2008, a woman so confident she knows she looks beautiful and sexy in manly clothes.

The rest of the film is a grass and sand catwalk of outfits combining utility and fashion trends of the moment. Straw hats (quite in this season, see Rag & Bone) and high waists with semi-wide belts (Proenza Schouler, Donna Karan) and an endless collection of casual blazers for the day all finished up with comfortable safari trousers and a good pair of fashionable and practical leather boots (see Hermès) are the key garments in the motion picture.

Since the story takes place in Africa, the colours keep a "low key", mimeting the background with shades of beige and sand colours that see no end. Darkness for elegant events is brought in by navy blue (view DK), a perfect match with the other colours. The ensembles had to look formal and casual at the same time without stopping comfort from entering the equation, this equals manly looks (also in this season) with the only femininity a real woman can provide.

To end, I have to admit I was deeply inspired by all clothes choices in the film but also by the African tunic colours and their colorful über-long strings of beads that I was happy to find at this Spring's Oscar de la Renta show.

[Picture credits: SimplyStreep.com & Style.com]

I'm off.