Fashion Month Gems

Fashion month draws to and end today. It is safe to saw that SS11 has been one of the most exciting seasons I have witnessed. Minimalism and white strongly made their way onto the catwalks but it was interesting to see how some designers managed to take a baroque approach to it. Some like Jil Sander and Marni approached ready-to-wear as Couture, others such as Giambattista Valli and Givenchy tackled the trend by mixing the popular colour blocking with animal prints.
The biggest shift in the industry, though, haven't been the clothes themselves. New magazine titles such as Industry are physical evidence of the fashion editor and buyer's relevance to create or modify seasonal trends. And so we have seen every one of them taking advantage of their new celebrity status to show how they adapt trendy pieces to their personal style and how they can still wear what they want and have people talking about them.

Carine Roitfeld is possibly the best example of what I just mentioned. Regardless of what trends dictate, the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Paris has proved that one can be relevant without completely surrendering to these. We have seen her in a lot of Givenchy leopard some of which hadn't hit the catwalk yet. Lace up boots and khaki accompanied her black and camel based wardrobe. God, she even gave camouflage a try and succeeded! No one, of course, can summarise this better than her in this exclusive interview with Hilary Alexander for the Telegraph.

Giovanna Battaglia is Giulia's favourite industry icon. It is thanks to her that I've grown so incredibly keen on her style. As a former model, she knows very well what and how works and she likes to show this to the world in her elegant ways. She swaps Marni for Dolce & Gabbana in a heartbeat, something not many people can claim to. We haven't seen as much of her during fashion month but I am still hoping for those late posts from Jack & Jil and The Sartorialist to change that. My favourite thing about her is how she sticks to Fendi's monogram bags no matter what.

Now, there is a name that can never escape these kind of posts. Anna dello Russo has quickly become the queen, no, the goddess of fashion. She owns up to her extravagance and pomp just as easily as she admits to her profound "passion for fashion". No one is capable of carrying off anything from see-through lace dresses, to outrageous Phillip Tracy hats, feathers, bling and sparkle as well as off-the-runway looks. This month she has shined more than ever taking advantage of her designer collections and even participating in Ungaro's reinvention show as a model. As the old philosopher would say: "I DIE, she's beyond".

This video below, also one of Hilary Alexander's gems, makes me smile and flutter. And we hear all we already knew from her own mouth. Nothing fake about her.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, Jak & Jil, Mr. Newton, Vogue.co.uk, Vogue.fr,  Zimbio.com, fashion.Telegraph.co.uk, AdR Twitter, CarolinesMode.com]

Gwyneth's chic hair

As much as I love and enjoy womenswear I have to admit that I am quite lost when it comes to women's beauty. I know when make-up really good or really bad but everything in the middle is obscure territory to me. I am a little better at hair, although I will admit that I am a sucker for the just-rolled-out-of-bed "do" for daily looks. And that's exactly why I love what Gwyneth has been doing with her hair lately. She obviously has washed it, straightened it and then sprayed a little hairspray  to keep the fringe to the back, but it looks very natural and fresh and ridiculously chic. And the best part is that it works as a dressed-up look and on a daily more casual basis as well. There is something so sexy about a woman with her hair like that. See the difference looking at these pics of Gwyneth a few weeks ago in the same McCartney Current/Elliott khaki pants.

I'm off.

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

case closed

My venture started on April 2nd. I logged onto one of my daily celeb websites and saw January Jones, the beautiful Betty Draper in Mad Men, heading into LAX in a really cool parka featuring elbow studs, nautical rope detailing and bleach splashes on the khaki canvas. I spotted the parka in question again on April 13th when January walked her dog. I then tried to find out which designer or brand made it but I failed. Yesterday, April 28th, I found pictures of Whitney Port in the very same jacket and it was then that I started my quest to figure out where the genius parka came from.

After many (and I when I say many I mean lots of loads of hordes) visits to as many e-tail websites as I could think of I finally found a website that featured Drew Barrimore allegedly wearing the parka. And I say allegedly because, even though I had found my parka, Drew Barrimore was actually wearing a Rag & Bone one. Anyway, this beautiful item was designed by Charlotte Ronson, of whom we've become quite fond of since her S/S10 collection. I find the line pretty genius. Think of it as an über-wearable combination of a little Balmain, some Stella McCartney and a dash of contemporary English-ness perfect for the Cali girl.

Check out the entire S/S10 Charlotte Ronson collection here and buy it here.

I'm off.

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

they read soVIPzone

I'm always glad to be able to help out those in need with some fashion advice. It looks like Kate Bosworth, Anna Wintour and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld have been reading soVIPzone, notebook in hand. Kate took our approval of her all-nude Calvin Klein ensemble as a heads-up to keep wearing neutral colours and looking chic. Anna saw in our wear summer post an opportunity to get a little bit of the holiday she hardly gets. And Julia couldn't but give into my khaki/military/parka obsession and mixed a nude dress with her own version.

[Pictures: JustJared.buzznet.com, Net-a-Porter.com, Style.com]

Fear not, I'll continue to try and sort out their fashion dilemmas. So keep checking back.

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.

vol. III

It seems as if celebrities really want to get this khaki versus pastels face-off going. Katie Holmes, who had fallen off the fashion radar for a while, seems to be getting her mojo back. She was spotted with her hair in a bun and wearing khaki, getting inspiration from Charlotte Ronson's SS10 line (?). This look stands pretty far from the 70's stepford wife-y look she had going on months ago. Personally, I am very much digging this more relaxed, even cool, Katie.

Victoria keeps getting it right —and looking a bit Jackie O, no? She can't seem to decide between khaki and pastels, which seems fair enough when you're a fashionista. This time she was seen in Russia in a beige pair of legging-esque trousers with a black cropped jacket and her favourite Louboutin booties. Following this line, I wonder if we'll see Victoria in any Céline this season. It was one of my favourite collections and I'd love to see her wearing a couple of their pieces.

[Pictures: JustJared, Style.com]

I'm off.

team khaki

Only three days ago we saw how Kate Bosworth has gone for the all-pastel look for SS10. We then asked you if you were team pastel or team khaki. Well, another of our favourite fashion icons, Victoria Beckham, has made her choice too. Vick got back to London in a chic black, grey and khaki ensemble perfect for the upcoming season.

[Pictures: JustJared, VisitBlackburn.co.uk]

I'm off.

Dries

Yesterday, as I got back from a lovely walk in St. James' park and checked twitter, I went mental. Anyone from Giovanna Battaglia to the Vogue Paris team to Fashionista were crazily tweeting about Dries Van Noten's outstanding location and collection. I desperately tried to find the pictures but, of course, no one had uploaded them yet. The closest thing I found were three shots from Hilary Alexander's review. Eventually, Vogue.fr did it! I anxiously clicked next, next, next. As I looked at the clothes I realised the whole show had many things in common with these three postcards that I bought at the MoMa in San Francisco and that stick to my wall just above my laptop. Funnily enough, they cover the period from which Dries took inspiration. Great minds think alike.

Clockwise: 1948 Balenciaga, 1956 Dior, 1947 Dior. All by Richard Avedon.

The collection deserved every bit of praise. It was a magnificent compilation of formal/informal garments that are simply the essentials any woman wishes to have in her wardrobe. Plenty of the FW10 trendy khaki and leopard as well as the most beautiful colour-water prints in silk. Eclectic in the chicest of ways.

[Pictures: vogue.fr]

I'm off.

when you're not Carine

One thing Giulia and I noticed when we went to the New Look SS10 preview back in December —and what makes their SS10 collection great— is how they have extracted the essence of the main trends of the season and transferred them onto high street clothing versions. Here are some of our favourites that will be hitting the stores soon. What do you think?

[Picture credits: Style.com and New Look]

I'm off.

Update: The SS10 collection will be out in stores starting at the end of this month! And get ready for the opening of their flagship store in London!