Madrid Fashion Week: Rabaneda Spring:Summer 2013

It was only last season that (Mercedes Benz) Madrid Fashion Week was included in the international fashion week schedule and it looks like the Spanish capital is already feeling the benefits. For me, it's really interesting to watch, though from afar, the industry developing.
Just as in London, I like finding out about the new young talents showing in Madrid. I never want to miss anything or anyone who might be the big name of tomorrow. That's one of the reasons why I really enjoyed Rabaneda's SS13 collection.
The designer seemed to be looking for a cleansing of some sort through his clothes. The first part of the show consisted of geometric prints and plays on cut-outs that referenced Rabaneda's southern roots – his influence of mudéjar architecture with a modern twist. These structured pieces were contrasted with layered ultra light silks.
The second part of the line consisted almost exclusively of black and whites – here is the cleansing. The focus was, instead, in the shapes and the construction, which was almost referencing kimonos.

Check out Rabaneda's previous collections here.

Click below on read more to see the rest of the images from the show.

Tom Ford face-off: Gwyneth Paltrow vs. Daphne Guiness
JustJared, Style.com

Daphne Guiness was one of the attendee's of a private dinner Tom Ford hosted last Friday to celebrate the kick off of London Collections: Men and to be master of ceremonies, which I imagine is one of his favourite things.
Daphne obviously wore one of Tom Ford's designs for the occasion. But I was surprised to see it was exactly the same model Gwyneth Paltrow wore earlier this year for the Oscars. It would have been fine had Gwyneth not been crowned best dressed by everyone – why would you want to compete with that?
The truth is Guiness looked more like a dark queen (a crow on her shoulder would have been a good accessory) while Paltrow was more like the queen of light. I think Daphne fell short with this look even though I liked her touch of the golden chocker. What are your thoughts?

Introducing Burberry White
Courtesy of Burberry

Burberry always has great timing launching their new products. Last year's 'April showers' collection was simply genius and came a exactly the right time. Even though we could have probably done with more of it this year – what the hell is wrong with the weather? – Burberry have decided to go a different direction this time.

The collection is all created with soft, lightweight and breathable fabrics so that the garments can be worn in the summer. I find the white trench super chic, I love it with the grey t-shirt and they're perfect for our darling British summer – if it ever bothers to show up.

Burberry White also introduces a line of white accessories and a limited edition Burberry Brit Summer fragrances. And, as usual, the campaign comes with a stunning video you shouldn't miss if only for the brilliant acoustic version of "Build me up Buttercup".

Best Dressed of the Weekend: Tout le monde est à Paris
Style.com, Getty, JustJared

This weekend has been quite slow in terms of celebrity spottings even though everyone is in Paris for fashion week. However, it's been a great weekend in terms of shows –  Givenchy, Kenzo, Lanvin, Loewe... – so we can't complain.

Tilda Swinton made an appearance at the Lanvin show dressed in a super chic, though not entirely new, boozy red dress from the house. I did love the python sandals and Tilda is always a refreshing touch on the front row, non?

Shala Monroque and Dasha Zhukova probably wouldn't have made it to the BDOTW separately but together they're impossible to resist. I am not usually keen on an all-white looks unless it's summer but the rule says you don't wear white after Labour Day, right? So they should enjoy it while it lasts.

Kristen Stewart has probably been my favourite FROW star from Paris so far (as the Olsens haven't been come for a while). She is so laid-back and cool sometimes it doesn't look like she'd care about designers but here she is strolling around Paris in her Balenciaga biker jacker and Stella McCartney's 'Falabella' faux-python bag.

The surprise of the weekend was Katie Perry looking this slick and chic also in Paris. If only it wasn't a one-off...

Zimbio, Style.com

I'm not posting about Anne Hathaway's look for the White Fairytale Love Ball because I liked it. I thought it was a big mess in the shape of a sparkly meringue. I am more interested on talking about the dress, regardless of how Anne wore it.

If you have watched 'Valentino, the Last Emperor' and, like me, you are fans of the film (documentary-wise it's a lot more honest than 'The September Issue') you might have realised that Anne's dress is the one from Garavani's s/s06 Couture collection over which he throws a fit in the film.
Valentino had intentionally left those gaps between the strips of sparkly ruffles and his team advised him to add a few more because it looked unfinished, with which he disagreed. I tried to find the clip but all I could find an extract in the film's trailer. It only lasts for a couple of seconds from minute 1:05 but it's there.
The dress stayed the way Garavani originally wanted (who would dare to say otherwise) and that's how Anne wore it. And anecdote aside, I just don't see the big deal about the dress. Do you?

Day one of the Cannes film festival started with all the right fashion choices. Cannes is a lot of fun because we always get to see an arrival day look for the photocall at the marina and an evening gown for the red carpet event.

My two favourites of the day were Rachel McAdams and Uma Thurman. Rachel first wore a Maxime Simoens cocktail number that read a lot better on the catwalk that it did against her pale skin and golden locks. To make up for it she wore an extraordinary Marchesa dress of red lace and nude chiffon. It's rare that a Marchesa dress blows me away because they are often overused but Rachel wears is with great flair. And I loved the sort of retro weaves on her hair!

Uma had two hits in a row. The first with one of the season's famous Dolce & Gabbana white dresses. A very simple and very sexy number that fit her like a glove. The second, also in white but by Versace. I loved the cut-outs of the original dress but I loved the kind of old Hollywood glamour that their absence gave the gown.

I was also very keen on Fan Bing Bing's choice. I first noticed her at the last Christian Dior Couture show and I loved her kind or oriental take on Dita Von Teese's style.
Salma Hayek, however, had not only one miss but two. Both signed by Gucci.

[JustJared, Zimbio]

Emmanuelle's first cover

I was anxious to see this. I  didn't know whether Emmanuelle Alt would swift from Carine's cover aesthetic to mark her reign as Vogue Paris queen or if she would instead progressively settle into the job by kind of continuing to do what Carine had done before and (maybe) slowly changing things to her aesthetic. I love the fact that Giselle is on the cover, especially in Dolce & Gabbana. For some reason supermodels give those southern Italian dresses a different flair than everyone else. I also really like the way the text has been laid out and how white completely takes over the page. It's not the most original of covers but it's better to be safe than to aim to high and fail massively on your first issue, non?

Shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin

I'm off.

[Picture: RDuJour]

London's strongest new-comer

On Tuesday night I was one of the lucky few to attend the Thomas Tait fw11 show. And I mean lucky not only because I was invited but because I got to see closely a great designer in the making and his creations. In a charming hidden away venue in the heart of London the Canadian designer, who recently finished his MA at Central Saint Martins was won this year's Dorchester Prize, showed a collection that was as minimalist in cut as it was intricate in cut. It is said of Tait that he doesn't use shortcuts to make real his vision. Instead, he spends long periods of time focusing on impeccable pattern cutting. This showed in the architectural shapes of skirts, which combined folded wool and pleated silk, and the coats that filled the attendee's mouths after the show. I was also particularly taken away by the backless night gowns, which revealed a pleated trail so dynamic it seemed to have life of its own, and the shoes —suede slippers and ankle boots and minimal leather stilettos cuffed at the ankle.

I couldn't help but to think of Napoleonic clothing. Tait seemed to have taken 18th century France as inspiration and approached it from an avant-garde tailoring point of view. The colour palette reminded me of Céline's hit FW11 collection, as Tait restricted himself to black, navy blue, ivory and white.
Have a look at my video of the finale below. The clothes are even more stunning in movement. (And, for a spot of fun, have a look at the pictures on Style.com, I am in the background on the left!)

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com]

Moon & Earth

I first heard of Hakaan last season when the web swarmed with news of the Roitfelds flying to London only to watch his show. I was curious to see what was so especial about the Turkish designer whose line I had never yet Carine and Julia couldn't miss. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Which is why I was disappointed to learn that he wasn't showing in London this season but excited to see what he had created for SS11. This collection was overall less body-con than FW10. He still sent a few mini dresses with his signature pelmets but the silhouettes were slightly more relaxed. There were plenty of tailored trousers and jumpsuits, which varied from the baggy to the skin-tight. Cut-outs, always in triangular shapes, revealing or suggesting necklines and hips in the sexiest manner. But the inspiration seemed to be otherworldly this time. White's supremacy evoked an alien world of modern minimalism as did the odd light grey pieces and the few black ones that were a perfect fit for Morticia Addams.

Rochas SS11 put a smile on my face. I was happy to see a new and fresh take on the overused countryside inspiration. Marco Zanini said he simply amalgamated all his favourite things for the collection, and these things show. There was true sentiment, almost romanticism, in the clothes. As it turns out, the Swedish countryside, where half of his heart lies. And so he commissioned Slotts Barbro's  Swedish pictorial work for Rochas' prints. One of the most charming collections we have seen so far.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Vogue.fr, Style.com]

Icebreaker

As we waited outside the venue in the Freemason's Hall, Giulia, Tala (from MyFashDiary.com) and I kept wondering what the Masha Ma SS11 show would be like but we also reiterated how promising the collection seemed to us from just a few images we had seen beforehand. The line self-proclaimed itself as a new way of dressing up that put the focus on the look rather than on separates while still giving each of them its own practicality.
If anything, the collection made a point of white being self-sufficient despite the odd smoky print, the dashes of silver and strokes of nude and baby blue. The designer's cutting skills were proved excellent by creating the most interesting shapes and layered compositions that showed a futuristic vision less subtle than announced. Cropped and sculptured fitted skirts were paired up with loose fitting silk shirts and tops.

Giulia and I were enamoured by the silver cropped trousers of slashed pockets and the printed sheer blouse that became a trail at the back, belted in silver over a white pencil skirt. Enjoy our video of the finale. We can't wait to see what's in store from Masha Ma for FW11.

I'm off.

[Pictures: Christopherdadey.com]

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]

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]

mum, I make my own clothes

As someone would say, Rodarte was beyond. Every time I'm about to watch a runway show by someone I admire (be it in person, video or pictures) I have this conflict in my mind —They can't do wrong, but what if they do? What if they've gone bonkers and totally missed the point? Well, as I dealt with this little internal debacle of mine the Rodarte FW10 show finally started and then my doubts were blown away.
I loved the music, the dominance of whites and the shoes —some espadrille-like derivates more folky than the wedge ones we've seen before. I quite dug the slightly baggy virginal lace that covered arms and legs. The layering and fascinating mixture of fabrics were somewhat ethereal yet realistic and skilfully draped, twisted and shredded in the Rodarte manner that we know and love. I couldn't keep California out of my mind and kept wondering whether this was some sort of return to their roots —a doubt that still wanders my mind due to the lousy sound of the interview with the Mulleavys after the show.
The finale was pretty amazing. As the last four models stood in the middle the lights dimmed and switched to neons that gave a very different view of the dresses and even more magical. As Elvis uttered the first lines of the quite appropriate 'Blue Moon' the rest of the models walked the runway once again given the impression that it was a whole new collection.

[Screen captures from the streaming show at ShowStudio]

I'm off.

spring CHICNESS

As much excited as I get because of the arrival of Spring there is always a certain doubt haunting me, making me wonder whether I will be successful in my ever pursuit of chicness. Most people think it is easier looking good when you are a guy but, oh believe me when I say that is far from true. Playing with simplicity 24/7 may seem a dream come true but it gets as complicated as it can. That is why I take as much inspiration from womenswear as I do for the one corresponding to me and this is how I found this perfect Spring collection from a Spanish designer I already mentioned in the "Colour for us" post a few weeks ago. I then showed you part of Purificación García's mens collection but it was about time the womens line made an appearance on soVIPzone.

I have to say I am quite into the monochrome outfitting spreading out lately, it seems a very simplistic yet sophisticated way of putting ensembles together. Playing around with textures, cuts and layering can result is such a diverse number of unbelievably chic combinations we can't even begin to imagine. Have a look.

Tailored trousers and shorts paired up with soft cotton tops and some pleating.

Sequins, patent leather and playing with sheer introduce innovation.

Massive bell-bottoms look extremely chic with fitted tops as tight pants do with loose tops.

The "sport" line brings it a little more colour, keeping it settled all the same. Fits loosen up and sleeves go up.

[Pictures credit: PurificacionGarcia.com]

To see the entire collections and find contact information, go here.

What do you think about the collection?

I'm off.