Paris Spring/Summer 2006 Wrap Up I

I’m starting to have negative feelings towards British Telecom even though I’ve never personally had any experience with it. Now they’ve left me to cover yet another fashion week by myself. And not just any fashion week, but THE Paris fashion week. They better fix Harrods Girl’s internet soon. Hopefully very soon, so she can regal you all with her adventures in Paris this weekend. Anyway, back to the subject at hand. I just LOVE Paris fashion. It is just bursting with creativity and artistry!

Balenciaga
It was as if Nicholas Ghesquierre came across a trunk full of clothes from Louis XIV (or whoever that very tasteful French king was who built the Versaille was) and decided to revamp it for his runway. Everything was luxuriously breathtaking.

I love how the frilly collar and lace peeks out of the tailored jacket/pant set. The contrast of feminine softness and structure is stunning. And the very cleverly frilled dress is very artistic.

Here Ghesquierre puts an edge to otherwise very ladylike looks with funky prints and retro patterns.

I love the flowing black dress! It befits French aristocracy. Although I daresay even the French were not that daring back then as to wear a nearly see through dress. And I just really like the poofy skirt on the right. Definitely a modern add on. No amount of starch or petticoat can achieve such poofiness.

And these two feminine versions of the male tailcoat are just gorgeous. The detail is just exquisite. Definitely fit for the French court! (yes I’m obsessed with the French culture recently).

Christian Dior
John Galliano never fails to surprise. And this time, were we in for a surprise. Gone were his previously signature exuberantly vibrant colors and over the top detail. In its place is nude, simplicity and mastery.

Everything is just so beeeautiful and soft. Well except for the trench coat on the right. But I love how it is subtlety sparkly.

All the lines added to that flowy shirt to give an illusion of structure is just soo neat!

Loves it. Its like artistically street chic.

J’adore Dior.

Miscellaneous
Then there are a few other very artistic collections. But you know how there are many forms of art. There are the Renaissance ones which everyone can appreciate as a pretty picture, and then there are the abstract ones that only a few would understand.

Comme des Garcon and Junya Watanabes’ collection is an example of this. I always thought I would love Comme des Garcon simply because I hear Gwen Stefani mention it so many times on her cd (along with Galliano and Vivienne Westwood), but as hard as I’ve tried, I simply cannot connect with their collections. Last season it was gothic like figures and now this season its English influenced weirdness. As for Junya Watanabe. . .the hair is just strange. And the clothes look like it was accidentally shredded by the shredding machine and hastily sown back together right before the show.

And I guess Viktor and Rolf are still going for the sleeping theme. Last season, the models came on with a pillow behind their heads. Now they’re wearing whole sheets!

Well, I guess that's art for you!

Coach Azalea Boot

I just wanted to take this time to bring your attention to the hottest boot this season.

Seriously. These Coach Azalea boots are positively the most drop dead gorgeous boots I've laid eyes on this season (although of course the season has just begun. . ). We saw it at the store and like seeing a Da Vinci in a museum, had to stop up short to admire such a beautiful work of art. Are the shearling peeking out, the killer heel and the tassle chain wrapped around it like a present not just masterful? Ok, so they are not very practical-esp not in a Chicago winter-but thats art for you.

They look even more tempting in real life. If only they were not $500 a pair. . . . . I guess I'll only be walking in them in my dreams.

Milan Spring/Summer 2006 Wrap Up IV

Just some last notes on the Milan fashion week. I thought of loads of other brands I would like to conclude with like Missoni, Roberto Cavelli etc, but upon looking at the runway pictures, they just didn't really inspire me that much. So I am going to conclude with the two that are of most interest to me.

Burberry Prorsum
From this collection, it looks like it is going to be one cold spring/summer 06. It must be the wooly looking oversized beanies. Otherwise, the collection is very english preppy and classy. Nothing spectacular, but nice.

The bow ties the outfit together very nicely, giving it a feminine touch. And I really like the outfit on the right. Its very me.

The reflective material with those pattern works really well together.

I love how they use gold in such a subtle way. Thats just very classy.

Miu Miu
The Miu Miu collection was very. . 60's (I'm not sure if I got the period right here, I'm terribly at seperating the 60's, 70's and the 80's, but I hope you get what I mean). Like Prada, the cutting was very loose and soft. But here, the designs were more bold, with the hair/shades/shows making it look very sixties.

These two are loose, but still very structured. I defintely don't mind adding it to my powerwoman work wardrobe.

Actually, does the outfit on the left look kind of futuristic to you? Its like what someone from the Jetson's would wear. And the white dress is just very pretty.

These are very casual chic as well. I esp love the one on the left.

Ok, thats all from Milan. I can't wait to see Paris!!! I'm especially looking forward to Chloe, YSL and Chanel!

How do drugs make one not a fashion icon?

It's been about two weeks since Kate Moss was exposed of snorting drugs by English tabloids. In less than a week, Kate lost three huge campaigns from Burberry, Chanel and H&M. But lucky for her, Rimmel London, the high street makeup brand is sticking with her.

I know this is old news, but it really makes you think. In the past two years, Kate has been hailed above and beyond all models and celebs to be the ultimate fashion icon. Despite being thirty, the modelling contracts kept rolling in. All fashion insiders, including editors, designers and photographers all proclaimed their love for Kate; and no doubt of course that we all talked and tried to dress like her (directly by immitating her, or indirectly by buying clothes from high street shops that were inspired by her.)

Doesn't it make you wonder, how does the fact that Kate takes drugs affect her fantastic style? Now that we know the ugly side of her life, are her clothes and accessories not still just as fabulous as before? It's Kate's personal life she does drugs. Obviously taking drugs is not a good thing and she should seek help (as she is now,) but is it right for all the fashion houses to just drop her? It's not like she looks physically different. And isn't that the main purpose of models? -To look good and together with art and photography, express the theme of the season's clothes or mood of the perfume?

OK, so I understand Kate is not just a model but sort of a celeb. But when I look at this season's Burberry ads now, I feel the same as I looked at it a month ago -that a) wow, the coat looks amazing and unaffordable; and b) Burberry decided to use their signature model again, and rightly so!

I've never had much feelings towards Naomi Campbell before, but it's times like these where you can see who are 'real' people and who are 'fake'. Naomi, who has been a good friend of Kate's since the supermodel era, expressed her support to Kate at a press conference last week. A few editors have also commented on how they still think Kate is a great model. But a little too late now.

I just hope Kate gets out of rehab soon and models again. Burberry ads will be weird without her. Even tabloids have turned boring now that there is no great fashion icon for us to ooh and ahh over. And no, even though Nicole Richie, Linsay Lohan and Sienna Miller dress well, they are not orignial fashion icons! (The first two have stylists for G's sake!)

Milan Spring/Summer 2006 Wrap Up III

Just got back from a very satisfying shopping trip and for those of you in Chicago, tmw (sat) is a good day to go to Bloomies. The private sale is on and there are coupons floating around taking $25 off for every $100. My friend got 2 Lacoste tees for $98 with tax (originally each costs $72). I digress. While I was out, the Milan fashion week was still going on and its very hard to catch up with all of them. So I'll start with the big names on the runway.

Gucci
Ah, Frida Giannini's first collection for Gucci (they keep on changing new designers!). I have mixed feelings on this collection. I thought some pieces were a bit strange and some pieces I really liked. Mostly I didn't like them.

For example, I found these two outfits kind of strange. The model on the left looks sort of boxy and short. And the dress on the right just does not look very flattering on the model.

On the other hand, I am loving these two outfits. The short/jacket combo is just brilliant. The shirt inside is sexy and yet the jacket/short renders it very casual. It practically exudes confidence! And the dress is just simply gorgeous. It is positively goddess like. As I said, very mixed feelings.

Giorgio Armani
Muiccia must have had something going, because now, even Gorgio Armani, the King of sleek and chic, is moving onto more loosely cut pieces. Well, a few pieces anyway. Some where still very uniquely Armani.

It seems that Giorgio leaves the truly creative juices for his primary collection, because while Emporio was very wearable, Giorgio Armani was very innovative looking. The light blue fan thing is very elegant and even Burberry doesn't do the plaid quite so stylishly.

See what I mean by his cuttings getting looser?

But stylishly loose of course. Although I'm not too sure about the dress on the right. It doesn't look very flattering on her.

And naturally, the classical Armani evening wear was still present.

Versace
This was my favourite collection out of these three big names. Following her success on the last collection, Donatella continues to impress. Her collection was the perfect picture of the perfectly stylish girl.

If only we all had such perfect hair. . .

Three words: sexy, cool and confident.

I love these two. Its just soo soft, flowing and goddess like!

Kudos to Donatella for using bling so elegantly for that gold dress.