Ann Demeulemeester Fall 2011

How often do Belgians go Native?  As in Native American?  While the Fall 2011 shows in New York showed collection after collection of Americana with tribal influences.  Avant-garde designer Ann Demeulemeester put a dark twist on what was going on overseas.  The jet black feathered hairpieces were a shadow version of the ones seen at the Byron Lars show.  The corset styling gave a Gothic fetish edge. Leather and tinted fur gave some wild luxury.  A few dresses had ruffled details for a softer feminine edge.  As usual, black was the dominant color of the collection.  

Photos courtesy of Imaxtree

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Gaga for Mugler Fall 2011

Were you waiting to feel too funky again? Or am I just dating myself?  I miss Thierry Mugler’s hyper-sexualized fashion rocking the runway.  Lady Gaga’s longtime fashion collaborator Nichola Formichetti was appointed creative director to the Mugler brand and brought it back to the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week.

The show was a mix of Gothic fetish evolved from the slick spirit of classic Mugler.  The backdrop was a stage of pointed cathedral arches.  Formichetti showed alien-like exaggerated shoulders, a signature look of Lady Gaga’s.  Latex-shiny fabrics, dramatic cut-outs and transparent garments that left nothing to the imagination somehow managed to look chic (over trashy).  The muse, Gaga, brought much of the paparazzi with her as she debuted new singles and strutted her body down the runway.  Also haunting the runway was performance artist “Zombie Boy”, famous for corpse-like tattoos added to the other-worldly theme.

This was the multi-media fashion spectacle of 2011.  A mix of music, video, art and fans madly tweeting is not the show of the future, it’s the mode of today.

  Photos by Giovanni Giannoni

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Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Spring 2011

Are you a fashion geek like me and followed Jean Paul Gaultier through the years?  If you did, you would have loved his most recent Haute Couture showing.  It mixed the elaborate silhouettes, miles of silk tulle and dramatic head pieces he is known for.

This collection had some punk influence, some Can-Can surprises and wildly colorful prints.  A certain flamenco influence that we have seen before made its way to some of the looks.  While thumping DJ sets are expected at most fashion shows these days, Gaultier bucked the standard and surprised everyone with an elegant Catherine Deneuve.  Her voice announced each look verbally in the tradition of Haute Couture's classic presentations.

Accessories included the dramatic feathered mohawks of course.  Some of the models sported the JPG and Alain Mikli collaborative group of eyeglasses.

Spotted in the Front Row: Pedro Almodovar, Ines de la Fressange
Images from Firstview

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Paris RTW: Christian Dior Spring 2011

Anchors away mates.  Fashion bad boy John Galliano sent models down the runway in flirtatious island fare a la South Pacific.  Sophisticated versions of tropical prints, bright florals, big leis.  Some nautical themed jackets and hats gave the collection some sailor chic.  Is this the big trend for Spring?  Betsey Johnson had some cute sailor twins and of course, Nautica did as well.  

Shoes ranged from strappy sandals to feathered fantasies.  Handbags were more practical in big carryalls and some of their more traditional purse silhouettes.  Other accessories included bright knotted belts, feathered necklaces and more leis.

Photos by Giovanni Giannoni

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Paris Fashion Week – Louis Vuitton RTW Fall 2010

In the age of digital speed, Avatar and cyber-shopping, it seems like everything is racing for the future. Marc Jacobs on the other hand, brought Louis Vuitton’s Fall Ready to Wear collection back in the other direction. The clothing had very conservative silhouettes. Super-elongated jackets, hair pulled back, faded vintage florals. A few country plaids. The style evoked Chloe Sevigny’s character in HBO’s “Big Love” or a depression-era schoolteacher. Colors were muted, dusty. The shapes were still quite feminine, and a few pieces looked like the schoolmarm wanted to break out in the vintage patterned corset styling.

The handbags had some of the muted mustards. Some of the quilted monagram pieces had dusty pastels that worked back to the clothing. Some bags had very luxurious fur worked into the bag (I’m seeing a big comeback in fur across most of the Paris collections). Dark appliqued blocked florals were also seen on many of the handbags as well, with lace and hand-painted crocodile texture.

Spotted in the front row: Daisy Lowe, Alexa Chung, Corinne Bailey Rae

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Paris Fashion Week – Chanel RTW Fall/Winter 2010

Karl Lagerfeld is predicting that next winter will be supremely chilly. Based on the snowfall from this past season, that’s not much of a stretch. He demonstrated this with a giant iceberg at the Grand Palais Paris this week. The collection itself was a mix of everything luxurious you could find cozy…Fuzzy tweeds, cashmere knits, leather and (faux) fur… While the concept was amusing, many bordered on abominable snowman or ‘Wookie’ territory. Bulkier versions of the classic Chanel tweed suit were present, with extra fur and occasionally, ice-like chunky quartz embroidery. While the looks were interesting, I had to imagine that most women in the world would not find these outfits particularly flattering on themselves.

The handbags in the collection received the same treatment. They were equally fuzzy, furry and embellished. The familiar signature quilted Chanel bag was also updated in chunky tweeds and the chain handles were often accented with feathers or fur.

Spotted in the front row: Alexa Chung, Vanessa Paradis, Yi Zhou

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Paris Fashion Week – Alexander McQueen’s Final Collection Fall RTW 2010

n a gilded salon in Paris, the designer label presented a sad and majestic collection for Fall 2010. The talented Alexander McQueen ended own life, but left a legacy of impeccable tailoring and beauty. The pieces that were shown had elaborate swirls, ornate embroideries and sweeping brocades The classics of Byzantine art and rococo influences also contained eerie motifs of angels and skulls.

Some guests viewed the show with tears in their eyes. The notes from the show said it best, “Each piece is unique, as was he.”

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