S/S 2011...stripes!

Watanabe is become the "symbol" of stripes. For this summer he developed an entire show on this pattern, in a unique way that reflect perfectly his style. This designer that has a lot of success (I think because has learned the creativity by Kawakubo but has a more "commercial" style than CdG or Tao) every season purposes something new. Do you remember that amazing use of denime some springs ago??...gorgeus!  The caracteristic of this s/s shows is the huge variety of stripes, there is not any designer who copy another one or presents stripes that are the same of another designer. From the large ones of Sander (amazing, especially for the perfect integration ith the "silhouette" of that collection) to the exagerate ones of Prada. Ackermann's ones are classic and Cèline purposes an asimmetric version. 

So, my favourite is Ackermann because I think that stripes are a "classic print" it's not something really new so the designer needs to add something if wants to be innvoative. 

In fact, for example, Haider adds his classic "drapes", soft, style.  Then, also, Simons, for Sander, is innovative. The transparences, the shapes and the colors are absolutely cool and fresh. Honestly this is not simple, speaking about "wearability", to wear...It's easy to look as a clown or fatter. So, maybe, in the "real life", "real people", should be inspired by Céline, Wu or Fendi where stripes are limited in a specific part of the outfit (shirt or skirts). The other looks are amazing, I know and I agree, but I think that is better, for everyone, to leave them to editors or models or stars...

Images:
Vogue

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Posted in Haider Ackermann , Junya Watanabe , s/s 2011 , Sonya Rykiel , Vivienne Westwood

Lanvin...strong women!

This is not an "amazing campaign" in the classic meaning of these words. In fact, I think that is something not so new and not so "cool". So, what did I like of these pics?

The perfect representation of the "Lanvin philosophy". Here the models were shooted like during a fight and the sexual energy of the pics is clear. The dresses, the make up and hair style and the bakcground is so Lanvin that I think that this is the most clear explanation of the main "idea" on which is founded the actual style of Lanvin. A strong, warrior, woman who loves to be sexy and glamourous in the same time. This is the Lanvin woman and the style of Elbaz, too.

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Posted in Adv , Alber Elbaz , campaigns , Lanvin , s/s 2011

S/S 2011...feathers!

With the arrival of spring, some days ago, we forget winter to watch to s/s shows that are becoming already old with the recent presentation of the f/w collection. However, some trends continue for some seasons. This is the case of the fluo colors, for instance, and of feathers. The f/w 2011 season was caracterized by a lot of designers (such as Dsquared, Demeulemeester, Giles...) who purposed feathers. Personally I saw a huge use of this material that sometimes could seem heavy and not so chic. 

Speaking about the spring, fortunately, feather are used in a softer way. Bottega Veneta is the best example: the feathers are distributed all over the lower part of the dress and give an effect so glamorous, for me. McQueen exagerated with feathers on the skirt  and on the bustier, the entire look could be a bit dramatic but this is McQueen and we love it for this thing, or at least I love that maison.  Chanel is really gothic, maybe one of the most innovative Lagerfeld's outfits, and this look is very       unconventional for the maison. Gucci use feathers in a way that is very similar as fringes.  

So, I love this trend and  I think that the best dress is the Maier's one  and, in its style, McQueen is the most "particular use of feathers...". (who coul forget the f/w 2009 collection where feather were gorgeus, for me.)

Images via:
Vogue

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Posted in Alexander McQueen , Bottega Veneta , Chanel , Giambattista Valli , Gucci , Nina Ricci , Zac Posen

Versace Atelier...colorfull!

Donatella has "two souls", at least for her collections. One style "rock and really glamourous" and for Versace Atelier a "romantic, sweet" style that allows her to develop these wonderful dresses. The shape, the "light volumes", the material are all inspired by the couture world with a touch of the "Donatella  Versace style". The "classic" sex appeal of Versace dresses is completely modified for a more "elegant and sophisticated" woman.  Even if the shapes are something classic, in this collection, is interesting how the prints, the young colors and the  main elements of Versace Atelier are mixed with these classic dresses. 

The ruches  and the lightness of some dresses is mixed with the exageration and the powerfull  strong colors of the other ones. The result is a great, complete, show. My favourite dress is the first one and the embroidere green one. In the end, I think that the most innovative dress and the best printed "couture inspired" minidress is the last one, I'm speaking in general about the collections made by Donatella.

Images via:
Red Carpet Fashion Awards

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Posted in Donatella Versace , Gianni Versace , Haute Couture , s/s 2011 , Versace , Versace Atelier

Paco Rabanne...Le 69 Bag!

The bag was launched in 1969 and it was called "Le 69" bag that was made up of metal plates. Now Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garçons, re-edit this bag with acrylic, gum and aluminium. The shape and the model are the same of the past. I think that this bag is really interesting because it's an innvoative model, or at least a good reinterpetation, and now there aren't so many bags that are similar with this one. The color is quite good and the shape is classic but nice. In the end, it's one of the most wearable pieces that Kawakubo had ever made.

Images and shop on-line:
Colette

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Posted in bags , Colette , Commes des garçons , Paco Rabanne , Rei Kawakubo , s/s 2011

Is still "chic" to be naked in an editorial or adv?

Naked women in movies, editorials or advertisement is a speech that every year journalists or people, in general, repurpose. But the most important thing is to divide this "topic": the beauty of naked body, the art that they could represent, and the "revolution, anticonformism" appeal that naked bodies could have. The second concept is, today, obviously out, in the worst meaning of this word. It's patetically boring everyone who in the 2011 thinks that shooting a women or man naked or having sex is something "new", no it was in the 60's with Kubrick, Newton and, for example, the movie called "Pretty Baby", (with a wonderful Brooke Shields). In these case the nakedness was "innovative" in the real meaning of this adjective. So, I could think to some editorials of Richardson or advertising of Tom Ford, in our times, but  in these last cases the attention was most about sex than nudity. The last example is the horror-porno movie Antichrist with long explicit sexual scenes: this is the best example of the concept, with that film  Von Trier didn't want to shock anyone but only to celebrate the human body and other things that don't matter with this post. 

This is the beginning of my thought. I believe the nakedness is really chic today but for only one reason:  human bodies are the most clear example of beauty. I'd like that you think to a thing that is obvious but really important. Every type of clothes have a seam, human body, obviously, no. There is not any dress who fit the silhouette as the "natural dress": skin. These two things to say that the beauty of the body is unique and is the most beautiful kind of beauty in the world, for me. 

Therefore, a good and romantic use of naked women/men is the most interesting and "chic" kind of fashion art that could be imagine by stylists or editors. 

This is the reason because I believe that is still chic, glamorous and trendy to purpose naked people in magazines. I choose three recent images: two adv and an editorial of Vogue Italia. I could choose pics by fashion shows but everyone remind the "transparent" tops of Pilati for YSL or the sensual nudity of Scognamiglio, it's useless to purpose such famous photos. 

q

The Meisel's pic could develop a question: when vulgarity meets nakedness what happens? First of all, this is not the case of "my" pic because I believe that vulgarity is not a synonim for sensual photos but means absence of beauty and elegance. Of course my answer is: disaster, when vulgarity is mixed with nudity the result are absolutely horrible and when it happens in fashion....Oh gosh, it's so sad.

So, the answer is: YES, it is still chic to photograph naked bodies in fashion pics!

Chanel adv

Versace adv

Vogue Italia Editorial by Steven Meisel (february 2011)

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Posted in Adv , campaigns , Chanel , Donatella Versace , Franca Sozzani , Karl Lagerfeld , Steven Meisel , Versace , Vogue Italia

Jil Sander...fluo without faces!

I'm almost obsessed with Jil Sander, or maybe with the beautiful fluo colours purposed by Simons....Its menswear show for the s/s 2011 was wonderful, the womenswear show too....Then the trend of the "market bags" and the colorfull minalistic dresses which had "conquered" the red carpets...

Now this amazing campaign.  The main idea and the "backgroung" are really classical, how many adv have you seen with a white background? A lots. So, where is the innovation? The new thing is all about faces: here Simons chose a strange thing: not to cover faces, like some designers did, but to "delete" them, only their upper part. So, the result are awesome pics with "half-faces" and, so, all the attention is about color and dresses. In the second pic the effect, at least the one of the first view, is like a "stripes-sea" where we admire an explosion of spring-strong colours.  The last is quite classical but nice too.

I love this adv and my fav one is the first one.... maybe for the mix of colors that is real unusual and for the "strange" materials used to make those clothes and accessories.

Images via:
Fashion Copious

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Posted in Adv , campaigns , Jil Sander , Raf Simons , s/s 2011

Paris f/w 2011...best looks!

                                                    John Galliano

                           Chanel                                               Balenciaga

                                                           Mugler

                                                   Rick Owens

                   Ann Demeulemeester                     Yves Saint Laurent

                                        Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci

                                                    Issey Miyake

                          Valentino                                       Stella McCartney

                                                      Céline

                           Lanvin                                                        Vionnet

                                              Louis Vuitton

                Commes des Garçons                             Dries Van Noten

                                               Viktor&Rolf

                              Miu Miu                                                  Balmain

Best show: Haider Ackermann

Worst show: Hermès

[I've never chosen a "worst show" in the past post about fashion weeks, but I need to express my feelings about this collection and so I prefer to dedicate some words here than a "real post"]

When Hermès announced  that Lemaire would have succeeded Gaultier as creative director I was shocked. I saw his s/s collection, of his own line, and it was terrible... However I decided to give him a  possibility, even if it was crazy to put someone who directed Lacoste (despite he worked also, for instance, for Lacroix) to design for Hermès. 

By the way, this collection is a" no-shape"  collection, no volumes and clothes like "potato sacks". The only "nice" thing are the clothes printed with Hermès patterns. The main problem of the show, for me, is that is nothing new. The leather coats, the down jackets, the trousers, the inspiration (please....hawks??) , the prints are all old things and that were made better in the past. 

The last horrible thing is the speech about bags and shoes: ok Hermès wasn't famous for its shoes but it was an institution in bags...And what does Lemaire? preseneted few bags really classic and that doesn't matter with Hermès DNA but only with his inspiration for the collection...I hope that Hermès will fire him or, at least, he will change his style and understand that this is Hermès and not Lacoste.

Images via:
Vogue

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Posted in Balenciaga , Balmain , Chanel , Christophe Lemaire , Commes des Garçons , Dries Van Noten , Givenchy , Haider Ackermann , Hermès , John Galliano , Kenzo , Miu Miu , Mugler , Stella McCartney

Alexander McQueen...f/w 2011

Wonderful collection. I think that the first feeling that everyone should have when see this show is an "sensation of amazement". The style is the classic McQueen but it's is "clean" by the more simple soul of Sarah Burton.  The collection is the right "sequel" of the s/s 2011 one.  The colors are white, black, grey, violet and a mix of colors in some wedges and bustiers. The shoulder are really strong and the shoes are strange in a classic way. I mean that the heels of the wedges are absolutely "gorgeus and strange" but I like them. The dresses are perfect, McQueen, I'm sure, would be proud of this show. The feathers are used in the most wonderful way that I've ever seen. In particular geometries and volumes of skirts are really beautiful. This woman is a McQueen woman with  touch of  "sex provocation" due to leather straps and  studds mix with the supreme elegance of fur details, feathers and  colors. A queen of purity who is also a "warrior woman" which loves to wear romantic but strong clothes. A new kind of "fashion-drama" that is matched with sweet touchs obtained by the use of materials and the soft volumes of the skirts, at least of the first ones.  My favourite dress is the one in the last pic, the embroidery could remind a bit some Givenchy, Tisci, creations but I think that here is developed in a better way than Tisci did. The fringes and the black remind also dresses of Rodarte, but I think that even in this case Burton, McQueen, is better. The best dress of the show: wearable and exagerate, really my favourite ones.

Images via:
Vogue 

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Posted in Alexander McQueen , f/w 2011 , Paris fashion week , shoes