Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Spring 2008 Couture Highlight: Christian Dior

John Galliano, inspired by a portrait of Madame X from John Singer Sargent, opened the Spring 2008 Haute Couture season will his Collection for Christian Dior. Vibrant lime greens, magentas, purples, reds and yellows add-on to the already extravagant yet elegant blown volumes, swirls and Klimt-inspired geometrics. It is hard to believe that Galliano designs a dozen collections a year including ready to wear, accessories and eyewear for Dior as well as directing his own eponymous label. We never cease to delve into explorations of Galliano’s manic fantasy world and this collection is no exception. Words alone will not do justice to his genius; neither will these pictures but they will with no doubt make you hold your breath













Winter 2008 Menswear Highlight: Louis Vuitton

Marc Jacobs and his right hand for menswear Paul Helbers delved into an exploration of masculinity through 60’s French robbery movies – notably a 1963 Ocean’s 11 type original (Melodie en sous-sol) set in Cannes starring Alain Delon and Jean Gabin. The outfits were sleek, elegant, slim fitting yet hinting neglect to account for a notion of hurry - ties were hanging undone, layerings was somewhat incongruous, crash helmets still on. Everything from the color palette – lifted from the tones on old bank notes – to the fabrics chosen – silk, fur – were reminiscent of that time period. As for the accessories, the Damier Graphite look is Louis Vuitton’s latest take on its signature print.















Monday, January 14, 2008

Winter 2008 Menswear Highlight: Neil Barrett

Since launching its collection in 1999, Neil Barrett has consistently hit the mark to become one of the strongest menswear lines on the runway. With 20 years of experience in the menswear business – having revolutionized menswear at Gucci and practically invented it at Prada – Neil has not ceased to perfect his aesthetic over the years. The 2008 winter collection revisits the gentleman code. Neil Barrett opens with a slim salopette paired with a tuxedo shirt, a bow tie and a declination of is ever-reinvented signature parka. This look is to set the stage for a succession of looks where white shirts are paired with a tie or bow-tie, slim salopette pants, with a vest, jacket or parka. The color palette: whites, blacks, greys and dark blues. The look: urban warrior, punk-rock gentleman, sober but dark. Add to that capes, mittens and a leather jacket and the Neil Barrett man is the elegant bad boy of the winter catwalk.









Friday, January 4, 2008

Mens 2008 Spring Trends

Suits with shorts
In a nostalgic look-back at prep-school uniforms, designers from a wide variety of “schools” of thought such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Bottega Venetta or Jil Sander, re-introduced the short and suits some of us use to hate in our early years. But who can deny the high class, juggernaut yet almost anti-conservative implication behind them. As long as they’re not preppied-up with more accessories and not too tight you will have the loose irresistible classic style generations of women – and men – have fallen for.

Jil Sander

Bottega Venetta

Salvatore Ferragamo


Bright colors
Bright colors paired together rarely fail to look clownish or costumy, but pair a bright color with an otherwise neutral outfit and you can produce a wide variety of styles that go from neo-classic to punk-rock. Christopher Bailey made crayola-bright coats for Burberry, Frida Giannini sprayed a skittles-worthy green on her classic silhouette, even Fendi went fluorescent yellow. But remember, one bright color and one bright color only boys.

Burberry

Versace

Fendi

Gucci


Neckware

The winter will be over soon but don’t stop covering your neck. Loose the scarf and pick something lighter. Whether it’s colorful or subtle it will have to be beefy and original just as the ones Paul Smith, Dries Van Noten or Dolce & Gabbana draped around their models. Wear them with confidence and you will look less like Mika and more like Kanye West – if that means anything to you.

Paul Smith


Dries van Noten

Dolce & Gabbana


See-through

Who said women have the copyright on layering during the Spring. From Yohiji Yamamoto to Jil Sander in a loose I’m-too-cool look, passing by Fendi in a daring add-on to a classic look, designers have experimented with see-through texture that don’t look like something George Micheal would wear to a club before hitting the mens room. Do you dare?

Fendi

Jil Sander

Yohiji Yamamoto


Gleaming or reflective surfaces

Shiny surfaces are not only for in-your-face Dolce & Gabbana metallic pieces from last season or bike riders with a mustache. Think glitz, glossy and shining and meet Ferragamo, Gucci or even Fendi. The Dolce & Gabbana can be expected to go a little extravagant but when virtually all designers adopt the trend, the invisible hand of fashion buyers and creative directors shouldn’t be far behind, so expect to see the unexpected in stores, and who knows they might even end up in your closet.

Salvatore Ferragamo