Saturday, October 3, 2009

Balenciaga Spring 2010

Parisian Fashion Week (the one that really counts-did i say that??) continues full steam ahead with Nicolas Ghesquière's signature edgy, slim, and uber modern looks in wintery-colored sliced leather, multi-colored skinny pants, and what looks like little spiky pleated gladiator skirts. Nothing flowery or Springy to see here people, and that's precisely what fashionistas are flocking to: Some Serious Attitude....











Photos courtesy of style.com, wwd.com

Friday, October 2, 2009

Project Runway Episode 7: The Blues

This week it's a team challenge that, quite simply, gave me the Blues. Some blonde named Martine who is Macy's VP Exec of something or other, informs the designers their challenge is to create 2 looks for Macy's INC brand (aka wearable and slightly boring), and the zinger is that both looks must be blue. Please hit the snooze button. Martine will choose team leaders based on their sketch ideas pitched, and the winning design will be featured on macy's.com. The winning designer will also get to design a holiday dress to be sold at select Macy's stores. There goes Louise's dreams of going crazier with her design this week, and that's a real darn shame.



Back in the workroom, team dynamics are put to the test. Nicolas hates his partner Louise's ruffled sketch, and balks at her weird bird noises. Althea really likes Logan's chilled attitude (but then don't all the ladies at this point), while Irina's captain with an attitude is indifferent as usual and complains about having to make a boring blue dress. Someone tell Irina to shut up already!


It's critique time as Tim arrives at the workroom and begins with Carol Hanna's team. We find out immediately that Tim hates leggings, and don't get him started. Who knew? Might I add, Tim is looking dapperly handsome in sharp dark jeans and smart brown jacket. Moving right along, Irina and Gordana's looks so far are wearable but in a messy chiffon kind of way. The 'dream team' of Christopher and Epperson has created a shiny striped shirt dress which Tim brands a "textile conundrum," while at the same time convincing Team Chris that they're single-handedly reinventing the shirt dress. We'll see about that. Oh, and in case anyone forgot, Nicolas absolutely hates hates hates ruffles, they make him sick! And chill....





Oh My Gosh. Michael Kors is back. Pinch me in case I wake up from this dream.
Back on the runway, Shirin's flowy chiffon dress and Gordana's sheer blue blouse (by now the hideous sleeves have been shortened) are praised by the judges as being fun, flirty, and most compelling for the typical Macy's customer. Meanwhile Logan's mini skirt disaster is quickly riding up the model's butt as she sashays down the runway. Hmm, not quite sure how his and Althea's designs scored safe. Back in the bottom 3, Louise's first look is a denim shift dress with a distracting front of misplaced ruffles, and her second look is-as so well put by Michael-pretty much a horrendous bridesmaid dress with a shower loofah going down the front. I won't argue with that. It's basically a hideous and cheap-looking ruffle fest sure enough to make anyone queasy. Christopher and Epperson's shirt dress, meanwhile, looks cute and super wearable. Certainly not revolutionary by any means, but nonetheless a grumpy Michael Kors rips it apart and deems it a "librarian look from 1979," and makes Christopher cry like a blubbering baby. Their second look fares no better as a mismatched satin shower curtain with a neck bib. The judges haaated it.




Coming down the runway, Carol Hanna and Shirin's designs look super fug, cheap, and unflattering. How in the name of all things fashion are the judges liking these??? 'Cos if liking INC is wrong, then I don't ever wanna be right...Meanwhile Irina's a catty cow criticizing Gordana on the runway, but the judges love her flirty and fun chiffon dress, as well as Gordana's wearable sheer blue blouse, and Heidi crowns Irina the winner of this challenge. And Louise, whose ho hum design days on Project Runway have been numbered, is Out!



Irina's winning design

Is it just me or is there some serious PMS going on in the judges' chairs tonight? Heidi seems snappier than usual with her invisible whip, and Michael is back in a super stuffy mood. Ok maybe he has a cold, and he Has been kidnapped by Heidi for the past 6 episodes and hidden in a secret location (along with Nina) so she could get more screen time. But it's like he's got a dress form or something stuck up his.....

Photos courtesy of mylifetime.com

Paris Fashion Week has Arrived!

From the catwalks of Milan to the city of lights and fashion. Paris Fashion Week starts off with a very French, wearable, and colorfully-warm collection from Rochas. I'm loving the pom-pom details by the way!

Rochas









Photos borrowed from style.com

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Balloons!!!


Aaah, balloons have been popping up all over fashion shoots and editorials over the past couple of years, and this fun phenomenon doesn't seem to be losing any helium, er steam. These colorful globes on shiny strings always lend a super playful and party atmosphere to any scene. I just love a plain horizon filled with balloons of all different colors, as long as I don't have to stand next to them. I'll never forget how I once drove home with a car full of balloons and my cousin in the passenger seat, his face squashed flat under blue and white inflatables. With the windows rolled down and fighting for a view of the gorgeous sunshine, the balloons started to pop one by one as I sped through traffic as fast as I could safely get us home with at least three whole balloons in tact.....













Photos courtesy of vogue.com , sarahkaye.com, stylecaster.com, Vogue China lacouturiernyc.wordpress.com, French Vogue couturecarrie.blogspot.com, dailymail.co.uk, fashionologie.com, greenmystyle.com, Stella McCartney style.com, Vogue China theunemployedstylist.blogspot.com, Vintage cocokelley.blogspot.com

Milan Fashion Week Last Look: Bottega Veneta

Such origami-crisp simplicity from designer Tomas Maier in his mostly neutral collection with occasional flashes of mega-watt color. Beautiful!













Photos borrowed from style.com