Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2015 Ready-to-Wear Review

     Sarah Burton's Fall/Winter 2015 presentation for Alexander McQueen brought back the romance. For a microsecond, I thought this collection would be very ecclesiastical, but it fact, it was a bit deeper than that. Frizzy hairdos, layered clothes and white, wet eyes brought a theme to a new high. The hair selection actually evoked McQueen's Spring/Summer 2007 "Sarabande" and Fall/Winter 2008 "The Girl Who Lived in a Tree" collections. With all that's going around with Alexander McQueen, the V&A exhibition of Savage Beauty, SHOWstudio.com's projects highlighting McQueen's early years in London as well as previously unseen footage of the late designer, and two books published already this year on McQueen, interest seems to be at a high. This is reason enough for the brand today to present something that calls back Lee McQueen's work as well as move it forward to the future. Thus, this show was presented in the Conciergerie in Paris, where McQueen hosted his "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" show during the Fall/Winter 2002 collection. As it happens, this venue is also the place where Marie Antoinette was held in jail before her public execution on the guillotine in 1793. So there's the morbidity of McQueen. But what about the other things? There was the strong woman, wrapped in structured jackets of etched leather and printed softer fabrics. She sashayed down the aisle in square toed heels and wore a high collar that held her head high and straight.There were beautifully cut ruffles on dresses and harness-like lace across chests and necks. Similar to last season, Sarah Burton seems to play with the tension of constriction and loose flow, other examples including belted over coats and dresses. I particularly like Look 22, with a deep red fur collar contrasting a black and even deeper green printed coat fraying at the hemline. This specific look evokes Lee McQueen's Fall/Winter 1996 "Dante", Fall/Winter 1997 "It's a Jungle Out There", and Fall/Winter 1998 "Joan" collections. Overall, a strong and beautiful collection with incredible pieces that express enticing ideas for the future of the Alexander McQueen brand without forgetting it's incredible past. 

Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2015 Menswear Review

     World War I brought the ability for any guttersnipe to gain honor fighting for king and country in the early 20th century England. That being said, Alexander McQueen's Fall/Winter 2015 Menswear collection showed a Great War aesthetic. The first models stepped out in double breasted pinstriped suits stamped with bold words: "Honour", "Valour", and "Truth" across the jackets. Underneath these jackets were dark shirts with leather ruffles. Those suits transformed into turtle neck sweaters with the stamp motif and long suit coats with silk floral strips wrapped intricately around the wearer. The floral then graphed onto black sweaters, and covered pants and coat combinations. The colors transitions from blacks, to greys, to deep army greens, to luxurious reds, and shocks of blues. This is quite a contrast from last year's fall menswear collection. Rather than a hard, zippered, and dark image, this McQueen man is softer, going from rags to riches through military styles and perfect tailoring (a McQueen staple). Another McQueen staple, relevant to all of the brand's shows, is the sense of dark humor. This showed in the awkward greased hair and big creeper shoes. It created tension from the expert cuts in suiting. The models wearing these excellent pieces shuffled along the catwalk, like what they were displaying was foreign to them. The show concluded with two looks with white shirts and  black suits embellished with glittering stars, similar to the glittering 1920s period of exuberance following the Great War. 

Givenchy Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-to-Wear Review

     I think its about time I address this Givenchy collection. Deep and rustic color palliate, lace up high heeled sandals with second-skin leather pants, and symbols of gypsies are some of the major themes. What made this collection for me was the edginess, a word I fear I use too much. But honestly, without edginess, would anything be really new? Regardless, Ricardo Tisci's inventions for next spring were sexy, strong, and full of spice. The clothes were menacing and beautiful, tough, and flowing, lacy and leathery. This collection has much more character, different from the usual "street-style" looks Tisci has made Givenchy known for. The lacey fabric and the lace up motifs on chests combined classic frivolity and of-the-now sexiness.

     

Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-to-Wear Review

      Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 2015 collection was shown in a black oak room that displayed two massive white sculptures of orchids. The brilliant white sculptures were designed by Marc Quinn, an artist who focuses on nature as well as the human condition. It brought an artistic beauty the show worked around in. When the first model emerged, her knee high lace up boots clacking to the beat of the music. Her face was incased in a black plastic mask that brought about an avant-garde feel. With McQueen, avant-garde is always expected. There was a harmony of Eastern influences. Samurai armor-like harnesses and face masks layered over soft florals of kimonos. This wasn't all together new territory for McQueen, considering Lee McQueen's Spring/Summer 2001 "VOSS" collection, which dealt with Eastern Exoticism, for example. However of course, that collection was much more uncomfortable and extreme. This time around, Sarah Burton has relaxed the aggression and given a much more soft and elegant look for the McQueen buyer. This doesn't mean that Lee McQueen is lost, it isn't an abandonment and reinvention of the brand. There still is avant-garde dark beauty that made people pay attention to Alexander McQueen. Upon further investigation into these beautiful clothes, I noticed that harnesses and different panels aren't neatly sewn together or layered over each other. Rather, they were pieced together loosely, exposing thin amounts of skin. So, the not all the clothes aren't as simple as they may seem. Sarah Burton must love her details. But of course, the devil is in the details, as they say. Even though the clothes were heavily structured with sharp tailoring and rich fabrics, there was a sexuality to it all that's quite riveting. Perhaps it's the shiny black leather straps up against sheer sleeves. Perhaps its hard black leather painted with vibrant reds and whites. There's a force in this collection, it makes me smile that it hasn't been lost in the brand since the loss of it's creator more than four years ago.

Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2015 Favorite Looks

    As the third big Fashion Week this month, Milan seriously impressed. Big names like Prada, Gucci, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, and Fendi brought new ideas for their fantastic and well-known clothes. Costume National presented great looks in lush fabrics like suede and lace, in mostly dark colors with a shock of deep purples and blues towards the end.  Overall, Milan was exciting! Next, perhaps the biggest Fashion Week of the month: Paris!

Prada Spring/Summer 2015

London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2015 Favorite Looks

    London Fashion Week showcased some great designers last week, and I would like to post my favorite looks and highlights from London. This collection of looks relates my previous post on New York Fashion Week because of the selections of looks in dark as well as stark shades.

Tom Ford Spring/Summer 2015

Christopher Kane Spring Summer 2015

J.W. Anderson Spring/Summer 2015

Photo Credit: Style.com

NYFW Spring/Summer 2015 Favorite Looks

     If you haven't noticed (which is nearly impossible considering the media attention), it's New York Fashion Week. Every September, multiple American designers all present their Spring/Summer 2015 collections. Here is a composition of my favorite looks throughout the week. Not surprisingly, I either prefer dark, rich colors, or stark whites. Or a combination of both.

Proenza Schouler Spring/Summer 2015

Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2015

Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2015

Public School Spring/Summer 2015

Opening Ceremony Spring/Summer 2015

Photo Credits: Style.com

Givenchy Spring/Summer 2015 Menswear Review

     Black vs. White and Navy color palette? A giant deconstruction of an aircraft in the middle of the runway? Thigh-high brogue boots? Is there anything I don't love about Riccardo Tisci's vision for Spring/Summer Menswear at Givenchy? The answer is a big NO. I love everything. I love how this show opened up with redefined basics like the double breasted suit, and jumped to and from sportswear to cutting edge tailoring and printing. There was uber-masulinity mixed with a little bit of femininity, almost like a soft drizzle of sheer fabrics and embellishments. The first major print was the overall white with black cigarette burn looking blotches. Over the course of the show, those cigarettes burns reversed to look like bleach stains and morphed into paint splatters and later embellished flowers. The double breasted suit jackets and outerwear paired with suit shorts and collared shirts screamed "contemporary business wear". I also loved the contrasting slashes made to a few of the dress shirts and jackets. In fact, my absolute favorite look of this entire collection combines a white dress shirt slashed with a black "X", suit shorts, a large overcoat, and knee high leather boots all together. This look summarizes the silhouette of this collection as well as the color pallet, and its basics. Overall, as a reiteration, this collection combined great structured pieces that worked together. The basics (things like the double breasted blazers, suit shorts, white collared black dress shirts, etc.), the soft embellishments (like hand sewn pearls and other jewels onto a sheer top), and the bold, contrasting prints mixed to make a great collection for Givenchy Menswear.

John Varvatos Spring/Summer 2015 Menswear Review

     The soft whites and grays at John Varvatos' Spring/Summer 2015 presentation were refreshing and alluring. The historical cuts on those gray jackets were just my style. Each look was seemingly paired with a soft scarf wrapped easily under the outerwear. And there weren’t just gray shapely jackets, but dark and timeless blazers, waistcoats, cardigans, and even a white moto jacket with multiple zippers. The looks were modern yet aged, feminine yet masculine, and timeless yet avant-garde. Totally full of romance. The wilted grayscale flower pins graced lapels and breasts like they were boutonnieres. I think John Varvatos is very interesting in the fact that he understands menswear and morphs it into whatever he likes. I mean to say that he understands that not every man dresses the same. He can create things that are feminine on a man, without going overboard. His clothes still contain a strong element of masculinity. That blend in clothing entices me. I believe that idea of blending is reflected in my personal style. All of the clothes were in grayscale, with a few exceptions of faded roses and browns. It seems ethereal, almost like a fairytale. All of the pieces, including the sunglasses and bags are undoubtedly sellable. Bottom line: John Varvatos is still and has always been an incredible rock star for menswear.

 

Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2015 Menswear Review

     Sarah Burton said that she wanted a fresh start for Alexander McQueen with this show and that idea was clearly palpable. When the first few looks emerged, I sensed a soft, urban influence over expert and classic tailoring. Double breasted white blazers were splashed with bright blues and yellows in an abstract, graffiti way. Those bright blues and yellows changed to blacks and reds. One particular garment caught my eye: the interestingly cut white blazer that was sliced at the bottom. It looked like two different blazers, still attached to each other by red silk. I like the large belt over the top of the blazer motif. The pairing seems constricting but also boasting, in a way. In some looks, the trousers seemed notably baggy. Other pants were tailored into slim cuts. Shorts were also in the mix, paired with long and thin color-blocked socks that stopped at the knee. Throughout the progression of the show, mainly white ensembles morphed into contrasting blacks and checkered prints. One particular look that viewers really seemed to love was the grey double breasted suit with the contrasting houndstooth print on the lapel and around the button fastenings. Overall, I loved the elements of mixing pristine English-looking suits with dark streetwear. Patent black leather crossed over large coats in black and red. Perhaps it’s my obsession with punk, but I couldn’t help but think of those rebels in the 1980s that stood outside, perhaps smoking a cigarette and discussing rebellious things. Alexander McQueen’s latest menswear show certainly has something that has never been seen in McQueen menswear. Simplicity, perhaps. I think it’s a lot less intricate and detail orientated than last year’s collection. There wasn’t any lace or lace printing, which I thought was a McQueen menswear signature. Regardless, I think Sarah Burton achieved to what she wanted to achieve. A clean slate, something new, something fresh.

Mugler Resort 2015 Review

     David Koma has taken over as Creative Director at the House of Mugler, and this latest Resort collection is his first achievement. How glad am I to see a new Mugler collection? Elated. Ever since Nicola Formichetti left the House of Mugler the brand was in a dry spell.  Now, with Koma in charge, Mugler has something new to show. The lookbook for the Resort 2014 collection was shot in understated black and white as well as soft color. I loved this concept because the black and white shots seem to highlight the silhouette, structure, and cut of each new garment. The harness-like straps on tailored blazers, skirts, and tops really makes this collection cutting-edge. Knee length sheath dresses showed color in large graphic prints and straps. Each garment is structural, with hardware and soft femininity working it's way in. The gowns in the last few looks are simply stunning, with classic black fabric and sophisticated embellishments. Examples include clear sequins and straps. David Koma has certainly simplified the "New Mugler Woman", a stark contrast from the original and the revamped Nicola Formichetti versions. The original Thierry Mugler created looks that were sexy, futuristic, and extremely brash. The revamped Formichetti version modernized the Mugler woman into the twenty-first century (with the help of Lady Gaga, no less). Now, without looking too much into the  past, David Koma has completely redefined the Mugler woman, giving her simplistic edginess and beauty. Koma doesn't want to expell the idea of Mugler past at all, actually Style.com says that Koma's desire to be a designer started when he would look at his mother's old fashion magazines and see Thierry Mugler's designs on gorgeous women.  In fact, David Koma wanted this collection to be a starting point to the future of the House of Mugler, these garments a template for the future.

Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2014 Ready-to-Wear Review

     After learning about this show from @WorldMcQueen on Instagram, I instantly became excited. The images posted were dark showings of the sky, moss in the woods, florals, and bright blue butterfly wings. I thought of a fierce and magical woodland creature. Very "Natural Dis-tinction Un-natural Selection", Lee Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 2009 collection. But when I viewed the actual collection, my thoughts were quite distant from my predictions. The first piece I actually saw was a white dress that was embroidered with various symbols of the crescent moon and stars. It seemed like the witches of Salem were making a more historically correct comeback from the Fall 2007 collection. I kept looking and noticed once again,what I like to call "Sarah's Silhouette". That is, thick sleeves, rounded shoulders, and knee length ends of dresses and skirts. I felt like there was something that Sarah Burton keeps doing to the Alexander McQueen brand that the late Lee McQueen never did: made the clothes soft and sweeter for a woman's frame. Lee McQueen had always stated that he wanted the women he dressed to be feared, giving them a domineering frame with sharp tailoring and edgy embellishments. This collection had the edgy-ness needed for it to be called an Alexander McQueen collection. However, in this collection I see a covering up of Burton's women. Immensely thick overcoats and dresses were covered with hand-added feathers and furs of various animals. One example was the well-talked-about coat made of the  black and white fur of a skunk. The hair was braided, the makeup soft with the exception of the "owl-eye" fur eyebrow attachments. The set was an uneven prairie. What I got: Native Americans and colonists in America during the 1600s. Very interesting, I think, for a British brand during Paris Fashion Week to showcase a historical yet contemporary collection with this possible influence. Sarah Burton actually said that this collection was a children's story, and that made sense. Black velvet boots matched with white lace socks and school-girl silk ties gave each outfit a naïve look. The schoolgirl's daydream of Native American princesses and Pilgrims morphed into colorful and futuristic punks with their laced boots going knee high, and outfits more glitzy and sophisticated, if that makes sense. Bottom line: the clothes were dreamy. The printed coats, fluffy collared dresses, and feathered and white laced gowns were a great contrast from last season's collection of futuristic African tribal influences. To me, and I feel like I've stated this before, Alexander McQueen, whether it's under Lee or Sarah, could and can do no wrong.

McQ Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2014 Ready-to-Wear Review

     To follow up on the previous post on Alexander McQueen's new Fall/Winter menswear line, I bring you McQ's latest line for menswear as well. This brand, if you don't know the difference, is slightly less expensive than the Alexander McQueen signature label. It could also be thought as for a younger audience, more towards a late-teen early-twentys fashion rebel. With this collection, that rebel took the form of a 1980s punk in the streets of London. This punk donned silk scarfs wrapped tightly around his neck, leather patched pants (sometimes in a edgy and unique razor print), buffalo check moto jackets, and always, patent leather combat boots. But the punk could also be classy, showing that McQ by Alexander McQueen is a LUXURY brand. Structured suit pieces also were a part of this collection. Double breasted overcoats were paired with flat black dress pants rolled to still show off the boots. In one case, under the overcoat was a printed gingham dress shirt in black and white. My personal favorites were the smeared printed rolled pants paired with the black and red sweater and scarf. Another was  the logo embossed sweater that resembled a creepy yet fun cartoon face paired with a buffalo check bag. Finally, out of my favorites, was the matching bear stamped contrasting white pants and black t-shirt under a cashmere black cardigan. The overall pairing made that look an OUTFIT that could be all pulled together as something very interesting and compelling. Another great collection from the McQ line to add the brand!

Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2014 Menswear Review

     Like I have stated before, I love McQueen. Especially this collection: the latest menswear show for the fall and winter of 2014. The entire collection flourished as a tribute of the always-edgy looks of Alexander McQueen past. I think the label’s past is perhaps the greatest and most fantastically macabre history of the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century. With that in mind, this specific collection reeked of dark masculine intensity and beautiful pieces of clothing taken to the next level. Of course, or else it wouldn’t really be McQueen, now would it? To truly break it down, the amazing cuts of overcoats with suits emits a certain historical image of a dapper gentleman. The grey-scale color palette also reflected that feeling of a time of our ancestors, now gone by. Then, of course, there was the full on pink tartan kilt ensemble that radiated dapper dandyism and strong Scottish ancestry (also very past McQueen). The details were fresh and totally impeccable. Words of poetry were scrawled across the crisp white collars of dress shirts and embroidered on black topcoats. Other adornments included bold and contrasting symmetrical lines that highlighted the pattern of dark garments. For example, the black mohair sweater with white lines forming into squares appeared very pleasing to this guy’s eyes. I especially loved the gold zippers placed along the pleating of black kilts and along the buttoned edge of cardigans. To complete the look, black bird feathers were wrapped in the hair of models reminded me of something out of an Edgar Allen Poe poem. Dark and romantic just like the history of McQueen now long gone. But perhaps it’s not gone; nor did it ever leave. Perhaps it’s just a continuation of Alexander McQueen’s infamous menswear collections. I like that idea. The beauty of McQueen never left, its still there, maybe not in person, but in spirit.

Gareth Pugh Fall/Winter 2013 Ready-to-Wear Review

     Let me start off by saying that I had no idea who Gareth Pugh was until a week ago. Now, let me just say I understand why there were so many rumors about this man becoming creative director for Alexander McQueen way back in 2010. He denied it, according to Vogue UK. The job went to Sarah Burton, and Pugh went right back to work. His creations are atramentous and beautiful. For this specific collection, he chose bold black and white ensembles that were made of thick fabric in shapes that hinted towards a Victorian inspiration. The models' faces were greyed with somber, and their hair seemed loosely done with loose and matted ends that clung to the face. The hair acted as a veil over beautiful smokey eyes. It seemed ethereal, like something divine, but dark and almost evil-like at the same time. Towards the middle of the collection, there are floor length gowns in various shades that seemed scrunched in the middle. Those easy scrunches made quite a statement, in my opinion. Then, the collection unfolded into heavy and bulky leather made pieces that had massive amounts of detail in thick fringe. Overall, I'm madly in love with Gareth Pugh for his dark side to fashion, as well as being able to look back into the fashion of history.

Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2014 Ready-to-Wear Review

     Marc Jacobs' farewell show to Louis Vuitton was a triumphant one. The fashion businessman had installed sixteen years of work into the iconic brand. He took the company from a luxury baggage brand and expanded it into an empire full of acclaimed clothing and shoes while keeping the brand's signature pieces. Sadly enough, this was his last collection. He sent out a farewell letter to all those that attended saying that his inspiration was the showgirl, and how each and every one of the women that had inspired him over the years was one. It could be clearly seen that this is what inspired Marc Jacobs. An enormous black enamel fountain spewed water dramatically near a blacked out carousel with "Louis Vuitton" sprawled across it. Each of the women wore dark headdresses made of massive exotic bird feathers that truly showed the "showgirl." The first look to kick off this spectacular was a transparent body suit that had "Louis Vuitton Paris" written in black and bold letters, covering the model's body. The model's arms were wrapped in a glittery rope, and a silver mask adorned her headdress. The show continued with little black dresses laced with structured decorations that served as a boarder for parts that were highlighted in each specific look. The collection also included denim that was rolled to show off black boots, and embellished black leather jackets. Other beautifully dark and romantic pieces included heavily ornamented dresses and leggings, as well as the business jackets shown towards the end of the collection.

Ann Demeulemeester Spring/Summer 2014 Ready-to-Wear Review

     Sheer. That was the first word that popped into my mind was I browsed the latest Ann Demeulemeester collection. Garments like pants, tops, even full looks were fashionably translucent. The prints matched the Menswear counterpart that I blogged about here. Black and white ivy that grew gracefully over model's legs and torso. The colors also grew into browns and bright reds. I particularly loved the sheer headpieces that fluttered around each of the models. They seemed to be made of light silk, in either black or brown, later on. Each was uniquely twisted and folded to look like a hybrid of a sunhat mixed with a veil. Quite amazing.

Chanel Spring/Summer 2014 Ready-to-Wear Review

     Mod haircuts? Edgy accessories? Crazy beautiful clothing? God I love Chanel! These are just some of my favorite looks from this collection. That doesn't mean that they're aren't plenty more from this show. The over 80 looks were beautifully directed by the infamous Karl Lagerfeld. Here is another amazing example of how fashion and art are a part of each other. In this day and age, it may seem that pastel and minimalism seem to be making a comeback. However, the Chanel house seemed to go towards the opposite direction, to my personal happiness. They went for artsy, textured tweeds in great colors. The crazy accessories were piled onto each other beautifully. My personal favorite were the pearls, classy Chanel with a new look. The shoes had the same level of class, with high contrasting socks. Also, the cloth fabric handbags looked like they were painted in an art class, a fabulous art class. I also found it interesting how the bags were carried and crossed over both shoulders of models. Speaking of the models, their makeup was another topic to discuss. Their mouths and cheeks were naturally nude, but their eyes were shocking. The dark eyeliner was paired with a palette of different colors, like a rainbow of hope for next Spring! The massive runway was clean and bright as a clean sheet of sketchbook paper. At the mouth of the stage, there was multiple sculptures designed by multiple young artists commissioned by architect Peter Merino.

Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2014 Ready-to-Wear Review

    Sarah Burton went for a more modern, futuristic collection for Alexander McQueen at the most recent Spring/Summer show. This collection felt refreshing, after so many earlier shows by Mrs. Burton seeming too "19th century" for my tastes. In earlier collections, I sensed the silhouettes were constantly being recycled. The one behind the McQueen label today once said that she wanted to add a "woman's touch" to the fashion house. That was noticeable in collections before this. Now, she seemed to go back to Lee McQueen's obsession with "National Geographic" magazines. This collection started, with leather belted black and red ensembles at the beginning. The collection evolved and added other colors: white and gold bracelets that matched the gold helmet motif. Then, nine looks into the show, a overcoat with a black and white print emerged, and silver replaced the gold. The silver and white continued, until the razor-sharp mesh-looking fabric began to bleed, though not as savagely as the "ghosts of McQueen past" had.  The blood flow stopped, and the looks reformatted. They then took on a checkered and geometric sight to them. The geometric printing's texture shifted, making it more thick, as a pattern. After that theme, a new outfit emerged as a distant memory. It reminded me of McQueen's Fall 2009 collection, with the bold red, white, and black color scheme and black feathers. The feathers continued into a next look, minus the bold red. Finally, a rainbow of color mixing with black came in a somewhat futuristic textile I have not yet identified. It was alluring, and gave the impression of being awfully relevant to the long anticipated album, ARTPOP by Lady Gaga. An editorial with her wearing one of the last looks? One can only hope!

Saint Laurent Fall/Winter 2013 Menswear Review

     I'm reviewing Saint Laurent's Fall/Winter collection rather than their most latest menswear collection because I didn't actually like Saint Laurent's Spring collection, but that's just me. Plus, I'm freezing cold here in Indiana, so I'm looking for warm inspiration for my outfits. What can I say? I love my oversized knit scarves and rockabilly style as much as the next fashionisto. Actually, I adore it. I might as well just analyze every look I posted, because each one is the same theme, but so unique and interesting on their own. Plus, I added like, four extra photos than I usually do. Because I love this collection.

For this look, the black fur overcoat/shawl/cape/moto jacket is incredible. So beautiful. I can't even put in words. Well, actually I could, but I'd be wasting time. That black and red knit sweater, though. Can I just say, "Amazing!" People who know me know that I have an addiction with sweaters, especially edgy knits.