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Nina Ricci’s rosy forecast
Now that we’ve had a bit of time to explore additional fashion month footage, we have realised a new found admiration for Peter Copping at Nina Ricci. It was a sad, sad day when Olivier Theyskens left the collection just a year ago after the autumn 09 presentation, but it looks like the house is back in form with Copping at the helm, even returning to on-schedule showing in Paris. Though not as darkly dramatic as his predecessor’s point of view, Copping’s take on the the French design house is a great deal more romantic. Coppings girl was dressed in bustier bodices, pastel charmeuse, fitted knits and plenty of rosy bouquets. Which brings us to our chief interest in this collection: Rita Saardi. You may recall our assessment of Saardi’s Waiting To Be Kissed collection, and can probably guess how excited we were to see her lovely floral wreaths blooming all over Nina Ricci’s runway.
Saardi took to her blog to walk readers through the production process. The ethereal blossoms from Waiting To Be Kissed complemented Coppings feminine designs flawlessly. A belt of roses wound around the waist of a rose-coloured sheath and awakened a black bodice with lavender buds. Copping even presented a strapless dress and matching mini skirt of 3-D flowers paired with long leather gloves. Saardi’s detail shots below illustrate how she formed the petals out of multi-coloured chiffon into the gorgeous bouquets that decorated the Nina Ricci collection. This is a fantasy fashion collaboration, and we’re glad to see it executed with such success.
Written by Dana Karlson
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English eccentric
Ladies, get your umbrellas out: it’s going to be a rainy winter. But if we follow Jean-Paul Gaultier’s vision for Hermès, we’ll be more than prepared in our polished suits and bowler hats.
It started off as an unlikely partnership, to say the least. But after seven years, bad boy Gaultier has successfully put the luxury goods label back on track.
When model Lily Cole opened the show in a skin-tight leather all in one suit, we were wondering whether the designer known for his provocative creations had gone down the bondage route. The following outfit consisted of a leather polo-neck tucked into a patent crocodile-skin pencil skirt, but that was as S&M as things got, because the collection was essentially about suits and coats, taking menswear-inspired clothes to unexpected levels.
There was plenty of leather throughout the show, mainly in the form of outerwear, trousers and riding boots, but the naughtiest touch were the leather ties. Black, brown and grey were the key colours, which contrasted with the leopard print pieces.
But let’s not forget it’s Jean-Paul Gaultier who’s in charge, so it was only natural to expect a few eccentricities. The outbursts of orange pieces were a breath of fresh air, and the giant skirts that looked like they were made out of scarves didn’t have much to do with the wearability trend.
The presentation of the garments might have been totally cheeky, but you wouldn’t have to dissect each look in order to see that there were super wearable pieces. The coats and trenches were the strongest pieces of the show – luxurious and with a timeless appeal, which is definitely in nowadays. The English influence was felt mainly in the accessories. The bowler and top hats, fob watches, manly gloves… it was all a bit tongue-in-cheek, really. But our favourite accessory was definitely the various reincarnations of the mini Birkin bag – can’t get more adorable than that.
How Gaultier managed to get away with such a show is a bit of a mystery. But then again, Hermès is all about classic tailoring, and what better way is there to represent the essence of the label than with a touch of English dandyism?
Written by Vanessa Zaree
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Saab Couture
It’s hard not to think of red-carpet fashion when mentioning Elie Saab – but there was more to his autumn/winter ‘10 collection than just pretty evening gowns. In was a strong, eclectic show – elegant suits and short dresses that were less about celebrity looks and more about ‘normal’ women who love the glam factor.
Body-con was the central theme in many of the dresses. The models wore classic yet sexy pieces that created a womanly, old-school glamour silhouette. Out of the 59 looks, there were five suits seen throughout the show. The two that stood out most were a statement jacket and skirt combo infused with lace and glamour, and a tougher-looking, slightly biker-like suit, a brief reminder of Hervé’s bandage allure. It would have been great to see more outfits like these because it is clear that Saab is is just as good at work and day wear as he is at evening frocks.
But the Lebanese designer stuck to what he knows best and took a much darker turn than his previous Spring ‘10 couture collection, with lots of black and dark shades. The Grecian-looking numbers couldn’t have looked any more alluring in windswept fabrics, whilst the all-over embellished pieces had a cheekier, party-the-night-away feel. But it was with the short cocktail dresses where Saab pushed the boundaries and succeeded: matching lace and sheer, resulting in pretty-but-edgy numbers. Another highlight was the dark tree print used on some of the clothes – it was an unusual, unexpected and truly interesting touch.
We understand that Elie Saab is all about evening wear, but we’re hoping he’ll gradually focus not solely on red-carpet looks but also on more practical looks – ’cause we all need to feel like a star every now and then.
Written by Vanessa Zaree
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Miu Miu’s spin on sixties style
We have to be honest, the office team has spent much of this morning indulging. It’s a Miu Miu thing you see. Though we normally engage in a seasonal debate whether we like/dislike the current offering, today the vote was unanimously in favour of Miu Miu. Autumn 2010 was enjoyed all around. A lot. And really, what’s not to love? This was Miuccia Prada’s take on the sixties, and it was sweet and swingin’.
Smart wool coats opened the show in a flood of black, all perfectly contoured to the body and with high reaching necks that looked like the uniform of prim schoolmarms decades ago. Naturally, Prada had to poke and provoke onlookers a little, and so sleeves were axed, hemlines were raised to barely skim the thigh, and deep U shapes were cut into mini dresses (bandeaux kept anything too explicit under wraps). Peter Pan collars helped preserved the line’s modesty–our favourite was an orange collar atop a long sleeve back top with a violet skirt.
Miuccia’s signature embellishments were present though restrained to floral appliqués sprawled across outerwear, lace mini dresses, and gathered in pods around the models’ ankles. Simple leather ribbons were tied around the neck or below the décolleté of a lavender frock. A marigold coloured dress with a drop waist had a sweet splay of petals just above stiff ripples of a mini skirt. But don’t forget, Prada is known to have a few twists up her sleeve…or trouser leg, in this case, as super slim-fit legs flared out just above the ankle to engulf the foot.
Miu Miu’s future-retro collection is one of the more memorable rifts on sixties fashion this season, fusing the conservative nature of the late fifties with the intoxicating sexuality of the following decade.
Written by Dana Karlson
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Like a prayer
It’s hard to believe that designer Stefano Pilati denied that Yves Saint Laurent’s autumn/winter ‘10 collection had any religious connotations, mainly because it’s impossible to look at most of the outfits and not get a spiritual vibe. The show started off with a model in an austere yet beautiful cropped black cape. It might have looked perfectly innocent if it hadn’t been for the overbearing black hat that resembled a nun’s wimple – the formal term for their head attire.
Clerical influences aside, the collection was all about slick tailoring and winter’s favourite colour. Crisp shirts and tops with large, stylised sleeves, black flared trousers, lady-like skirts – these clothes were made for grown-up women with a sharp sense of style. Capes in all shapes and sizes were the novelty of the show, as well as the bits of plastic film covering many of the jackets.
The statement necklaces were unmissable, and again suspiciously a bit churchly looking. But according to Pilati those saintly silhouettes were simply based on Saint Laurent fashion shoots he’d cut out of vintage magazines. Other accessories that we loved were the shoes with a sleek Mohawk effect, the patent black gloves and the clutch bags (not to be confused with the Bible).
Black dominated the collection. However, there were outbursts of colour at the end of the show, when the last four looks consisted of a fuchsia pink cape followed by three different dresses in bright blue, turquoise green and yellow.
Maybe it was all our imagination and there wasn’t any religious connotation after all. But whatever Pilati’s intentions were, he’s certainly giving us a hard time fighting temptation – Amen to that.
Written by Vanessa Zaree
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A lighter shade of beige
Judging by Hannah MacGibbon’s spring outing for Chloe and the colour trend of the season, we’re not too surprised to see more neutral hues cropping on this runway collection. Only MacGibbon committed. This was not a brief rift on camel-beige-ivory and then onto navy. The neutral palette persevered. A healthy lineup of nude looks dominated the show with cameos from chocolate, grey and black. MacGibbon experimented with shades of the same neutral tone, layering a knee length jacket over a waist coat with paper bag trousers. This pale palette can be problematic for some complexions, we may need to invest in some warm peach tones for our beauty regiment.
Shades of beige aside, this was a stellar minimalist collection. Stripped down and utterly sophisticated. High-waisted wide leg trousers never looked so good. A little less girlie than we remember Chloe, but just as lovely. Infused with subtle femininity, this Chloe collection was grown-up with only faint traces of bows tied carelessly around the neck or cinched at the waist. Gone are the clunky bags and boho chiffon dresses, and in their place we welcomed brilliantly tailored coats, and again stunning trousers that illuminated the figure. These were harems for the busy city girl, loose not baggy and cropped just above the ankle. Rich leather, in the form of trousers or dirndl skirt, enhanced matte blouses, whilst knits upon knits looked cosy and polished (we didn’t know this combination was possible). MacGibbon’s designs looked entirely wearable and ideal for autumn.
One thing’s for sure, the Chloe girl is not exactly who she used to be, and whether her new sleek silhouette appeals to shoppers is yet to be seen.
Written by Dana Karlson
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Stella works
Let’s face it: Stella McCartney can do no wrong. Season after season, she produces great pieces that women fall in love with. We’re betting next winter won’t be any different.
The show could not have started off in a more unusual way: with a fake recording of Tiger Woods’ alleged call to one of his mistresses. We’re not sure what exactly this had to do with the collection itself, but the clothes did not disappoint. Stripped to the absolute basics, it was minimalism at its most powerful. A long grey coat with what now seems to be a Stella classic, tuexdo-like lapels, opened the show, followed by a top covered in big black stripes. More grey suits and striped pieces followed, as well as constructed yet minimal tops, laid-back jersey tops, an oversize signature Stella cardigan and dresses with large pockets – a detail that reminded us of Celine’s autumn/winter ‘10 collection. For women with chic work-wear in mind, it was a feast – the outerwear and separates were perfectly fit for the office, and realistic kitten-heels. But Stella didn’t forget about the night owls and there were many cute silk and organza cocktail dresses in beautiful shades of magenta, orange and cream. Her trademark lace effects were included in some of the pieces, but the focus was on see-through fabrics. The sheer detailing on super-short dresses was more refined than sexy, and even though some of the dresses were embellished with large pailettes, they were anything but flashy.
The collection is ideal for what seems to be fashion’s return to minimalist, wearable fashion. In fact, the clothes were so clean and polished that that was the only ‘but’ to the show: as much as we love Stella, we would have liked to see some of that playfulness that has characterised her previous collections. Still, she did well.
Shop current Stella McCartney products on LynkU.
Written by Vanessa Zaree
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Red hot autumn
We’ve been raving about Valentino’s design duo Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli since the spring 10 collection premièred in September, and by the looks of this autumn line, we’ll be feeling the love through next September as well. It’s no secret that the aim of Chiuri and Piccioli is to attract a younger following whilst staying true to the Italian house’s inherent romanticism. This means floaty fabrics–the stuff fashion fairytales are made up– returned to breathe new life into the line.
Beige is the colour du jour, and everyone has had their go including Chiuri and Piccioli whose ruffles ran all the way up a prim peplum coat and wound around most of their 38 looks. Winter white dresses fluttered delicately, and reminded us of fragile ice-skaters spinning in pirouettes atop a frozen pond. Though lovely, neither outerwear nor mini dresses looked entirely autumn appropriate. No matter, leave the bundling up to other designers, Valentino’s girls are too busy looking irresistible. It was all in the details for the designers this season, as tone-on-tone flower appliques bloomed along the collar of coats and jewelled butterflies landed atop chiffon necklines. Chiuri and Piccioli also included more of Valentino’s signature red that has been lacking in previous seasons. A lovely red silk gown closed the show, but several scalloped nude and black lace numbers stole our heart, and helped widen the fissure between the minimalist movement of late and Valentino’s romantic charm.
Chiuri and Piccioli are not so much reinventing the line, just making it more approachable for a younger crowd. The duo has moved away from the Hollywood glamour of past decades, but the dream-like loveliness radiates stronger than ever, creating a line we have come to covet season after season.
Written by Dana Karlson
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Flower power at Kenzo
We’ve been rediscovering the Sixties thanks to many of the latest fashion collections – but judging by Kenzo’s autumn/winter ‘10 collection it seems that isn’t the only decade we’ll be talking about next season. The label’s creative director, Italian designer Antonio Marras, name-checked seventies style icons like Tina Chow and Marisa Berenson as references to this rather hippie collection.
As well as plaits, flowers were the stars of the show. Big or small and with an unashamed curtain-like feel, Marras proved that flowers not only flourish in the springtime. Seen on maxi-dresses, cosy shawls and coats, they certainly livened up the mood of the show.
Grey, steel blue, orange and maroon served as background colours to the multicoloured flower prints. Colour-wise, it wasn’t the brightest of shows, but it certainly differentiated itself from other collections: black was not the main colour of the show, in fact, there was very little of it.
There was a boho vibe to most looks in the show: sleeveless cardis were layered over dresses and belted, flower-printed and stripey silk scarves were worn in a boyish manner and the fedora hats somehow complemented the models’ soft waves. Amongst the dresses, floor-length skirts and jumpsuits, Marras also paid attention to outerwear, creating luxurious shawls and menswear-inspired coats. There was a tinge of work-wear influence thrown into some of the numbers with grey pinstripe pieces, which were maybe just a little too cool for the office. Fur stood out in the most ambiguous of ways – it was unclear whether it was a necklace or simply part of the front of the dresses.
It’s unlikely that Marras’ choice of decade is coincidental – it was in the seventies that Kenzo Takada launched his eponymous label and reached the peak of his success. Back then, the label was a celebrities’ favourite. Four decades later with Lindsay Lohan sitting in the front row, Kenzo might be on the right track again.
Written by Vanessa Zaree
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Alexander McQueen’s autumn 2010 show
The final collection Lee McQueen ever designed was presented yesterday in Paris to an intimate gathering of editors. Though not in line with McQueen’s usual theatrics, this private showing delivered. The late designer’s hand was present in each piece—his team said the 16 pieces were 80 percent complete at the time of his death. His vision pervaded every detail, from the models’ gilded mohicans to the gold feathers of the final look—a long fitted jacket, its collar splayed like a peacock with fairy like tulle peaking out beneath the hem.
Miles away from his technology-driven amphibious underworld for spring, McQueen’s autumn show featured medieval paintings printed on dramatic gowns. He sampled the work of Botticelli and Bosch, introducing his own Renaissance in fashion design. Paintings of Byzantine iconography decorated v-neck bodices with Madonnas and gargoyles. Floor length skirts hung like curtains from elongated bodices, whilst crimson coloured pleats draped a model’s shoulders like armour. Ornate gold foil embellished many a look, but stood out sharply against a long black coat that rippled to the ground. Origami folds of drapery created strong necklines and pronounced waistlines.
Though the atmosphere was sure to be sombre, Alexander McQueen’s show expressed his poetic vision and a talent for manifesting an idea into dramatic designs created with meticulous tailoring. Whilst his repetoire will live on, McQueen will undoubtedly be missed.
Written by Dana Karlson
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