Christophe Lemaire.

Weds. 02/26/2014

Christophe Lemaire.

Denim is a tough thing to make look Haute. It can be done, but one must have a Vision to extract that Haute-Ness from the Material which has been relegated to Jeans and Jean Jackets and the such. When it's whipped into the Ultra Desirable Peacoat that opened Christophe Lemaire's Fall 2014 collection, One realized Instantaneously that Lemaire has such Vision! There was Utilitarianism mixed with Sophistication throughout and His use of Denim was one of the Hallmarks of such ideas. 

Sweater Dressing was another one of those elevated ideas, Here as Luxe and Cozy it looked it still smacked of Freshness and Spontaneity, Even if there was a Dreadful Repetition of Certain ideas in Identical looks in different colours, which to me shows a Profound lack of Creativity! What was so Astounding and Fascinating, however was how in such Minimalistic Moulds Lemaire showcased Unerring Luxury and Richness. Without Aodrnment or Embellishment, these pieces looked as Pricey and Opulent as could be!

It was in the way a simple Ink Blue Fine Gauge Sweater played against a pair of Suntan colour Trousers. Or the way an Oatmeal Tweed Great Coat worked with a Pearl White top and pants with a Black Jacket thrown over... Maybe it was the Ultra-Quiet Richesse of a Whisper thin Sweater dress in Mushroom with scrunched up Turtleneck and Sleeves that Resonated Deeply. The pieces that were Mouth Wateringly Delectable were Many! 

It ended Perfectly with a Super Crisp Trench Coat that sealed the deal with Mystery, Grace and Attitude. It was the most Effective close to this Treatise on the ability of Quietness to bring Gravity and Resounding Force to the wearer! In that, Lemaire whipped up a Hurricane of Brilliance that was Matchless in it's Persuasion! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Anthony Vaccarello.

Tues. 02/25/2014.

Anthony Vaccarello.

There is a Very, VERY Fine line in High Fashion, One that is Barely Perceptible, but once it's been tipped over into, it's as Noticeable as a Lighthouse Beacon. The Line between Sexy and Slutty. Steamy Vs. Trampy. Anthony Vaccarello seems to Manoeuver that line with the skill of a Jungle Cat. The only sad thing is, He presents on Models. It's nigh Near Impossible to make a Nearly 6 Foot Young girl with No Breasts and Legs longer than Route 66 Look Trampy in ANYTHING! It's just not Happening. But... you put that same dress on some Celeb of the Moment famous for nothing more than being famous... and you have Harlot City. This applies to ALL of the Kardashians! So, it's great to Make these Vampy Clothes, but you also have to realize that even with the best of intentions and scrupulous monitoring, Some gal that isn't Tall, Isn't Leggy and SURE AS SHIT isn't Young, will decide to try and pour her oversized Contents into one of Vaccarello's Slithery offerings and think she's all of a Sudden Anja Rubik. No, Honey, You're Not!

So, to boil it down, Wonderfully Sexy they may be, Vaccarello's Clothes don't look Right unless you're a woman of Model Proportion. It's the Double-Edged Sword of his work and it's what makes it so Scintillating. Fall 2014 saw Vaccarello perhaps, thinking more about the Women of the Real World than the Blissful World of The Genetic Jackpots that are Models. He offered Coats and Turtlenecks and Generous cut Pants... Is this Still Anthony Vaccarello? 

Well, then you also see hems so high that Indecent feels like it's about to enter the room and Slits ALL THE WAY up to there and you are reminded that you are back in Vaccarello's World of The Sexbomb! Admittedly, there was much here in the way of Sophistication, The Outerwear was Stellar and will suit any physique Fantastically come this Fall, and though it's a tired trick, the Constructivist feeling of Black and Red and White didn't come off as Cheap or Hackneyed. It wasn't the most Highbrow discussion, But it worked without becoming something altogether Overwrought.

The Lacquer Red worked more as a Sexy Intensifier to all the Black that was shown, It was that Extra on top of the already Scandalous clothes that made them Signature Vaccarello. In saying that, This proved to be a more Digestible dish from Vaccarello that we have seen perhaps in his entire career. He is now one of the Spotlights of Paris Fashion and his clothes, Right or Wrong, are seen on the bodies of many Celebrities. They may not serve his clothes the best, but they are damn sure making his Business Burgeon! Small price to pay in the end, One might say!

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Cedric Charlier.

Tues. 02/25/2014.

Cedric Charlier.

Moody.  That was the Watchword for Fall 2014 at Cedric Charlier. Maybe it was the Snake Influence. That could have done it. Whatever the case was, Charlier delivered a collection that was full of Strong, Wearable pieces with just a twist of the Moody, Arty thing going on. Charlier showed Snake in multiple guises... save the Real McCoy. There was no Real Snakeskin in the collection, which one could see as Subversive, Intellectual Twist, Or Slightly Maddening. Also more Infuriating, Why open the show with THREE Exits of the EXACT Same look just in different colour palettes? It was a Colossal waste of time and effort when that could have been directed at making two OTHER outfits Entirely!

A Snake skin pattern down the front of a Creme shift dress implied the Slither with out the skin, while a Black Leather top was Pleated and Tiered to Imitate the scales of Snake and paired with a Tri-Colour Pleated skirt. A Section of Sequin pieces that also aped the Shiny, Slithery Quality of Snake were On Pointe and should have closed the show... so why the Fur Pieces, Cedric? Befuddling.

In the end, It was a Good effort. Not Great, Not particularly Impactful. But for his fans and for his slowly expanding name, it will keep him noticed for another season. Sometimes that's all that you need, just to stay in the light enough til you create that moment, where you become your Own Light! Charlier still seems to be waiting for that Epiphany!

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Giorgio Armani.

Mon. 02/24/2014.










Giorgio Armani.

Boring. Typically Beautiful, but Just BORING! Snoozefest! Armani's Fall 2014 Collection was all the things that make an Armani Collection Wonderful and Bless him for it, But those said same things also make his collections as predictably similar as the Tides going in and out. The one thing that Armani did prove to most Glorious effect in this show was that Citron Green and Pale Grey are MIRACULOUSLY Beautiful paired together.

Armani called his collection "Fade To Grey" And, of all things Unsurprising, Grey was the major colour of the collection, If not for the Green, The ONLY Colour of the collection. Yes, There was some Black in there as well, But squint hard enough and even it could look like a Deep, Dark, Charcoal! There were Armani's Typical Laser Precise Suits and Blazers and Jackets, Some equally Lovely coats and all manner of Dresses and Skirts and Pants to fill out a Wardrobe. But that was Honestly, The Beginning and The End of it all. Anything in the way of Innovation or The Unexpected was left to the pretty thin combining of Green and Grey.

Some pieces were worth the whole endeavour, A Flud Citron Green Sleeveless dress worn over slim Grey Pants was a Success as was the Pale Citron Strapless gown that closed the show. Armani never fails, exactly. He just sometimes (Most TIMES!) relies on the Formulaic. It is becoming increasingly apparent that Armani is either Unable or Unwilling to Budge from the Foxhole of comfort he has dug deeply for himself. It's Vexing, because we all know he still has innovation in him, The sad point is that he is becoming increasingly like Yves Saint Laurent was in the last decade or more, Just a Recycler of past glories in new guises...

That might keep him rich, But it won't keep Him relevant!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Dsquared2.

Mon. 02/24/2014..











Dsquared2.

Dean and Dan Caten sure know how to Get Inspired! Every season the Caten Brothers come up with some Brilliant setting for their Fashion Escapades to take place and then create the Mise-En-Scene in Full Spectacular Detail! For Fall 2014, The Catens got the idea of a Mad Fading Diva who doesn't really want to accept that her moment in the Spotlight has past and that she is still the Grand Dame she once was... Except she's in a Psychiatric Ward! In The 60's! With the Hottest, Chicest Nurses in The Known Universe! And Perhaps, The setting is London or Rome... Not sure yet which!

Admittedly, It's a Situation RIFE With Possibility! Now, first off, Let's not make it out like the Catens are Arch, High Thinkers... There's no Deep Subtext or Societal Statements here... there's an Idea and a Setting and then the Brothers Create the Wardrobe for that setting. Fin! That's It! All shallow surface gloss, No Depth! Yet, in trying not to delve beneath the surface, the Dean and Dan are Unwittingly presenting a Thoughtful Social Satire! Beauty and Fame ultimately all fade, One can accept that and make a fulfilling life for oneself with their Acts and Deeds or they can Go Mad and continue to believe that.. They're Still Big, It's The World That Got Smaller!

In any case, The Catens put forth a Spectacular show, That even in it's Briefness was Jam-Packed with Stunning Evening wear and Deluxed Up Daywear! The Asylum chic offered some of the most Blazingly Hot White outfits to be seen since the Days of La Docle Vita! Six "Nurse" Exits that were crafted as Finely as any Haute Couture/Alta Moda that shows in January or July! They were THAT SICK! Pure Perfection!

The Grandly Operatic Opera Gowns that opened the show were like something from another era, Yet Strangely Apposite for now! After this Atypical opening, sort of like a Fashion Show in Reverse, Dean and Dan offered Short, Micro hemmed Day wear! The Catens can sometimes Tap-Dance on that line of Tasteful and Whorish. Sometimes, tripping onto the wrong side of that line, Today it was Tasteful all the way!

A Brief Dress in the most Vile shades to combine imaginable looked as Delicious and Mouth Watering as could be at Exit No. 15 whilst a Jazzy little Black Coat with Mink Stand Collar was Made even Jazzier by a Beaded panel at the front. By the end, the Inmates were Running the Asylum and the Girls that started the show, including the Nurses, were now all Decked out in Party Wear with one girl having the keys to the rooms hooked on her waist, as if to suggest that everyone was breaking out and ready to Dance the Night away!

It was a Camp Masterpiece. One of the Caten's Best, If not the Best. The Clothes were Achingly Gorgeous, The Set-up was Genuinely Inspiring... Every thing came together Beautifully to make this one a Showstopper!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Philipp Plein.

Sat. 02/23/2014.

Philipp Plein.

Rita Ora Notwithstanding, Philipp Plein is quite the showman, As most designers have been Bitten by the Lagerfeld/Jacobs/Caten Brothers bug as of late and are producing more Elaborate shows has become De Rigeur. Some can do it, Many fail in the trying. Philipp Plein is proving he might have what it takes. His Glorious Metal flavored Rock Ode to all things Wild, Wild Western was appropriately Big-Budget. With Ora singing (Lip-Synching) to Open and a car Erupting into Flames at the end... Spectacle was Achieved. 

The Good thing is, The clothes were there to back up this Phantasmagoria. Naomi Campbell opened the show and that's always a sign that someone has gotten the High Fashion Priestess Seal of Approval. With her Fur trimmed and Gold Studded coat over Leather Leggings she looked Fierce and the clothes befitted that, Plein played all the typical Western Cards but made a Rubber Burning, Tire Screeching U-Turn when Plaid came to the Table to participate in the festivities. It was an Intriguing Choice, if not an altogether odd one, but one that fit, Though, Somewhat uncomfortably in it's Incongruence! It did produce a Knockout of a Crazy Ass Balmoral Ballgown at Exit No. 25!

Plein's collection was Bewilderingly Opulent and Overdone. In a Fantastic Way! The one lesson that could be learned was that Plein could do with Pulling back things a little and not having to Embellish and Stud and Decorate every possible surface available! Some of his best pieces were the less Exorbitant ones, A Long Duster over a Sheer Turtleneck and Leather leggings all in Black with just a gentle Studding on the border of the Duster at Exit No. 32 was as ready for an Urban Galavant as anything seen this season!

Plein seems to be honing a Style that is a Synthesis of Versace, Cavalli, Rousteing, Decarnin, Dundas and Donatella all rolled into One Handsome Package! Unlike Equally Handsome Fausto Puglisi who is simply Regurgitating ideas, Plein is actually Recontextualizing those ideas through his Own Lens. And in doing that, he is creating a Path for himself among those other names and it is looking More Original rather than Plagiarist. Plein seems on the Fast Track to Superstardom, All that's required is Putting Pedal to the Metal! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Salvatore Ferragamo.

Sun. 02/23/2014.

Salvatore Ferragamo.

Massimilano Giornetti is working his Groove at the Venerable House of Ferragamo. He has created a recognizable signature for the house and is constantly adding to his vocabulary of fashion by risking and experimenting. Even though Fall 2014 saw Giornetti in a more Safe Frame of Mind, There was Innovation and a Multitude of some of the most Exquisite clothes the house has ever produced. Giornetti injected a Little of This and That to Most Stunning effect, Some of the clothes were so finely done, they moved beyond mere Luxe into Ethereal. From Asymmetry to Painterly swaths of colour to Plaid and Death Defyingly Sumptuous Animal Skins there was something to be had for all tastes.

Standouts were Aplenty, A Glossy Black Crocodile Wrap coat that was Unearthly Expensive to be sure and More Chic than it had a right to be. Or the utter Exquisite simplicity of a Animal Print Turtleneck top and skirt combo early in the show at Exit No. 11, or one of the most Gasp Worthy pieces, the Poncho/Cape in Black with the Bright Violet Swath in the middle... HEAVEN! Giornetti showed that he is a Designer to be taken with the Utmost of Seriousness and that Ferragamo is not just a house of Shoes and Bags, That it's Ready-To-Wear can take on any of the Major Luxury Labels and Beat Them

This show from the house of Ferragamo was one of it's literal best in all senses. Massimilano Giornetti is Showing he is up to the challenge of not only keeping the house relevant, but Timely and Of-The-Moment. He will continue to find even more success with sticking to his guns and listening to his Own voice to produce Collections of Conviction like the one seen today!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Dolce And Gabbana.

Sun. 02/23/2014.










Dolce And Gabbana.

In Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's World, Fairy Tales and Medieval Warrioresses comingle in perfect harmony. Today for Fall 2014 one had to wonder... Was it Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale Meets "The Secret Garden" Or George R.R. Martin "Game Of Thrones"/T.H. White "Once And Future King" Medieval Custumery? Whatever the Hell it was, It was Pure, Utter, Delightful Enchantment. One really couldn't possibly believe after Spring, the Duo could produce a collection that was better. Well, They Did!

With an absolutely Gargantuan Tree coming up from the floor to the Tune of Tchaikovsky, one knew something Magical was afoot. And as the lights came up for the first exit one could barely make out Dolce and Gabbana's Enchanted Forest Mise en Scene, which when the lights did fully come up, was as Enrapturing as anything from the World of Opera or Ballet! Mashing up Arthurian Knights and Grimm Fairy Tales, Dolce and Gabbana Opened their own Secret Garden of Earthly Delights. Evoking Valentino Haute Couture of Spring, the clothes were propagated with all sorts of Woodland creatures, Squirrels, Swans, Foxes, Owls, Frogs even! Flora was abundant too, Trees, Flowers, Vines... All of this done in Naif Manner and Elaborate Embellishment. Add to that Gothic Key Prints and Appliques... It was a Festival of Joy for the eyes!

There were Literally SO MANY PIECES of an Extra Special Caliber, that I will have to Severely limit myself in Highlighting certain pieces. A Shift Dress on Ava Smith in the most Beguiling shade of Porcelain Blue with Google Eyed Owls Appliqued on the already Lavishly Rich Matelasse Fabric. Or the Multicolour Jewel Encrusted Swing coat in Gold with the Aubergine Fur Lining. An Absolutely BREATHTAKING Gown in Black Tapestry Damask Whimsically embroidered with Tree Branches inhabited by Bushy Tailed Squirrels and brightly coloured Birds, A Red Suit with a 50's Italian Couture Flare to it Appliqued with Black Felt Velvet Floral Cutouts at Exit No. 55 was Screen Worthy!

The show ended with Kasia Struss as a Modern Day Siren version of Little Red Riding Hood in a Swirling Dervish of Yards of Elaborately printed Chiffon with Owls and Squirrels and Foxes and was as Exquisite an Ending as it was Sweet and Romantic. This was Perhaps the Crowning achievement in a series of increasingly Majestic and Searingly Memorable shows from Stefano and Domenico. This Might perhaps be the Show of the season. Nothing could really top this. Not Even perhaps the Dynamic Duo of Domenico and Stefano themselves!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Missoni.

Sun. 02/23/2014.

Missoni.

There seemed to be Ample reason to like Angela Missoni's Fall 2014 collection for her Family Label, Fun, Quirky Clothes. Bright, Snappy Colours. What's Not to like, Right? So, why didn't I like it? The collection lacked something Intangible that would have set it on the right course. Taken in Individual outfits... Some really good work, As a Whole though. It left me Wanting. The counterpointing of the Warm Oranges and Yellows with Browns and Autumnal shades against the later Cooler Blues and Greens gave a Particular Imbalanced effect to the show. As Self-Contained colour schemes, Fine. But just try pairing one piece from one colour segment with the other...??? Danger, Will Robinson!?

Another Bad decision, The Unfortunate colour blocking that when it worked looked Artistic and Graphic, Like in the Coat of Exit No. 8, but when it didn't, Looked Sloppy. As an aside, Why did the fabrics, Like the one in the aforementioned coat.  have a horrible tendency to look like Carpet Remnants? No one wants to look like they've been Shopping at Home Depot for their Clothes! Many of the Pieces/Outfits had Instant coolness about them, But not the greater half of this Fraction. 

Potent Pieces to be had, A Mustard Yellow Utility coat, or a Sleek Colour Block dress at Exit No. 14 or a Smart Colour block print Dress at Exit No.Exit No. 28 but these were a mere few of the Handful of pieces that didn't connect the dots into a Pleasing Picture. The Missoni Woman will have tons of Options this season, Her only problem is going to be how does she put those options together?

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Trussardi.

Sun. 02/23/2014.

Trussardi.

Gaia Trussardi has been given the reigns of her Family's House and told to steer it into the Future and do her best at making it one of Italy's Major Fashion Players. That has meant hiring Current Supers and Fresher faced models, Big Venue and a Proper Formal Show. That the show was a little uninspiring and Lackluster, Those are the breaks. It Happens, what is important is that Spring 2015 is a Chance to get back in the saddle and do better.

There wasn't anything flat out Objectionable, even that Silvery Lame Jumpsuit with the Trussardi Logo Crest Badge on the Chest. Badly Misguided, but nor Objectionable. The major problem that while there were many pieces that will work in A Customer's Daily Life, the clothes were Anonymous. Trussardi has yet to discover what it is that makes her and her Family label Unique and Exploit that in a Thousand-And-One Ways. Once that Equation is solved, the rest is easy, She has talent and can execute some well made Garments, Just the Garments have no Distinct Personality yet.

A Leather Blouson embroidered Boldly with the Family Crest and worn with Pinstripe pants in Black-On-White was hinting at what could be and had that Spark. It was Bold, It was Chic and it spoke loudly. An Asymmetrically buttoned Midi Length Glen Check Dress was also Directional at Exit No. 28. Gaia Trussardi has some skill and talent, (She does need to refine her cut a bit more though, those Leather Dresses were Unflattering and Boxy!) She just now needs a Voice. Once that is Found, We may be talking a lot more about her one day! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Bally.

Sun. 02/23/2014.

Bally.

In the constant Struggle in Fashion to revitalize brands, Many houses have taken on New blood to bring life into venerable Maisons. Bally has teetered back and forth between revival and contentment in being an accessories House that is well Revered among the Fashion In-The-Know and the Everyday Shopper. Graeme Fiddler and Michael Herz were onto something, but in the Transitory and Mercurial world of the Fashion Designer, Designers are here one day, gone the next. 

Enter, Pablo Coppola. In a Slender edit for the House of Bally, consisting of only 14 Looks, Coppola put forth an immensely strong showing of Classic pieces with Modern Appeal. The clothes score many points for being Tailored to Perfection. This isn't just Slapdash sportswear sewn up in expensive fabric with little to no consideration for how the Garments will fit... No! They are Considered and Thoughtful Pieces meant to Seduce and Last! They also fit into the Modern Scheme of The Fashion Landscape and what is being shown by Companies on every end of the spectrum, From High to Low! 

A Tobacco coloured Double-Breasted Topcoat in a Deeply Luxe fabric is worn with Trouser cut Denim Jeans in one great look, while, another look of a Simply FLAWLESS Minimalist Aviator Jacket in Khaki Green worn with a Vanilla Pencil skirt was Causing a Flop Sweat of Passionate Want. The Final look, A Stolid Navy Blue Pantsuit was super Sharp in it's cut and anything but Stodgy, given a Breeze of Romance with a Steel Grey cape strewn about it. 

Coppola has skills, That is Patently Obvious and with this Minuscule offering, he created great impact in a small presentation. Hopefully he, and the House of Bally will be emboldened for Spring to let him cut loose with a full Runway presentation and really let Coppola Flex his Muscle.... One senses he might have a Six Pack just waiting to be shown off!

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Marni.

Sun. 02/23/2014.

Marni.

Where to Start? Marni Fall 2014 was a Smorgasbord of all things Marni. Consuela Castiglioni Gathered all the elements of her Oeuvre and Reconstructed them for 2014 and made a Spectacularly Kooky and Eccentrically Bohemian collection. It was a little hard to define because of that. But that is what makes it so Incredible. There were Ruffles in Tiers, There was Day-Glo Pink, There were Crazy Florals, Feathers, Chunky Embroideries, Zippers, Track Suits... it went On and On and On! Spiraling Ever Outward and Back in on Itself. 

The Marni woman is a Magpie... She Collects Marni pieces that resonate to her, that fit in with her whims at the moment. Castiglioni was very concerned with Shape this season, Dropped Elliptical lantern like sleeves, gave a very Specific Silhouette to her Outfits, Something Minimal and Futuristic, A little Robby The Robot. This was just but one of her many Fantastical Distractions. Some of the most Beautiful of these Distractions were a Multicolour Shaggy Yeti Coat and a Structured Vanilla Wrap coat were both pieces that will be racing out of stores. 

This evolution of the basics of Marni was Myriad and Multitudinous in their scope. The show evolved onward from Stripes and Colour blocking of a New Type and finished with a Flourish of Feathers that was unexpectedly Rich even though they had a Distinct Bohemian flavour. This was a Bumper Crop of Marni signatures reworked for the now, Castiglioni Was in Rare and Rarefied form, This is not the kinda clothes for every woman, This takes Guts to wear. But the Rewards that will be reaped from the bravery needed to wear these pieces will be Thousandfold! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Emilio Pucci.

Sat. 02/22/2014.

Emilio Pucci.

It's good to cleanse one's palette at times... Freshen the tastes and then you are able to sample the rest of what the menu has to offer with a Refreshed View and Perspective. More importantly, To do all that aforementioned cleansing, the Cleanser in question needs to be Very good, Or else you Dull what you have tasted before with something Uninspired, Boring, Insipid! 

For Fall 2014, Peter Dundas for his Vehicle of Sexy Excess. Emilio Pucci, was certainly in Palate Cleanser Frame of Mind, at least it would seem. Swirling, Whirling Prints did they abound, Yes. Crystals and Beads and Stud Aplenty, You Know It. Raw Hot Sex Appeal on Heels... Did you have any Doubt? But there was something more Pared down, less Frenetic about the Prints, which for the first time in a few seasons were more Obeisant to the Pucci Archive, Something a little more Sensual that Sexual! It made for a Beautifully Judged Collection and one that is Bound to touch the hearts of more than the Usual Pucci Heroine!

As the show started. Dundas was in Fine form with some Intricate Beading and Printing and Studding all over the place, but there was Subtlety to it that didn't Scream as is sometimes the case, Maybe because the prints weren't as loud usual and the beading and Studding was more monochrome. Whatever the case. There was an Obvious lack of Razzmatazz here. This extended to less prints in general, but when in use, were much more "Pucci" than as of late. 

Another thing, This was a much more covered up collection than in the past. Lots of Beautiful Coats and Furs to keep one warm and even some Blanket/Poncho Dressing to keep things Interesting and throw in that Typiqument Rich Hippy feeling! A Screaming Carrot Orange Fur Pullover tunic at Exit No. 15 was one of those showpieces that was meant to steal the spotlight but could also translate into the Real and Everyday lives of Women. It was also around this point that you began to see how Pulled back this collection was with the exits that followed that left Flash and Dazzle in the back rooms.

The last few Evening items did go Balls Out Exuberant with the Lavish Beading, But... Hey, This IS Pucci. So it was Expected and Welcome. The Exit On Devon Windsor (No. 44) was Cleopatra worthy with it's Old Gold studding and embroidery. Dundas proved with no Shadow of Doubt in play that he can Whisper just as Softly as he can Shout Loudly. This assemblage was a welcome respite from the usual while still being 100% Pucci. If this is the way things are going to be going forward at the house, I am all for it. But something tells me Peter Dundas will be up to his old tricks Next Season and Bedazzling us Once More. There's still so much at the Buffet to Sample!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Aquilano.Rimondi.

Sat. 02/22/2014.

Aquilano.Rimondi.

It's Funny how in the quest to Advance one's Fashion style and Develop further, how many designers lose the essential part of them that made them famous or at least known to start with! That is the case, it would seem, with Roberto Rimondi and Tommaso Aquilano, that that is most definitely the case. Yes, there were touches of the Old 6267 days, and the Early Days of Aqiilano.Rimondi, but those have been put in storage as the two try to Define new parameters of their Style. To say it is Evolving would mean that they are simply carrying on on the Course that they had originally began on... that's not the case. Metamorphosing would be more accurate, Morphing into something New, Different, and Not altogether good.

There was a Disconnect here that was frankly, Shocking! Troubling would be a good word too. It's not to say that the experimentation was a Failure, it was just so Tragically Miscalculated. The Contradistinction of the Opposing ideas was so... Jarring that the collection felt as if it were Schizophrenic,  The Colours, The fabrics, all that Sheer skirting... it all contrived to make things look Lunatic. This flying Smack in the Face of some truly Beautiful Pieces. A coat in Dark Iron Grey was laden with Overblown Rose Blooms and Looked 50's Couture Worthy! A Fitted Double Breasted suit that shaded from a Nuzzly tweedy Ash Grey to a Shiny Iron Grey was also Sublime! 

But the Patching together of the fabrics otherwise and the Inexplicable ideas of Super Short Hems And/Or See-Through Sheer and Embellished... Dead Awkward! One such Atrocity... an Opaque/Sheer Sleeveless Dress (Yes, Sleeveless AND SHEER, For Fall/Winter) was Swathed in Chunky Crystal Embroidery (???) and then of all bemusements... Given MINK Patch Pockets and Hem.... Honestly? Really? It was Flabbergasting! 

I can't say that the collection was a Horrifying mess... In some ways the train of thought the duo had was Scintillatingly Intriguing. If the execution had been there, This might have been one of those Shocking collections that sends ripples through the entire Fashion system... But done the way it is, It just looks Confused and, Dishearteningly so, Sad. Not A Moment of Greatness for a collection that could have been a Resounding Success! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Roberto Cavalli.

Sat. 02/22/2014.

Roberto Cavalli.

With Roberto Cavalli, it's a pretty accurate statement that, as of late, When you've seen One Cavalli Show, You've seen them All. Sad, but True. One does not go, not really, to the House of Cavalli for Innovation. That ship sailed LONG Ago. You go for Flash, Razzle and Dazzle. That's About the size of it. Cavalli on those terms delivered Righteously until about the Mid-Point of the collection and then things got... Less Effective, To be kind! Saying that he was inspired by Late 20's era American Photographer Lee Miller was like saying he was inspired by Isadora Duncan or Daisy Buchannan. It mattered Not, there wasn't a Surveying of her Style and thus translating it onto the runway... He could have been inspired by Angelina Jolie for all it mattered. Cavalli was in a 20's mood and whomever's name got attached to it was the Vague Link. 

This course of Fashion events started out Strongly enough, Lots and Lots of Black and White and Grey. Snake Skin, Croc, and Fur were all in evidence, as were Animal Prints, (would it be Cavalli WITHOUT Animal Prints?) This "Wild Kingdom" Aspect of the collection was the best part, A White/Black Snakeskin Trench and a Cocoa Mink with Matched colour Croc sleeves were early winners at Exit No. 2 and 6. All these looks were Sensationally Gorgeous. One after another, Scads of Sexy Beauty. And then around Exit No. 25... The Story lost it's plot. 

By injecting Bold, Brash colours (Cobalt and Fire Red) into the proceedings, Cavalli Spoiled the whole Deco, Monochrome look that was working so well to begin with. In all due honesty, These Colours Cheapened the whole collection and led to it's Demise. And once those Flame Prints came out... it was a Done Deal! Cut, Print, Call it a wrap! I am sure there is a way to do Flame Prints without looking Hopelessly like Todd Oldham's Print in 1994. These unfortunately looked like Bad Givenchy. 

The latter half did have some Still Wonderful pieces and the Flapper style dresses were quite particularly Keen. So were the Three sheer Black Beaded gowns that ended the show, The best on Binx Walton, which were Scandalous but not Obscene. However, the middle section careened the collection into the near irretrievable and compound that with the overall sensation of "Deja Vu/Haven't We Done This All Before and Better" feeling and what you are left with is a Admittedly Gorgeous Offering, but one that didn't impress that there was anything new happening here. Same As It Ever Was... Beautiful, but not Inspiring.

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Agnona.

Sat. 02/22/2014.

Agnona.

Seems That Stefano Pilati can't shake off the Spectre of Poor Yves (.... Anyone? C'Mon? Bette Davis?) and that is something that is working to his advantage. The collection he produced for his Sophomore effort at Agnona for Fall 2014 was full of Yves-isms, but Reworked through Pilati's Lens. He entitled the Show "Collezione Une" which might strike some as odd if they did not know he had called Spring "Collezione Zero" just Pilati's own Quirky way of thinking! 

The Fabric house of Agnona is upping it's Brand Status and in Conjunction with it's Parent Label, Ermenegildo Zegna, Behind it, it has the Money and Power to do just that! Pilati is just the essential Cog in the machine that is going to turn the whole Vehicle. And as such, has been given Carte Blanche and a Wide Swath to reimagine Agnona in his own way. 

Fall saw Pilati working in Volume and Tailoring Juxtaposed against one another. There was also a Wave effect Colour Blocking That came even into the Evening pieces that Pilati has such an excellent hand in. The Wave Motif was dominant and had a Vaguely YSL Feeling to it, especially when applied to the Evening wear where Yves' influence was Clearly visible, But it was not unwelcome, At all.

Some of the strongest pieces were the most severe, a LOOONG Belted Felted Cashmere Jacket over Wide pleat front pants in Cadet which had the most EXTRAORDINARY Wrap around Collar/Scarf I Have been witness too! A Simple Black belted Tunic with Kimono sleeves over a Wave print Straight skirt in a Radiant Hue of Sunrise Orange and Black. And the Trio of Evening gowns Incorporating the Wave Pattern were simply SLAYING It! The Aqua and Black one of Look No. 15 was Especially Smouldering!

For his Second Outing, Pilati improved on something that didn't seem to even NEED Improving, Much to his credit, the collection was Innately Desirable and Imaginative. It will Seduce for it's Craftsmanship and it's Luxuriantly Rich Fabrics, but beyond that, it's Palpable Exquisiteness. Those are all Tangible things a Woman will want to get behind and spend her money On. Here's to Collezione Due! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Bottega Veneta.

Sat. 02/22/2014.

Bottega Veneta.

Now THIS is the Tomas Maier that makes Pulses Quicken and Hearts Race. From the Minute One, Maier proved why is one of fashion's Most Superior Talents. Fall 2014 seen him in Glorious Form. Maier Cryptically used only the word "Puzzles" as a Descriptior of what his Fall Assemblage was to entail. It may have been deceptively simple for what was shown, but it was Concisely Apt. 

There is always a Vein of Artistic Intellectualism running through Maier's shows for Bottega Veneta, Sublimated or Highlighted, you can always sense that it's there, this was one of the first times, in many seasons, that that feeling was Absent. Happily So. It felt as if Maier was concerned more so on the clothes and that the intellectual idea of Puzzles was less a Deeply Nuanced trope and more of a Design... Jumping Off point. It lent a Exuberance to the clothes that never manifested itself in Outrageousness.

Starting with the most Lovely Fur coat that will be seen for the entire season, A Magisterially Astounding Quartz Pink Mink Wrap that was the Epitome of Covetable! And after that, a Dissertation on Technique that was far and away one of Maier's most Accomplished statements at the house in the entirety of his career there. He Stripped Down, Pared Back, Eliminated all that was Superfluous and Extraneous and Embellished only in the sense of Enhancing an outfit, not Decorating it. Since there were no Jackets or Pants, One was left with a Sumptuous Buffet of Dresses and Skirts and Coats, with some Sweaters thrown in.

The Intersplicing effects that were witnessed gave witness to Maier's "Puzzle" ideas, And they were Obviously brilliant. But it was really the shapes that were the elements that spoke the most loudly. Swingy skirted dresses Limned the Body from Shoulder to Hip and then gently released into swishing skirts, mainly because of Tight, Flat wide Box Pleats that were folded down on themselves and flared up and open as the models sashayed. Technically, it seemed Simple, it was Laughably Anything But!

These Shapes Elongated the already long lines of the Tall models, And will make regular women look just as lean and lanky. The Geometric Lines of the Inserts of Contrasting Colour are also going to go to Brilliant Effect in Lengthening the Body! I could highlight specific outfits that were more special than others, but here, that would feel Disrespectful to the Body of Work presented. Each Outfit felt like an Instrument in a Orchestra playing a Beethoven Symphony, Not a Concerto. Each one was needed to make the entire sound work and correct! Every Exit was as Critically Considered and Judged as the one before it that they all seemed to work in Symbiotic Harmony. To Specify any one of these Exquisite Treasures is to Defame the whole! And this is too Rapturous a Whole to Besmirch!

Maier showed, Once again, that he is the Constructor of Awe. This collection was so Special. so Perfect, So... Well as you can see... Adjectives fail to convey what this collection truly was. Heartrending will have to suffice for now!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Versace.

Fri. 02/21/2014.

Versace.

The Best Versace shows have you Equally Panting, Sweating, Pulse Racing and Gay or Straight, More than Uncomfortably Aroused. That's the Magic that both Late Brother Gianni and his Alive Sister, Donatella had/have the capability of producing... Call it a Family Trait. Fall 2014 was a Perfect marriage of all those constituent parts to The most Dazzling Degree. This was, Without doubt, one of the Absolute Finest shows Donatella has ever produced, Perhaps one of the Greatest the House of Versace has EVER Produced, Brother or Sister. 

Would, or more apropos, COULD Gianni have done this kind of collection had he lived until now? One might perhaps say... Maybe. I Say Flat out, HELL NO! Only Donatella COULD Have produced THIS Collection. As much as they shared Aesthetic similarities, this is a collection that would have never been done by Gianni. It IS Versace, Through and Through, but the Dialect is ALL Donatella. To get to this has raken YEARS of Refining her Vision and Taste for the house, and Failing at times, Quite a bit in the nearly 20 years that Gianni has been Departed. Donatella has stumbled and struggled with being Self-Assured in what HER Contribution IS and WILL BE to the Chronicles of the Legacy of the name Versace. 

In this collection, more so than any before, Donatella has finally put her foot down and done what is Right for HER and The NOW! It couldn't have produced a Better Outcome had she tried with all her might. Fall 2014 was Damn Near Flawless! As any designer of a House that they inherited House Codes to design around, Donatella has some Gianni-isms that to keep the clothes recognizably, VERSACE, she must incorporate, good thing she helped forge some of those codes in the first place, eh? Here, One could see the Fearless sense of Colour Grouping that came so Easily to Brother now being embraced by Sister!

That Donatella decided to embrace the Bias cut is not the crux of this collection, It was the Ferocity of Execution. Everything was Confident, Brash, and For Donatella, Gloriously Restrained. A tactic that has been the most difficult move for Her to learn. The Opening Salvo of dresses were Restrained and still Palpably Sexy! Further along, A pair of Jewel Tone Satin Swing coats were practicing Quietness in the most Spectacular way! The Strain of Severity made the clothes Snap and with Attenuation and the Militaristic Details Doubled-Down on that Severe Quotient and upped the sexiness by doing so!

Donatella also embraced old tropes to new Glory, Biker, Cowboy Fringe, Rococo patterns, All with a Patina of The Extravagant, But not the Extrovert! As evening Started, Versace showed a few short dresses that were Smothered in some of the most Awing and Elaborately Detailed embellishments but never screamed how Opulent they were. And then, The most Stunning thing Happened... A pair of Tuxedo Looks so Scalpel Sharp and Jaw Dropping, One could have Weeped! Another would follow a few exits later, but the Damage had already done and Versace Beautifully broke our Hearts with such Wizardry!

The Bias cut Satin and Jersey gowns that closed the show and Cheekily had Huge Old-School Rapper Necklaces bandied about them were Hilariously Fab! The White one on Anna Ewers that Closed was of such a Goddess Like Magnitude that Words are really incapable of Putting it into Description! And that was pretty much the overwhelming feeling that one was left with, That we had witnessed a Transformation of Mammoth proportions at the House of Versace. That a Synthesis had been reached and the best qualities of the Past and Future had Coalesced into something New and Astounding. 

Donatella, It has taken you a long time to get to this place. One senses that she is finally comfortable. At first she was living in Gianni's Shadow and trying to continue to do what he would have done, then she rebelled and Ignored the Past Archive of Superior Greatness she had at her fingertips and tried to wipe the Slate and Redefine the house with her Fingerprint. Neither of those produced anything But Confusion. Now that she has embraced the Past and Incorporated it into her Future... The Future is Looking Mighty Bright. I Just Might Have to Wear Shades! 

With Medusa Heads and Greek Key Motifs on them, Naturellement!

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Tod's.

Fri. 02/21/2014.

Tod's.

Alessandra Facchinetti Is Back! And that's a Good thing. After two unceremonious Dumpings from Gucci and Valentino, Facchinetti took some time off to Revitalize... And come back better than Ever. Tod's may not have seemed like the most Natural fit for a Woman who cut her teeth in the Luxurious Halls of Gucci and Valentino, where upon command the most Extravagant and Elaborate pieces could be Whipped Up out of Facchinetti's Dreams. Yet, what She has done with the Powerhouse Shoe house, has been Miraculous. And Bloody Chic to Boot!

Owing to the fact that this is after all, A Leather House, Facchinetti might be finding herself relying a little too Much on making Leather the Star and that is Stifling her Abundant Creativity (Look at her Only Valentino Couture show to know the woman has MONUMENTAL Skills) Another point, even though this may be a Sportswear Label, it wouldn't hurt things One Whit to inject a little of the Deluxe into the house... A Few pieces of The Lavish would go a long way! 

But that is Nitpicking of the Ultimate order! What Facchinetti is Producing is So Powerfully Seductive and Desirable it's not even Remotely Laughable. And that what she is producing is so Forward and in it's way, Creatively Edgy, Risky, Those things make it even more Dangerously Exciting. So Far, Facchinetti has kept things Sporty in a Uber-Luxurious way, Fresh, Youthful, Vital but Head Spinningly Rich. 

Her Fall show for Tod's had a sense of Posh Indulgence, Languid Richesse! The Girls Ambled along unfettered, just Strolling Casually... and at the end set down or posed in a corner or on a seat, Louche as they wanted to be, in a Series of Vignettes set up in different sections of the show space. The clothes were Of a Glorious Ilk. A Windowpane Print dress (White on Ink Blue) had a Swinging Watteau Back but a Zipped bodice in front made it Modern and not too Precious at Exit No. 4. Or The Perfect Coat in Ultraviolet At Exit No. 7...To LIVE For!

What was more important, even if it wasn't always flattering, Facchinetti is given Much breathing room to Experiment and try things, not all were works of Art, but that she tried and had the DESIRE To Try made it all a worthwhile effort! Even though it was with the Classic Pieces that her Light Shone the Brightest! A Paper Leather Cape in Natural, A completely Detail-Less Wrap Trench in the Softest Cloud of Mauve Leather whole a Swingy Skirted dress in the same colour but now in Patent Was Special enough to Close the Show.

As Faccinetti begins to Define herself and the Tod's Label further, one knows we will her express herself even more fully and Expand the House into one to be Reckoned with. Time is all that it takes. Until then, The Journey so far to get there has already been filled with Beautiful Scenery. Let's not Rush the Voyage! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Iceberg.

Fri. 02/21/2014.

Iceberg.

If this is what the Fashion of the Future is going to look like, I say, Bring It! Alexis Martial at Iceberg is truly thinking about Fashion and Futurism in New and Exciting ways and not simple paying Lip Service to the Idea of what Futuristic Modernity will look like. Martial is Earnestly Exploring the concept that The future will not be Anodyne or Lifeless, But it will be Utilitarian, Fast, Sharp, Everything Superfluous Stripped bare. Does that mean there will be no Personality to clothing? Hardly. In Martial's World there will be Detail and Personality and yes, Even Decadence, but Calibrated to Modern definitions, Not for Extraneous ones.

Martial started by showing off his Tailoring skills with some Fine Asymmetrically Fastened off to the side pieces in a Taupe Neoprene backed material and were Giving much soft structure in everything from a Pantsuit to open to a Sleeveless coat to a Brief Mini, all were paired with the ribbed Wrap-Over Turtleneck Sweater with Chick Yellow Fur trim. From there Martial offered an Abundance of Street Ready, City Tough options to keep a Woman Armored for whatever Winter and The Urban Jungle has to offer.

Skinny Pants, Little Mixed Media skirts that combined Pleated fabric in one colour, usually embellished in some way show through a wide Gap in the middle of another fabric that comprised most of the skirt, Tough, Warrior Coats, Thick but Fluid Sweaters... On and On Martial gave Options Galore in his Smartly Brief Edit. Look 28 is of particular mention, a Rib-Knit Sweater dress with that Same Asymmetric Fastener on the Faux wrap skirt of the dress... It was a New twist on an old classic and made Futuristic. Interesting too, Those pieces in the Ending passage of Silver Metal Laminated Knit that looked like Crumpled up Aluminum Foil, Startlingly Brilliant! 

This was one of the best shows of the season and Martial has such a bright future ahead of him designing for the Future. If he keeps whipping up Awesome Stuff like this, he'll find himself a Success sooner than he may be ready for. Get Ready for your Close Up, Alexis Martial! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Etro.

Fri. 02/21/2014.

Etro.

Veronica Etro Gave a Beautifully and Richly Nuanced Exotic and Eclectic Collection for her Family House of Etro for Fall 2014. Etro is a House of Prints and Patterns. Escaping that would be like Lagerfeld Trying to escape Tweed at Chanel and Fur at Fendi. It's Irrational and Counter-Intuitive. For Fall, Etro decided to take a Stroll along the Silk Road. Perfect Synergy, Eh? 

Etro Layered Prints and Patterns with a Willful Abandon that bordered on the Ecstatic! Where as this season we have seen the Glories of Excess, especially when it comes to print usage, be anything but Glorious, Here even where there were 3, 4, 5 prints going on in one outfit at one time, it never felt Overwhelmed of Confused, It felt, Organic and Fluent. Since the Silk Road travelled all over Asia and Europe and Back through Africa, India and Arabia... You can feel the omnivorous Ms. Etro taking from all those locales and just Jumbling it about with Expert Care. 

From the Orientalist to the Northern European Folkloric to Indian Paisleys, to Moorish and Byzantium, The Prints were things to be made Agog By! There was Some passing nod to the Heady Glory days of Romeo Gigli to be Found here as well. It created a Depth that was even more so Resonant! With every Exotic colour here to be found, Nutmeg, Spice, Curry, Turquoise, Chocolate, Tobacco, Plum... It was Orgiastic in the amount of Colour being served all together. This was one of those collections that it is almost Impossible to write about because Each, And Every, Single Exit could be Dissected and Explored for Pages and that still wouldn't be Enough to fully Detail all that each outfit encompassed.

For the Sheer Joyful Abandon of Clothing, This was a Perfect Show! Hands Down. The Exquisite Joy of reveling in these Masterpieces of Exotica was Incalculable! Veronica Etro Simply Created Beauty, This season. And Never More Apt, The Quote, "A Thing Of Beauty Is A Joy Forever"










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Sportmax.

Fri. 02/21/2014.

Sportmax.

Jackson Pollock can be a Messy Inspiration, Messy for his Drip Paintings that are so universally famous and Messy because he wasn't really the greatest guy... for Fall 2014 Sportmax Evaded the Messiness with some clothes that were Top Notch winners, Even though it did include some rather unfortunate Duds also. The opening with Leopard and Snake fused together was Interesting, Unnecessary, Maybe, but an Interesting Idea, Melding Snake leather forearms to the the Sleeves of many pieces, But a trick that wore out it's usefulness and welcome Quickly.

A Black suit with White Leather Forearms was Sensational at Exit No. 7, if not Awkward with it's unflattering Skirt length. A Bi-Colour Snake Coat with a Bell Skirt at Exit No. 11 is a Competitor for one of the Top Pieces of the season While The Slimmer All Black version at Exit No. 16 Just might win that competition for it was so ESSENTIAL and Covetous! It was here that the Wheels began to come off the Bus!  Sheer Panels, Blah Colour Combos, and then those Feverish Pollock Prints were Dizzying in a Vertiginous way and made one's eyes Sore! It wasn't as if they were even BAD. It was just too much of them, Smaller doses would have helped things Tremendously. A Trimmer Edit would have done the same.

In the end, The Pollock Prints were rather Novel and Pretty. Just they overwhelmed a bit in large doses. The Sportmax team always does an Innovative and Interesting Job each season and manages to separate itself from the Identity of the Parent House, Max Mara. Their collections could not have been More Diametrically Opposed, But the odd part is, Sportmax is the one that would be declared The Winner were it put to a Vote! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Emporio Armani.

Fri. 02/21/2014.

Emporio Armani.

Channeling "Annie Hall" did not seem to elevate Giorgio Armani's Fall 2014 Emporio collection to greater heights, It actually made things look somewhat Sillier than they ought to have! Let's State some obvious Points first. Yes, Armani can Cut a Perfect Blazer. Yes, Armani can Cut a Gorgeous Coat. Yes, Armani can create Lovely Skirts, Dresses and Blouses and Present a Suit, be it Pants or Skirt, That Surpass Mostly all and are Surpassed By Few! That is all So Essentially True. What is also Very, Unfortunately True, is that he can be Redundant to the Point of Exasperation!

That was again the Major Criticism to be levied against Armani, (that and the NO Models of Colour!) This collection just felt like all that has come before it. Armani is Glacial in his processes and that in this day and Fashion Age is Akin to Suicide. He has the good luck that even the most Established of Designers Respect him Immensely (Chief among them Uncle Karl Lagerfeld And The Mayor of 7th Avenue, Ralph Lauren) and that is going a long way to keep him relevant, Also, women NEED his clothes for their everyday life. Armani is in no Hurry to Recalibrate the Formula that has thus got him this far, and that Comfort and Safety is Draining his shows of any Merit. 

This was a Typical Display of Armani goods. The only Newness was that this felt less Girly/Juvenile than usual and had a Feeling more so of the Main Label than an Emporio Offering (Annie Hall Hats Notwithstanding) The Opening Pantsuit, To Die! The Sharply tailored coat offered at Exit No. 3, Breathtaking. And then.... More of the same. From beginning to Evening end, which again was Weaker than it should be for a man that creates some of the most Captivating Evening Confections... Odd That!

As there was nothing specifically wrong with this Collection, one hesitates to call it Tragic or Disastrous, yet there was something unfulfilling about it Nonetheless. Too many times have we driven down this same well trodden road with Giorgio, The Scenery Ain't Changed Yet! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Blumarine.

Fri. 02/21/2014.

Blumarine.

Slimane, Anyone? There was an overwhelming Whiff of what Hedi Slimane has been doing in his Revival of YSL here today at Blumarine for Fall 2014. It's inevitable, really. As influential as that label and that designer have become, it is only natural his shockwaves would be felt outside his Parisian Sphere. Not to mention that in her most Overindulgent moments (And this was Categorically, One of those moments) Molinari shares much in the way of Aesthetics with Slimane. 

Within that, This was a Jumbled Mish-Mash of an Overdone Disappointment. Restraint was also a word that was tossed out of the Window. When a Super Short Black Kimono Dress/Jacket Hybrid came out Lavished with Gold embroidery, one got the sense all too quickly that something was Terribly Amiss. Even for Spring it looked a little Cheesy. For Fall/Winter (Polar Vortex In Mind) it was Positively Incongruous! More Japonica, More Gold, More Embellishment. 

Every look nearly was Decorated in some manner and if not, was Too Short or Too Sheer or Too Much Purple Leather for one outfit not being worn by Prince. The Opulent Restraint of a Red Fox Chubby went a long way for itself in the context of this show as did the Sweeping Mantle in Black and Gold over the Short Dress at Exit No. 3. It was Way Over-The-Top but it had something about it that made it Work unlike the rest of this Excursion into the realm of Overladen Excess!

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Moschino.

Thurs. 02/20/2014.

Moschino.

It was GUARANTEED, From the Moment of it's Inception, That Jeremy Scott's Debut at the Casa De Moschino, was going to be nothing less than a Raucous Affair! It was also going to be one of those, Either it's Gonna Work, or it's Gonna Explode, Spectacularly, in everyone's face, Kinda Moments. In the end, when all was said and done, one had to Sit Back, Chuckle and Say, Did anyone REALLY have to Worry!?!?

Jeremy Scott, Though His proclivities in taste range more to the Sophomoric in their Gag Laden, Pop Art Camp, One must remember, this is the man that just up and moved to Paris with Virtually No money and very little else, (If I remember correctly, The Apocryphal Story is,  He jetted off to Paris with $200.00 American and all his possessions In a Pillowcase and Nothing Else!) and made his name as the Most Terrible of the Enfant Terribles to Storm The Boulevards of Gay Paris. 

The point of fact that most miss, though Scott has settled into a Commercial Groove that has made him Wealthy enough to keep his business afloat by himself, is that  He started out as a sort of Fashion Genius on the Galliano/Chalayan Level. The Man can actually make Truly, Beautifully Made clothes. That was proven today with this debut. Were the clothes Revolutionary, No. Were they Incredibly Wearable. Oh, My YES! Underneath all the Logos and Glorious Schlock, There are clothes that were made to be WORN! Not silly Show Spectacles.

Of course, this Being Moschino... There HAD to Be some Lampooning of the Sacrosanct Chanel! Scott proved himself Mightily up to the task by Hybridizing Chanel and of all things, Something as Instantly Recognizable as... McDonald's! The Cheek of it was Immediately resonant when Lily McMenamy stepped down for the Open in a "Tweed-y" Suit in the Mickey D's Colour Scheme! It was Hilarious and Ballsy as Fuck! The Suit. It was Very Well crafted and Easy to wear and look Fun and Provocative, and also Chic! As things sped along, Scott subverted the "Golden Arches" Logo into a Heart Shape that befitted it's new Contouring for the house of Moschino! A Cow Print was thrown in (McDonald's.... Burgers.... Cows...???) to Subtly Dark Whimsical effect. 

Then came... The Quilting! Trimmed in Gold Chains! In Denim AND Leather! He was certainly Barbecuing All the Sacred Cows of Chanel-Dom! He even did "Quilting" In Diamond shaped segments of Pitch Black Sequins. These were most Fantastical and Rather Brilliant, aping Patent, They looked best on a Hooded Pullover at Exit No. 17 with drawstrings at the hem and White ribbed Long Johns! It was Stylish and one of the Quietest Pieces in the whole show! The Faux Fur coat that followed could have even been a Nasty little Poke at Fendi... but it Looked Damnably Sensational! It took Nerve to pair it with a Bikini Under cut out of ribbed men's Underwear material! 

There was an Abundance of Ideas to follow. Gold leather paired with the Warmest Chocolate Cherry coloured Patent that looked Stunning together. Even a Versace "Bondage" moment in Black Leather was included! This Section Yielded a Really Editorial Coat at Exit No. 28 that will be seen all over the place, that you can be sure. The Final Passage was a Goofy Spongebob excursion that even though I, Personally, LOATHE Spongebob, Was admittedly Gleeful!

It was after this that Scott showed his Real, True Skills. The Evening Parade of Exquisitely and Lavishly Overscaled Printed Silks in Plays on Brand Names Hither and Yon. Starting with Budweiser in a Brief Dress and OVER-THE-TOP Opera Coat of a Mizrahi Scale. Then he touched Upon everything from Froot Loops, To Gummi Bears, to Microwave Popcorn, They may have seemed Camp-A-Licious but the gowns Were Flawlessly Cut and Light as Thistledown. Scott showed he knows how to work Fabric, WELL! Evident even more so in the last Quartet of pieces... 

A Play on a Hershey's Chocolate bar Wrapper, Whipped into a Asymmetric Goddess gown on Chocolate Beauty Jourdan Dunn, (TOTALLY Intentional, I can Bet!) Complete with Silver reverse of the fabric Mimicking the inside of the wrapper. A Cheese Cracker Print Hi-Lo Gown On Nadja Bender with an Off the Shouldetr Bodice, Maria Borges in an Ode to Cheetos in Orange and White and Red with the most Diaphanous Train that glided like it was on a cloud. And finally as Bride... Campy Goddess herself, Lindsay Wixson in a Buoyant Mariee Printed with Nutritional Information.... It was Sublimely Perverse! As well as take away the script print and sell it all in White... A Fabulous Wedding Gown Now do you have! 

Some may not get this. It's perhaps a little TOO Flagrant and some prefer their Cheekiness Less Literal. More Cerebral. There's room for all sorts in Fashion, I, Myself think this was a Dazzling Send Up and in a Wonderful way, An Atavism of Glorious Creation to the days when Fashion, Every Day, looked like this. Chanel, USED To look like that. Versace, USED to look like that. Moschino... USED TO LOOK LIKE THIS! It was as much a Lecon De Histoire for most of the Fashion Cognoscenti who were not around Yet for the Good Old Bad Old Days of Overdone Label Whore Fashion. In that, Scott took what was Old and made it New again by making it Old Again! How's That for Intellectual Subtext, Miuccia!?!? 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Ports 1961.

Thurs. 02/20/2014.

Ports 1961.

Fall 2014 saw A Knockout of a Collection come from the House of Ports 1961. House Creative Director/Designer, Fiona Cibani took a Military Influence and worked it in, in Subtle and not so Subtle ways. All to great Effect. Cibani Made her clothes feel Directional but easy to Comprehend without sacrificing Inventive Design.The Opening Officers coat was Tightly cinched and was cut Strictly for the Female Form but still Gave off an Appreciable Sternness! A Creamy, Silky White blouse was paired with the Sexiest Wrap skirt to be seen in a while in Black at Exit No. 4! 

Other Fine Examples... Exit No. 12, A Black Felted Dress with a Full Swinging Circle skirt and Leather Shoulder patches was Divinely Femme with just a Hint of the Fatale! On the other hand, Exit No. 14 on the Catlike Kati Nescher was All Femme, All Fatale! A Slinky Black Evening gown Cut with a Bib-Front Overall Bodice and showing LOTS of Skin in back. It was Killing It, Three Times! 

Another "Set Your Faces To Stun" Moment was Meghan Collison at Exit No. 28 wearing a Snug Army Khaki Green Sweater with a Khaki Brown Floor-length Kilt-Skirt that was Relaxed Glamour Walking! Cibani brought a Sense of Strength and Polish to her Collection for Ports this season, One that will be Easily Relatable to her Clients and Stay in the Fashion Mix by being Edgy and Urban and Contemporary. A Neat Hat Trick, Wouldn't You Say? 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Prada.

Thurs. 02/20/2014.

Prada.

Is there Any other Fashion Label on Earth that commands such Introspection and Intellectual Discourse as Miuccia Prada's Eponymous Label does with each new collection presented? Deciphering the Layers of Subtext and Contextualization is Par for the Prada Course. Miuccia Invites Lofty Debate, because that's how she lives with her collections, they occupy space directly next to her own Constantly Evolving and Revolving mind and because of that, the Concept sometimes becomes the Context and the Art of the Clothing is lost. Fall 2014 Wobbled Dangerously on that line. 

Prada referenced many influences, as always, There were splicings of Fassbinder and Pina Bausch, Cecil B. De Mille's "Cleopatra" and Marlene Dietrich in "The Blue Angel" and another movie reference "The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant." All these PLUS Weimar and Art Deco and to My eyes, Another Layer of the Germanic, Fosse's Portrayal of Sally Bowles in "Cabaret" which was perhaps in itself a Fusion of one or more of these influences, all seemed to Coalesce together into one of Prada's more Enigmatic shows of late. Where as for Spring, It was so Direct as to slap you in the Face, Here there was an Indirectness that was also Quite Upfront and Brash, But in a More Sly way than Spring. Almost, and definitely Lending towards Prada's plays of Subtext and Subversion, Faux Indirectness. 

This played out in Loose, Louche Shift dresses that Defiantly Counterpointed themselves after the first dress which was in a Gunmetal Satin that was Very 20's In it's Shape, by being the exact Diametric opposite of what the dresses were suggesting. The Shift dress was meant to Imply the Body underneath it's looseness, A Suggestion. Prada Threw that Shit Straight out the Window and in a Perverse Inversion, Made the Shift COMPLETELY Sheer! This perhaps was one of her Greatest triumphs of the collection for with all that Fassbinder and Weimar and "Cleopatra" Twaddle going on, Prada Truculently Subverted that all with something that was Outrageously Opposed to the times she was Channeling! 

Taking that into consideration, there was a Frisson of the Unhinged here, But the overwhelming effect was, to be honest, that Prada was Grasping at straws to make a Rather Boring collection more interesting with layers and layers of Reference and Subtext. If one had simply walked into the show the moment it had started and had not a Program or a Conversation with Miccuia, They would take away what? Some Sheer Dresses under some Sweetly Tailored and Kooky Jackets and Coats, A Bit of Satin with a YSL/DVF 1970's Feel of Loucheness, Some Deco Prints under some David Byrne/Talking Heads Coats with Wide Shoulder pads... and what else.... pretty much nothing! if one looked Hard enough they may have gotten the Fassbinder moments had they any knowledge of him, they may have gotten the "Cabaret"/Weimar thing more directly, but all the other stuff... Not even a Blip! 

So, Prada produced as always, when one took the time to dig deeper, a Subtext Festival... AS ALWAYS! But the clothes that were it's Supporting Players, Didn't live up to the Intellectual Intrigue. As Clothes, they were a little Off-Kilter and Subtly Shocking. And in this Day and Age, That a Designer can continue in new ways to Shock with old tropes, That's WAY More Interesting than 42 Layers of Inspiration and Subtextualized Content!

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Costume National.

Thurs. 02/20/2014.

Costume National.

This may have very well been one of Ennio Capasa most Winning Collections to date. Entitled "Cool Woman" Capasa was pretty much stating the obvious, Hasn't the woman he's been dressing all along been something of the Spokesperson of "Cool"??? Today though the Cool was suffused with Chic of the most Deluxe Order! There was an Icy Minimalist edge that Maximized the Richness of Capasa's Offerings for Fall 2014. The first Three exits in Blinding Glace Blanc and fluffy Fur encapsulated that Rich but Minimal Duality with Sleek and Crystalline Perfection. 

Capasa's Cool, Urban Nomad woman began to creep in after those opening pieces and she looked better than ever, Mainly because Capasa stripped away all the trickery his last few collections have indulged in and even though those experimentations are Vital to pushing a Designer Forward, they can become Distracting at times. A few tricks remained in Capasa's Possession here, but mercifully few. The Simpler the clothes were, the more that they served the collection. 

Take the Striped Pantsuit at Exit No. 15 that was as Vital as anything seen this season to a Woman's Wardrobe. While most of the collection was in Black, White and Grey, Capasa did make a Concession to one Bright Scarlet Red dress and some pieces in Ultraviolet that definitely will Brighten this Fall 2014 up! Ending with a Tuxedo Influenced Black Finale, Capasa brought his show to a Very Strong and Dynamic End. It was worthy of the Praise, This Collection and I can bet, Woman will be singing this collections Praises Loud and Proud!

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Just Cavalli.

Thurs. 02/20/2014.

Just Cavalli.

Lord Almighty! Where do you begin? The Fall 2014 Just Cavalli show was Tragic bordering on Dumbfounding! The Goal of this collection was so wildly obliterated by some of the most Inconceivable Fashion Imaginable. Roberto Cavalli Phoned this one in and must have been speaking to someone who only spoke some arcane dialect of Viking Norse and Cavalli was talking in Italian and everything got lost in the translation! 

Imagine, Combine Goat Hair, Salt-And-Pepper Tweed, Gold Grommets the size of Tea Saucers, Gold Leather, Faded Tapestry Florals, Statue prints... FRINGE... OH MY LORD.... THE FRINGE! MAKE! IT! STOP! Cavalli would have been in better stead had he LOST His way, this was aimless meandering that verged into the Maniacal! Yes, Some of the Prints were Lovely. A Couple Coats were too. However, the point of this collection seemed hopelessly Obscured under all the ridiculousness. Do I even NEED to mention the Fringed GOLD LEATHER PANTS? Roberto, Come ON!

This Stymied Me. It was just an unparalleled exercise in Bad Fashion! Nothing worked together, it all looked like it was fighting itself and the other pieces... it was simply. Awful. Thank God, There is always Next Season! 

That's All.

Bye4Now!

Fendi.

Thurs. 02/20/2014.

Fendi.

It was one of those moments that only could have been Concocted in the Mind of One Karl Lagerfeld. Send his Fille De Jour, Cara Delevigne, Swathed in a Hooded coat of Audrey Hepburn in the beginning of "Charade" Worthiness dangling no other than... "Karlito" a Fur representation of Uncle Karl himself. Kinda like A Voodoo Doll that works in reverse, This Doll sticks the Pins in YOU! Making you want Karl's Offerings more and more with each new peroration! It was Hilariously Wacky for the Simplicity of it all! Arrogant...??? Hardly. Karl is aware of WHO He is and WHAT He is, and he knows his image and anything associated with that is likely to Gather Cult status (The wait list for "Karlito" is already Pages and Pages Long) So, Why not play Cheekily with his own Image and Make even More Money and Press for Fendi and more so, Himself! That's not an Arrogant move, That's a Man that realizes Some well placed Promotion can be a Big Boon for Business. Thusly, "Karlito" was born!

But that was only one Snapshot in the Fashion Spread that was Fendi Fall 2014. Lagerfeld entitled the collection "Made In Italy" as a nod to the Consummate Extraordinariness of the Italian Ateliers that produce some of the most Miraculous achievements in Fur Known to Humankind. This is also a tribute to the Ateliers that put together the Fendi Sportswear with such Technical Aplomb. They all had their work cut out for them as Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturini-Fendi put them through their paces with an Output of Wildly Difficult Ideas.

There was an almost Anarchic juxtaposing of Athletic ideas with the Hyper Rich Furs, as Technical Mesh Inserts gave a Sportif patina to many a look which if not for the mesh, would have been lovely all the same, but with this witty skewing, it made everything Fresher and More Alive. One of the best results to come from this Intermeshing was an Amber Brown Dress with a Black Mesh hem worn under the most Decadent Sable coat at Exit No.18. No matter how "Madame" the coat wanted to look, the Dress underneath kept it Grounded in reality!


There is always so much So VERY much going on in Karl's Brain and with a Co-Conspirator like Silvia Venturini-Fendi Fueling his machine, They seem to turn out ever more Elaborate Variations On a Theme of Successful Excess! From Bits and Bobs of Fur Busting forth from seams like Crazed Mutant Caterpillars or a Mohawk of Fur gliding over the contours of a Shoulder to the Finale Pieces Twinkling like someone had taken a Pair of Scissors and Cut Swaths of the Night Sky and sewed them into glittering masterpieces of Le Moda!.

As per usual, It was Breathtaking, One could try to pick apart all the influences and elements that made this so Special and Abundantly inspiring and Cheerful, from the Drones flying overhead filming everything for the Live internet feed to the Orchids Pinned to the outfits... and more and more... But to what End? All that matters is, the whole conspiracy of elements always makes one Smile and Appreciate the Punishingly Laborious Technique on hand that is made to look as effortless as the draping of a Toga. Lagerfeld may save his most Elaborate Tricks of presentation for The Grand Palais, But he certainly is no Slouch in tricks Chez Fendi either. The Outcome is always the same... One realizes just how Protean a Genius Lagerfeld Is!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Max Mara.

Thurs. 02/20/2014.










Max Mara.

There was a bit of trying to be all things to all peoples going on at Max Mara Fall 2014. The house was trying to be Witty. trying to bee Innovative, and Trying too hard, so it would seem. The collection felt overwhelmed by it's own invention. One real flaw, in wanting to Counterpoint all that Drab Grey and Brown tweed, the use of a Bright Lichen Green and the Gold Croc served only to make the Drabness, Amplified! It was a Very Wrong choice.

The Coats that are always the Money Makers for the house were Typically Fine. Nothing out of the ordinary there, A Super Fine Double-Breasted Tweed coat with Plaid Tweed sleeves on Betty Adewole at Exit No. 9 was saying something special, as was the warmly hued Camel Wrap coat that is the House Signature, at Exit No. 17 was providing Ample evidence that the simple route sometimes generates the most rewards! There were Experiments with Quilting and Mixed Media Blocking of Prints and Textures and Fabrics, They all really felt like just exercises in trying to be more Of-The-Minute rather than something the House fully believed in.

This collection failed the house of Max Mara in too many ways to fully explain, chief among the reasons... It was just Trying TOO Hard! The was no Naturalness to this collection, it felt Forced. Dishonest. When the Design team let the Wonderful, Rich clothes speak for themselves and let the work stand up for itself, they create Magic. No one can blame them for not wanting to be Stuck and Staid, No house wants that. But they also must remember that there is nothing wrong with Being True to yourself. That's Always In Fashion!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Fausto Puglisi.

Weds. 02/19/2014.

Fausto Puglisi.

Fausto Puglisi has the Right Ideas. It's just the Execution is what's ruining everything. Not that My Opinion Matters, the Fashion World has begun to Lap up his offerings like a Kitty with a Bowl full of Double Fat Cream! The Problem, As I see it, is that his clothes look like A Fashion Cuisinart... Throw In some Cavalli, Some Old-School Gianni Versace, A Little Pucci, A Little Decarnin Era Balmain, A Dash of Rousteing Era Balmain, Hit the Puree button... Sauce Liberally with Cheese, Et Voila! There you have Fausto Puglisi!!! 

His references are Patently Obvious, and even though he may be combining them in ways that are Wholly his own, they nevertheless reek of the referential. Secondly. he isn't really Pushing any bounds with design. There is Simple with Purpose and then there is just "SIMPLE" Puglisi is Relying on Flash and Eye-Candy instead of say, Focusing on designing more Expertly made pieces. As they are, they look like "Forever 21" Meets "Victoria's Secret" 

Fall 2014 sees Puglisi in Extra Short, Searingly Bright Colour and Embellishment Heavy territory. Put all those items in one outfit and you have Tedium! Not to say some of the pieces are not Kinda Sexy in a Good Way, they are! But they are still just Sexy pieces without any real invention to them. Colour Blocking and Pyramidal Gold Stud Embroidery were key Motifs as well as the "Statue Of Liberty" Print which went a VERY long way in sinking this collection. It was Juvenile at Best, Inexplicable to be surer! 

Puglisi is setting sail on creating Brashly Coloured and Brightly Embellished Bagatelles, Substance-less Trifles that will have Allure to the Bright and the Young and those that want to feel that way, with a Slight Tough Rock Edge. The Seriousness of his Fashion has yet to be Gleaned. One can see that he has the Talent to do such a thing, But I doubt he has the Want or Desire to. It's a Niche that is Profitable and Will more than Likely make him a Very Rich Man, But will it make him a Serious Contender as a "Fashion" Designer...

That answer isn't even Necessary, Now Is It?

That's All.

Bye4Now!

No. 21.

Weds. 02/19/2014.

No. 21.

Alessandro Dell'Acqua's No. 21 Collection is something of a Conundrum. At times it can be Decisively on the Mark and other times it can be a little Confounding. Sometimes, it can be both. Today it was Both. Dell'Acqua Showed Severity and Exuberance combined in some interesting and some not so interesting ways. The Opening Passages suggested a kinda of Duality and Tension of Opposites. Sprightly coloured Sequined floral pieces matched with good old reliable Fall staple, Camel. It seemed, even though it looked great together, Incongruous. That incongruity would Flourish as the collection delved deeper into these Juxtapositions.

A Loden Green Rib-Knit sweater was paired with a Little Nothing of a sheer wisp of a Black Chiffon skirt at Exit No. 10 and played even more so into that Duality Idee. The Extravagant Exuberance of a completely Feathered Skirt with a Casual Sweater at Exit No. 21 also Posited opposites in the same outfit, to a rather curious effect. The further Dell'Acqua explored this interesting dichotomy the abstruse things became.

I would say this should have been a case of Less is More... but in some Compelling Way... This all worked. It was a little Mystifying, but the more you studied it, the more it all began to Hang Together under it's own Idiosyncratic and Kooky Logic. By the end, It was Strangely Thrilling. Dell'Acqua seems, when he is Working his own Oeuvre, He's pretty damn Magnetic. This collection for Fall, Bemusing as it was, Left me with an Odd Rush of Excitement at what was just seen. The clothes themselves are Gorgeous, The way Dell'Acqua put them together was a bit Vexing, But with the Challenge of that Styling came a Rich Reward of seeing someone Exercise their voice with Pure and Utter Confidence. It Made Me A Believer!










That's All.










Bye4Now!