Sunday, December 13, 2015

Sportmax.

Fri. 02/27/2015.






The MaxMara Offshoot label, Sportmax, has of late, truly come into it's own and stands now as a Contender for Best Refresh of a House! Fall 2015 saw the house design team striking hard a balance of Minimal and Luxurious with a decidedly Artsy edge A La Louise Trotter at Joseph and more comparatively, Phoebe Philo at Celine (Incidentally, where many of the team there have recently strayed from to take residence here)

Fall was full of Masterful riffs on the Autumnal requisites, Incredibly luxuriant sash waist coats (this season cinched with a very utilitarian looking Leather Cord) in Plush Cashmeres or Woolens, or more Architecturally in Buttery, yet Industrial looking Leathers in colours like Cumin and Burnt Orange for the leathers and Toast and Buckwheat for the fabric coats. This led off down some wayward paths of experimentation with Patchwork blocking and Floral prints that never really coalesced into anything desirable or anything other than Confused looking!

The simpler and more reductive things were kept, the more splendid the outcome... A Curry Leather Reefer on Binx Walton... A Black Off-Shoulder Cable-knit Sweater dress with a wide fold over Rib-knit cuff at the shoulders was hearkening back to the 80's but looked as modern and as wearable as can be for now. The same could be said of an Absolutely, Exquisitely Breathtaking Honey colored Mink Duffel coat that won the show with Frightening ease! It was truly Exceptional!

The Sportmax team has still a little way left to go, some bumps to smooth out yet, but the trajectory being plotted augers well for them to step up to the next plateau and really show the Fashion world what they have and to distinguish them from and step out of the shadow of their more well known Big Sister Label, MaxMara, and carve out an Identity of their own! With the kind of clothes they are currently producing, that should not be an Insurmountable problem in the least!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Agnona.

Fri. 02/27/2015.





Agnona.

In the last of his collections for the Italian Cashmere House, Agnona. The women's side of Ermenegildo Zegna, the Tedium of designing for this brand, which had begun to show for Spring in a somewhat Confusing Jumble of a showing, was more than Clearly evident. The collection for Fall 2015 had none of the Gravitas and Spark of his earlier, far more inspired work, in his early days at the house. Here, the Sparkle, the Wit, the intellect felt drained away and in it's place... a Staidness that didn't suit such a Brilliant designer, the same designer who almost Single-Handed, Reinvigorated the house of YSL.

The Fall output of Pilati for Agnona consisted of a Brief snapshot of Drab, Carpet looking materials cut into utilitarian coats and separates, some tickled with a Vaguely Ethnic embroidery, over Mannish plaid pants and absurdly chunky, clunky crochet knits. The clothes didn't look... Homely, but they came damn close! What they did feel were Artless and Homogeneous, words one would never dare to think that would be associated with Stefano Pilati! The pieces were and ARE Perfectly wearable... But is that what we expect from someone of Pilati's Ilk?

Maybe, this was best for all involved that Pilati move on and focus on the Zegna side of the equation for a while. He had quite clearly lost that loving feeling that had suffused his work at Agnona in the early days, There was such promise to be fulfilled here, and that it has sunk to the Bottomless sea of Fashion Could Haves... One is left a little empty by the void. One can hope Pilati finds the Ideal Outlet for his Womenswear Creations and pools his energies into that vessel with Fervent Passion, Because the Fashion Landscape is a little less Enjoyable without Pilati's vision dotting the Terrain!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Emporio Armani.

Fri. 02/27/2015.






You reach a certain point at times, where you simply have to give up on things and stop wishing they would change and improve. To just, let them be what they are and will be and give up any expectations of advancement and let them go. Emporio Armani is just such an instance! First off, You have to give Giorgio Armani his Props! The man is an Icon and still can, when you least expect it, or more truthfully, expect NOTHING, whip up something Fabulous and Surprising. That, sadly, happened not in the Fall 2015 Emporio collection.

As per the usual, It was a Celebration of the Familiar. Themes and Shapes and styles we've seen far too often, trotted out over and over again, in a numbing similarity to what has gone before. Armani is stuck in a Horrific loop of plundering his own archives and regurgitating them up again with ever so slight tweaks to make them more than blatant Carbon Copies. This collection had the Double indignity of being Ugly as All Out Hell yoked upon it to boot. The Colours were Sad and Drab and Dreary or just downright Garish. The Silhouettes, Odd, bordering on Bizarre. It had NOTHING going for it. 

There of course, were pieces that will appeal and that ARE Appealing, but the constituent whole, was a Shoddy, Shambolic Mess. One that would have been better suited to being aborted before it's inception! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Blumarine.

Fri. 02/27/2015.





Blumarine.

This is not your Mothers Blumarine. Whereas some decades ago (the 1990's) Blumarine was all about Flirtatious and Flagrantly Feminine Frippery, as of the past couple seasons, Anna Molinari has Recalculated what the Blumarine label is and means and how it fits into the fabric of the Modern world and what the Fashion Scene has become as of the mid 2010's. There would seem to be something of a Struggle and Disconnect and failure to contextualize what the DNA of the brand is in the light of the New World. Maybe, that's why Molinari decided to go back to the Early 80's Disco scene for inspiration...

Working, Unusually, with more Shadowy, Muted colours, the Sex Kitten Blumarine woman was on full Display, Scads of Bare leg, Keyhole necklines, Plunging backs... yet that was part of the problem of what was working against the collection. While some of the pieces were quite fetching, A Deep Rose Sweater dress with Patch Pockets was a Hands-Down Success, a lot of it didn't feel very relevant. Much of it felt like it was trapped in a Time Capsule. Molinari seems at a crossroads on how to proceed and looking back, at least in a style like this, is not the answer. The gowns in the Finale that were done in Sheer material with Appliques of Vibrant Velvet flowers were Modern and Sexy and solved the Equation, where as those Heavy Beaded gowns that looked like "Dynasty"era Gala creations did not.

In this New, Fast Paced Fashion world, Many designers have been caught with their asses out in the wind and trying to reconcile what they love to do with what is Modern and Current. Some have adapted Quickly, Some simply were ahead of the curve, and some have been sadly, sinking in the Quicksand with no idea of how to get out. Blumarine seems to be one of the brands that needs to find it's way out of the Muck!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Moschino.

Thurs. 02/26/2015.





Moschino.

Whereas Jeremy Scott's first collections for the Milan Fashion Casa, Moschino, were Brash and Outlandish to the point of Distraction, their Boldness and In-Your-Face Directness and Cheekiness were Irresistible and more importantly, Authentically Uplifting. Comic, Yes. A little Daft... Yeah! However, Genuinely Joyous. Even with all the Hair-Brained Hilarity and Puns and Jokes, the reason the collections succeeded (Riffs on McDonald's for his Debut, then a Pink Barbie Dream for last Spring) is that within all that Ridiculousness, There were clothes that women wanted to and DID wear... In Abundance!

So, it would seem, Scott has hit upon a Formula for success. Outrageous = Profits! Smartly, the Over-The-Top aspect hasn't threatened, (at least, NOT YET) to overtake the actual clothing, for within Scott's Cacophonic vision of Modern Moschino, the clothes for Everyday and Everyone have kept the trickery somewhat in Check. Fall 2015 showed a Maturing of sorts, and a Quieting down of the Excessive, by Scott. Hooking onto a theme of Early 90's Hip-Hop and R&B (of the T.L.C. Ilk) replete with side turned Baseball caps, Heavy Metal Bling and a skewing of Athletic wear gone Hood, Scott showed a Tamer, but still Infectiously Merry collection,

Opening with riffs on the Quilted Puffer jacket/coat that were styled to look like Sleeping Bags (Brilliant!) Scott showed an Unerringly deft hand with Eye-Popping Colour, in all sorts of Lurid combinations, from Neon Orange to Electric Blue to Firecracker Red and everything In-Between! There were also Gratuitous plays on "Looney Tunes" and whereas in the past, Franco Moschino and his successor, Rossella Jardini, made fun of Chanel, for it was the most Obvious brand with the most Iconic pieces of Fashion and Logo, Scott has far more territory to explore and Ape. as he did with his version of the Famed Louis Vuitton Canvas bags that have themselves been poached by everyone from Coach to Michael Kors! Scott/Moschino's take was just more Blatant!

From there, things took the path, pretty much, that Scott's Moschino collections so far have traveled, this isn't to say it was Boring, but Predictable would be more accurate. The Denim this season was Patchworked with Gold Leather. There were Faux Furs in everything from Graffiti styles to Camo (In a Deliciously Sickening Hunter Orange and Green!) and a trotting out of variations on the Moschino "Toy" Fragrance Bear, from a Hoodie to a Print, Evening wasn't as Decadent as in previous collections and felt a trifle 80's Prom-like, yet, the White Beaded "Graffiti" Gown was Red Carpet Ready without a Doubt!

Scott has found his sweet spot at Moschino, this collection wasn't his most gratifying effort, but it was still filled to the brim with Wearable, Funny, Fabulous Clothes that women of all ages can wear and the public can get a little Giggle at. Truly, what more could one want?





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Prada.

Thurs. 02/26/2015.






There are very few designers who gets Fashion Writers, Bloggers and Cognoscenti, Prosaic Juices flowing quite like Miuccia Prada. She seems to have the power to make even the most Shallow and Vapid of writers get all Cerebral-like. And those that already fancy themselves Deep Fashion Thinkers... Well she just sets them off on Tangents of Herculean proportion! This isn't to say that Quite oft, Ms. Prada's collections aren't submerged in Subliminal Context and Multi-Layered Ideas... But some people search for meaning in the most infinitesimal details.

Although at times the Glut of Subtext and Import suffuses Senora Prada's collections from top to toe, even in these Maelstroms of connotations, One has to really remember... It's Just Fashion. Unfortunately, for Miuccia, that may have been where the downfall lay... For Prada, this collection really did feel like Fashion only! The Ironical and often Bitter, intellectualism coupled with the Dryly Comic element, so essential to the best Prada collections, went missing!

Yes, for Fall 2015 Prada indulged in the Slyly humourous and indulged her penchant for Toxic colour combos, she also Trawled the 60's "Mad Men" era for Cheeky silhouettes and the Faux "Prettiness" of turning those ideas from the 60's on their head and Whackadoodling them into a heretofore unimaginable sphere. All this played itself out in Delicious/Treacly colourations that Attracted, then Repelled and still managed to Seduce. Those colours soon took on a deep feeling of the Queasy as the combinations became more Lurid, but it was welcome in a collection that felt otherwise wanting for some Edge!

But, when all was said, the collection felt, Uninspired. And more importantly, Like Prada was trying too hard! The flip side of this was that Miuccia provided us with some of the best clothes she's produced in a Good, Long while, The 60's Brit Pop band suits, The Truffaut/Vadim era Car Coats, Even a bit of Balenciaga Cocktail dressing was sashayed down the runway, It all added up to a Contextual Mishegoss that while wearable, didn't really feel like there was any blood pumping through the veins. I am not one to look to Prada to Satiate my Intellectual cravings, but it does seem Prada is at her best when she is Challenging not only her audience, but herself as well. This, seemed like Prada was Meandering, Looking for an idea to affix to her clothes instead of materializing the clothes to suit her Cerebral leanings!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Friday, November 13, 2015

Costume National.

Thurs. 02/26/2015.






Ennio Capasa showed one of the strongest Costume National collections the house has seen in a good while, for Fall 2015. Mainly, By eliminating tricks and extraneous and useless design elements, by concentrating on Cut, Absence of Colour and Rigour... Capasa made a collection Seething with Desirable pieces that will fit his customers needs handily! Much was also gained by Capasa Simplifying much of what he showed, the Technical Difficulty of the pieces was evident, but rendered in Unfussy ways, Bereft of Elaboration, the clothes shined like Polished Silver.

There were Flights of Fancy moments, some Crystal Beading and some "Black Swan" Worthy feathers flitting about, but generally, everything was submerged in a Quietude of inherent Strength and Power. When Capasa worked his Mojo just right, like in a Tuxedo coat with Satin revers over a Plunging Black blouse and Sleek Leather pants at Exit No. 7, or in Glossy Black Plonge Leather coat over a Black Turtleneck and skirt a couple exits later... he Hit the Nail Square and True! In saying that, there wasn't really anything in the collection to Chastise. It was pretty much a Perfect showing from Bow to Stern! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Just Cavalli.

Thurs. 02/26/2015.






Fall 2015 at Casa di Just Cavalli seemed geared towards a Free-Spirited, Bohemian Modern Hippy, with Raucous print and colour and much ornament to Tantalize the eye. It wasn't all successful, but it was more accomplished and feasible than usual, per the line. The definite 70's feeling was apparent and very much in the vein of the Women in Ang Lee's "The Ice Storm" but here had more of a Quirky, Gothic Victoriana twist about them. 

From Frilly, Fluffy Feathers, to Curly Wools and Fur, the collection ran the gamut, Short Short, and Long Long, From Romantic, to Siren, to Ingenue and back again, It had a little of everything and happily, did not feel disjointed. The mix was the message and it was accomplished effectively and with Great Vivre and Esprit! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Fendi.

Thurs. 02/26/2015.






It seems somehow, Amazing, how Karl Lagerfeld divides his mind when it comes to designing the Myriad collections of Fashion, Photography, Architecture and more that proliferate from his Fingerless gloved hands! He is the Ultimate Polymath! His brain seems to bifurcate itself, Amoeba-like between his collections, Karl Lagerfeld is one thing, Fendi is another and Chanel altogether something else, and the miracle being... The Twains never meet! Nothing spills over from the Fashion Ideology of one collection into the other collections, they seem to be designed by totally different people almost. Karl is the most Highly Functioning Schizophrenic the world has seen, it would appear!

One would also have to point out, the Subliminal aspect of Lagerfeld's Dizzyingly Febrile Medulla Oblongata! He spoke of the Fendi Fall 2015 collection as being inspired by the architecture of the new Headquarters of the Fendi operations/ateliers in Rome in the Pallazzo Della Civilita, which also keenly brought into relief the work of Italian Artist, Giorgio di Chirico, but that he had no inclination to be Specifically inspired by the space or buildings until he realized his Autopilot Mind had usurped the elements and blended them into the wardrobe after the collection had been completed. 

The columnar White toned looks that opened the show effectively brought to mind di Chirico's Eerie, Surrealistic landscapes dotted with suspiciously out of place Buildings, Sensuous Curving lines and a restraint that was welcome after the beleaguered Spring Fendi collection, which was an utterly atypical fail of a showing for the house. Fall's artistic bent was further expounded upon with the inclusion of Sophie Taeuber-Arp as a Inspirational Touchstone. Arp's Constructivist style was rendered in paneled prints in striking colour combinations and in solid blocks of Colour combined together. Whereas much of the collection stuck to Browns and Neutrals and of course, Scores of White, there were Vibrant Reds, Rich, Gourmand shades of Caramel and Butterscotch, and, Naturellement, Black!

While much could be said of the Panels of Leather (or Pony, or fabric) that abounded in the collection, the necessity to do so is minimal. They gave the viewer much to talk about for their unique and graphic nature, and the Newness of what they added to the pieces they were attached to, but were more an Interesting Divertissement. The real heart of the collection lay in the, as Lagerfeld called it, "Pleasant Aggressivity" Minimalism that verged on Brutalism. There was no Festooning or Imbibing in Ornament this time, made clear by the Dangerous looking Bird-Of-Paradise flowers sticking out, Front and Center, of all the Handbags. Whereas for Spring, with the Hothouse Orchids, things got Droopy and Loosey-Goosey for Fendi, here, there was a Conscious pulling back that lent an edge of, Look, Not Touch to the clothes. Double that up with how Protective and Comfy most of the clothes were and you have a Woman as Fortress Parable for your Nerves!

Karl whipped up a Calm, Cool, Collected, Frenzy of a collection, one that never settled or alighted on one thing or one idea for too long before Pirouetting onto some new ground to investigate and harvest. It's always a Discombobulating experience, the wild ride that is Karl Lagerfeld, One that requires you to Strap yourself in, TIGHT, and be ready to Jete into the Abyss once again, Knowing only that since Karl is the one holding your hand, you have Very little to fear!





That's All.





Bye4Now!







Friday, October 30, 2015

Max Mara.

Thurs. 02/26/2015.






The Librarian and The Bombshell! The Nymphette and The Nerd! Max Mara's Fall 2015 offering gave Marilyn Monroe another Trotting out as inspiration, as every so often she comes back into the Fore with her Abundant Physical Charms and Plush Sensuality, the Designers of the MM team clung to her as muse the way the models clung to their Clutch coats to keep them Discreetly closed over Boudoir worthy Slip dresses and 50's Secretary-style Wiggle skirts, equipped with a bit less "Wiggle" than the versions of Olde! The collection was a Smashing and equally Beautiful success and one of the best collections to be had in ages at the house of Max!

The reason for this collections overwhelming success is that the house team did what they do best and didn't fuss around and Futz with things that have no business showing up in a Max Mara Show. This was the Hallmarks of the Brand shown in Covetable and Incomparably Classic ways. That's a Bulletproof Formula and one that the design team has been messing with for far too many seasons! When the stuff is this good, Why Tamper? The Cross-Pollination of Extremes proved a brazen move, but one that bore the fruits of success to the efforts of the designers.

Every exit seemed to play Mousy against Sexy, Severe against Va-Va Voom! It had that Certain Loren/Magnani Sensuality and off-handed Chasteness that those women embodied so vividly. Like a Simple yet Splendid elongated T-Shirt dress in the most Limpid Lurex shot Cashmere at Exit No. 9. There was a Strength evident do in the Defiant and Diffident way the models crossed their arms across their chests and held their bags, Like scorned Fiancees or Het up Wives ready to Clobber their Lotharios over the head with a Rolling pin tucked into that roomy bag slung off their forearm!

There was Absolutely a glut of Magnificent proportion on display here and so much that was just Superb, that to call out individual pieces is not only hard, it's unnecessary, for all shown was a Pitch-Perfect Fashion portrait! A few were perhaps, More special amongst the throng, Like a Quilted Fog Grey Mink Clutch coat that just got the juices of desire flowing like Raging Rapids!

When all was said and done, Monroe's Voluptuous Femininity was Well suited to Max Mara and their Fall output, Confining themselves to Clean, Classic, Silhouettes and Neutral colours snapped back into Sharp Relief what the MM Customer looks for and wants from the house. They would be Well Appointed to not forget this in future collections when the winds of whimsy and capriciousness seem to stake a claim in their Design Studio!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Alberta Ferretti.

Weds. 02/25/2015.





Alberta Ferretti.

It is truly a Sight to Behold the almost Stoic Grandeur of the Fall 2015 Alberta Ferretti collection! The sense of Romance that pervades her collections from season to season was abundantly found all through this Magical Treatise on a modern idea of Italian Renaissance dressing, with it's Ruffs and Elaborate Decorations and just All-Out Immersion in Unrestrained Luxuriousness! The real magic happens however, when one realizes just how Ferretti practices a sort of Fashion Prestidigitation to translate those, seen in the now, Costumey, ideas into the ever evolving present! Ferretti let loose with a Torrent of Rich, Glowing shades and a Weighty hand with Embellishment that never once felt Ostentatious or Overt! From Coppery Reds and Bronze shades to Midnight Blue and Mossy Greens, plus heaping helpings of Black and White and a Vatican Worthy Hue of Cardinal Red, Ferretti created an Inviting, Seductive palette of shades made to Lure the Customer in!

Some of her best efforts revolved around Scrollwork like Appliques of Degrade shades of Red on Black Velvet, going from Devil Bright to Sanguine Dark, they had an edge to them that their Lavishness did not betray, and thus, kept them Modern and not looking like part of the wardrobe of a Verdi Opera! As the show moved along, the shades became more Autumnal and fell on the Warmer side of the Fall Spectrum, Bittersweet, Rust, Russet, Dusty Violet, Mahogany... Sumptuous and Luscious, one and all! The show sauntered on to it's Blissfully Ethereal end of White, Vestal Virginal Dresses and then finished with a Racy Black moment to show counterpoint to the Innocence of the preceding gowns. In between this, we were presented with opulent prints and a couple of Sheer Black numbers thickly coated in Sparkling Antique Gold Leaves and Flourishes that truly Took one's breath from their throat!

Ferretti pulled out all the stops here and seemed to be designing with her Heart and Emotions and letting them take the reigns, That turned out to be a Winning Formula and produced an Achingly Beautiful collection of clothes that will bring the Romantic side out of any woman that wears them. In this ever Chaotic world that is Fashion, Sometimes taking a moment for Romance is Exactly what a Person Needs!





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Stella Jean.

Weds. 02/25/2015.






An Unequivocally Perfect Show! New Milan Fashion voice. Stella Jean, The Rome born Haitian/Italian designer has quickly garnered attention, as much for her devotion to Ethical practices in Production and Fabrication in the industry, as for her training in the ateliers of Italian Alta Moda! Her brief, but highly impactive Fall 2015 collection was Colourful, Exuberant, Joyful and Gorgeous! Jean has a Kaleidoscopic sense of Colour that is Virtuosic in it's breadth, and she showed it here in Glorious Abundance.

Jean's "Calling Cards" are her elaborate prints that she does from season to season. Fall 2015 did not remotely disappoint on that front, from dizzying Optics of Checks and Swirls melding with Animal prints in Black and White and then Piquantly highlighted by Bright and Vibrant figures of Indian folk celebrating Happily, or the Rich and Lush Foulard prints that evoked Desert Palaces, Printed Plaids, and much more! A Riotous Cacophonic Dervish of Extravagance! Throw in some Maharajah worthy embellishments and the mix became further Exotic! Jean so far, relies on a Basic formula, for Fall that was a Big Coat and either a Skirt or Pants and as well a Top and Skirt combo, though rendered newly afresh for Fall with Inflated, Rounded Poufs that were Giddily Feminine!

In this Potpurri of pieces, there were Fuzzy, Cozy Stolid plaids that served as foil to all the sartorial splendour on display, The chicest pieces were actually those that pulled back from the overload of Visual Stimulus. A Bell Skirted Plaid dress in a fuzzy Mohair was adorned with a Snake Charmer and his Snake wrought in oversized scale on the front and not much else, but was cut Brilliantly and Looked chicer for the restraint. That same feeling was doubly felt in a Bulbous skirted Trence in a Makeup Beige shade that Had the eccentricity of Lacroix in it's bones, but the Reserved good taste of YSL as it's primary DNA Strand.

Jean is a designer who brings Optimism and a sense of Good Old Fashioned Joy to her clothes. A sense that one does not have to root around to find like a Pig Snuffling for Truffles. Her Genuine Joyfulness is Ecstatically Infectious and Uplifting. Yes, Jean will at some point in the near future expand her Lexicon of fashion offerings and move beyond the One-Two Step and Repeat Formula that she has adopted thus far... but her label is just starting and in the Blush of it's Youth. One shouldn't be constrained as of yet with telling her what she MUST be, we should all just sit back and relish in what she IS for now. There's plenty of time for what comes Next!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Brunello Cucinelli.

Weds. 02/25/2015.






"Wild Luxury" was the theme of Brunello Cucinelli's Fall 2015 offering of Super Luxurious Sportswear highlighted by Innovative and Daringly Expensive pieces juxtaposed against more grounded and urban ones, while still feeling Urbane and Minimalistic, sort of a City Hippy inflection. A Cosmopolitan Nomad! Layering was part of the plan of this "Luxury" Cozy knits and Lightweight layering pieces existed with Warm, Inviting Coats and outerwear, achieved much in Fox and Mink fur, among others.

What made this collection so Refreshing and Appealing, coaxing one to investigate into the clothes further, was the Offhanded and Nonchalant attitude of the clothes, There was an Offbeat sensibility to the outfits that combined Thermal and Sweatsuit Fleece materials with Cashmere and Silk and Fur. A modernist approach also lent a Freshness to the collection that kept it totally from feeling Precious and/or Dated. The reserved colour palette also grounded things and let the eyes settle on the Magisterially Luxe Clothes, like a White Fluffy Bomber Paired with Crisp, Bone coloured trousers and a Charcoal Sweater Tee. Or a Papyrus Jumpsuit with Jodhpur styled cropped Pants that had a drop crotch, worn with a Knit Cardigan featuring a Fur trimmed hood worn over another Coat. Try the Sharpest, most modern outfit perhaps, a Stone coloured hooded Anorak over a matching Belted Knit Sweater dress and Dark Grey Leggings.

Evening was addressed also, in this same spirit of Invention! A sleeveless Jacket in Navy paired with a White shirt and a Pearl Sateen full-length A-line skirt was an Easy and Elegant option, while a Billowing Pearl Chiffon elastic waist Wrap dress that wafted over matching Satin trousers and a Cloud Grey knit sweater, evoked a totally Modern vision of Evening! This was possibly one of the most Original and finely Calibrated collections of the season, It was Beautiful beyond words and a Stunning proposition on how to dress come the Cold period of the year. Cucinelli's clothes exuded a Charm and Offbeat style that was thoroughly Unexpected and Engaging, Above all that, Exquisitely Luxurious to boot! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Philpp Plein.

Weds. 02/25/2015.





Philipp Plein.

Philipp Plein's woman is one Bad-Ass Bitch! She's Sexy! Strong! Powerful! Rich! And not ashamed in any way of letting the World know all of these things about Her. Basic is NOT in Her vocabulary! So, it was with Acres of relief that Plein let this Woman loose upon the World. A Jet-Set beauty who is as comfortable on a Private Jet as she is on a Yacht tooling around the Cote d'Azur! But you better believe, she's always where the Action is! And most likely, the Firestarter of most of the Action! Fall 2015 for Plein was a return to form after a Puzzling and disappointing Spring collection. This was Raunchy and Gutsy and Take No Prisoners Unapologetically Sexy and Tough!

Plein also played it Classy as Hell in places, showing off his Taste and Chicness with Stylish and Cosmopolitan looks that played against the more brash pieces wonderfully. Like the SUPER Slick Patent Coat early in the show, which while having a Rock 'N' Roll demeanor was faultlessly Refined. A "Le Smoking" Pantsuit later in the show also had that air of Raffinee and Louche, in equal measures, especially worn with a Much Skin revealing top and Crystal encrustations on the Collar! Plein also showed his best hand in the Luxuriant and Sportif way he had with Fur. From a Black and White Varsity "Sweater" in Mink to the "T-Shirt" on Nadja Bender that had "Warrior" Emblazoned on it!

Evening was where we saw the strongest clothes from Plein, If only hours earlier we bore witness to fellow Glam Squad Memeber, Fausto Puglisi, channeling Gianni Versace for all he was worth, Plein was decidedly doing the same in his Evening wear, although there was just as much allusion to Hedi Slimane and Olivier Rousteing, or in parallel, Peter Dundas and Roberto Cavalli... All of whom owe a Debt of Gratitude to the Grandmaster Versace for their Risque Evening offerings. However, it was the Slimane/YSL vibe that was being most apparently envisaged. That did not stop Plein's Eveningwear from being Devastating in it's own way, in the least! A Black Crepe Jersey gown on Binx Walton, with one side of the Top half of the gown Bedazzled with Crystals and slit up to High Heaven on the other side, Would have done Gianni Proud, while a Fortuny Draped and Pleated Jersey gown Criss-Crossed with Crystal Studded Leather straps would have made Him Weep it was so Flawless and evocative of Gianni's oeuvre!

In the end, Plein simply put on a Wham, Bam, Thank You, Madame Helluva show! One that showed why he belongs in the Milan Fashion circle, and why he has the ability to stay there. It was a Gutsy and Balls-Out collection, not one made for Wallflowers or for Women who care more about Subtlety than Full-On Blatant, In-Your-Face Sexuality. Those type of women exist in ever increasingly larger amounts and they all seem to have more Money than Inhibitions about being Provocative and Sexually Daring! We all know a few of those kinds of Women, in this current moment of Popular Culture! Don't We?!?





That's All.





Bye4Now!




Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Fausto Puglisi.

Weds. 02/25/2015.






Gianni Versace is quite Obviously, Very close to the Heart of Italian designer Fausto Puglisi. In some form or other, he has channeled the Halcyon Heydays of the Too Soon departed Maestro, in nearly every collection he has done. To varying degrees, the inspiration has either been Subtle or Sledgehammer Blunt. Fall 2015 is a case of the Latter, And THANK GOD! As of recent collections, Puglisi has schlepped forth one Dreckish collection after another, The clothes vacillating from either Severely Tacky and Cheapish to Bombastic and Overdone. Here, He hit the Nail Square and True and distilled all those Delicious Gianni-isms into a Puglisi flavoured essence that was Unrequitedly Sex Laden and Lustily Bawdy!

Hardly anything was left unembellished in this Cavalcade of Skin and Sparkle. From Suns and Coral to Geegaw sized Gems, the mood of Unrestrained Exuberance and Luxuriating in Excess permeated the collection in the best possible way! What saved this from being a Masturbatory orgy of Gluttonous Indulgence was the sophisticated hand Puglisi showed with much of the collection. Steely Control and Discretion led Puglisi to such things as a Beautiful Camel Coat trimmed in Black Mink and Black Leather pants surmounted by huge Gobstopper Jewels and Chains, the balancing out the Sobriety of the coat with the Extroversion of the Jewels was Acutely Precise. Or how a Swingy swirly Zebra print Halter neck shift was embroidered with Crystals and Beads only on the top 1/3 of the dress, in muted Jewel tones no less! 

Puglisi got the Versace Spirit just right this time around and it showed. Take a look at the Yellow Shift dress with the Black Fur hem with Black embellished Patch Pockets and Straps... It was a Masterpiece and Evoked Gianni at his best! As did the simple and brief Black Sheath near the end of the show with a Fur band at the Bodice and decorated with Jewels and a Chain-Link Belt. It was evident that Puglisi is putting his Best Foot Forward with this collection and showing he is the Big-Time Player on the Fashion Field that he has been showing promise of being since his Debut a few years ago. This collection simply, finally, Harnessed his powers and let them shine as Brightly as all those Jewels he had Studding his Looks! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Monday, September 7, 2015

No. 21.

Wed. 02/25/2015.






It was so Dauntingly and Mind-Blowingly difficult an endeavour to parse out exactly what Alessandro Dell'Acqua was trying to say with his Fall 2015 No. 21 collection, Dell'Acqua was all over the map with an Inconsistent and Wandering narrative that never fully settled on one unifying idea to tie it all together. There were many ideas, and none of them seemed to correlate to each other, Grey Herringbone with a rather Cheap and Gaudy Gold Brocade, Fan pleats in White and Peach, Vestal Virgins all in White, Taffeta Tiers... It was all a Jumbled mass of Mess!

Individually, with the exception of those Irritatingly Odd Pleated Tiered skirts, There were pieces that were Viable and quite interesting, The pieces in the Needlepoint Tree prints with Embroideries of Peacocks and other Birds were Gorgeous, Aside from those pieces... Confusion! Dell'Acqua is a Quizzical man, sometimes offering us Wonderlands of Fashion Goodness and at times, Bleak Landscapes of Utter Dismay! This collection was a Seriously Chagrin Inducing case of the Latter!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Gucci.

Weds. 02/25/2015.







Many will look at Alessandro Michele's Debut for Fall 2015 at Gucci as a Radical departure of the Tom Ford/Frida Giannin Era's of the House. While in many aspects it is just that, at it's Heart, it is more a Reconsideration than a Departure. A... Recalibration more than an Overhaul. Why I would put it in these terms is because, it is in no way apparent that Michele has brushed aside the Signatures and Codes or more directly, The HISTORY of the house, he has just taken the Iconography laid down by Tom and Frida and instilled his Vision into those recognizable Motifs. 

Michele obviously knows the House Archive, That he has taken to reapportioning certain hallmarks of the house here and there, may be a Slyly Subversive poke in the ribcage to his Successor Giannini and her Husband Patrizio di Marco (Before any of this happened he was her Lover and CEO of Gucci) whom were unceremoniously Dumped by new head Marco Bizarri after years of critical favour for Giannini's work but less than stellar sales over the past few years. So, in waltzes Michele after Giannini ups and jumps ship after the firing of her Fiance, and being offered to stay and Finish the Fall collection before she was shown the door for good. So, in the wholly uncomfortable position of being given the Captain's wheel of a ship that was FAST Sinking to it's demise, Michele cobbled together a collection with little more than 3 weeks before he had to show it! And with Ford offering a Blithely offhanded and SHADY about Michele when asked about his thoughts on the appointment, Obviously, Michele was in for throwing a little shade of his own! 

So, Those Gucci "Flora" Prints that ushered in Both Ford's taking of the Helm (Spring 1994) and Giannini's first outing Chez Gucci (Spring 2006) were turned Right on their Ever-Loving Head by Michele, in a kind of "Anything You Can Do" kind of Spirit, by draining all the Overt, High-Speed Sexiness that were the Stock-and-Trade of all of Michele's Succesors (Lest we forget the thin Sliver of a Gucci moment Occupied by Alessandra Facchinetti!) He turned down the Sex volume to virtually Nil, unless you can count the Androgyne Sexless Lolita style of Sexy that Michele offered. So, That was firstly how he began to shade, Then Exit No. 9 on Molly Bair... OOOOOHH! THE SHADE OF IT ALL! 

Did that outfit look in ANY WAY Familiar? It should, for it was a New School Gucci take on the moment when Tom Ford became a Household Name! Fall 1994. Peacock Blue Satin Shirt. Violet Velvet Flares. Madonna MTV Movie Awards. See it now? Michele took one of the most ICONIC Fashion A-Bombs and rendered totally afresh by De-Sexifying it to the point of almost Asexuality and even making it... one could say... DEMURE, with the little Black Schoolboy ribbon at the neck! Again, it was, a Shout out to Ford, Like "Eh, I ain't Afraid of you, Bitch!" I'll take what you did and do it my way! It was a Subtly, but Gigantically, Ballsy move. There is no way in Hell you cannot see the Allusion to the Gucci Fall 1994 collection in this.

So, outside of the Reading The House Down, in Fashion Form, to Giannini and Ford (The Liberry Is Now Closed!) Michele kinda of Middle fingered them in the sense that for the last 20 years, Gucci has been the Epitome of Untouchably Luxurious, High Roller, Jet Set, Expensive, Sex In The Champagne Room GLAM-MORE! Michele said, "BASTA!" to all that and exorcised the Gucci Whorehouse and made it Respectable again (as respectable as showing Tons of Nipple can be) Virginal almost. The Fall 2015 Gucci woman is now an Eclectic Tomboyish Magpie, who sifts through dusty attics and thrift shops and Anna Sui Boutiques for a Hippyish, Celia Birtwell meets Talitha Getty on the way to Joni Mitchell's Place for a Love-In! 

What was so accomplished about Michele's fast tracked debut was how Fully Formed it was! We were given access to the Oeuvre Michele is going to be working and how thoroughly complete the look was for the Previewing of what's now in store for us. Michele did not Waiver or succumb to the recent history of the house. He, rather bravely, stuck to his vision and come Hell or High Water, Success or Failure, was going to present his Imagining of what Gucci now, must be! The Quirky, Kooky mix is frankly, Entrancing. It's so Boldly Unapologetic that it teeters on being Defiant. A Fashion "Fuck You!" in a sense. Michele didn't pander to anyone and offer more recognizably Gucci fare, nope, this ain't your Mama's Gucci, Buddy! This is Nueve Gucci! And that is a woman who is in touch with her Youthful nature, but has a Mature Sense of herself. That was the Giddy Contradictory nature of the show, Ingenue and Sophisticate all wrapped up in one Nutty, Off-the-Wall Package!

With pieces like the Angelic Creme Pink Astrakhan Bathrobe Coat and a Vibrant Blue Sweater Deluged with heavy encrustations of Needlepoint and Beading and Sequin Embroidery over the filmiest of Nude coloured lace Skirts, Michele showed he has the Extravagant chops to keep the Luxury Hounds that come to the house for such indulgences, Mouths Watering and Pulses Racing. He will also attract a Younger and decidedly more Experimental customer who will be in Sync with his Crazy-Quilt ideas and sense of the Improvisatory! What we as onlookers can expect is some newly exciting fashion to Flourish from this Germ and for it to grow into a Behemoth of a Beanstalk in seasons to come. The only thing we have to concern ourselves with is, Will Michele learn to Grow this idea and not become Stagnant and Fallow? Truth be told, he can only work this idea for so long before it becomes Tedious, or More Awfully, Parodical! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!




Friday, September 4, 2015

Joseph.

Mon. 02/23/2015.






Savage. Raw. Powerful. All words that convey the nearly Pre-Historic Cave Woman Elegance of the Fall 2015 Joseph collection designed Superbly by Louise Trotter. It was neither a Conventional or Easy to Love collection, but it was one of those that moves you to your core! Trotter's collection had a Brutal and Organic Minimalism to it that made it look Offhanded, when it was all rather quite complex. Every exit was Finely Calibrated to Resonate with the one that came before and after it, so that you felt as if there was a Circular and Continuous Narrative to the collection. 

Filled with intellectually, as well as sartorially stimulating clothes, Trotter served up a bounty of Smart, Interesting pieces for the Modern, Deconstructionist Woman. The Nomadic, Artfully Disheveled look was expertly presented with Luxe outerwear and crafty, organic sportswear replete with twisty shapes, intricate draping and restrained colourations. Trotter was as Thoughtful and Considered as her customer IS, and will BE with such garments. They never really Suggested the body, but they cleverly accentuated it, even with all the strapless pieces, there was a Dignity to these clothes that never sidled into the Flirtatious. This is a Cerebral Woman, who doesn't need the power of her body to achieve anything, including Sex and Seduction.

Everything, pretty much was of an Exceptional Ilk, From Anna Cleveland's Zip front Plaid Blanket coat, reconstructed with a floppy Portrait collar and to the hem Lapel, to the Dropped sleeve Neanderthalian, Brown Mink jacket that was dual mix Savage and Elegant ! Even more Exciting, the Cocooning feel of the Rapturously Deluxe Knits in Long, Chunky sweaters and matching Skirts that showed plenty of Leg, but never were Salacious! And, the Trio of Patched together Slip dresses wrought from Silk Scarves, were a feat of Technical Brilliance and Sensual Exquisiteness!

Trotter is a New-ish voice in the fashion landscape, though not in the world of Fashion having been at Joseph for years before deciding to take it to the Catwalk. Her voice is an Original one, as well as a Vibrant one, and one that I have no fear of losing the love of the Sound of!






That's All.





Bye4Now!


Giles.

Mon. 02/23/2015.






Even though the Models may have been Campily Vamping it up and the Clothes had more than just a Hint of the Gothic about them, Giles Deacon Fall 2015 show was actually a more Subtle affair than the presentation may have insinuated it was. The clothes themselves, Elaborate though they may have been, in reality, approached something more Wearable and Communicative than usual for Deacon. Deacon infused a more, "Madame" nature into the clothes that, even though there was a Perverse sense of the Macabre, made sure the garments on display never ventured into the realm of Outlandishly Unwearable. 

In all due Honesty, with all the Theatrics and High Drama a la Le Grand Guignol, the clothes didn't fully live up to the hype. Deacon is more at home when he is Pushing limits and Going WAY out on a Limb, it's the place where he does his best work and where is Imagination Burns the Brightest. Here, it felt more like Costume and Vacuous. There was no Depth to the work. It was a Bawdy fun time and produced Major Moments of Fashion Love, But that Deacon sense of Tap Dancing on the Fine Edge of a Greased Razor Blade was missing, to coin a Macabre Phrase to go along with the setting, Like it's Heart had been ripped right out it's chest! 

Maybe that was the reason for all the Play-Acting... everything was so conformist, it needed a little Drama to give the pieces life. This IS the man who put a Giant Bat (Of the Winged Rodent kind) on the head of Binx Walton Not too long ago! As it lay, Deacon did put on one Helluva Show, However therein lay the rub, Cus even with the clothes being Quite Lovely, This effort felt like it was nothing more than Just for Show! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Hunter Original.

Mon. 02/23/2015.






Spectacular and Directional Outerwear is the Name of the Game at Hunter Original. Alasdhair Willis has been Kicking things up a few notches every season at Hunter and is proving he is on to something. Yet the tedium is about to start to set in and Willis would do himself an Extraordinary amount of good to take a Page or two from Giambattista Valli who Reinvigorated the Moncler Gamme Rouge Label by now moving it into Sportswear and More. The Strolling out of Coat after Coat after Lovely Coat can grow stale ever so quickly, and if that's all he continues to produce, that Staleness will set in before Willis even knows it!

The Fall 2015 show was dominated by Puffy pieces and shone best when the Puff was deflated and some Real tailoring was shown,  A short Black and Charcoal Buttonless Spencer was Splendid paired with Black Corduroy Culottes and a Army Olive Poncho had Wardrobe Staple written all over it. All-In-All not a Spectacular showing, but a Positive one, If Willis can cure the Monotony and bring in some real design and some Sportswear, he might just have something great on his hands, if not... the ride won't last very long! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Christopher Kane.

Mon. 02/23/2015.






As with most Christopher Kane collections, Fall 2015 had way too many Non Sequitur ideas going on for the collection to feel as if it was all part of the same show. The passages came Fast and Thick and just as you were about to get a bead on something or get to digest that idea, Kane shoves another course down your throat and you still haven't really finished with the previous one. Maybe in Kane's Fast Working mind, the sections make sense as a whole, unfortunately, I am not of the same mind and this was again an experience in the Discontinuous.

We know Velvet was a big thing for Kane the season, as was the Anatomy of the Body, taken to it's furthest point in the finale of anatomically correct Shadow figures interconnected in a Orgy of Limbs and Breasts and Cocks. Whereas Kane may have been going for Shocking, it transgressed well past Shocking or Gratuitous and into the Macabre! It wasn't Clever, or Controversial... It was downright Unsettling! The lifeless panels of Human length Lace, Swirled together to make the pieces, portrayed more of a Necrophiliac frisson than one of Scientific Exploration and Depiction. A bunch of Limp, Lifeless Bodies arranged in some Morose Tableaux Vivant around the body. 

Aside from that, Kane's tailoring skills and dynamic imagination were on display in the best pieces of the show, A sleeveless Sheath with graceful Velvet panels inset into them, looking like Silhouetted shadows of the Human form were Exquisite and Vibrant, As was a Muddy Blue Croc embossed Leather coat that was as Chic as Hell. Though it was a Black Velvet coat with Jewel shiny, Push-Click closures that was Prim and Modern but simmered with a gentle undercurrent of Sensual that Stole the Show! 

Kane again was trying so desperately hard to prove just how Clever and Astute he is as a designer and also, how Facile technically he is. As is the case when he goes off on these "Look At Me and My Talent" Tangents, they seem Vacuous and Permissive, He Knows he is Talented, WE Know he is Talented. For him to always brandish this fact and trying to Impress with his Aptitude is quite Bluntly, Snotty! He'd go further with letting the technique do the talking and not the narrative or his Vainglorious desire to demonstrate just how creatively Dexterous he is! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Burberry Prorsum.

Mon. 02/23/2015.






Honestly. Not Christopher Bailey's best showing for Fall 2015. There's no need to go into Stultifying, Elaborate detail, It just missed on most fronts that it was aiming to succeed on. The prints and colours were akin to dreadful, (What is it with these WRETCHED colours this season!? Fall 2015 is shaping up to be the Season of the Queasy Colour Mix!) and the Boho Granny gone Sexy look was a misjudgment of incalculable measure. Bailey was calling this mishmash, "Patchwork, Patterns and Prints" and that it was, a veritable Hodgepodge of all, and none of it added up to more than Confusion. 

The collection was hopping on board that Steaming Juggernaut of 70's Hippie/Boho inspiration that has infected the Fall 2015 collections like the Strigoi, What the worst part of that co-opting is essentially, Bailey added not one single iota of anything fresh or interesting to that ongoing conversation this season and Even more of a Fault, this collection felt entirely all too familiar. Bailey has been Trawling these Waters at length and has not dredged up anything special in a while. The Inflection this season may have been somewhat different but the Dialect was the same. 

The Saving Grace was that Bailey is no Amateur, and even in a weak collection he has many pieces that will beat even most great designers on their best day! Every variation of Fringed Cape/Poncho and Tapestry printed Trench was a winner without question! The Patchworked and Hand-Painted Suede versions were mouthwateringly luscious! As also were the PLUSH Furs that garnered much lustful admiration. But the Heartstopper of the collection was a Drop Dead Sensational Fringed Yoke Buttonless Suede Trench in Toast! It Sang out among all the Eccentricity, a Lone Bell in the Distance of an overcrowded Wood! It was Fantastic! 

Bailey knows how to make stunning collections from Front to Back... But this one was not one of them! The theme was played out, the hearty Belting of singer Claire Maguire was a trope that Bailey should put to Death, Immediately for his shows, and the clothes felt Contrived and Gimmicky. The simplest pieces in the collection were the best and the really, truly, utterly and inexorably radical thing for Bailey to do would be to strip all that Extraneous Detritus away and offer a paired back, Clean, Simple collection of Really Strong, Unfussy clothes. Now, that would be something to Sing About, Indeed! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Erdem.

Mon. 02/23/2015.






More interesting a matter than a Designer having a Sprawling, Gothic Narrative and Backstory to attach to His/Her collection, Is how Fanatically some Fashion Writers will look for Nuance and Impart in every little thing as to spin a Yarn about a collection so that they can relish in the sound of their own voice and Self-Satisfyingly diddle themselves with their Cleverness and Astuteness. Reading Some reviews by a couple of Writers who Rhapsodically Over Indulge in the Masturbatory Delectation of their written words (The EVER Prosaic Tim Blanks and Sarah Mower) the desire to actually seek out deeper meaning in a Designer's collection is THOROUGHLY Squelched by their Puerile and Vapid Preening and Incessant need to be "The Most Verbally Adroit Kid in Class!" Well, they win that Medal! 

In both reviews that I waded through by Blanks and Mower, I was only mildly taken aback at how both Manifested this Autobiography of Erdem Moralioglu's Phantom Woman that he concocted for his Fall 2015 show, out of the Ether! As for the Designer himself,  Moralioglu's Invisible muse took shape after visiting a Art installation in Oct. 2014 at the Frieze Masters Art Fair put on by Robin Brown for the Helly Nahmad Gallery called "The Collector" which in essence was an elaborately detailed "Mise en Scene" of an empty apartment fully appointed with all manner of Accoutrement and Objets that belonged to a Non-Existent Parisian Art Collector, one would have to guess, to Moralioglu's Fertile mind, all that was missing were the Clothes.

So, He designed them! With Brown's help Moralioglu designed a Set to Mimic a Fragment, a Segment of the Installation, and in it's way, became more Provocative and, Slightly Sinister, for it. There was a Claustrophobia surrounding this Intimate set that was hard to escape and it added a layer of the Unhinged to things, as if one was trapped in some tiny box of an almost Stephen King imagining where the "Visual Memories" of Moralioglu's Heroine strode forth from the dark to Bedevil (perhaps even, Torment) our intrepid Heroine.

Moralioglu's collection was, Per his Press for the show, A woman from an Affluent past who lives in a world of Faded Glamour where she is surrounded by the Vestiges of said past and has in her own way brought together the elements of the halcyon days with a modern touch for a slightly Offbeat Amalgam of Past, Present and Future. The clothes did an Excellent job of communicating this without all of the Enraptured mental Gymnastics that some put into the show. The collection was Yes,  Quite Beautiful and Emotionally Stirring. Yet, It wasn't exactly one of Moralioglu's Most intriguing. It had a Celia Birtwell-meets-Alberta Ferretti vibe going for it that made it seem a little.. Derivative and while producing some Impactful "WOW" Pieces, it erred a little too much on the Overly Studied. Not to go all Tim Blanks, But one would have imagined the Woman being envisaged by Moralioglu to be a Trifle more Spontaneous and Courageous in her Fashion, This, Felt Safe. Eccentric... Well... perhaps, But Still, Safe.

A Black coat with a Needle Punched Vivid Shocking Pink Brocade hem was of the most Exquisite Caliber, as was a Cutwork Leather outfit in Black on Leila Nda. Aside from that... Status Quo. This isn't to take away any of the beauty of the work seen here, but only to inform that Moralioglu has done collections where he has reached farther outside his Safe Zone and done more Rewarding pieces. On the Whole, It may have been the Intricate Narrative which detracted Moralioglu's attention away from giving a more Exciting Roundup. The Story seemed somewhat more Compelling than the clothes, The risks in the collection were negligible and Although Exquisite in places, Ultimately, The Story was the best part of the Show!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Antonio Berardi.

Mon. 02/23/2015.






If the Goal that was trying be achieved was to Consternate and Dismay, then Antonio Berardi plotted a trajectory that landed squarely home on that course of action with his Fall 2015 collection! How Berardi let this tragic lapse in judgement leave the Workroom is a bizarre Mystery in need of solving. The Asymmetrically folded Flamenco Ruffles, the strange and alien gathered bunches of fabric at the hem, the inflated volumes... It was so Appalling and downright Outlandish that it almost seemed Revolutionary, and in the spirit of drinking the Kool-Aid, it began to grow on you, despite your better judgement. 

Berardi let the collection best him on an immense scale, it was so much wrong going on, that the right things in the collection got shoved out into the margins and forgotten. Berardi's tailoring was as always, right on target. However, not content to let that be enough, Berardi began futzing around with the fabric, Swooping it and Folding and Inflating and Ruffling it, inspired as he was by that most overrated Architect of the Eyesore, Frank Gehry and his recent Catastrophe, The Foundation Louis Vuitton Pour la Creation.

As the collection meandered towards it's end, Berardi's experiments began to make a home in one's Imagination and somehow, as still undeniably unattractive as they were, a sense of Atrocious Beauty set in and one could see the Odd viability of these options. It was the most curious of sensations and caused one to reflect on the clothes in a new light. It was still troubling in the deepest meaning of the word, but that became something to be embraced and in a way, applauded!

Berardi managed to accomplish an improbable feat, creating something distractingly Unattractive and imbuing it with novel beauty and unique interest. Not all was of this precious Ilk, but the pieces that were, stuck in the imagination and took root there. It wasn't by any means Great, but it was provocatively Arousing and Stimulating!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Monday, August 31, 2015

Jonathan Saunders.

Sun. 02/22/2015.






One is hoping the REAL Jonathan Saunders shows up sometime in the Near Future, Because this Saunders that we have seen over the last few collections is a Far Cry from the Magical Scotsman we had been seeing a couple years back. Spring 2015 offered a Glimpse of this, a Slender Sliver of the old Saunders, But it was so Bogged down with Overworked Frippery and Unnecessary Complexity that it got lost in all the Noise! It feels as if Saunders, Like Jason Wu was a few seasons ago, is transitioning from what the Saunders of the past was and what the Saunders of the Future will be. It's an uneasy impasse, and one that will inevitably lead to some uneven, clunky collections. This was one of those.

The colours were the main problem. Saunders has always had an Absolutely Uncanny and Keen eye for mixing Bizarre and oft Queasy colours together and making them sing in Harmony like the Vienna Boys Choir, But I just can't EVER get along with bright Purple and Green and Red and White all Jingle-Jangled together in a riotous intermingling. I Just Can Not! And those Distracting Optic Ribbon prints that opened the show... My head was Aching like it had been slammed in a Car Door! The less Saunders toyed around with Nauseating colour schemes, the better off the proceedings were.

Saunders collection was pretty much a wash for me. It didn't inspire me, it didn't move me, and even the clothes were a bit Generic, the only point of difference were the Colours and those were Unmentionably Atrocious in places. Here's to a Better 2016, Jonathan, for 2015 was most Definitely an Annus Horribilis!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Pringle Of Scotland.

Sun. 02/22/2015.






A Puzzling Affair, to be sure. Massimo Nicosia has been tasked with Updating and Freshening the look of the Two Centuries old Scottish Knitwear house, Pringle. Fall 2015 came across as a definite Step Back for the Nicosia, who has been taking a more careful and paced approach to modernization. While Nicosia's previous collections thus far, have taken Painstakingly slow steps to Progress, they have progressed. Fall saw Nicosia adopt a Mumsy approach that teetered into Gram-ish territory, Even with Sheerness and Lace skirts, the collection felt Weighty and Frumpy. One hesitates to say Dowdy, but it's applicable here as well.

The life felt drained from this collection as if it were on the Embalming Table, and it wasn't the fault of the clothes, taken apart and seen separately, they had loads of Appeal, Flocked Devore Velvets, Artistic Appliques on Astrakhan, an oversized Macrame Guipure Lace. Intricately Cable Knit Patterned Shaved Mink... There was much to delight in, just the way the elements were put together were their ultimate Undoing. Nothing felt as if it were of this moment, and worse off, it felt like it was of a few seasons past, and well past it's prime! We've seen these arrangements before, and Better and to see them now when the thing that should be the Utmost Forefront in Nicosia's mind is pushing Ahead, was disheartening. 

This won't break Pringle and will keep them Afloat without worry, but Come Spring, Nicosia needs to make sure he's designing for the Now, the Today, He'd do himself one better even, if he designed for the Future! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!



Topshop Unique.

Sun. 02/22/2015.






The Topshop Girl is the kind of gal that can take the most Disparate Fashion elements and Make them look Hip, Cool, Edgy, Modern and Slickly Chic. Kate Phelan, the Design Director for Topshop knows how to tap into that Sixth Sense that her customer has for Manipulating the Puzzle pieces into something wholly Entrancing and Vivacious and apply it to her work and thus appeal to that innate nature of her Girl and thus the Circle remains Unbroken! She knows her Pretty, Young Things will be Inexorably drawn to her way of mixing and find their own, New Permutations, so the Topshop formula is always, sorta, in a constant state of Fashionable Flux!

Fall 2015 was no less a Masterpiece of this Mix-Match aesthetic than ever before, Maybe even more so, as Phelan has been Emboldened, by the success of the label and by her customers growing need for Luxe, to push the quality and styling towards the Richer end of the Spectrum with Decidedly Pleasing results. Like the Second Exit out, A Granny styled Fur Chubby, with a pair of skinny trousers with some Flair and Flare paired with a Liberty worthy Floral print Blouse, Combining something olden style in a New way and looking Fabulous in the process. 

From Top to Bottom, Beginning to End, Phelan loaded the Topshop collection to Overflow with Desirable pieces shown in Desirable ways, a prim Cable-Knit Turtleneck sweater in Ivory was sexified with a Sky high slit Wrap skirt in Pale Nude Leather, an Azure Blue Corduroy skirt Suit was a highly imaginative and Youthful use of the humble fabric and sure to appeal to the Younger set as well as the Not-so-Young! Evening even had it's moment in Dandelions in Flower and Wind-Catching seed form, on Inky Black Velvet dresses, as did Ostrich Feathers! Though, it was a Tweed belted waist Jacket/Coat and Pants pairing that made the most Impact with Shaggy Black Fur cuffs, it was the most Sophisticated and Mature Exit in the show and demonstrated that Phelan can do Grownup as well as Young in Mind, Body and Spirit, She should add more of this Maturity in the future. 

Phelan produced a Directional and Accessible collection that will have all manner of Woman incorporating the Topshop pieces into their already Bulging wardrobes, simply for the fact that the clothes are Desirous and Current without feeling slavish to the trends and more so, by setting some of it's own. That is like Catnip to the Fashionista! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Paul Smith.

Sun. 02/22/2015.





Paul Smith.

Sir Paul Smith is always a designer that is going to weigh in on the Masculine/Feminine debate with a collection that collocates these ideas into a tonal whole rather than a Discordant Atonal mess. Fall 2015 saw him take no break from his Comparing and Contrasting of these two Poles of Fashion, and as usual he arrived at some brilliant conclusions. One of the most Potent things to arise from this collection, Intended or Not, if Nadege Vanhee-Cybulski decides to leave Hermes at any point Near or Far in the future, with this collection, Sir Paul proved he can handle the job! This outing rang so much of the Hermes way of doing things, that it was quite scary, Yet it retained that most essential of elements, it looked like PAUL SMITH doing Hermes... so make of that what you will, but I could hardly envision anyone more capable than Smith of doing that job... if that need should ever present itself!

Smith's show had all the things we come to Know and Love about him, The English-ness of it all, the Amazing Tailoring, the Arch sense of Elegance, Yet for Smith, this collection found him far more Understated and reined in than usual and in this instance, it worked Incredibly well. There was a Soberness of Attitude that gave off that "Stiff Upper Lip" British persona mixed with just the right amount of Kookiness, in this instance though the Kook was kept to the barest of minimums. In fact, Everything in this collection was done with such a Masterfully Minimalist hand that the clothes shone through with no Outwardly apparent trickery or ornamentation! The Power here lay in the Inherent Class the clothes exuded.

From Beautifully Rugged Shearlings that would work on the Chilliest of days along the coast in Cornwall to the Pinstripe Proper Pantsuit that would be the envy of any Saville Row Tailor worth his Scissors, or the Blokish appeal of a Fuzzy Jacket over a Working class Jumpsuit elevated to Luxury Class! So Very much of this collection was of such a Superior Nature that it is the most Haranguing of tasks to pick the pieces that made the most deep impressions, for they pretty much all did! Smith did a Peerless job in crafting this Breathtakingly Extraordinary Collection that he must be Heartily applauded! Cheers, Mate!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Matthew Williamson.

Sun. 02/22/2015.






Summing Matthew Williamson's Fall 2015 collection up will be easy to do. It was A Step in the Wrong Direction... Backwards. We've seen this Style of Matthew Williamson before, and Better, and after a few seasons of advancing his Personal Style Language this feels like an awfully Atavistic and not well-conceived Stumble back into old, comfortable patterns that Williamson has progressed far beyond. 

Starting off with some rather Garishly hued prints that caused a great deal of Consternation to the Retina, Williamson did have some rather Mouth-Watering colour combinations on hand, like the Mustard Yellow and Cyclamen Pink Top and long Slit skirt all in Silk Charmeuse that was Positively Joyful! As was a Gorgeous Mauve Plunge neck gown traced with Beautiful Floral embroidery near the end of the show. As for everything else... It lacked any kind of Potency for we have visited these dusty halls with Williamson many times in the past and this accounted up to pretty much a retread. 

Williamson is capable of better than this, even in this Oeuvre, which is his own. He settled back into the groove of old and it felt that, Old, Uninspired, A little Tired and very much Dated. Maybe on the next go round, Williamson will push himself like he had been doing and finding new ways to express his idioms, For this time the Idiom got the best of him and we did not get the best FROM him! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

David Koma.

Sun. 02/22/2015.






Striking an unusually Elegant and more Classically Restrained posture in his Fall 2015 Collection, David Koma put on perhaps the best show of his Career. It was as Sexy as usual, The Body is Koma's Landscape and he is always finding new and inventive ways of Traversing it, this time, there was a Grown-Up, Less aggressive quality introduced that made the clothes feel Sensual, Playful and Mature without being Old. The use of Ruffles in the most Modern of forms, added a Youthful and Flirtatious edge to the clothes that even though Sexified, had, as per usual for Koma, a Tough, Modern, almost Futurist Bent to them. 

Koma started with a Severe and Racy opening Zip-Front sheath dress that was softened up with those Ruffles at the sleeves and kept the dress firmly in the Scintillating arena and not in the Gothic. The little Leather Patch pocket Dress that followed was totally a "Mullet" Dress... Business in Front (covering every inch of skin from Thigh up to Neck) and Party in Back (Two large Cutout sections revealing tons of Skin!) A Black Coat with Push-Click closures (a device used throughout the collection) was the Epitome of Modern Mod but with no Retro Connotation suffused to it. A Black Jumpsuit on Riley Montana gave off Futuristic Speed and Sleekness while still being Deadly Chic!

Finishing on a Strong note with some Gorgeously Ostentatious Swarovski Crystal Beading, Koma Sealed the deal on his collection being a Success from Open to Close, to call it Impressive was to understate the fact by Miles. It was a Treatise on how Restrained and Futurist can be Sexy and Stylish. Koma Struck Oil here and what a Gusher it was, Quietly Powerful and Strong, Yet, Totally Femme! A Formula for Success, I'd Say!





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Preen By Thornton Bregazzi.

Sun. 02/22/2015.






In the spirit of Throwing all the leftovers in a pot and making a satisfying stew out of the elements, Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi did just that, adding some of this and a bit of that, for Fall 2015 and it led to a disjointed serving of their fashion that was lacking a General sense of Cohesion and seemed scattered in multiple directions. It wasn't a best for the duo by any standard!

Entitling the collection "Dark Romance" seemed to give the duo License to Schlock up everything their hands touched, Weaving in mixed prints, multi plaids, 3-D Floral embroideries, corsetry lacing, Chiffons with Woolens and Tweeds, cropped tops and heavy coats, Asymmetric frills, lace, racing stripes, ballooning Watteau backs... It was a Little of Everything and a Whole Lot of Nothing! The Boho/70's vibe that's been pumping along strong and sure for the season was evident here and done in some nice, Crafty, Artsy ways, but could not save the collection from drowning under it's own Largesse. 

Thornton and Bregazzi didn't even try to approach Simple and the few times they did were when the clothes looked the best, A Black laced front cropped top and Black Pants with side racing stripes was evidence of this, as was a Beautiful Tone-on-Tone Embroidered Ivory Blouse decorated with Three-Dimensional Flowers and paired with flattering Black Trousers! These were not the ONLY winners, but were sadly among the bare few! Thornton and Bregazzi have a Unique and Eclectic Sensibility that they let themselves get carried away with most times and it undermines the Positively Lovely work that they can turn out, one just senses that a Refresh and a Step Back is needed to re-plot the course to a Satisfying Whole of a collection rather than Here and There individual outfits!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Gareth Pugh.

Sat. 02/21/2015.






Perhaps it was that Gareth Pugh's Fall 2015 collection was All Black with those Positively Unsettling Red Crosses painted on the faces of the models... Perhaps it was because there was something that was quite a bit too literally Sacerdotal and Religious about the look of some of the pieces and partnered with the Spiky Jeanne D'Arc Hairdo, Pugh's collection came across more than a little bit Sinister. Add to that an unshakable Clive Barker "Hellraiser" Cenobite allusion and you have for one Unsettling Goddamn show!

Pugh, in the tradition of one of the greatest students to come from Central Saint Martins (of which Pugh graduated as well), the Irreplaceable Lee Alexander McQueen, has a fascination with the Darker aspects of Fashion. Pugh's may be more, Poetic and less Grotesque, but he is not unwilling to travel those Pathways. Fall 2015's preoccupation was a Warriores, the Video before the show gave ample evidence to this Theorem as model Amyline Valade embodied a woman Possessed and so enthralled, began hacking her long Platinum locks off and then Orgasmically painting herself in the Scottish Woad tradition, except this time it was the Blood Red, as if from some Sacrificial Victim to this Ritual! Pugh did say that his Emotional starting point was the idea of someone "Sacrificing Yourself to something bigger than You are!" Loaded words indeed!

What was more readily evident than anything, perhaps other than the inherent Drama of the clothes, was Equally, how Amazingly wearable the collection was and how skilled Pugh is as a Tailor. Coupling those two elements together produced not only Memorable clothes, but pieces that shook you to your core. Yes, the Showpieces were there, the ones that catch the breath in the chest, and also are either completely Unwearable in Modern day life or only wearable by the most Daring of Fashionistas! Within all that, However, the wearable clothes stood out the most for the reason that they were so Awing in their Brilliance. Look at the way he handled a recurring motif of Lacquer Slick looking Black Plastic drinking Straws, that when conglomerated tightly together on a Wide Sheath dress/Sweater, they had the glow and look of the Finest Sable.

Mentioning those Straws, they added a Prickly and Dangerous edge to this collection, they made whatever they were incorporated into, look Treacherous, Untouchable, and just a little bit Unnerving! Shown alongside the Angular Leather bodices and Strict Militant as well as Penitent coats they poised a Intricate Dichotomy to the viewer on how the Religious Restraint half of the collection and War-Like Extroversion other half, could Congregate harmoniously! It was never an easy integration, but Pugh found the way and Exploited it so Adroitly one could not began to fathom why they would have thought the combination Incompatible!

Pugh is one of those Designers that the winds of fashion will always Follow, Not the other way round. His work is an Admixture of the Disconcerting and Discomfitting to the point of Perturbance with things so Incandescently Transcendent that you feel as if you are in the Grip of Spiritual Rapture! This collection was the Apotheosis of that Ideal and Pugh hit the Nerve so soundly, that it registered through not only one's entire Body, But their entire BEING! A Rare happening, To be Sure!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Thursday, August 27, 2015

House Of Holland.

Sat. 02/21/2015.






If one is looking for clothes that Announce themselves a good 20 minutes before you even enter the Building and that can be viewed from an orbit a few miles above the Planet, Henry Holland is the Man for YOU! Holland's Fall 2015 showing was pretty Par for the Course for him and didn't offer much in the way of newness, but did show an appealing vein of Restraint that was particularly encouraging! 

The Checked plaid that was patterned on the Beautiful Pink Coat that opened the show appeared often in different guises and colour schemes, Quite honestly, to be so bold it never really wore out it's welcome. The same though, could not be said for the Mixed Plaids which far crossed over the line of Garish, and the Stripes threatened to do the same. 

On the whole, Holland was having at it, as usual, mixing Ladylike with Street in an adept manner and creating his own kind of Crazy Quilt, Kooky Vibe. That it's a smidgen dated by now, is little matter, The clothes are Fun, Wearable and Will keep his Fans happy come Fall. 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Julien MacDonald.

Sat. 02/21/2015.





Julien MacDonald.

Julien MacDonald usually straddles and skirts the line between Gutturally Sexy and Whorish. For Fall 2015 he seemed to slip off that line and land, often, on the Whorish side of that Delicate Demarcation! Even more Distracting, Just when it looked like MacDonald was doing something that Vaguely resembled Daywear, at least by MacDonald standards, to open his show, just a bare few exits later we saw that Idyllic Bubble, Burst!

MacDonald Can, (but seemingly WON'T,) make Beautiful Day clothes, we have seen him do it! His Collections for Givenchy, Way Back When, prove that he can and that he has a Sturdy Couture hand too! But his own collections of late have only proven that he is Starstruck with Bedazzling the Nether regions of his Throng of Pretty things and not much else. This season one does have to applaud MacDonald for showing restraint and offering his own kind of Glittery Daywear, An Achievement to be sure. And the only Saving Grace of this Cookie-Cutter collection!

There was nothing new on the Front Lines of Julien MacDonald for Fall, As to be expected. MacDonald seems Obstinate to the point of Obsession with his Glitzy wares. He has the girls that will be assaulting him to be the first one to wear one of his Body-Enhancing Creations, But the relevance of said creations seems to be evaporating more quickly than the Shine on the Starlet of the Moment Draped in one of Julien's Pieces!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Daks.

Fri. 02/20/2015.






Filippo Scuffi went back in time to the 60's to give his Exceptional Fall 2015 Collection a Modern Mod feeling and succeeded greatly with clothes that had that Dolly Bird air, crossbred with som Sgt. Pepper and a hint of Bond Girl! Scuffi kicked it in the Balls a little by adding Tough Leather Biker jackets to the already rich mix, but these tempered the more Edie Sedgwick elements and gave Balance to the whole. 

Scuffi also kept his Palette limited to a Incredibly pleasing Shade of Crimson, Black, Grey, Beige, Khaki and Oatmeal with a Fuzzy Rose floral print thrown in for good measure. In narrowing his Colour Scheme, Scuffi kept the attention firmly on the Details, like his Impeccable Cut and Drape. Scuffi also added Diamond Quilting on Leather to many outfits to add some Structure and keep things interesting and fresh and it worked without fail, every time it showed up, it took something that might have been too tame and made it a little Risque! At the least, it added an element of Difference to well worn Staples, like a Zip-front Black coat with Quilted Patch Pockets or a Photo-Perfect Swing dress with in a Blush shade of Nude with a Leather Sleeveless Bodice and Wool Skirt with an Invert pleat in front at Exit No. 23! 

With a High-Style mix of Fun, Forward pieces and some Spectacularly well made Stolid Classical items, Scuffi is pushing Daks to become the Next big Sleeping Giant House of Fashion in London to go Global and be a big time player in the High Stakes world of Brand dominance. He seems to have be on the right track, pushing further each season. All that is left is that one, Big, Risky payoff that will catapult the Daks Label, and Scuffi, to International Players in the Fashion Olympics!





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Bye4Now!



Tom Ford.

Sat. 02/21/2015.






Tom Ford made the rather Business motivated decision to show in Los Angeles on the Day before the Oscars, When all of Hollywood's Top Stylists and Top Names would be thronging to that city in Anticipation of the Media Blitz (Circus) that is the Academy Awards. It was a Canny move, knowing full well he'd have the Eyes and Ears of all the Insiders who might just be choosing one of his Frocks from this or a Previous collection to garb one of the ladies that will stroll down that Camera glutted Red Carpet!

In the sense of the Finale of Ford's show, he had some Stunning Eye-Catching options to be sure that would evoke a 1970's Cher-like Sizzle. Ford though isn't a Confectionary designer, he doesn't create Evening alone collections like some people do. In the Day and Evening wear of the show, Ford tapped into a Rich Boho, Arts-and-Crafts DIY Patchwork vein that lent a very Berkeley, CA circa 1977 patina to the clothes. It could also have been seen to be more Southwest than West Coast, according to Ford, who curiously found reminders of his Youth in Santa Fe showing up in this offering. 

Wherever it was Ford was Travelling, there was plenty of Neon hued Velvet and scads of Denim. This posed something of a problem to the collection, coupled with the Pesante/Renaissance style Empire tops with Ruffly peplums and cuffs the collection looked TOO Retro, Like Ford's woman had been rooting around in the Thrift shop. Throw in Macrame, Patchworking, Leopard/Ocelot prints, and Miles of Fringe, and we had ourselves a Caravan of Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves! 

The upside of all of this, It was really interesting to see Ford working this kind of Vibe, His 70's touchstones usually are more of the Studio 54 Variety, so to see something this earthy was refreshing and for Ford, Daring. The downside being that it didn't feel Natural and it looked it. Ford seemed to be trying to adapt this Idee Fixe to his style of Fashion and the two did not seem to want to Coexist Harmoniously, so there was a Disconnection in where the clothes had that "Tom Ford" Slickness but now heavily sprinkled with this YSL/Betsey Johnson Rich Hippy overtone. It was a Valiant attempt but one that in the Biggest Picture, fell on the flatter side of Awkward,

All told, the collection didn't Fail so much as it didn't live up to the Greatness it could have been. Ford re-used so many Ideas in this collection that they lost impact quickly because we saw them so much or in parallel, They grew tiresome and worse, Garish, such as in the Denim Patchwork peplum top with the Patchwork Velvet evening skirt... (*Screeching of Brakes!*) and to my mind, Nothing ever tried to feel Modern. The whole Shebang looked like Little Girls going into their Eldest Aunt's Attic or Storage and Putting on a Catwalk show of the pieces that at that time the Aunt would have bought at Sears or K-Mart, Just Ratcheted up to the Nth degree in the most Lavish materials, Unfortunately, Expensive Materials have never once been the Saving Grace of a Collection!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Friday, August 21, 2015

Off To London!

Fri. 08/21/2015.





Dear Readers.

Slow But sure... On my way to review the London Shows! First up though, a Digression to L.A. for Tom Ford's Show. Cheerio!




Thank You!

Yours, Terrill Lawrence Sanford.




That's All.




Bye4Now!

Marc Jacobs.

Thurs. 02/19/2015.






"The Eye Has To Travel" Yes, It Does! The Doyenne, The Guru, The Queen of all things Sartorial and Sartorially Eccentric, Diana Vreeland uttered those Famous, and at the time, Incomprehensible, words that now are part of any Fashionista's Lexicon! Oh, how because of Diana did our Eyes so Travel! This could have been the Jumping off point for Marc Jacobs' OPULENT Phantasmagoria of Fashion that was his Fall 2015 Epic! Vreeland certainly was where he hitched his Inspirational star to, drawing upon her Gleefully Chaotic and Retina Dissolving Living room, that he replicated as his Backdrop for the collection. Vreeland was an Assault on all things Common, Mundane and Ascetic. For Diana, It was all about More, More, And then even MORE! God, We Need someone like her in these times! 

Jacobs may be the Spiritual inheritor of the Legacy of Vreeland! He knows how to pile it on, then pile some more on... and Maybe even a bit more after that (Did you see his Farewell collection for Vuitton? OK, Then!) but the Madman, Madcap way he does it, it never feels Forced, or Contrived or Unnatural. It always stems from something Boisterously Effervescent and Joyous! Fall saw Jacobs in a Relentlessly Adorning mood, Bugle beads to start... On Genuine DAY Clothes... these were not Cocktail Frocks or Ersatz Evening wear... Nope, Honest to Goodness Day Clothes! Jacobs himself and the Woman he dress are equally Eclectic and Eccentric and this collection was the Harmonious Fusion of those ideas and ideals! And, the Fun didn't just end at those Bugle beads... Oh No! We had in the earliest moments, Cheetah prints, Brocade-y Tweeds with Beads and Grommets, Herringbone Chveron Mink, not to mention Jacobs going in a Big way for the Maxi-est of Maxi Skirts this season! 

If this Maximal and Maxi look seemed to border on the Outrageous, Jacobs sense of Exquisite Taste and Refinement, Reined it all in until it looked Divinely Elegant... Cuckoo, But Elegant! That is the Awe-inspiring thing about Vreeland and Jacobs, that Uncanny Knack for taking it just that Large bit too far, but knowing when to Stop dead in your tracks from taking it into the Ridiculous! For some people that line is way further back than Jacobs would stop at and he borders that territory of being Tacky or being Unique! It's a Perilously thin demarcation, But Jacobs Navigates it like a Master! From this Maxi Minute (which was to return, Happily!) Jacobs Tap-Danced around Multiple ideas and Formulas and they all felt as if they had their place amongst this Isle of Misfit Garments. Overscaled Brushstroke Plaids tickled with Sequins? Yup! Sheer Lacquered Tulle Maxi Tutus? Of Course! Grommetted Leather? Gigantic Pleated Crackled Leather Dirndls to the Calf? Snakeskin Prints??? You're all Invited! 

And, My Dear Chillrens, this was actually only the Halfway point of this Extravaganza! Jacobs continued to Mix and Clash and Combine and Layer with the Abandon of a Mad Scientist, You could virtually Hear him Cackling Hysterically from some Castle Tower as he just Piled it on! From Skunky looking furs, to Delicate, Edwardian Tracery Embroidery on a Phenomenal Pantsuit in Makeup Pink on Aya Jones to Gowns Swirling with Nail Head Studs that evoked stars Spiraling in a Galaxy... The Possibilities just continued to pour forth like a Never Ending Font! 

Jacobs is THE Only man in Fashion that could, I think, Be The true Successor to Unkle Karl at Chanel or Fendi or BOTH! He has the Imagination, The Fearless Spirit, The Ferocious Skill to be that guy! His own collections are a testament to his Gifts, which are Legion! He never disappoints, He may not exactly always please the viewer, but he never not pleases himself! And in that respect, His collections are always Diabolically Outstanding! If she were alive today, I know Diana would have been Crowing with Absolute Delight over this collection, And probably would have been Persuading Marc to let her wear it First... Maybe even Right then After the Show! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!