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!





That's All.





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!


Calvin Klein Collection.

Thurs. 02/19/2015.






Outstanding! Francisco Costa's Fall 2015 Calvin Klein Collection show was a Smash Hit! One of the best of his career and definitely in contention for Best of Season. It was so Clean and Minimal. Tough and Luxe! It was Flat Out, Perfect! I tried and couldn't find anything to fault in the collection in which Costa was going back to the 60's for a 2010's kind of Austere Restrained Maximalism! "Venus In Furs" by the Velvet Underground was the touchstone of the collection and Definitely, Nico was firmly in top position, Inspiration wise. 

But barring all associations to the past and Ignoring them as such, the collection was not Costume-y or Atavistic. In all honesty, what was achieved here could ONLY have been accomplished in the Here and Now. The Technical wizardry of this collection was IMMENSE! Costa took to Horizontal seaming to created a sort of Striped Patchwork of Pony skin, Shearling, Suede, Leather, Fur... Hardly any Fabrics, Outside of Knits, were used in the collection and even those that were, were treated to look like Leather, Suede and Fur! 

Costa got the Vibe just right and made his Models look Long, Lithe and Endlessly Lean. The opening set of Coats were Covetous on the Grandest of scales and should cause women to Fight over them when they appear in the shops, and an especially KILLER one was on Tami Williams in a Zinc Green Pony that was Skinny Personified! Exit No. 22 was also Slaying it from Left to Right like a Boss, A short Pony A-line coat with a Huge Grommet closure and one Leather Patch pocket in all in Black! 

Ending the show were a Series of the Slinkiest and Slenderest frayed edge Knit Midi "Gowns" with Leather detailing that again reached it's apotheosis on Tami Williams in a Sleeveless version that simply Undulated! However, Costa took the Extravagant route for his Finale Trio, Calf hair Tunic Gowns that were concocted out of Geometric chips of the fabric that was then linked to each other with small studs to create a Mesh that was Lightweight but still carried within it Extraordinary Gravitas! 

Costa Showed that he can Make the kind of collections that will have you Swooning like a Courtesan in the 18th Century in search of a Fainting Couch! This collection had everything that a Woman will want and NEED for Fall 2015 and Beyond. It was a Collection of Startling Magnitude and Insane Style! It's one of those collections that you won't soon forget! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


J. Mendel.

Thurs. 02/19/2015.






Gilles Mendel presented a Notably Impressive showing for his J. Mendel label for Fall 2015. While it may not have had the biggest of WOW Factors going for it, it did have an Easy Opulence and Charismatic edge. Based on pictures in the 70's of Anjelica Huston by Richard Avedon and a Pre-occupation with Scarves that wound it's way through the collection decoratively and literally, Mendel's "Free Glamour" took the Nightlife of New York City as his inspirational Cue! 

This led to lots of Leg and Breast on display via Slits and Unrepentantly Sexy sheer blouses, gussied up with those Long, Fringed Scarves, it had that definite Faye Dunaway/Liza Minelli feeling coursing through it's veins. Mendel didn't skimp on what his women love most from his Fall/Winter collections either,.. FUR! There was an Abundance, both subtle and obvious! The best of the Bunch had to be the Barguzine Natural Sable coat on Amanda Wellsh worn very YSL, with a pair of Chic trousers and an Embroidered Sheer blouse with matching Scarf! A Short Lace Encrusted Broadtail Vest was working Wonders with a short Crepe skirt and Charmeuse long sleeve blouse (With Scarf, Of course!) 

The other thing Mendel's customer comes to him for, Evening! He did not disappoint on this front either. From the "Simple" Grandeur of a Red/Black Baroque print and Black Crepe front slit Gown with a Sweeping, Liquid skirt to the Exquisite Swirl Beaded Cloud Grey draped bodice Gown that ended the show, Mendel had the "Glamour" he spoke of Deftly in Hand! This was a Solid, Experienced and Desirable showing from Mendel, It's also kind of a Redeemer of a sort. The last few collections have been quite the disappointment and this one showed Mendel back in Strong Form and Winning Style! Let's Hope he can make it a Double come Spring! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!



Ralph Lauren.

Thurs. 02/19/2015.






Most often times, Ralph Lauren can inspire a Full Tome of a Review, for the clothes are usually so Exquisite and you buy in to the Fantasy that Lauren is Spinning with Hypnotic ease. Fall 2015 would be accomplishing No Such Feat! For Lauren, Fall 2015 was an Oft-Read Fairy Tale that no longer has the ability to Surprise, and more Factually, Enchant. Was the Tale Beautiful? Yes. Will it always be a Beautiful Tale? It Will. Will it be one that we want to hear or see anytime again in the Near (Or Far) Future? Um... NO! 

This Colorado, High Plains Drifter, Southwestern inflected Richesse Hippy look that is Trotted out by Lauren and his team with SUCH REGULARITY, is Lauren's Comfort Zone and the reason why the collections, whenever they appear, are always Lovely, is because Lauren has done this collection Idea to Death, many times over! Disguising it with whatever the current Mood de Mode may be to make it relevant, but all the while, looking Absolutely identical to whatever year it was that he replayed these same Golden Oldie Hits the last time around! He can do this kind of collection, Blindfolded... In the Dark... One hand tied behind is Back... At the Bottom of a Swimming Pool... Filled with Sharks!!!! There's nothing at all Unfamiliar or difficult for him here. 

The Fur Trapper hats, The "Annie Hall" Eccentric Boho, Suede Ponchos, Fringe Fringe, Fringe and MORE Fringe, Fur Teddy Bear Collars... Every Ralph Lauren Trope you could name was here on display! It was so Dully Boring and Taxing to the nerves. Lauren slips back onto these well-honed, Familiar Ideas with such Punctual Regularity, that you can almost time when he will be travelling again down this foot worn path to the Minute! To even begin to highlight anything is a Useless Undertaking because it's all been Said... AND DONE... Before! Again, The collection was Great, No amount of Vexation can take that away from it. But along with being Great... It was not one Micrometer Original for Lauren! We've Danced this Dance before Ralph, When the Song was New, and Not so New and Now, when it is Irredeemably Stale!





That's All.





Bye4Now!



Proenza Schouler.

Weds. 02/18/2015.






Of all the Designers in the Pantheon of Fashion, Few have had So much Praise lavished on them for doing such Incontrovertibly Awful work as Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough. Ghesquiere is another, Tisci is ranking up there too. The clothes they make for their label Proenza Schouler would be Laughably Damnable, if the international Fashion press wasn't constantly Dampening their Undergarments with such Dizzying Appreciation and Extroverted Adoration! To my eyes. they've created nothing worth anything more than Disdain. Hatred would be rather severe, for their clothes are so Genuinely Pathetic that hatred would be an offer of far too much emotion that the clothes daren't deserve!

Fall 2015 was another Ludicrous collection from the duo, Comically misguided to the point of Slapstick, it redeemably had some rather interesting pieces in the bunch. To give credence to their "Artistic" Inspirations is to delve much deeper into the background of this... Farce. The odd thing is, this collection, as much of a Joke as it was, Greatly Compelled me to some degree... I think I am softening to Jack and Lazaro's Sartorial Inclinations and found that I didn't dislike this collection as much as I thought I would. The Clothes did have some Wildness, a Savagery that in places, was deeply appealing, contrast that in the next breath with something that had you shielding your eyes from the ugliness of it, and you have the Dialogue that was going on in my mind, Repellent and Alluring.

A Pony Skin Coat in Brown and White had Mountainous Appeal and those Thickly Sequined pieces that ended the collection had My Fashion Antennae Vibrating, for whatever reason, I couldn't explain if I tried. So, Yes, Proenza Schouler for Fall 2015 was a Decadent Disaster, As per usual, but not an Epic of a Disaster, I could feel myself warming to the clothes, maybe I have spent enough time studying them that I am beginning to Comprehend what Hernandez and McCollough are trying to say... Or Possibly I am drinking the Kool-Aid and liking the taste! WHO KNOWS! LOL!





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Elizabeth And James.

Weds. 02/18/2015.






Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, depending on how you look at it, have either turned the Volume of their Elizabeth and James secondary line, Way UP... Or turned it Way DOWN! It incongruously could be both! They did Scale back the collection and pared it down a bit, but have upped the Design Ante with a New Sophistication and higher Fashion Quotient that was readily apparent! The Fall 2015 collection also injected some Sexiness into the Equation. Sexiness? From the Olsen's? IMPOSSIBLE! Yet, There it was!

The Olsen's collection was Minimal and Clean, No Fuss, No Frills, No Ostentation. The only nod to excess were a Few Shaggy Coats, One in Violet Curly Sheep paired with an Impeccable Navy Pantsuit or one it Fluffy Mongolian Wool in Pink with a Long column underneath in the same colour! A severe Grey Knit wrap Dress/Cardigan was Giving off Chicness in Waves, as much as a Sheer-ish Scarf neck Blouse with Keyhole front linked with a slender Side slit Pencil Skirt both in Navy, was Giving off a Louche Sexiness! 
 
About that Sexy, there were other, more Direct options available as well this season, a Body-Hugging Navy Sleeveless dress with a Band of Laced up Fringe for the hem, or the Slinkiest of Slinky Midnight Blue Column with a Turtleneck and Long sleeves that was still OOZING Sultry due to his Generous side Slit and Curvaceous Allure, It looked like Donna Karan back in the Good Old Days! The Best piece though had to be an Insanely Desirable Zip-front Tunic coat in Navy, It was So good it'd make you Hurt somebody! 

The Olsen's Mean Business when it comes to their Fashion. They are becoming one of the new and Prestigious Powerhouse labels and shows during fashion week, There isn't anyone out there doubting their Meticulous and Restrained balance of Luxury and Ease, it's a furrow they have plowed with Precision and Incredible Craftsmenship. While The Row has been the Anchor for a while, now, with Exemplary styles like the one's shown for Fall, it's little Sister label, E&J seems ready and poised to steal some of the spotlight, Steal On, Sister! Steal On! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Anna Sui.

Weds. 02/18/2015.






Anna Sui's Hippy Bohemian gal is as subject to an Esoteric and Whimsical inclination as Ms. Sui herself is... So assuredly Sui's Woman was going to Lap up the collections "Vikings" (History Channel Cable Show) Stimulus like a Gluten-Free Non-Dairy Ethically Vegan Smoothie with all the Zeal of the Hip(py)Ster that they are! Unfortunately for Sui, Vikings inspiration will only go so far in transforming her by now, Rote and Well Hoary designs! Sui's Fall 2015 looks like every other one that has come before, gussied up with some Icelandic Folklore prints and Fur! Beyond that, Same Old, Same Old, Business as Usual!

While Sui does work her Niche with a Frightening Consistency that produces Attractive clothing, Without any Emphatic verbalizing of her "Theme" no one could tell one collection apart from the other! The same well worn idioms that are trotted out season upon season were trotted out again here. Throw some new prints and a Bit more Fur and Layers into the mix, and it still looks like Sui! Ultimately. as Pretty and Fun as it all may be... it all in the end, winds up looking the same. How you assess that kind of Continuity/Stagnation Debate is your choice! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!



Marchesa.

Weds. 02/18/2015.






Ho-Hum. Yet another Tedious and Boring parade of Eveningwear... Yadda Yadda Yadda! Not even all that particularly Spectacular a Parade either, Truth be known! Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig sent out another Been There, Done That, Poster On The Wall... Et Cetera... Et Cetera collection for Fall 2015 for their label Marchesa. While spotty with some Lovely pieces, the main breadth of the collection was literally, Dulling and Uninspired. A Half-Hearted try to be sure. If you're going to do a collection of Confections, Might as well Whoop it the Hell Up! Marchesa didn't Whoop so much as Laugh Spiritedly! Most parlayed in front of the viewer Lacked that Grandiosity that was the Trademark of the house back in the day!

Where were the Swelling, Overstuffed Cream Puffs of Satin and Beads and Feathers? The Painstaking Swags of Chiffon and Beads and Sequins and Lace??? In their place... Fringe, and 3-D Flowers... Oh! They didn't illicit more than a Wan Yea rather than a Boisterous Holler. The Essential Cream Your Jeans Element of the Marchesa of Olde have been missing for a very long time now. In it's place, a Less interesting shadow of the former self. Nothing here stood out in any way as barely registering above mild interest, Nothing asserted itself forward in any Grand or Extravangant way that would cause one to Tremble with Feverish Desire... and that's been the story for a while now with Marchesa. 

Chapman and Craig have their fans, they still produce Stunning work, but the work is just that. Stunning. Before it Was Cataclysmic Orgasms of Fashion that left one Drained of all Bodily Function and Competent thought! It was a Fairy Tale made Corporeal and It stiffened you in all the right regions for all the right reasons! Now, It's Lovely, and Redundant. I've screamed about creating nothing but Evening clothes and I have nothing new to add to that conversation. So, I'll leave it where it is. As for Marchesa Fall 2015... Beautiful as ever, But that Beauty had faded to a Dim Memory of what once was! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Boss.

Weds. 02/18/2015.






Does Anyone else get the distinct Deja Vu impression of Narciso Rodriguez's Halcyon days At Cerruti back in the 90's when they look at Jason Wu's Hugo Boss collections? Is it just me? Whatever! With some Glowing moments of Purest Perfection to be had, Wu's work for Boss for Fall 2015 is still Fraught with Inconsistencies and Miscalculations. It appears, for the most part, that Wu is Applying himself far too stringently to an Inorganic and Unnatural Rhythm at the house and putting too much effort into things that don't really come naturally to him, Forcing the Square peg into the Round Hole, So to speak. It leaves a taste of the Anomalous on the palate and Quite Surprisingly, Worry! 

Wu hasn't, by any stretch of the Imagination, settled into the Furrow of what IS Wu and Boss combined. More pointedly, He seems to be trying to conform his ideas into the Boss Mould and the Unnaturalness of it all comes Ringing through with Clarion Like Precision! Wu, whom with his own designs, seemed to spring forth, Fully formed and Secure in what he was doing from Day One, has yet to find the way to integrate what HE is into what BOSS is and make it a Satisfactory Merging. Fall found Wu, Sadly to say, Floundering once more. With no real clearly defined direction to be seen, the collection had a Wobbly nature to it that left the viewer Ill at Ease!

The opening section inn Charcoal and Orange held promise and had a deeply Graphic appeal that was easy to like and wear, The Modernity of this section should have informed the entire show, but Wu began to Trick out a lot of pieces with Extraneous elements that would have been better left in a Showroom or excised entirely. Simple things were swagged with fussy details and overly elaborate cuts and Curves that might have been seen as to emphasize a Feminine shape, unfortunately they worked against this idea and made the models look Bulbous and Lumpen. Streamlining and TRULY Simplifying things yielded far better results. A Slender Shortened Slip cum Column dress in Black with a front panel of Silvery Black Bugle beads was so Hot it Sizzled (Julia Bergshoeff looked every Inch a Goddess in it!) and in comparison, should have ended the show rather than the Awkward Metal Beaded Slip dress on Julia van Os That did!

Also well worth mentioning, The Uber-Sleek Melange Grey Jacket-Coat and Pants ensemble that was vying for Season's Best outfit without doubt! A Fantastic Coat in Black on Julia Nobis at Exit No. 10 was giving many reasons to get all Het Up over! I don't want to communicate the idea that the collection was Bad. It was not. It just felt like there was a Disconnection going on internally with Wu. That he's trying to make Boss into something that doesn't come innately Natural to him and in some way, he's suppressing that Vital element that makes his work so Damnably Good!

Wu simply needs to let go of the concerns of what He should be for Boss and just... BE! It's always a Tough thing to Fuse one's own Design DNA into a well established House, There will be Missteps and Less than successful moments, But the time is now for Wu to just Step Forth, and do what he KNOWS he can do and let that speak. It's the best recipes that always have the Spirit of the Chef Coursing through them!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Jeremy Scott.

Weds. 02/18/2015.






In some ways, One wishes Jeremy Scott would go back to his Fuck You, Middle Finger, Enfant Terrible days in Paris when after Bizarrely shocking the Status Quo with his Outlandish ideas and Productions, he settled into a Groove that showed him to be a Provocateur in the best sense, with Radical Execution of equally Radical ideas. He had and has Couture worthy skills and although his Cutesy and Patently Juvenile fashions over the last Half-Decade or more have kept his business afloat all by itself and kept him reasonably wealthy and able to continue as he so Fucking Chooses company-wise, it has left him devoid of any Spark of REAL Creativity that was once his Hallmark and Stock-and-Trade. 

Fall 2015 was a Wash-Rinse-Repeat spin of the same old Too Cute to be Real Baby-Doll L.A. Music scene Girl that is wearing London Creepers with her shift dress Printed with Nursery Stuffed Bears and Rabbits trying ALL TOO HARD to look "Ironic" and looking more Fitfully Idiotic than anything! That's how Scott's collection looked... Idiotic. It was Simplistic, Cartoonish and pandering to the lowest denominator possible... If it wasn't so Artless and Ham-Handed it might have been Subversive, and I am sure somewhere in Scott's mind this collection played out as just that, But it was a case of fooling oneself. The Fucked Up part, there were Minute Sightings of the Incredible Tailor that Scott is, A Sharp Asymmetric zipped Plaid Vinyl Trench or the Printed Quilted Jacket with Turnlock Closures and a Bubble shape through the Skirt at Exit No. 39.

Beyond that, A truly cool Shirt Dress in Multicolour Diamond Patterned Leather with those aforementioned Turnlock closures was the best moment of Fashion to be had in the show. Saving that, the rest looked closer to a Teenage Girl raiding her Baby Sis' Layette trying to do her best "Lolita" Impression and looking, basically, Cheap in the process. Cheap looking Clothes, making those who wear them look Similarly so. That's about as much can be derived from Scott's Drivel this season! 





That's All.





Bye4Now! 

Delpozo.

Weds. 02/18/2015.






Josep Font has, in some ways, Single-Handedly changed the New York Landscape of Fashion with his Pret-a-Couture wares for the House of Delpozo. With it's Artistic, Poetic, Romantic sensibilities and complete disregard for the American Idea of Fashion, Font's clothes have started a subtle Revolution of sorts, one that he is on the Front Lines of. Fall 2015, Curiously, Lacked the Essential Elements that has made Font's collections for the house such Standouts. The Major issue to be had... The Hideous Colour Scheme! 

Those colours were Criminal at times, taking Beautiful Silhouettes and Ideas and Torpedoing them to Davy Jones Locker the moment that they arrived on the Scene! Inspired by Artists Rhys Lee and Andrey Remnev, Font expressed a particular feeling of Lee's "Sinister" style of painting and taking the Form and Shape elements of Remnev's Re-Imagined Pre-Raphaelite style. How those combined in Font's mind... That's for him to expound on, Outwardly, it created something of a Melancholy tone that brought a deep sense of Gravitas and Emotion to the clothes. These were weirdly, Unhappy clothes, but there was a Contrasting and wholly Mysterious sense of Beauty in that Unhappiness. 

The Colour Problem. It was a Garish and Discomfiting Palette at work here (this has been a MAJOR problem so far in New York, Troubling and frankly Alarming Colour Combinations and Schemes) The Horrific Greens and Pink and Red and Blues mixed together to Stomach-Lurching effect were the most  Serious issue to be found, as well as a Reliance on using the same Pouf Sleeve-High Waist proportion seen way too many times for comfort! The one Odd colour Duet that worked was a Pale Dove Grey and Rust combo that in a Short Embroidered Shift was Startling and Mirthful. 

There were other moments of Grandeur to be had, A Black dress in a Violet tiny Floral print with those Balloon sleeves and a Bell skirt was Girlish and Gay, whilst a Haze Blue Chiffon sleeveless gown with Sprays of Embroidery on the upper bodice was Finished with a Wide Band of Ice Blue Organza at the hem gave off a Sublime Couture Aura. The Silvery White Panne Velvet gown with Easter Green Sequins at the top was a Tearjerker of Divine Artistry! 

There were the Usual moments of Excellence to be found in Font's Fall 2015 Delpozo collection, and those moments were Exemplary, every one, the only hitch was that those brief glimpses of the Ethereal were hard to source amidst the surfeit of lesser luminaries. The Colour choices got in the way, the Repetitive nature of the clothes got in the way, the somewhat Arcane nature of the Inspiration got in the way... How could the Brightest of the Constellations in this Galaxy not be Outshined when the combined Magnitude of so many Less stellar heavenly bodies congregated to Dim Their Radiance?





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Monday, August 17, 2015

Michael Kors Collection.

Weds. 02/18/2015.






When Michael Kors Hits that Sublime Sweet Spot of his, He produces collections that cause the words Flawless and Perfect, to blush at the Inadequacy of the comparison! For the last few years, he has been mounting one Sterling Extravaganza after another leaving a String of Hits in his wake like The Rolling Stones. Fall 2015, Curiously enough... saw the streak come to an Oddly Derivative end! Kors' collection had the Strangest sensation of a Race Car Stalling at the gate! It was, Truth Will Out, Frumpy and Redundant to not only Fall 2014 but further back as well. 

Whereas, Usually, Kors can take even the most reserved pieces and Exalt them to Luxury Status with a Alchemic Tweak here and Twist there, here the clothes just looked, Matronly. There was no Verve, no Catch-Your-Breath Excitation, Matter-of-Factly, loads of it felt Homey and Homely! And I gotta Say, I am Good and Goddamn Tired of those Flat Freaking Shoes! They make the Models look like they're on Welfare! From the beginning, Kors seemed to have unplugged the Cord from this collection and let it linger on waiting for it's moment to meet it's maker. 

On the Positive side, Yes there were many pieces that had that Kors Spark of Desire, a Cutwork Mink coat that looked like it was a Damask, A Black Pajama set Lavished with Crystals in a Paisley pattern, A Gun-Check Chesterfield with Wide Bands of Mink on the sleeves, plus others. Saving these pieces that did communicate the Kors Aesthetic, The rest was a Supreme let down and a Chagrin-inducing lapse in Taste and Judgement. It felt like Michael Kors, for it was deeply redundant, but as if it was Michael Kors done by a Soulless Automaton, or by a Kors who had no sense of Distance and didn't realize the collection was Severely Lacking! 

Michael Kors is SO MUCH BETTER Than This! This was Disheartening because Usually, Kors is the Teflon Don of 7th Ave! His clothes are ALWAYS Above the rest of the Pack by not only miles, But Light Years. This was the Kors that Fell to Earth and with him, so did his collection. Everyone is entitled to a Bad Collection, Yes, EVEN The Great Karl (Fendi Spring 2015, Anyone...???) But let's hope Kors can get his Mojo Back. The bad thing is, That might prove difficult since he thought this collection was such a Winner and was Applauded and festooned with Accolades by the Fashion Press... So, now it's just a matter of waiting to see what Spring 2016 will bring and if he can recover from this Shocking collection and get back in the Game. I am betting he'll be back better than before next time out! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Narciso Rodriguez.

Tues. 02/17/2015.






In one of his Slickest, Sleekest, Most Diabolically Chic collections Ever, Narciso Rodriguez took Minimal to another level for Fall 2015. Rodriguez's collection was the Definition of Luxurious Minimalism. Everything felt so Lean and Spare and Pin-Point Precise that it Exuded Cool, Collected Calm with an undercurrent of Stripped bare Richesse! The luxury of such clothing is that it is cut from the most Amazing fabric and it fits like an extension of one's own form! 

Done mainly in Black and White with some bold interjections of Colour, Rodriguez sculpted a Linear Silhouette that Elongated and Slimmed the body to Glorious Perfection! Commenting that the collection was inspired by Maharajas and the clothes they wore, the fabrics used for those clothes and the lines, one could see the Vague intimations of a Maharaja's Elongated vest in Rodriguez's own Slimline Vest and Jackets and Coats. Less explicitly, The clothes were Linear Vertical Lines that gave Length to the Torso and Legs and made them look Endlessly long and Slim! The Economy of Fabric and Cut were accomplices to this Stick Straight Figuration! 

Everything here was Worthy of Praise, The White Bias-Hi/Lo Hem dress with a matching Vest on Kai Newman was Provocative and Sensual, yet Strict, an Gorgeous Melon Pink Doubleface coat with Peach pink Trousers was the Walking Embodiment of Sublime, while the Ending Exit was a Force Majeure of Design, intimating a Sari at the Shoulder, the White top Swirled itself about the body and ended in an Asymmetric tail that looked like it was worn over the Black pants below, yet was Enigmatically all one piece! STUNNING! 

Rodriguez Aced this one right down Center Court. He created a Collection to Seduce and Inflame. There was not one piece in the show that was flawed, Every, Single, Piece was A Joy to behold and made to Flatter and Glorify! All that can be said is, Bravissima, Narciso! Bravissima! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Oscar De La Renta.

Tues. 02/17/2015.






OK! So, of course there was going to be a Lot of Sentimental feelings going round Chez ODLR for Peter Copping's Debut. Oscar was all too well aware his own time on this Mortal Coil was waning and he needed a Proper Successor, not just someone thrown into the mix by Proxy or even more Devastatingly, By Necessity! No! That would NOT Do! Copping was pegged and Oscar was at ease and could Rest In Peace when the moment that was Nigh Approaching, came! Come it did and we were all Heartsickened, Yet, as Simba was told, It's The Circle Of Life. Oscar wasn't fated to be here forever, and any 100 or more so of us could not possibly have collectively lived a more Extraordinary and Fabulous Life than He! I know, He went to the Afterlife with that Sly Smile on his face that was so Characteristic of him! 

Now, that we got that out of the way. Another thing about Oscar that pertains more to the matter at hand, He was a Friend of Karl Lagerfeld... Tenuously So, but a Friend nonetheless. And Like the Great Karl, Oscar had No Quarter for Looking Back or Nostalgia. He was as resolutely Forward thinking as YSL was Backwards Glancing! So, he'd have been the VERY last one to allow the Wallowing in Memory for him and Teary Eyed Sentimentalizing of Him! That just wasn't Oscar. He had that Balenciaga Rigour of a Steel Backbone and would be the first to point out that there was Business to be taken care of. Wipe Away those Tears and "On With The Show!" Damn It! 

So, On we went! Peter Copping had a lot of weight on his shoulders as to Just how to proceed at the house. Being of Like Mind, there wasn't going to be a Radical Reorganization of the Codes and Principles of the house. There would be Tweaking, Experimenting, Playing about... but Sweeping Change... Oscar wouldn't have given Copping the Green Light had he suspected that would be the case! What Oscar also did not want was a slavish obeisance to what had come before... he wanted Copping to be his Own Man (He was very Latin like that!) and to Stir things up, Keep It Classy, but Keep It Copping as well! It was the most Delicate of High-Wire acts to be imagined, The reward thankfully, was that Copping pulled through from Fore to Aft with a Brilliant Collection that Showed him Comfortably in the Driver's Seat! 

From the Opening Bell, we were shown that Copping got the Dialect right, The Black Embellished coat Screamed Oscar, But also was somehow Fresher, More... Gamine than Oscar. It was the perfect Amalgam! By the time Valery Kaufmann arrived on the scene in a Black/Red/White Jacket with Black Lace trim and a Flared skirt with a Deep Hem of Fur, We knew we were in for Smooth Sailing! Copping took every chance he could to inject himself into every outfit, They had something of a Dual personality in regards to that this was Obviously the clothes that belonged to the Maison De La Renta, but they had new accents and twists to their stories that showed another hand driving the Conversation! 

Moving Forward through the collection, There were plenty of pieces for one's eyes to Glaze over in Lust for, A Flawless Ivory Tweed Coat, A Black Cocktail dress with Crystal Embroidered Cap sleeves, A Sweeping Embellished Strapless Lace Gown on Binx that Stole the Show! And Tons More. Copping was pacing himself and admittedly, had only a bit more than 3 weeks to work on the collection, so any errors that may have been incurred where to be forgiven for the lack of time given to properly take in all that Was and IS Oscar De La Renta! As the show came to it's end, Every one who bore witness knew things were going to be Just Fine at the House Oscar Built. Copping is poised to keep the label alive and well for many years to come and is proving Oscar's faith in him as his choice of Successor was Indeed, The Right One! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Naeem Khan.

Tues. 02/17/2015.






You would Imagine that someone who was Hand-Picked by the Legendary Halston to be his assistant would be more inclined to Daywear and less Frivolous Confections? Not so! Naeem Khan is one of those Designers lumped into the same basket as Reem Acra, Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad and NUMEROUS others who make their Fashion way by creating nothing but Tooth Decaying, Sugary Trifles of Clothing smothered in Beads and Sequins and Feathers and All manner of Gobstopper like Embellishment and Decoration. It's Patently, Aggravating. 

The most Insulting part is, it looks like they don't even try! Even Badgley Mishcka (Thank The Lord) have begun doing Daywear (and doing it Damn Finely at that!) The Steady procession of Unceasing Extravagance is not Uplifting, It's Ludicrous! Fall 2015 followed suit for Khan in showing that he has no use for anything other than the Embroiderers Needle and Yards and Yards of Chiffon and Velvet and such! Fall 2015 was surely an Overage and Glut of Sickening Embellishment and Adornment from Khan... Virtually all that was shown was Hampered by Scads of Beads and Studs and Sequins. Undeniably, Much of it is Exactingly Beautiful, but one can only digest so much Excess!

Even when Khan tried to do "Daywear" it was Latticed and Encrusted with Sequins and Beads! In all of this, there were some pieces that were more Extraordinary than the rest, An Elegant Parchment coloured Long sleeve Gown with Front slit decorated with 3-D Flowers, a Lichen Green Sequined and Studded Chiffon gown with a Sheer skirt revealing a Delicate Floral Filigree of Lace underneath and the Black Velvet Fishtail gown with the Black Embroidered White Renaissance long sleeves that was just the Epitome of Drop-Dead! 

Otherwise, A Forgettable Escapade. There are going to be Many women who will incorporate these Trifles into their evening Rotation and Khan won't have to worry about the success of his company with these surefire sellers, but his design skills will have to be another issue to be addressed indeed in the Worry Column! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!





Rachel Zoe.

Tues. 02/17/2015.






A Personal Best! Rachel Zoe's Fall 2015 collection was the Synthesis of her Aesthetic taken to the Next Level and Beyond. Focusing on a Jet-Set Londoner in an obviously Mod Mode, Zoe traded in her Delightful Love of the 70's Bohemian for a Sharper, Sleeker Woman, But she's still got a trace of that Free, Boho Spirit about her! The clearest indications of the New Zoe Woman came about from the first Look, The Tomato Red Ensemble. It had a Pan-Am Air Hostess vibe to it but also Something of Edie Sedgwick. It looked Awesome! 

After this opening, Zoe wisely kept the palette limited to Black and White, the Most Mod of colours, there was one touch of Hunter Green and a Sparkly Multicolour Sequin fabric at the end, but basically, Noir and Blanc! Veritably EVERYTHING was worth remarking on, and One is spoiled for choice as to pick Highlights... A Lace Front Cape that was SO Chic, the Buckled Black Jacket and White Pants that was On-Point... The Sparkly Sequined Long Dress worn with the Black Faux Fur Jacket... Oscar Worthy! The PERFECT Black Day dress with the Patch pockets and Fur cuffs was perhaps the Finest piece in the entire collection! And yes, There was a 70's/ Bianca Moment in the White Jumpsuit with Black accents or the HEAVENLY All-White "Le Smoking" Look that will haunt my dreams for Ages!

Zoe Showed a Fierce and Laser Precise focus in this collection and Hands-Down Staked her claim that she isn't going ANY DAMN WHERE and is serious about her Fashion! This collection should serve as a Smack Down to all the Naysayers and Disbelievers for it Unequivocally showed Ms. Zoe's Design Chops! All I can say is... I have been amongst the Faithful from Jump Street. And My Faith has Been Rewarded!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Diesel Black Gold.

Tues. 02/17/2015.






While Black is looking like THE Colour for Fall 2015 in New York, It's always been the Hallmark of the Diesel Black Gold label. Fall 2015 is no different affair than usual in that respect. Andreas Melbostad smoothed out some of the Rougher edges this season and went for a more Tailored and Classical look, but with some edge. It mostly worked and looked Quite Chic, though he did tend to repeat himself a bit too much.

Leather, Zips, Grommets... all per usual for the label, were to be found, but so was Lace and more knits than usual and a Kicky spin on the Kilt. Drawing on something of an Androgyne look that was inspired by Photos of Peter Lindbergh, Melbostad reflected that in the Looks of the models and the Harder edges of the Leather and Outerwear. Though in honesty, Melbostad was at his best with the more Tailored pieces that are something of a New Discovery for the Label! 

The Boxy Jacket that opened paired with a Rib-Knit Sweater and Fragile Sheer Lace skirt was a Wonderful Duality play on Masc-Femme, As was a more Tailored Blazer with a Flippy skirt edged at it's hem with Metal Squares! Vanessa Moody Shined in the simplest Black Tank and Kilt/Skirt in Grey Flannel! Simple, Spare, Tough!

The DBG show did what it needed to do and did it well, some of the outfits were a little convoluted with all of the Parachute Straps and side lacings going on, but they will translate out of the context of the show into the everyday with effortless ease and keep the Loyalists Happy. Not much more can be expected, Great Clothes, Happy Clients... That's The Secret to Success in a Nutshell! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Rodarte.

Tues. 02/17/2015.






It was another Typical Disaster from Sister act Kate and Laura Mulleavy for their Rodarte Label for Fall 2015. Finding their starting point from the Migration Patterns of Birds (Say the Fuck WHAT?) from City to Country and a good Old-Fashioned Dollop of Disco brought us another Tacky, Discombobulated, Trashy, Style Bereft outing from the Sisters! 

The Immediate issue for the first 2/3 of the show was that there wasn't really any Outfits to speak of... save some Droopy Granny Panties over Lace hose, or a Couple of Guncheck Blazers and Coats that again didn't add up to much. The Main Problem... The girls are "STYLISTS" Not Designers! They do some Difficult pieces, like the Ghesquiere/Balenciaga Pieced Skirts or an Asymmetric Sheer/Lace Combo dress, but really, The pieces look like they have been pulled from other peoples collections and just STYLED on the Runway, No real Integrity is on display. I mean this could have been combos of Balmain and Vuitton with some Altuzarra thrown in for all anyone knows!

On the opposite hand, Their Shit just looks Garishly Cheap! Like Found in a thrift store, cobbled together with some thread and feathers, getting ready to Work the Pole at the "Shaved Beaver Lounge" Center Stage Cheap! And that is Unforgivable! Even when the Rainbow Sequins and Embroidered dress section signalling the end of the show started, It was the best thing in the show, yet still felt like Cheap Rousteing/Balmain Knockoffs! 

And even though the Final Trio of Gowns were Honestly Breathtaking, they could not alone save this Cheesy Trash-Fest of a Cataclysm! The Mulleavy sisters consistently display a undeniable lack of Taste and Skill to compete in the Global Fashion Arena, they need to seriously reconstruct their Signatures (whatever the Hell those are) and come up with better material. This Schtick has grown Far Beyond Tiresome and into Grotesque!  





That's All.





Bye4Now!



Vera Wang.

Tues. 02/17/2015.






Confusing. Compelling. The two words that floated In-and-Out of my mind whilst viewing the Vera Wang Fall 2015 Collection. A Strange, Visceral Attraction to some of the pieces was countered by another Gut led feeling of Repulsion at others! It was a Challenging collection and not one that was easy to reconcile in the mind. Wang's show sparked an Inner Dialogue but one that had no real resolution other than to say... What The Fuck!?!? A rarity, to be sure!

In a collection that was in and of itself about Contradiction, no wonder one was left Perplexed in the utmost by the clothes! That the show was an All-Black affair was not instrumental in helping provide Answers or Context. It did lend a Chicness that only Black can offer to clothes and helped to serve the pieces that may have been less effective in colour have more Potential than otherwise, Like that Cold-Shoulder coat on Binx Walton... Could have been a Mess in colour, but looked Oddly Cool in Black! The contrasting elements of Soft and Hard, Light and Heavy, were expressed via Peculiar groupings of a Button front shirt in a Crisp, yet soft material given Wide, Swinging Kimono-esque sleeves in Heavy Brushed Wool. Or a Melton coat with Thick, Bulky Cable Knit Sleeves. This was a particularly Offbeat offering in a Long Gown of Techno Jersey with Thick Rib-Knit sleeves that looked as Ascetic as a Monk but came off weirdly, Elegant! 

When Wang began Futzing with the sleeves of garments later in the collection, adding Inorganic looking Lumps and Twists and Folds to them, things got Ugly in a Hurry, However, it could be added that that Ugliness added another dimension to the already Jarring proceedings and one that just advanced the language to it's furthest perimeter! It should be stated though, that if Wang could just Stop Fucking around with pieces and Simplify, her Edit would be stronger rather than more Thought Provoking and Bluntly, Irritating! As in the Sharp, Patent Leather Moto Vest on Leila Nda, A surefire winner from the show. 

As evening began to come around, Wang begin clustering High-Shine Sequins in Naif Floral shapes on the pieces, It, Incongruently added a Childlike Innocence to the pieces that again, compounded another layer of WTF onto the collection. It was Bizarrely Welcome and Discomfiting at the same moment! The pieces that gleaned the most from this application were a Diaphanous Nude/Black top and Patent Croc skirt and a Band collar shirt with those Wool Kimono sleeves as earlier, paired with a Brief Skirt. 

From here Wang continued to traverse a Unique road that lead to Who The Fuck Knows Where! The trip was a Brain-Bending one, I'll grant you that, and one that left you, Confused and Compelled to see more... It was the most Extraordinary act of Fashion Prestidigitation I have ever been witness to. I don't have any clue what I saw, Why I Liked it so, or Why I want to see more and why I am so Shaken and Recoiled by it in the same Breath? I don't have the answers... But I am Curiously Keen to learn them! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Badgley Mischka.

Tues. 02/17/2015.






Glam Daywear! OOOOOHHH! That's My Kryptonite! Makes me Knees buckle! It has the power to make me Coo like a Pigeon!  SO... A Cooing I Was at Mark Badgley and James Mischka's EXCELLENT Fall 2015 Fashion Proposition! They were inspired by the Sultry 1941 Potboiler, "Blood and Sand" Starring Rita Hayworth (now, if Hayworth isn't enough Impetus for a collection, then Heaven Help You!) about a Love Triangle between a Spanish Matador and his Beloved and the Slinky Tart Ms. Hayworth,  throwing her Curvaceous Monkey Wrench into the works! Steamy Fodder, one must say! 

With All manner of Gilded Brocades and Iberian influences abounding, Badgley and Mischka injected that sense of Regal Excess into all stratas of their clothing this season, from the Elaborately worked and Embellished Brocade Jacket that opened the show (Paired with an Oil-Slick Black Ponyskin Skirt that played off against it Perfectly!) to a Heartstoppingly Fantastic Black Chiffon Strapless gown at Exit No. 10 decked out in thick Scrolls and Swirls of Golden Embellishment! It was the Daywear, particularly that shone brightest here, A Ivory Boucle Trench was Killing it Uptown, Downtown, All Around Town! A Scarlet Wrap Coat paired with a Richly Embroidered top and Black Pants was Quiet and Extravagant in perfect measures! The most Wonderful aspect of the Daywear was that it Married Mark and James' Aesthetic of Glamourous into the clothes without being Obvious, like how all the Tweeds had Glinting Lurex running threw them to give them that Sparkle that defines the label!

The Eveningwear... Too many pieces to address that were Absolutely Stunning! The Best... A sleeveless dark Mauve Column with Antique Blue and Silver embroidery at the top of the Gown, a featherweight Black Gazar Dress that was Strict and Severe from the front and was Lavished with Gold embroidery in the back. The Best, an Micro-Bugle Beaded gown the colour of a Perfect Aquamarine that was deeply Cowl draped at the nape of the back and filled in with sheer embroidered Illusion... Outstanding! 

Quite possibly, this was the Finest Badgley Mischka collection to be seen in some time... It was a Perfect Marriage of Day and Night and it all looked DEFINITIVELY like Badgley Mishcka! This is a trend that should continue with the Designers. It looked Mightily Impressive and Gloriously Beautiful! What more could one ask?





That's All.





Bye4Now!

J. Crew.

Tues. 02/17/2015.






Jenna Lyons has struck a unique chord in the mind of the Fashion Elite. She and her Women's design head Tom Mora have elevated the Humble, Sporty, Everyday label that was seen as a Mall Staple and not really... "Fashion" and Transformed it into the Covetous, Juggernaut it has become! (though as of writing this, The company was facing some Dismal Financial woes that has seen Tom Mora now deposed from his post as Design Director, with Somsack Sikhounmuong replacing him) The label upped the Ante of the Contemporary Fashion game and left in it's wake other brands trembling and stumbling about as to how to compete (Wisely, it's nearest competitor, Banana Republic, installed Marissa Webb as Design Director and is revving itself to give J. Crew a run for the money!)

Mora and Lyons gave the biggest "Fashion" Push yet for Fall 2015 with a good dollop of Quirky thrown in for good measure. The design aspects of the collection were Honed and Sharpened and more of a risk was taken in this collection. Mora showed an eclectic mix of Utilitarian and Luxe that he went for with Gusto and Commitment, in that the looks never were weak or felt half-hearted and worked all the more so for it. Another thing Mora plunged head long into, VIVID Colour! Inspired by Peter Schlesinger's book "Checkered Past" Mora said, which curated the looks of the London Scene at the time and the scene makers, Mora got that Eccentric, Apfel-esque Vibe down right!

Just look at the Crystal Studded Checked Tweed overcoat worn with a Herringbone Tweed Blazer and Jeans, or the Dark Camel Utility Jacket with the Shaggy Egg Yolk Yellow fur lining for Quixotic Juxtapositions! The Sage Green Parka with paired with a cheerfully coloured Fair-Isle knit Sweater and Gold Mesh Fringe skirt was also a study in Counterpoint that worked Extremely well! The Mariniere Striped top with a deep band of Navy Fur at the hem had just the Perfect amount of Whacky and still remained Chic! The other side of the coin is, when Mora decided to pull back and keep things simple, he also Fanned the Flames of Desire. An Ultra Simple Yolk Yellow Sweater with a Fawn Linen Shantung skirt with a front slit was as Easy and Stylish as it gets as was the Quiet Mastery of a Grey Sweater with Ultra Wide Pallazzo "Split Skirt" (as they called them in My Youth) Pants that redefined Classic with a Twist!

With Startlingly well judged and crafted pieces like this, J. Crew should keep it's "Fashion" Street Cred well intact going into Spring. This was Perhaps Mora's Finest showing at the house, and the J. Crew should count itself lucky that it has such a Great base of Fashion to build itself on in the Future. The one thing that needs to remain clear and forefront in the Executives Minds (Mr. Drexler... This is going out to YOU!) They should not fully reject all that has come before from Mora's Masterfully Talented hands and try to Overhaul this label into something unrecognizable with Sikhounmuong! Ms. Lyons needs to keep the pace and stay the road she was heading down, just now, perhaps take a Side Street instead of an entire new path. They found Massive Success before, all that are needed now are a few Tweaks and Adjustments!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Tory Burch.

Tues. 02/17/2015.






Tory Burch Goes Moroccan via London! Burch found her Fall 2015 inspiration in the Mod Mode of the Hip and Swinging 60's, Most specifically, The London of the 1960's, Or more exactly, Chelsea! Burch loaded her collection up with Exotica, Tapestry prints, Mirror embroidery, High Boots, low hanging jewelry... it all added up to a Sophisticated and Heady mix that was kept very much of the Modern here and now by not being a costume drama and more an appropriation of these arcane influences for the Woman of Today! 

Nothing showed by Burch spoke of the Thrift shop or Granny's Closet, the clothes spoke the language of 2015 and looked Sleek, Slick and quite a bit Sexy! The gamine Chelsea girls influence lent an air of the Hedonistic to Burch's usually Straitlaced wares, with short hems and scarves slung louchely around the neck, there was a thread of sensuality percolating underneath that was welcome to Burch's language of Fashion.

Full of Desirable pieces, Many stood out in this thoroughly satisfying collection, A White Blouse with a Pair of Red Moroccan Kilim print Mikado pants was Strict and Sexy with a bit of a Rocker Edge to it, A la Jagger! A long Moroccan print Vest paired with Shiny Mikado trousers also translated 60's Bohemian into the Mode Moderne! And a GORGEOUS Tapestry print dress on Tami Williams was just Flat-Out Exquisite! 

Burch has continued to stretch herself and not let her label grow Stagnant. This was more of larger step forward and sets Burch up for even Bigger steps. Her label has the Sustainability factor to take somewhat bigger risks, and as this collection shows, She also has the acumen to not take a risk that would be Fatal to her label and clients. As great as this collection was, I can see Ms. Burch spreading her wings even wider and doing something quite a bit more Extrovert! Given Time, I hope she will! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Rag & Bone.

Mon. 02/16/2015.







As good as Designers David Neville and Marcus Wainwright's Fall 2015 Rag & Bone collection outwardly appeared, by the halfway mark, a Deadening Sameness and lack of Variety insinuated itself into the proceedings and we were treated to a show that was more about regurgitating the same looks over and over again in Different colours or slight changes of fabrics. Where Neville and Wainwright might mined a Jackpot of riches had they actually exerted an effort, instead we were treated to second rate Trinkets! 

With 90's themed collections surfacing like so many Moles in a Garden this season, That Rag & Bone Hip-Hopped onto that speeding train was no big Surprise, and frankly, by this time that idea is already feeling like a well-used Whore. In Neville and Wainwright's hands, nothing even a little bit new was offered up in way of the Original. Spearing a 90's Female Hip-Hop influence gave no more excitement to the Clothes, except maybe the flashes of Colour. The clothes presented, what few ideas there were, were quite attractive, the Lace trim slip dresses, the Sporty Outerwear, the Precisely cut Pants... all Enviable options for their customer and those new to the label. 

In saying the aforementioned though, we could have dealt without the 4-6 variants of outfits that mixed things up only in Colour or a Minute change in fabric combination. This repetition showed that either the Rag & Bone duo ran out of Ideas or Just were so Willfully in love with the few they made that they felt the need to Mindlessly loop them! Either way, It Failed! So, One the one Hand, The clothes as Individual pieces were Top Notch. Bravo, Sirs! But the way in which those pieces were presented, left much to be desired. 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Zac Posen.

Mon. 02/16/2015.






It's pretty much a fact of life that when you view a Zac Posen collection, you're going to be treated to some of the most Over-The-Top evening clothes imaginable. It's his Niche, his Oeuvre! He's good at it, Exceptionally so! Well then, Imagine the Surprise of Surprises that in Posen's Fall 2015 collection, The Daywear was the part that excelled beyond imagining while the Eveningwear fell Flat and Underwhelmed? I Know, Right? Not Possible, You Decry! But I say. Very Much Possible, Indeed!

Fall 2015 saw Posen Bat 1000 in the Daywear section and maybe bat a... 326 in the evening... It really was that unfulfilling. The Day wear though, A Trumph!! Opening with the African Queen, Alek Wek, in a Dark Cerise and Russet Red dress with plenty Swing and Swish through the skirt set the tone Perfectly. An Army Green Suit decorated with tiny sprinkles of Bugle Beads was screaming Full-On Covet as was a Mink Bathrobe coat the colour of a Chipotle Chile! The best day ensemble was easily the Prim and Scintillating combo of a Fire-Engine Red Cashmere sweater and a Beaded Christmas Red Wrap skirt... GENIUS!

Evening saw the thrills abate mostly, Posen looked like he was Restraining himself TOO much! By all means, his work at times can use a Judicious amount of restraint, but here it felt Lifeless and Boring. That Va-Va-Vroom that is so usual and Captivating was drained from these clothes. And they Suffered Dearly for it. A Silver Column gown did stand out for all the right reasons, it must be told. When Posen does strike the right balance, both halves, Day and Evening, are singing the same song in the Correct Key, Not one being a Half-Step Off!





That's All,





Bye4Now!