Thursday, March 31, 2016

Haider Ackermann.

Sat. 03/07/2015.






Haider Ackermann is somewhat in need of a Refresh. His Fall 2015 collection looked half like he was applying for a Job at Chanel and half like he was dressing the New York Dolls. Incongruous... In a word, Exactement! Ackermann's collection left much to be desired and had little to desire. It was a more Tough take on his usual limpid (or in the worse cases, sadly Limp) wares and was swirled about with some Tweeds that looked as if he had been studying at the Elbow of the High Priest Lagerfeld, yet had none of Lagerfeld's Deity-like Savoir-Faire! 

Ackermann said he was inspired by "The Violence" of life and Scars and that showed in scratchy stitching and and piecing together disparate elements to craft some kind of new whole, and ending up looking, frankly, Boring and Disheveled. Now, Ackermann has been known to work a Disheveled vibe for all it's worth, but this Go-Round, it didn't inspire or plainly, Work. When he restrained himself and concentrated on Sleekness and his incredibly facile lithe body-limning cuts, he won the day, magnificently realized in a Super Chic and Slender-making Black and White jumpsuit on Nykhor Paul that OOZED with Coolness! And that Superbly Austere Asymmetrically buttoned Black coat on Iris Strubegger... Pure Perfection! 

This collection had much good in it, and one didn't have to search for it either, but after about the first 10 exits, things began to disintegrate quickly. It didn't so much as fall apart as there wasn't much keeping it together to start with. To say there was a lot going on and not saying much, pretty much sums up the whole humdrum affair. Again, a refresh is needed to get this house back in order. 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Yohji Yamamoto.

Fri. 03/06/2015.





Yohji Yamamoto.

Fashion, is NOT Art. But, if any one designer could question that essential truth, and succeed in changing it, Yohji Yamamoto would be the one to do it. With each collection, it seemingly becomes less possible to cleave the sense of an Artistic installation or of a highly conceptual mind bending and warping the boundaries at which Fashion and Art intersect and diverge from the aspect that, it is after all, clothing we are viewing! Fashion is an "Applied" Art, there can be certain artistry that goes into producing fashion, but the essential element that separates Fashion from Art is that Art can stand alone and to itself, serving no other purpose or master than to simply exist, to create debate, dialogue, introspection. Fashion, on the other hand, cannot exist alone. on a hanger or mannequin even, Fashion has a Purpose outside of it's artistic desiring. Clothing MUST be worn for it's intrinsic reasoning to come to the fore. Art suffers no such necessity! Fashion Does.

Yamamoto, however, strives to transcend those limitations, and in the most Poetic and Stirring moments of his Fall 2015 collection, he nearly loosed those bonds and ascended to the esoteric world that Art inhabits. His Fall collection was perhaps one of the most devastatingly Exquisite shows I have ever seen. It was a conjoining of the simplest and most graceful gestures combined with a High-Mindedness that say clothing transmutate into something at once, impossibly unwearable, yet also, miraculously touching! There was a Naivete that those outlandish constructs of fabric and Boning and wire and who can say what else, that haloed the models like Flotillas of Fabric and multiple forms of Detritus, that was all at the same time full of longing, innocence, knowing and melancholy. And most surprisingly, Joy! That was the feeling that came to the precipice and jumped into one's heart as they viewed this Masterpiece! That the entire collection was almost entirely conceived almost entirely in shades of Black and Grey did nothing to detract from the elation!

Aside from the experimental nature of Yamamoto's work this time, there was a fluid, sinuous, liquid simplicity rendered in the most elaborate of applications, from Yamamoto's frequent use of the  of Kimono sleeves to express a Sensuous elegance, to the seductive slink of the Chiton and Toga in the way fabric was draped and wrapped around the body. In this brief essay, there was much to actually wear and be Incredibly chic, in a deconstructed kind of way. But all of this is but constituent parts to the Absorbing whole. I was truly brought to Weeping from this Spectacle of Brilliance. Yamamoto moved me to my core, and discombobulated my ideas of what actually can be perceived as Art... Or as Fashion. However the cards may play out in that mental exercise is yet to be determined, but for a sure fact, Yamamoto Achieved far more than what the simple word "Fashion" could ever dare to contextualize!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Balenciaga.

Fri. 03/06/2015.






A TRIUMPH! A Total Spectacular! Alexander Wang finally got everything perfectly right, from beginning to end, Wang's Fall 2015 Balenciaga collection was totally On Point! Merging Modernity and Classical house shapes, Wang focused on as he put it, "The Society Women, The Aristocrats, The Regal Women" that Cristobal used to swath in his famous exactingly executed Couture. That couture was the Jumping off point for Wang as he tailored contemporary visions of those famous Balenciaga silhouettes. 

Not only did plundering the Balenciaga archives prove fruitful for Wang, it proved that Wang can actually immerse himself in the history of the house and come up with something modern and fantastic with classical inspirations, something he has not imbibed in his tenure thus far at the house. Poaching from the Oeuvre of his predecessor, Nicholas Ghesquiere has not proved in any way successful and has led to a glut of unimpressive collections from the usually incredibly talented Wang. 

On this day, it all came together cohesively and stunningly to produce a monumental collection that as backward looking as it was, was also firmly future forward and looking directly ahead. The Futuristic approach that had it's echoes in downtown punk and Subversive culture, Rubber Embroideries, Stapled seams, Quivering Spikes of Bugle beads set on their end to mimic Fur, Metal Paillettes made of Razor Blades... Even the B/D insinuation in the Belted Black Leather collars threw the most refined of looks dynamically askew! Wang pronounced that he was interested in the "Original Balenciaga Clientele" I am not quite sure what they would have made of these subtlely perverse offerings, but the modern day Socialite is going to find them Irresistible! 

Usually, most collections of such Virtuosity are worthy of dissection and debate, taking a long look at multiple outfits and parsing out their component parts to make some grand revelation come to the fore... This was not one of those occasions! Wang so Effortlessly and Brilliantly concocted a Modern Day Time Warp that transcended this Era but was profoundly perfectly correct for this epoch, that to pick and choose and analyze destroys the wonderment of it all. Simply indulging in the visual orgasm of the clothes says all that is needed... And Much More! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Sunday, March 27, 2016

Maison Margiela.

Fri. 03/06/2015.





Maison Margiela.

Heeeeeeereeeeee's JOHNNY! Heeeeeee's BAAAACK!

Ok, Enough of that! Suffice it to say, John Galliano is back in the saddle again. Also, there is no need to rehash the unpleasantries of the past, amends have been made, forgiveness has been asked, no need to go into a dizzying account of it all. It's Done. Move On! And, Move On, Galliano has, finding himself ensconced perfectly into the Margiela furrow and bringing his own Diabolical sense of fashion home to roost in this Fashion Coop.

His first outing, Chez Margiela, a positively INSPIRED Spring Haute Couture collection, called in the Maison of Margiela, "Artisanal" was a Masterpiece in and of itself for the fact alone that Galliano hit the ground running at top speed and showed no shakiness or weakness in the craft he is such a specialist at! In Fact. as first collections go, it was equatable, but not exactly as Earth Cracking, as his first Dior Couture collection (Which will go down in history as one of the Greatest fashion Moments, EVER!) but it was just as full of surprise and delight, even if the surprise was a bit darker and the delight somewhat more of the Grotesque ilk.

The one thing we notice with the Fall 2015 Pret-a-Porter collection is that Galliano has not lost his Penchant for shock or his deft hand at Impeccable cut and fit. That was the biggest takeaway, that among the, yes, Shocking, moments, lay some Exquisitely designed pieces that a customer will gravitate to without question. Yes, the madcap, crazed styling, and at times frightfully asinine clothing propositions were there, to be sure, however, they held that Frisson of Danger and imbalance that creates great fashion moments. Of Course, some of the clothes in this exercise could only be worn by someone who was Stark Raving Bonkers, yet that is what is needed and has been missing from the Scena of fashion and even in Galliano's work in his last years at Dior for much too long.

Truly, the Oeuvre that John is working here, defies definition, so to piece apart and try to highlight individual outfits or pieces, at this point at least, is a fruitless task to undertake. It is, in essence, Unnecessary, The collection speaks for itself, What EXACTLY it is saying, is up for massive interpretation. But if you want to try and get some kind of framework of what Galliano is trying to say... You only need to look, to listen!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Christian Dior.

Fri. 03/06/2015.






Raf Simons' time at so far at Christian Dior has been, to my eyes, Problematic. Inconsistency has plagued the collections from pretty much Jump Street. These travails have lent a discombobulated sense of uncertainty and an aura of disconnection from collection to collection. Simons' has assuredly made the house over in his own image and remodeled the DNA of the brand from the Halcyon days of Galliano's giddy excesses and caprices. Though, somehow, the structure has not held up, the Plumb line through the collection has been plagued by Simons own capricious nature, One minute, producing Exceptional work that leaves one's jaw agape, the next, traveling a path of Intellectual narcissism and nonsense that makes the collection more suited to an Analytic dissertation.

Fall 2015 was perhaps the most uncomfortable yet, for Simons seemed to want to mesh the Analytical with the Emotional and came up with simply Frustration! The unorthodox mix of Swirling LSD Trip-like prints and Rigourous tailoring didn't fully cohere as it did in the Spring Couture, and rightfully, After that show, Simons should have abandoned that trope and moved on, one Heaping Helping of that was plenty, now it just caused visual indigestion. And whereas, his Tailoring of Superb coats was Spot on, his off-kilter tailoring of many of the pantsuits was more Spotty, the proportions were often so off, that where the vibe may have been trying to convey, Experimental, came across as awkward and more hideously, made the models look bloated!

And to talk about Bloat... Did Simons believe under any circumstance that those "Fur" Shift dresses were doing ANY Favours to any one who wore them? I mean, these models are as Svelte as a Strand of Fettuccine, and even THEY looked Massive in these Nightmares from the Neanderthal age! The toppers constructed from this same conceit were not helpful in any capacity either. Silliness and downright Stupidity led to Clashing optic prints on top of another from dress over leggings (Or Catsuit) over printed glossy boots and just a far too Busy of a hand pervaded this outing, that in places had some terribly Desirable pieces floating around among the detritus.

Simons had confessed he was concerned with something "Darker, More Liberated and More Sexual" I don't think looking at this collection one got Liberated, Sexual or, with the case being made for some Screeching Colour combinations by Simons, Darker under any circumstance! What was coming off of this collection was the sense that this was a man who is Destructively fighting himself to fit his ideas into the contextual mode of a house where those ideas don't interface naturally. Simons is a man who is Deeply Thoughtful and Intellect driven with his clothes, and when one considers that neither Yves, John, Gianfranco and Most CERTAINLY, Monsieur Dior Himself, were not in any way that kind of designer, and were Capricious and Emotionally driven maestros, it becomes patently obvious of the Schism that is slowly fracturing the house of Dior apart as Simons frenetically tries to fit his Square Peg into the Round Dior Hole!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Friday, March 25, 2016

Theory.

Fri. 03/06/2015.






Sublime! Perfection achieved! Lisa Kulson produced a collection for the Fall 2015 Theory collection of such immense, Quiet Brilliance and Subtle Sophistication. Her brief, but HIGHLY impactful collection of Chic, Minimalist, Modern sportswear hit all the right notes and shined through and through with Exquisitely judged elegance and refinement. Theory is following it's own path while remaining current to the trends of the season. 

A simple Grey Pantsuit and turtleneck cut a Strong, yet easy line to start with and echoed Classic lines while remaining Refreshingly Of-The-Moment. Kulson effortlessly designed the most covetous pieces while she worked within a palette of mainly Grey. Black and touches of Ivory and Camel. Kulson's collection was Flawless, not one look was out of place! From a Creamy Shearling coat paired with a Zip-Front Ivory blouse and Full Black trousers to a super austere Grey Blouse and pants set that had an almost utilitarian edge, as did the one touch of Olive, that came in the form of a Duffel coat. 

This collection, while Slight, was chock full of options from front to back and perfectly highlighted how a Modern woman wants to dress. Simple, Easy, Modern, Chic! The Theory collection had it ALL! And damn near, had it Best! Brava! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Lanvin.

Thurs. 03/05/2015.






When it comes to certain collections, you can pretty much envisage what's going to transpire before you even see the images or show. Alber Elbaz's collections for Lanvin have fallen into that distinction. Not that that is a condemnation of any sort, especially when the collections are as inspired and whimsical as Elbaz's collection for Lanvin have been. The problem that can arise and has arisen in Lanvin's Fall 2015 collection, is that familiarity has lent an air of stagnancy to the label. It's all well and fine to have a recognizable Signature style, however on the flip side of that coin, a definite homogeneity can settle over the clothes like a Miasma.

Fall bought a certain kind of circular homecoming to Elbaz's career as he paid more than a Subtle homage to his homeland, Morocco and in doing such, traced a line back to his first exposure to the glare of the fashion spotlight, YSL, where he was hand picked by Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge to succeed Yves when he retired. As well known, Algerian born Saint Laurent had an affinity for Morocco that was nigh unquenchable and his ashes are even spread in the Majorelle Gardens of the home he owned in that country. YSL referenced the clothing and style of the country often and with an incredibly adroit hand.

Elbaz took inspiration from his hometown of Casablanca and in some part, his time at the house of Saint Laurent. The collection was laden with Braid and Tassels and Fringe and while those accents added a sense of adornment that was quietly luxurious, the rest of the collection felt more subdued and restrained, by Lanvin standards. Plenty of Capes and Fluffy fur abounded, as did a generous Bohemian spirit that came through via Mongolian Fur and Souk inspired colours and prints. These elements added a freshness and unique appeal to the collection, beside that however, the collection was generally business as usual and that in a nutshell gently derailed the collection from the trajectory of newness that was envisioned with the Moroccan influence. 

The collection had it's most successful moments when it channeled Yves more explicitly, Such as Bolero Jacket topped pantsuit over bare breasts that had Tuxedo styling in Satin lapels and Curry coloured Side stripes on the pants was sexy as hell and Sharply Chic, also a Bohemian peasant blouse and pants in Black with White Running Stripes was an Absolute winner! Elbaz created a Fantastic collection that even though it felt reliant on past tropes, had a newness that gave it an eclectic and wild nature. Next Time, Elbaz might be better off adding some more of this spirit to his collection and focusing less on the familiar. For, even though that familiar is usually fascinating, it is beginning to grow deeply expected and as we know, Familiarity breeds, in this case, not contempt, but weariness. 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Rick Owens.

Thurs. 03/05/2015.






Unapologetically Avant-Garde, Rick Owens can be a rather difficult pill to swallow if you don't fully embrace or understand his Oeuvre. Within that Abstracted, Avant shell, there also lies the heart of a Romantic, one that expresses itself not in Saccharine sentimentality and schmaltz, but in a Quiet, Considered way that comes through loud and clear to those who are attuned to Owens' wavelength. Owens after all, IS a California guy, and like any California native in this business, there is going to be some influence Glamour, of either the Hollywood/Beverly Hills kind or the more Rock inflected aesthetic of L.A. Seemingly, Owens distills both of those hemispheres into a singularly unique composite!

In view of this analysis, one would have to admit there was a certain, Opulence to Owens' Fall 2015 offering, Gold and other Metallic Leaf caked on faces, A more Sensual approach to the clothes that didn't deform or transform the bodies of the models and even some Beading and Embroidery, however the collection felt flatter and less visceral than usual. One of the achingly heartrending parts of the Owens aesthetic is that if you are among the lucky few that GETS IT... You are emotionally riveted to what he sends down the runway... There is an intellectual investment in what transpires, even if it is difficult to wrap your brain around, you usually are more than willing to drink the Kool-Aid and succumb to the giddiness of the experimental nature of the thing. 

As with last season, that Strident sense of Fuck It seemed to be lacking if not altogether missing. The clothes felt beleaguered and to some degree, Pointless. in trying to go for something Organic, Slinky, even, the attitude and poignancy got lost. Often, the garments simply looked fussy and gimmicky. Usually the Narrative informs the clothes, this go-round, one was left hopelessly looking for meaning, and it didn't feel as if Owens was offering one either. That didn't stop the collection from having exquisite pieces, however, it also didn't elevate it above being nothing more than lackluster. 





That's All.





Bye4Now.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Balmain.

Thurs. 03/05/2015.






All I have to say is... Mallard Green... Lace.... PANTS! Quoth Miranda Priestley... "That's All!"

That SERIOUS Miscalculation of Taste suffuses most of what Olivier Rousteing sends Slinking and Slithering down his Balmain Runways season after season. Fall 2015 seemed to be one of the worst offences yet, Over-Designed and Underwhelming, it was a hodgepodge of Gaudy, Tacky, Tasteless excess (well when your Muse is Kim Kardashian-West and you favor talentless Celebmodels like Kendall and Gigi, what can you expect? High Class? Certainly Not!) that never failed to go Three to Five steps too far past overwrought! 

Were there moments of Reprieve from all this Ostentation... Yes and No. A creamy White wrap coat was Stellar for the simple fact alone that Rousteing didn't pile on unnecessary adornment or outrageous queasy color mixes. No one is doubting that the man can Tailor and Cut with the best of them, but Atavistic throwbacks to Ungaro Plisse pleating and Toxic YSL/Mondrian inspired Colour Blocking does no one any Favours and shows nothing of ones skills! 

To be Blunt, the collection was an Abject Failure. Top to Bottom. Rousteing seems to have more or less, consigned himself to designing for the Cheap and Tasteless tarts of Social Media Celebrity and Fame Whoring Celebutantes (Looking SQUARE at you, Kim K!) who have more money than I.Q. Points, or more accurately, Class! If having a Fat ass and Lots of money is your aspiration, then Rousteing seems to be the Man for the Hapless job of encasing your Bimbo Shape in Appropriate Attire! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Paco Rabanne.

Thurs. 03/05/2015.






With Three collections under his belt, Julien Dossena hit the Mother Lode with his Fall 2015 collection for the House of Paco Rabanne. Dosenna proved, beyond doubt, that he has "The Goods" and is certainly one to keep one's eye on for Bigger, Better and Greater things in the future. He will become one of the Big-Time Players of International Fashion, Trust and Believe. Reason being, if he continues to turn out Breathlessly exciting work like this Fall collection, He can only rise higher and higher!

Dosenna's Fall opus for the house of Rabanne, was Brief, Modern, Sharp, Fast, Sleek and Innovative. He has integrated himself into the history of the house and found his way forward with a Futurist/Athletic vibe that many are working, but few as sure-handed as this. Dosenna proved he is a Master of Cut and Inventive tailoring, but while those molded Wool coats that opened owed more than a Little debt to his former boss, Nicholas Ghesquiere, where he worked under him at Balenciaga, they had a vernacular all their own, and also proves why Dosenna will be successful here, he has already in his short time at the house made a discernible signature with his designs that makes him stand out among the rest of the crowd!

Even though those opening outfits and those oddly compelling and hypnotizing Jackets and Tunics with the Quasi-Cummerbund bands under the bust, showed that Dosenna's Tailoring skills are Top Notch, it was his more simple gestures that gave the heart flight, the pair of knit Tanks and Plastic Disc "Mesh" pants in a word, Brilliant! As were the pair of Matching dresses in the same "Mesh" that married Old and New together into one beguiling amalgam! Add in some Scalpel Sharp Coats and a couple of buckle bedecked Flight/Jumpsuits that gave new meaning to "Urban Glamour" and you have yourself one Thoroughly Fantastic Collection!

Dosenna surely shows the influence of his former mentor, Ghesquiere, but he has diverged from that template and forged his own identity while still showing the influence of his past. He has shown that he is most assuredly his own Designer and given enough time and the proper nurturing, Could well easily match and most likely will, surpass, his former employer! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Carven.

Thurs. 03/05/2015.





Carven.

Playing around with the codes of a house that has a very recognizable signature, due to the previous head of Design, can be a tricky bit of tightrope walking, indeed. Guillaume Henry in the years he was at the house of Carven, essentially revitalizing it, he crafted a well-familiar look to the clothes, one that was very much him. Now, to come in afresh to the house after Henry has moved on to somewhat more illustrious pastures (Nina Ricci, which was left vacant when Peter Copping moved to ODLR) poses something of a Daunting task... Continue in the Vein of Henry? Or, Do your own Damn Thing and in Tim Gunn Mode, "Make It Work!?"

Well, Adrian Caillaudaud and Alexis Martial decided to have a Tim Gunn Moment! Sweeping the proverbial arm across the table and letting all that Henry did in the past crash to the floor, invigorated the house with New, Sparkling and Fresh energy and in my opinion, better work than Henry was doing, of which I was never the biggest fan! Caillaudaud and Martial brought a Sleek, Strong, Sexy, Athletic vibe to Carven and gave it some Guts. The Carven Woman is still Pretty, that's a Prerequisite, but she's got more Verve in her Step and More Brass in her Spine. She's Strutting around in the most Punishingly Sleek and Sexy pants of the season, but foiling them with fluffy, pristine, girly White blouses or Chloe-esque, flowing tunic tops.

Also of note, there was an astoundingly attractive 60's wallpaper Floral moment that stunned with it's oddness, but also in how right the look was amongst the rest of the pieces. When Padded and Quilted in a wash of Blues and Greens, it was Soothing, Refreshing, Hip! When done in Purple and Orange, It was Vibrant and Fun! Easily, these pieces will be on the hips of the Carven woman for Fall and Spring! Though later in the show, When this affect was done in a Shimmery Brocade style... The fabric and the styling came off a little too close to Ghesquiere and his days at Balenciaga. Especially the Long sleeve dress and the Pantsuit. They weren't terrible, but they were less successful!

All said, this was a Terribly Self-Assured and Confident opening salvo for the new Duo installed at the house, What Henry did has been completely obliterated, all for the good, to be honest, Now, showing that they have no Obeisance to the past, Caillaudaud and Martial can recreate the image of Carven in their own way and give it a New Story to tell. From the looks of this showing, it's going to be a Compelling read!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Rochas.

Weds. 03/04/2015.





Rochas.

All it took for Alessandro Dell'Acqua to create his best collection yet for the house of Rochas was to take a step back and Simplify! Plus, a Picture from the house Archives of a dress decorated in Swallows. With those rather humble elements, Dell'Acqua pulled out a Masterpiece of a collection achieved with a sure hand and elegant sensibility, the secret being that once Dell'Acqua stopped trying to find the most esoteric way to present his vision, he stumbled upon the recipe for success!

Remodeling the Sheath dress was where Dell'Acqua reaped the most benefits, his wide belted versions to the mid-calf were the Bread and Butter of the collection, even though the Dress was Dell'Acqua's primary concern and showed up in other versions, mainly a Shirt dress style and one that worked with a Ruffle trimmed Scalloped Bustline paired with tank straps. The Swallows showed up later in the collection, reaching their Zenith as Sparkly Embroideries on a Black coat with Fox Fur pockets and on a Soignee Dress on Jamie Bochert in White with Black print.

Also, if a woman is in the mood for some Spectacular Outerwear, Rochas will be a great place to start for a memorable topper, A Sharp Micro Check car coat on Tami Williams in a Bird's Eye Black and White or the best of the show, A Blinding Yellow version in Nubby Boucle on Molly Bair at Exit No. 11! Dell'Acqua has found his True North with this collection, it will be a curious sight to behold to see if he will continue on this path, or diverge again back to his old ways. Whatever road taken, This time, the High one was definitely the road better traveled!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Dries Van Noten.

Weds. 03/04/2015.





Dries Van Noten.

A Dries Van Noten fashion show is a veritable Buffet of sartorial indulgence to gorge one's self upon. A Smorgasbord of Magical proportions, with enough ideas and arrangements to satisfy the most Mercurial of tastes! For Fall 2015 there was such a Torrent of Raiments that, as always the case Chez Van Noten, the visual stimulus transcended sometimes into overload of the cerebral cortex! But what Opulent stimulation, indeed! Fall saw Van Noten in a particularly Opulent mood with his usual Extravagant sense of embellishment taking an even more spectacular turn than usual.

"Grounded Glamour" was the Theme du Jour for Van Noten, and Glamour was certainly what was shown, even though it was counterpointed with the "Grounded" aspect via Military Khaki and Chino and easy, plain cuts and silhouettes, which stood out in exciting relief to all the exquisite luxe. Van Noten indulged in everything from Shimmying, Shimmering Paillettes cascading over the shoulders of a Navy Coat to the Orientalist Chinoiserie Dragons embroidered on a Slouchy T-shirt worn with a Chino Pencil skirt with a Matching Apron-like billowing overskirt sashed around the waist. Speaking of those overskirts, they added a dimension of Elegant Hauteur that was not only the epitome of Van Noten's "Glamour"-ous inclinations, but also a Refreshing addition that has been missing on many a Runway. A good old Ballskirt always adds that touch of Extravaganza that transforms a collection. And that they came Short and Floor-Sweeping only gave a woman more options!

In Van Noten's world, the Mix IS the Message, this was never so pronounced as in this Gloriously Luxuriant treatise. Sometimes the expression of decadence was as simple as the Beading on a pair of pants that captured a Pagoda Scene paired with a Bell-sleeve Tunic, all in a dark shade of Ink Blue, or how a subdued Khaki floor-length wrap coat juxtaposed brilliantly against a Marron Glace coloured gown smothered in Sequins and Beads. It was this Majestic dichotomy that propelled this to be one of Van Noten's greatest expressions of his craft. It was a Ravishing gift of fashion to Van Noten's clientele and one that will resonate to many ages and for many ages. Bravissima!





That's All.





Bye4Now!