Thursday, October 27, 2016

Marchesa Notte Resort 2016.

Fri. 06/19/2015.






Like it's big sister label, Marchesa, Marchesa Notte was inspired by Morocco for it's Resort 2016 collection, and while it did not reach the same Fantastical lofty heights of it's sibling label, it still had the polish of it's counterpart. It certainly veered a little younger and being that nothing really spikes past the $1,500 price tag (and that the Mothership label offerings can skyrocket past that for just a pair of pants and the gowns are of the more usual ilk of being sextuple the price of these pieces) it still offers a sense of elegant lavishness that will not have you selling all your earthly possessions to afford a piece. 

And with that in mind, Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig certainly do give you Maximum bang for your buck. In the lower price scheme of things, many of the pieces here could slip seamlessly into the parent label and not many on the outside looking in would be the wiser. That just shows how Legion the talents and skills of Chapman and Craig are, that they can produce lower priced pieces that sacrifice none of the rarefied air of the more costly label. Take for example, the strapless White gown with a Hole-Punched Broderie Anglaise-style overlay in Golden Taupe... It was as dazzling and richesse as anything the duo did in their main line. Or the partake of the Blush Pink lace gown with a sheer overlay that was festooned with trellised floral embroideries, a sensation to be sure! 

Chapman and Craig know what makes a eye-catching and breathtaking piece of evening finery, that they can whip those concoctions up in both the Stratospheric of price labels and in the more humbly priced, with equal precision and expertise and with the same amount of impact, is a testament to two brains that are working at full tilt! Women across the world are simply the beneficiaries of such Brilliance!





That's All.





Bye4Now!



Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Marchesa Resort 2016.

Fri. 06/19/2015.






It was an utterly GLORIOUS return to form for the duo, Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig, at the Marchesa label this Resort season. The duo's 2016 Resort collection was a bountiful Treasure Trove of Exquisiteness. Taking inspiration from Morocco, Chapman and Craig sculpted, embellished, embroidered, ruffled, draped, and gilded their way to Perfection! It was such a Sumptuous buffet of Delicious Confections that one could hardly pick one from another to earmark as standouts. It was all so Devastatingly, Luxuriously, Opulently Wondrous!

Chapman and Craig can be forgiven somewhat, for producing nothing but Evening wear, it of course can run towards the overindulgent at times and one can get an upset fashion tummy from all the treacly sweetness of all that gossamer fantasticim, as with any house that primarily trades in the confectionary, Ooey-Gooey-ness of all evening collections. But, The Marchesa duo go so beyond the pale of normal evening wear creatuers, that they can be allowed to do that thing they do so well, unencumbered by disapproving clucks from the Peanut Gallery.

What pieces stood ahead... A TRULY majestic Sapphire Blue ballgown festooned with Lace floral appliques and freshened by the simple T-shirt style of the bodice, only showing more fantastic cantilevered cleavage with it's deep neckline. Or a Stunning strapless Rose Pink Faille gown with a gathered side ruffle and fishtail hem that was a Traffic Stopper Deluxe! A White lace gown with Lavishly overscaled flowers splayed down the contours of the side of the gown that finished off in a asymmetric "Hi-Lo" hem had an inherent awe that was palpable. Also of note, the purity of a shimmering Pearl White column of luminous silk that was traced with White Lace appliques around the torso, that as Breathtaking an evening gown as it was, could easily do double duty as a Divine Wedding gown... Train and all! 

Chapman and Craig easily blew this one out of the water! It was a Radiant and Sublime treatise on Fairy Tale Evening pieces that never once bored or over saturated one's eyes with gloops and globs of Saccharine Frou-Frou! This was an Adult, Grown-up, Sophisticated and above all, Mature, not Girly or Frilly lineup that captured one's breath, and then stole it away completely! DAZZLING! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Josie Natori Resort 2016.

Thurs. 06/18/2015.






Let's be blunt. Shall We? Josie Natori is NOT trying to revolutionize fashion or reinvent the wheel. Straight out facts! She has a Loyal and WIDE Upscale clientele and you could see the woman who shops her clothes (and wears them, FAITHFULLY) also shopping at St. John and Escada and Tadashi Shoji. These are not Fashion Forward clothes, they are Optimistic, Pretty, Upbeat, Classical pieces with a little edge and enough modernity to not look dated, boring or atavistic. Is that intrinsically a bad thing? Not in the least. But, Natori isn't going set off any Fireworks of fashion ecstasy anytime in the foreseeable future.. and that's... OK!

What Natori did produce for her Resort 2016 assemblage were Crisp, Bright and innately wearable pieces with a little Zhuzh to them. Virtually every piece had some shade of White in it, from the Snappy opening outfits in Spectator Black and White, of which a Beautiful Clutch coat in White with Black String embroidery, paired with White trousers and a Black top was especially Desirable, to the supreme easiness of a Flame Orange tie-front top and White pants. A definitely welcome addition and a bit more saucy was a shimmering iridescent Fuchsia tunic top with cape sleeves and matching leggings that had appeal for both day and night times alike!

So, it wasn't causing the pulse to race, but Natori gave a solid lineup of clothes that any modern, active woman would aspire to wear and that her loyal, well-heeled clientele will be eager to gobble up and absorb into their already Natori-Rich closets. All in All, A fine effort, indeed. 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Maison Martin Margiela Resort 2016.

Thurs. 06/18/2015.






Forget for a minute of two the sexless, androgyne models in the Maison Martin Margiela Resort 2016 Look Book. Forget the continuing conversation that is still floating around about Gender and Identity and all that. What may have been offhanded to house head, John Galliano, in light of the clothes, seems more superfluous than anything. The thing to concentrate on are the clothes, that Resort seems to be where we get the best synthesis of Galliano and Margiela. This collection was less obedient to the stylistic ideals set forth by Margiela and then the design team that helmed the label when he deposed himself. It had that Essential... MAGIC, that was so very indicative of the best Galliano Escapades. Reined in to an almost bland degree, but after all the bloated flotillas of collections that we had come to expect from John, bland is far more appetizing than it sounds!

If Bland is too inflammatory a word, than restrained might be more effective. And it is within that restraint that Galliano has hit upon some serious fashion. The fluidity and structure of the opening Trench was as much evidence of Galliano's Virtuoso hand as anything could possibly be, or the Glamourous slink of the Black double-face Sequined gown which spoke to Galliano's intuitively extraordinary way with Evening wear. But it was the short Ink Blue dress with a Bias-Cut Chiffon overlay printed to look like it was a window beaded with Raindrops and rivulets of water flowing down it, swished in an asymmetric flurry of material that affirmed we were in the land of Galliano, and was Drop-Dead Fabulous.

One can only hope that at some point, the Extravagance that was the unstoppable Juggernaut called John Galliano will raise himself from his slumber and inject more of himself into the Margiela work he's doing. Don't get me wrong, what he is producing now is the always interesting period between epochs, and the things he is doing at the house are Spectacular. But it's almost as if we're seeing Galliano through the prism of Margiela. I, for one, cannot wait til it is the obverse of that and we see what Margiela looks like through the Fantastical lens of John Galliano! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Acne Studios Resort 2016.

Thurs. 06/18/2015.






For all the talk of inspiration being gleaned from Cubist artist Albert Gleizes and Post-Modern Pop artist Mario Schifano, all piqued by a book on the life of the Mythic Senora that was Marella Agnelli, the Acne Studios Resort 2016 collection was a lot to take in, especially considering it's brevity. Head Designer, Jonny Johansson crafted, as he was quoted, a collection that had "Naïvety and Toughness" and the collection lived up to those words in a Splendid manner indeed. Johansson's Acne woman is also something of a Eclectic spirit, or as he said, "An Expressionist" and that lent a defiant and delightful air of the Unhinged to the clothes.

The duality of the collection played out most evidently with the opening Trench in a Linen/Poplin Bonded material in a luminous shade of Stone, that was as chic as it was eccentric. This play of ideas lent a feeling of imbalance between the directions of the collection that was actually thoroughly refreshing and daring. On one hand, you had the classically leaning Red Leather trench, which was purely elegant in form, then on the other hand, you had a Black Suede/Leather coat that was tied and knotted around the midsection and looked experimental and bold. It was just this interplay that gave the collection it's gutsy appeal and kooky sensibilities. 

Johansson walked a tenuous line between Modernistic and Eccentric and managed to capture the best of both ideas. It was a Rather Brilliant manoeuver, one that paid off with Attention-Getting clothes that will keep Johansson's woman quite well appointed, fashion wise! Definitely, A Win! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Friday, October 21, 2016

Emilio Pucci Resort 2016.

Thurs. 06/17/2015.






One way to approach being the new Design Director of a Historic and Storied fashion house is to embrace the history of the house while trying to delicately balance infusing your own aesthetic into the already well-established DNA of the brand and while remaining respectful of the heritage of the maison. Or... You could do like Massimo Giorgetti has done at Emilio Pucci, and run like mad through the house, sweeping out all that is known and recreating it in your own craven image. With a house like Pucci that has seen the likes of Christian Lacroix, Matthew Williamson and most recently, Peter Dundas... That might actually be the best way to make something of the house.

Firstly, Where Dundas had made the collection one of the most coveted, photographed, hyped and celebrity swathed brands known to the man, his approach had become exhaustingly predictable and not a little stale. It was as if the song on your iTunes was stuck on repeat. While Scintillating, it was also due for a Refresh... One might not have imagined this radical a refresh, yet it was still far more welcome than another Dundas Rich Hippy collection! Giorgetti wiped the slate not only Squeaky Clean, but threw the slate on the floor from the Penthouse balcony! What remained is in essence a Channeling Pucci into HIS aesthetic and not the other way round. It wasn't a totally convincing or harmonious coalescence, first collections rarely are, but it was certainly interesting, and above all, Refreshing!

What it did have, was that madcap, magpie charm that has been so spellbindingly championed by Alessandro Michele at Gucci, yet, since Giorgetti has been doing his thing, this exact aforementioned thing at that, before Michele was installed at the house of the Interlocking G's, Giorgetti might be seen as it's progenitor, although he does not push it to the hair raising extremes that Michele does, one could say they are spiritually related! The proof being, this debut Resort 2016 collection was nowhere near as eclectic and kooky as Michele's Gucci, but there are parallels. Giorgetti virtually totally eschewed the signature graphic prints of the house and only vaguely alluded to them in a couple of looks. What remained was a Fun, Mad, Esoteric collection filled with witty and gamine pieces for the new and old Pucci customer alike. 

Maybe this isn't what the Dundas loyal Pucci girl is looking for, but the for the modern Quirky Fashionista, she'll find the printed Slip dress in shades of Pink, White and Black belted over an Amethyst blouse an easy transition from the past to the present, as well as a Lacquer Shiny dark Mineral Blue Patent coat. which was calling out to any woman, regardless of what designer her allegiance is to! Giorgetti did a fascinating Volte-face here and in some ways it worked fantastically, there were, naturally, some wrinkles that need to be pressed out, but it's looking good for the future of the house. It may not be the direction anyone was expecting, in fact, when Dundas took over from Williamson, it was quite the sea change in style at the label and it took a few beats for everyone to get on board, but on board they did get, and if Giorgetti does his thing right, they'll be on board for his new vision as well!  The only thing that Giorgetti needs to keep in mind, even though a new broom sweeps clean, one is well armed to not completely dismantle or disregard the past, Pucci hasn't survived so long by not being cognizant of it's past glories. Giorgetti would do well to remember that! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!


Givenchy Resort 2016.

Weds . 06/17/2015.





Givenchy Resort 2016.

Regarding Riccardo Tisci's Appalling Resort 2016 collection, I shall be as brief as I can without seeming blunt. There was nothing here I liked. From the Sickening colour combinations to the dowdy and aging looking pieces that also looked dated and throwback, there was not one outfit that I could find myself endorsing other than to dress the needy. To call it Hideous would to do a disservice to the word "Hideous" Not only did it make the models look misshapen and lumpen, it also made them look fleshy, and not in the voluptuous way. Tisci can truly design the most taxing and aesthetically gut-wrenching clothes and still be regarded by the fashion world at large as Masterful and Visionary... Well, Chillrens, I am not biting on that hook!

This Resort collection was a Colossal Monument of SHIT! Game. Set. Match!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Kenzo Resort 2016.

Weds. 06/17/2015.






Carol Lim and Humberto Leon fashioned one helluva perfect Resort 2016 collection this Go-Round... Save one little hiccup. The Lookbook was Frustratingly and Aggravatingly photographed in some Wild lands outdoors and fuzzily focused and proved why I patently LOATHE when designers do not put on Proper shows and decide to indulge their inner "Artiste" and use a Lookbook to show off their collections. If there is never another presentation done like this it wouldn't be soon enough! Lim and Leon took Exceptional clothes and photographed them in the most inaccessible way as to negate anything other than their esoteric photographic idea, I, for one, was Incredibly miffed at this approach! Why disguise the clothes so, especially when they were this enthralling, with artsy-fartsy pictures that did more to obscure the beauty of the garments than elevate them! I hate, Hate, HATE Lookbooks! 

The pieces that stood out from the pack, even though it was a pretty damn illustrious pack to start with, included a Sublime White halter dress with two studded snap attachable/detachable layers that let the wearer take it from above-the-knee to mid-calf to floor sweeping in length! It was a Marvel. A Cream Zip top with matching elastic hem pants had a New-Safari look to it that was particularly ravissante! There was much more to love and please a customer, but again, a lot of it's appeal is wilted by such silly indulgences.  Hopefully, next outing, Lim and Leon will show us the clothes, and not their vision of how the clothes react in the real world. That's what wearing them does, not pictures!





That's All.





Bye4Now!





Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Rag & Bone Resort 2016.

Tues. 06/16/2015.






If you're the kind of gal whom's tastes in fashion run more towards the Urban and Sportif side of luxe city dressing, then Marcus Wainwright and David Neville have you well equipped to face wherever your day takes you with their Resort 2016 offering. Brief though it may be, it was packed with pieces to travel with a woman no matter her destination. Not really designers for the Boardroom or Luncheon at the Le Cirque, Wainwright and Neville serve to clothe the woman on the go who is active and keeps an eye downtown while her address may be uptown.

Taking an All-Weather tack, there were coats and high neck sweaters as well as shorts and sleeveless jackets to be had. Admittedly and strangely enough, it was the clothes that hewed closer to the cold weather side of the equation that were the most striking and compelling. A tweedy Grey Duster and pants combo looked like sweats material from afar, but up close proved more substantial, while a hefty Oatmeal colour duffel coat paired with cropped leather pants looked Mt. Everest ready and would be a welcome addition come the next Polar Vortex! 

Wainwright and Neville put together some straightforward and minimalist pieces here that won't interfere with their clienteles Modus Operandi. They will incorporate themselves into what she already has and give her some new and fresh alternatives to consider. It was pretty much a Win-Win for all involved!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Topshop Unique Resort 2016.

Tues. 06/16/2015.






The head designer at the team behind the label for the Topshop stores, Geoffrey Finch, provided some pretty, wantable pieces for the label's Resort 2016 outing. From a pair of Crushed Velvet pantsuits that had a certain Dandy-ish swagger to them (Especially the one in Baby Pink!) to a tough but chic leather T-shirt dress and onward to a deliciously luxe faux Lynx coat worn with a Lamé top and Jeans! There were many other favorable options and not much to quibble with here and and all said, was a pretty solid lineup of clothes to take home and wear in the city and anywhere else a woman will need to be! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Valentino Resort 2016.

Tues. 06/16/2015.






Mae West once said, "Too much of a Good Thing... Is Wonderful!" and oft times that can auger true, in the case of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, the inverse is more apt. Their Valentino Resort 2016 collection was yet another example of the duo's penchant for, as they would say in Italian, "Abbondanza!" A veritable Smörgåsbørd of surfeit, and as much of the collection was typically. Dazzlingly Exquisite, it was also so much profusion of ideas and clothes that the message of the medium was lost and led to diffusion. A serious streamlining of the multiple ideas and redundancies would lead to a more coherent collection, as it stands, again I stress, 95% of it was Superbly Fantastic, but it was simply put, just too much of a Phantasmagoria. Not everyone is Karl Lagerfeld or Domenico and Stefano and can keep the narrative line plumb, through such a prodigious amount of outfits!

What was there that was Spectacular, was spectacular on a level that not even Lacroix might have envisaged. However, within saying that, the ubiquity of some of the themes that play out over and over again in a Valentino collection, have grown assuredly stale and frustrating and lack invention. The Penitent dresses with the high necks and long sleeves cut to the floor have become a parody of themselves and look about as fresh as Two-Day old Scrambled eggs! Same goes for the Virgin/Whore dresses with the nigh indecent Crotch-Grazing hemlines that say Sleazy with their length, but naïve with their Faux innocent necklines and Quasi-Juvenile prints and embroideries. Lastly, I am as much for Sheer Chiffon and net and Lace as the next person, more so in fact, but it's a crutch that is leaned on so heavily by Chiuri and Piccioli, that where one was at a point anesthetized to seeing it so much, it now has come full circle and is more factually, quite alarming. It borders on Vulgar, and more accurately, Tacky! 

In the end, one could mention the newness of the Blue Folkloric print section that was a strong winning point in the collection or the more refined looks that had not one bit of sheerness to them, like the vaguely Japonesque Intarsia Mink coat with flying Crane motifs and tiny flowers (A Marvel, by the way) or the stunning Sanguine Red evening gown that was a Showstopper of epic proportions and made all those elaborate printed and embroidered evening frocks look gaudy and irrelevant. Lest, we leave on a negative note, be it known, what Chiuri and Piccioli do is of Extraordinary caliber, it has garnered a Huge cult of the most famous and recognizable of celebrity and fashion cognoscenti, in person, those elaborate assemblages of print and embroidery and whisper-light materials are Jaw-Dropping, and that should not be overlooked. The simple fact remains though, as spellbinding as all that work and elaboration may be, it has become expected and intrinsically rote by this time. Chiuri and Piccioli need to shake the Valentino tree a bit and see what falls out, it might surprise them and hopefully, the rest of us as well! 

*As of this writing, it is well known that the duo have parted ways at Valentino with Chiuri heading off to Dior and Piccioli the sole designer of the house of Valentino. This is written in the spirit of the times before those announcements and moves*





That's All.





Bye4Now!





Paco Rabanne Resort 2016.

Tues. 06/16/2015.






Julien Dossena has begun to carve out what Paco Rabanne will become under his designing hand, a little futuristic (suitable to heritage of the house), modern, athletic and sporty with an edge. His Resort 2016 offering from the house is all those things wrapped into a neat and tidy package full of impact. These are not exactly EASY to wear clothes and call for bodies that are toned to a high polish of perfection, but they are eye-catching and unique and offer something new to the fashion narrative, if not exactly different. 

This brief exposition had a duality between Romantic and Severe that was a little edgy and a bit soft, The pieces communicated a certain toughness, i.e. Angular cuts and flashes of exposed skin, also with Leather and Laser-Cut mesh abound, the Rigour was more evinced. With trapeze shapes and fluid skirts and a certain Black Tank dress that fell away from the body, the softer side came through. It wasn't wholly successful, but it was exciting to see someone putting together things in a new way and when it did work, like the strappy Black Leather Zip jacket ensemble, it was quite the achievement. With more tweaking and refining, Dossena will catapult himself smack in the center of the conversation of what the future of fashion will look like, and that's not a bad place to be in! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Friday, October 14, 2016

Elizabeth And James Resort 2016.

Mon. 06/15/2016.






While it may not be as extremely luxe and serene and quietly sumptuous as it's Big Sister line, The Row, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's Elizabeth and James shares much of the same aesthetic in it's DNA, just not pushed to the same acute degree of Minimalist apotheosis. The E&J line is a little more relaxed, sportif without being nonchalant. The Olsen twins view of fashion is unswerving and pointedly linear, to it's benefit, not detriment. It is an Oasis in a sea of rapidly fluctuating fashion viewpoints, which are trying to serve many masters, Mary Kate and Ashley are serving only one, Themselves. Nothing More, Nothing Less!

So, Elizabeth and James comes as a less studied and less refined respite for the designers and is a welcome slackening of their usual themes, this collection felt playful and serious concurrently, a sharply tailored Denim Pantsuit one moment, a super easy and unencumbered combo of a voluminous creamy White Tunic top and Black Palazzo pants the next. A Black Bathrobe coat had sublime appeal and assured wearability, whilst a shimmering White Tuxedo jacket with a filmy bias-cut gossamer Silk Slip skirt was a surprisingly nuanced evening option. The collection abounded from beginning to end with endless options to delight and attract, every piece could integrate itself into the Olsen's customers wardrobe in less than a nanosecond as well as into a newcomers closet. That's the magic of both labels, Why spend time trying to reinvent yourself, when you've already discovered who you are! 





That's All.





Bye4Now! 


Friday, October 7, 2016

Reem Acra Resort 2016.

Mon. 06/15/2015.






Designer Reem Acra proclaimed that Resort 2016 for her label was about "Happy Colours!" and indeed they were "Happy" in the utmost. In her absolutely Excellent and joyous outing for Resort, Acra showed her skills at making Devastatingly Beautiful Evening frocks. Now, I know I rail against any designer who works exclusively on the evening end of the fashion spectrum, but there was just something rather Regal and Dramatic about this collection that it could be easily forgiven that usually fatal (in my view) Flaw. 

Perhaps, it was the brevity of the collection that kept it from growing stale, or the invention, every look was something new and exciting to look at and marvel in awe over. Even though it was only 26 brief looks, there still was too much to properly expound upon, lest we forsake concision. Suffice it to say, nearly every look was worth a lengthy exposition of praise. From the Gorgeously Diaphanous Tsavorite Green Chiffon plunge draped neck gown with it's modest embellishment of lace in the bodice, to the quietly dazzling short Black dress with it's Chiffon capelet top accented with Gold Lace. 

The best looks though, were the ones that were the most Opulent, if not exactly in ornamentation, but in design and scale. A rustling Red Taffeta ballgown was one of those examples, with it's Lace looking embroidered bodice and bustled skirt. Or, take for example, the Schiaparelli Shocking Pink gown with it's beaded Lace overlay at the top that was TO DIE for! The Fairy Tale Masterpiece of a confection in Strapless Hot Pink Organza with Gold Lace applique embroidery at the bodice was also a Princess-y Dream come to life and was one of those gowns that captures the attention of everyone. 

Acra displayed a deft and agile hand at knowing when to restrain herself and when to let herself loose. That play of Tension and Release, Extravagance and Austerity, Quiet and Bold, made for a simply Gorgeous collection, one that if a woman is looking for something to Blow people away when she steps out at night, she'll have the most numerous and best options available for the task! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Thursday, October 6, 2016

MSGM Resort 2016.

Mon. 06/15/2015.






All-in-all, there was nothing truly objectionable about Massimo Giorgetti's Resort 2016 collection for his label MSGM, It was too expansive and diffuse, and what the Fudge was with all those flapping folds of fabric and slouched off-shoulder "Sleeves" that essentially looked like errant bands of fabric affixed to already complete pieces? Befuddling. And Irritating. Save those Colossal lapses in judgment (the color palette was also distractingly, OFF, to boot) there were pieces to be had that could enhance the pieces that a woman might already own.

A Carrot Orange Suede Bathrobe coat (also it's exact Dopplegängers in Spice and Smoke Blue) was very nice, a Suede shift with Matisse like insets had flair also. An ensemble in Ultramarine Blue, White and Crayola Sea Green consisting of a Tunic over wide pants with a thick running stripe down the side had some punch to it and was very easy to make work for all. There were a few other moments that didn't cause severe head scratching, but they were few and far between in this overlong opus. Giorgetti would do himself a world of good, next outing, to Edit more sharply and leave the tricks for kids! 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Giambattista Valli Resort 2016.

Fri. 06/12/2015.






From the delicately naïf Black embroidery on the White shift dress that was the first look of Giambattista Valli's Resort 2016 collection, we knew we were in comfortably familiar territory. As the looks progressed, all of the usual Valli tropes were alighted upon and visited. From minute floral prints to Swingin' 60's Mod hemlines and dress shapes, to all things ruffled, Valli delivered all the things that keep his loyal and slightly eccentric customers happy and coming back for each iteration. 

Nearly a decade into his own label though, the tiresome feeling of ennui has begun to set in, not so much on Valli's part, he seems to love what he does as much as when he first started, but on the part of the viewer. His clients might like being stuck in the perpetual loop that Valli's clothes and aesthetic seem to be stuck in, but not all of us are drinking the Kool-Aid. This Resort collection is glaring proof that as lovely as what Valli produces from season to season, the daring and risk have left his work and things have grown fallow and stagnant.

The clothes... For what they are, ARE certainly lovely, perhaps here a bit too Lolita-ish, but convincingly lovey nonetheless. The only problem that arises is... We've seen all this, the flared tunics over pants, the Girly Virgin/Whore dress with the Crotch grazing hems, the wallpaper prints that look like they were ripped from the walls of "Peyton Place" or "Bewitched" the literal, EVERYTHING, we have digested and processed many times over by now, I, for one, don't have it in me to look past the redundancy of it all and keep a unbiased eye cast over the whole mess. Valli is in desperate help of getting his needle firmly unstuck from the groove... or maybe a little more vulgarly, Get his Head out of his ass and look around for some fresh ideas!





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Opening Ceremony Resort 2016.

Fri. 06/12/2015.






A rather convoluted and particularly esoteric narrative about a 70's Housewife who raises Show Dogs was neither helpful or exactly a hindrance to the Resort 2016 collection displayed by Humberto Leon and Carol Lim for their label Opening Ceremony. It was in fact, rather an unnecessary distraction and would have been best to keep under wraps and for the viewer and buyer, to dismiss in it's entirety. And now, in doing such, On to the Clothes.

Lim and Leon provided a Fine bevy of interesting and well-designed pieces with a modernistic approach that recalled Courrèges and Cardin, just not as space age-y. From the Black Shearling and Leather jacket that was the first look in the collection to the Futurist Black Zip jacket and Apple Green skirt Combo that was probably the strongest look in the entire lineup. A Black Tunic with wavy ruffles down the sides of the sleeves also bears mention. 

Lim and Leon created a Forward thinking and easily wearable collection, that despite it's rather florid backstory, succeeded on it's own merits as just pure fashion. Who needs a story when it comes to looking good? 





That's All.





Bye4Now!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Sportmax Resort 2016.

Fri. 06/12/2015.






In the recent history of the label Sportmax, it has definitively shown that the label (under it's Anonymous creative team) has moved away from the shadow, and style, of it's big sister label, Max Mara. This has been most evident by the fact that the look of the Sportmax clothes are in little, to no way, beholden to the tenets of it's sibling label. That can prove to be a bit tricky sometimes, establishing an identity of one's own when there is an already well-defined identity and DNA present at your companion house. Yet, the Sportmax Team seems capable and fully ready to do exactly that.

Their brief and nautical inflected Resort 2016 collection had sufficient quirk to keep it different and interesting, (i.e. Mismatched Pockets) but had enough classically easy looks to make sure the clothes still will appeal and sale. With a palette of almost exclusively Navy, Black and White, these pieces are destined to work for all areas of a woman's life, and injected into the mix, was a muted Brick Red, shown only in Suede on a couple outfits, to add a little pizzazz to your life. Nothing was overly tricky or outré, but it was just enough a bubble off plumb to distinguish itself away from Max Mara in the best way possible.





That's All.





Bye4Now!