Friday, May 30, 2014

Hermes.

Tues. 10/02/2013.










Jungle Love. (Oh we oh we oh!) Sorry for the Morris Day and the Time Reference there, but It couldn't be helped! Christophe Lemaire took Hermes into the Dark of the Jungle for Spring 2014. In Typically adroit fashion, Lemaire crafted a collection of relaxed Ultra Luxury with an Exotica spin this season, Finding inspiration in the works of Artist Henri Rousseau and his Darkly Romantic and Mysterious works that used the Jungle as narrative backdrop. It was a winsome choice and one that richly paid dividends for the Hermes Customer. 

There was such Louche easiness in the collection that all the Luxe could be missed if one wasn't paying attention, although those Croc Leather Culottes and Skirts were hard to miss by a Country Mile. The Opening oversized Floral print Head-to-Toe ensemble was Kicky and Moody and yet not the least bit overwhelming. While a Black silky zip-front Anorak Jacket with a pair of Black Crocodile Culottes was the picture of Understated Excess at Exit No. 7! A supple Teal Shift dress in Suede at Exit No. 16 had instantaneous Desire written all over it. 

There were some divinely calculated pieces in the simplest seeming cuts in the most delicious fabrics that took sportif to a heretofore unimaginable level... there was something Safari as well as Explorer to the clothes which gave a feeling of Adventure, Mystery, Discovery, One could imagine the Decadence of Indochina pre-war, or Traipsing through the Congo searching out the native peoples... It was all just perfection captured in a droll and quietly sophisticated way that never loss the sense of spontaneous ease! 

Leave it then, to Lemaire, Who closes out the entire fashion Extravaganza every year to end his show and in essence, the season,  with the most Prominent Idea of the entire Spring 2014 season, A Ravishing take on the All-White trend so dominant this season as to be Smothering.  Here it was as Airy and Unfettered as any take on it through the entire gamut of Spring 2014. And it also proved that Lemaire has got the formula down at Hermes and is just beginning to Flower into the full Bloom of his Talent, As those showy Rousseau Prints he used so fearlessly would Suggest! 











That's All.










Bye4Now!







Thursday, May 29, 2014

Miu Miu.

Tues. 10/02/2013.










Miu Miu.

Miuccia Prada's secondary (Not Diffusion) Label Miu Miu is like the less mercurial yet still Quirky and Eccentric Twin Sister of her Eponymous Label shown in Milan. That she shows in Paris just signifies that the Miu Miu woman is less inclined to drastic statements and more obeisant to quiet quirk. Less Balls-To-The-Walls Extrovertism and more Slyly Iconiclastic. Whatever the case may be labels are certainly not mirror images of one another.

For Spring 2014, Miuccia strolled down some of her favorite familiar territory, the Swinging Mod 60's of London. There was colour blocking in the opening outfits that felt fresh and vibrant due to the combinations of those Colours. The topcoats that began the collection were all the same but what was underneath gave them variety, in shades of Smoke Blue and Pink, or Butter Yellow and Cadet Blue, Brick Red and White, etc... They morphed into abbreviated suits in the middle and then back again into coats. Fearless colour was a hallmark of this collection and as such, was the thing that stood out the most.

In any Miu Miu collection there is some deeply intellectual play the Mythos of Femininity and Fashion, Here, it felt a little confused and downright stale to be honest! The Modish coats and the repetitious variants thereof, even in their Beauty, grew boring and uninspired. That Perverse Frisson usually Coursing so close to the surface of Prada's fashion treatises seemed here to be sublimated into something silly. The Confluence of her attack on "What is Classic? What makes something Classic?" fell a little flat. Miu Miu because of it's more cerebral bent sometimes comes off without any of the Joyous Disregard for taste or convention, And convention seemed to overwhelm this show with a patina of the ordinary!

Even when there were lavish Embroideries on coats and jackets in Arte Nouveau-Meets-Naive Flourishes, those pieces only worked to highlight the lesser moments in greater relief. Perhaps in her own perverse way, this is what Prada wanted to achieve, Though her conviction felt too wan.

There were treasures to be found here, and for some eye-catching coats, you won't really do better this season, but for pulse-racing creativity... Look on. The glaring fact is that this collection felt like a well worn path that Prada has trod on before, and to be matter-of-fact, perhaps trodden better!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Louis Vuitton.

Weds. 10/02/2013.











So, Spring 2014 was to be Marc Jacobs' Swan Song for Louis Vuitton? More Like Black Swan Song if one took into account the Ravishing Finale to Jacobs' 16 year tenure at LV! It was Bittersweet and Nostalgic but not in a wistful way, No, Marc is far too perversely Minded to do anything so emotionally blackmailing as a tearful fare thee well! His Nostalgia was at once looking back but only to guide him in looking ahead! The collection he presented was so Piquantly Vibrant (Even with all the Black) as to be Celebratory, Not Mournful! Also, Leave it to Jacobs Subversive Proclivities to make even the Celebratory something Tim Burton-Esque, tinged with Dark romance and Burlesque worthy showmanship! 

The Set was one of Unabashed Spectacle, pieced together, like some Virtuoso Pastiche of the showpieces of Bygone shows, The Carousel and Fountain were front and center as well as the Elevators and Escalators and the Hotel rooms of just the past season. But perhaps the most telling piece was the Giant clock from one of the most Memorable of Jacobs' Fantastical Set Pieces, The Clock that Announced his "Vuitton Express" Collection with the custom built train car (A Play one must actually acquiesce to Galliano and his FANTASMAGORIA Dior Haute Couture show entitled "Diorient Express") The clock which Struck SUPER Promptly at 10:00 am (Paris time) and the show started on the stroke of 10, begin to unwind, counting time backwards and was another poke at his legacy at Vuitton. Counting Back all his past glories and smushing them all together into one cacophonic orgy of ideas. 

If Marc didn't get the point across that this was a semi-self indulgent moment of Flashback with the set, he obviously was throwing subtle out the Goddamn Window with his opening outfit, Edie Campbell, Barefoot, striding across figurative MILES of Black Mongolian Lamb carpeting as thick and plush as Wedding Cake icing,  covered top to bottom with the now Infamous/Famous Stephen Sprouse collaboration Louis lettering scrawled over her naked flesh and highlighted with bits of sequins, wearing nothing more than a Bespangled G-String and a Towering Stephen Jones Ostrich Feather Showgirl Headpiece. Oh, Yeah... Handcuffs Too! 

How to explain all the Bedazzling Outfits and LAVISH Opulence being thrown around is daunting. There was a Fun play on Denim, mainly in the sense that it was worn over scandalously sheer evening dresses encrusted with Jet Beading and Embroidery and Lace and Ruffles or the Faintly Edwardian touch to many of the floor length gowns that assailed the runway (Again, another Sly Self-Referential Trope owing that his own Eponymous collection was Highly Edwardian influenced this season!) The Gothic Richness of this collection was given relief by the Denim and a 20's Flapper style (Edwardian, Flapper, Gothic... Jacobs' ran the entire gamut) and the modern attitude of Biker Jackets and Patchwork jeans as well as Utilitarian Jackets richly encrusted with Jet and Lace and Feathers... Marc seemed as if his antennae was attuned to everything and anything including the work of Christian Lacroix (another Self Reference owing that there was a Definite Lacroix Vibe to his own namesake collection) 

In the end, it was hard to feel sad about this excursion into the Past, for it felt totally of the future. Jacobs could hardly be faulted for wanting to focus on his own label and after 16 blockbuster years at Vuitton, His Mark (Pun, Anyone?) will surely be of the Indelible type. He catapulted Louis Vuitton from a Stodgy, yet profitable Billion dollar name into the Covetous MULTI Billion dollar company it is now that for recognition in the world may only have as it's rival Chanel. 

Before I End, That Chanel Business is something I feel must be addressed. Jacobs in his last few years at Vuitton has shown that in terms of thinking BIG and controlling the Image of the house that he is in fact the ONLY man in fashion that could be considered taking over Chanel if ever the Kaiser Karl decides to retire (Not Bloody Likely) or WHEN Karl decided to Pass on, for he surely isn't going to shuffle off this Mortal Coil til he's good and damned ready! But, Yes, Jacobs has shown, NUMEROUS times that he has the Facility and Understanding of Extreme Elaborateness and The Hand at Cut and Fit to Do both Couture and Deluxe RTW and also with his Show Set Pieces that he could Out-Think and Rival The Great Karl for Spectacle and Sheer Gasp Inducing Drama! He could Be The Future of Chanel... and despite what he might say in the way of that he doesn't know what goes on in other fashion houses, DON'T BE FOOLED FOR ONE IOTA that Uncle Karl isn't aware of this same fact. Karl Sees and Knows ALL, And as Self-Aware as he is, Even HE Couldn't flatly argue that Jacobs wouldn't fill the position handily! 

No one truly believed that when he was hired to fill the role of Designer at Louis Vuitton that Marc Jacobs, 16 years hence, would be the World Revered Luminary that he has become. It was an Impossible dream, One that only true Dreamers like Jacobs' Himself can bring to fruition. It's been a Wild and Beautiful Ride. What ever the next step is at Vuitton, What Jacobs' managed to do can never be overshadowed or underestimated. His Legacy will last a Lifetime. 

In the Immortal words of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, "So Long, Farewell..." 

And Most Importantly,

Thank You, Marc Jacobs! 











That's All.











Bye4Now!

  

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Alexander McQueen.

Tues. 10/01/2013.











Catching the Zeitgeist of a Season is inevitable. Many moods get flung about with abandon season to season, some stick like flypaper to everyone showing a collection during the madness, (All White. Sportif. both have been touchstones this season) One such occurrence for Spring 2014 is a Warrioress/Tribal Insurgence amongst the many other voices clamouring for attention. At Alexander McQueen, If not Whole Hog Tribal, The Warrior Woman Vein was being tapped for all it's worth! 

Opening the show with a recontextualization of Russian Consturctivism blended with a Tribal Flair in the Stark yet Bold Colour combinations of Red, White and Black that Sarah Burton chose to open the show with, Combine that with the Folkloric/Tribal Patterns, The Warrioress Helmets, Those SHOES! This was no shrinking Hothouse Flower being channeled This day! Burton also proved that she is also as much a fan of the Fetishistic side of sex that Lee was with her Harnesses and Belts and Buckles. For some reason, even with their sexual connotations, those elements came off as Accoutrement of the Fight, worn with a Victors Pride and Glory!

The Feathery Structured Plisse Pleats in the skirt of Exit No. 7 were a thing of technical Magnificence and paired with the short zippered jacket the outfit was Masterful! The following pieces in a Black and White Tile Print were also Especially appreciable, A coat at Exit No. 9 on Fei Fei Sun and A Two-Piece outfit at Exit No. 11 on Cindy Bruna were Standouts for all the right reasons!

There was such a sense of Burton Letting go of the Nostalgia of Lee and moving into something more Prescient and Self Descriptive, as if she has finally realized that she needn't bask in the light of her mentor and friend's Glory and move out of his ENORMOUS Shadow and create her own light. That was no more apparent than in the Soigne use of Feathers in the final stages of the show. Yes, Alexander used Feathers before and used the Fiercely, But there was something Savagely Elegant and Devoid of Poetry in Burton's hands, something More Visceral. They had no attachment to Romance or Fantasy, As in Lee's Hands, Here they had the Primal Feel of The Hunt!

In the end, Burton has established a Vocabulary using the dialect that was left to her by Lee Alex, But she has become ever more confident, season upon season, to adapt the dialect to her own specific Patois and the resulting Language has given us new ways of describing the McQueen Legacy and propel it towards the Future. What Alexander would have done had he stayed around to continue to Improvise on his own history, One can never know, It remains a mystery. One thing that is not a Mystery, however, is that Burton is certainly capable of pulling a Lagerfeld and with time, etching her signature over Lee's and Recalibrating the house codes to her wavelength and if not erasing what was essential McQueen, but Defining what McQueen Is, Will Be and CAN Be in the future.










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Valentino.

Tues. 10/01/2013.











In the Echelons of the Fashion World, There are few houses, if ANY, that are as extraordinarily unsurpassed in their Technique and Craftsmanship than the hands that are put to task at the behest and whim of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli at the House of Valentino. That extremeness of Technique and Minute detail that is sometimes overwhelmingly indulged by Piccioli and Chiuri sometimes weighs down their clothes with so much mesmerizing detail that the clothes do not necessarily suffer under their own weight of Extraordinariness, but they can become so "IMPORTANT" that the effect is almost Vertiginous. 

That was the case for Spring 2014 where the relief of the less embellished pieces served to truly uncoil the tension that the more elaborate pieces can wind up with their Gasp-Inducing Facility and Brilliance. Are the Elaborate pieces Drop Dead Astounding...? Yes! Of Course, They Are! But that fact alone can wear into tedium if not tempered with prudence. The balancing act that the Valentino Design Duo must navigate each season becomes more and more laden with pitfalls and this season, as Luscious as some of their offerings were and as Skull Numbingly Majestic and Beautiful they may have been, they erred into the overdone. Somewhat. This still qualifies as one of the most Exquisite treatises of Fashion this season and may be one of the best of the whole Spring 2014 Cycle. 

Showing one of the newest trends to emerge in the fashion Industry, The skewing towards larger edits of Exits, here Chez Valentino, Chiuri and Piccioli showed 72 Looks, and in this case... the edit could have been trimmed a hair. There was a Surprisingly Sensual play of Severity that balanced Sublimated Sex with an almost Penitent Reserve. Those long Black dresses that opened the show were so Strict and Dour that save their lavish Embellishment They could have been seen as monastic! But these flew in the face of the opening Exit, On the Darling Malaika Firth, A Mantle style Embroidered coat over a short matching dress was Richesse, but Kicky! 

Talking about those embroideries... this season the Valentino Signature embellishments skewed in their style and colouration equally as Mexican, Arabic, Moorish, Egyptian or even Gaelic! Zodiacal signs and Armor connotations were richly abound as were Naive motifs that were Vaguely Scandinavian and Folkloric but could have been easily seen as Native American. It was a Mish-Mash on the most Ornate and Glorious Order. Starting out with such extreme decoration one would have thought Chiuri and Piccioli had shot their wad in the first 15 or so Exits... Well Allay those fears Instantly because the Variety and Multiplicity of their application of their craft was of a magnitude that words are clearly insufficient to convey! 

A Simple Suede Shift at Exit No. 16 breathed much needed air into the collection and could work in any corner of the globe. A Butcher's Paper coloured Top and SUPER Wide Pants with a deep ruffle hem at Exit No. 25 was edgy for it's unexpectedness, while a Full-Length coat in a Blue and Natural Leopard print was paired with a Baby Blue tie-neck blouse and Wine coloured Short Shorts was Incredibly Fetching! 

A Pair of Full-Length lace gowns in Peanut and Moss Green At Exit No. 45 and Exit No. 47 (The Best one, on The ethereal Grace Mahary!) were Generously Bestowed with Moorish influenced embroidery and were Singularly MASTERFUL! It was here that the collection began to lose some steam, a few passages here could have been left for the Showroom and the Section of Lace gowns in patchings of Black, Nude, Grape, and Mallard Green Lace were very unexciting, Yet the last two gowns were Exceptional Winners! 

Valentino is a Go-To house for the absolute most rarefied of Haute Ready-To-Wear, Executed with Couture Technique that makes the Pret-A-Porter of the house at times indistinguishable from their Haute Couture, Maria Grazia and Pier Paolo struck a fine balance this season between what they have become known for and moving their label forward by treading new territory. This excursion, Spring 2014, was a sure reflection of their core principles of Taste and Style, but felt More Exploratory, More Bohemian and Random, And that gave so much of a Frisson that one felt as if they were sitting up straighter watching this, as if a new wind had blown through the Atelier. If that is the case, Leave all the Doors and Windows Open!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Chanel.

Tues. 10/01/2013.











Spring 2014. The Year That Chanel Conquered Art! One could View Karl Lagerfeld's Prolific collection as a Conquering of Art and Fashion. Lagerfeld's prodigious output is Legion, Photographer. Director, Artist, Wise-Cracking Philospher! It is this boundless talent that can be harnessed, Focused, Laser Beam like, in any Direction he so chooses and then when chosen, he excels beyond all measures. One simply must look at the Show Space for the Chanel Spring 2014 collection to realize this. Karl had been dabbling for the last year with a full scale take over of the Art scene with his Grandiose Photo Exhibition "The Little Black Jacket" which was as much a Promotional piece for the House of Coco as it was a Photographic Art Installation! 

Looking at the Massive Space of the Grand Palais transmogrified into something Awing, Astounding, Perhaps even, A trifle Frightening. The set showcasing... CLOTHES, almost outshined exactly what it was supposed to elevate! The Collaborator (The Art) Became as important and to some degree, MORE Important than the clothes. Lagerfeld Provocatively jabbed the Agog onlookers after the show by having Red Dots attached to some of the pieces as if in a Gallery signifying that some pieces had been sold and then Impishly announcing that none of it was for sale. AT ANY PRICE! (Rumour had it that some people were offering 6 digits and upwards for the pieces, which Lagerfeld Diabolically shut down by telling anyone in earshot that the pieces were not for sale!)

The small detail that has been left out so far in this examination is that Karl, HIMSELF, Created all... Ahem... ALL, 75 Pieces of art in the Show. He Sketched, Modelled, Detailed and such all the pieces on Paper or in Miniature and then had the pieces executed, Jeff Koons Style, But all of it was a product of Lagerfeld's Febrile and Agile Mind! Astonishing when one realizes that he also concepted 89 Exits of clothes also! The Mind boggles at how Lagerfeld kept it all together to produce a Stage Set and Clothing Collection that in Breadth and Magnitude were equals in Amazement! 

What about those clothes... Well, as if he ever could, Lagerfeld certainly did not disappoint on that level either in one of his most Limber exercises of Creation for the House of Chanel, His Sartorial Gymnastics were as spot on as ever! There was So, SO Very Much to Gape at in Awe, Amusement, Bemusement and sometimes just good Old-Fashioned Joy! Much of the collection benefited from Lagerfeld's flawless hand in Couture, Numerous pieces were executed with such slavish attention to detail that to even a trained eye, they could pass for Haute Couture Pieces. Now, Lagerfeld would be the first to argue against that point, but he'd simply be being modest. 

The Problem here lies in the fact that there is simply WAY too Much to properly contextualize in a few cursory words. The Depth of the Creation here extends from the Shoes up to the Make-Up and Hair and All in between! Yes, there are standout pieces and some pieces that were simply Breath-Catching, But to properly analyze the collection could take Days, and Reams of Type!

Firstly, Lagerfeld had a feeling for the Tweed Dress to open the collection. With Drop Hip and slim lines the Tweed Day dresses were as easy to wear as they were Chic! This opening Section essentially stood in place of the Tweed Suits that are the house Stock-In-Trade, even though there were a few Tweed Suits Proper, these were Effective Replacements. After this preamble, keeping up with all the ideas being spun out with the intricacy of a spider's web was a dizzying and giddy affair. From Jackets that consisted of Necklines and sleeves but no fronts, to chunky oversized knits that were as weightless as they were colourful!

Fraying Fringed Gauze Tweeds, Embroidered Tweeds, Camellia Jacquard Tweeds, It went on and on and on from one Magnificent extreme to the next! This is one of those cases that trying to pick out individual outfits to highlight would leave one weary and bleary-eyed from all the outfits that could be mentioned. One could go into detail about each and every exit with aplomb and still be ready to comment on more!

The most Decisive moment of Art-Meets-Fashion was one of the final passages that fooled all whom looked at them with deceptive naivety and simplicity, the Pantone Colour Paint Card prints that dominated the latter third of the show. Deceptive for the reason that they were curiously Gay and Carefree and Exuberant, but upon inspection one realized that there were DOZENS of Colours printed on these fabrics and the process of printing that many colours on one skein of fabric, Daunting to say the utter least, HORRENDOUSLY Difficult and Expensive to be most apt! This section reached it's apotheosis on Lindsay Wixson wearing a ballooning dress with bat-wing like cape attached to the dress... Fully Stunning!

In the World of Chanel, one cannot forget to mention the accessories. Giant Pearl "Earphone" Necklaces, Huge Pearl Bracelets, Spectator "Chanel" Pumps with Socks attached, Graffiti covered Backpacks... It was a Fantasmagoria of Delights! Karl kept not only the Pulse of the house racing with such Extreme Acrobatics of Design and Concept and Execution that the audiences Pulse was keeping up the beat with Excitement and Anticipation of what new trick the Kaiser would send sashaying down the runway, and never once being let down by any confection being shown. Moreover, all these confections were firmly rooted in the contemporary, the Now. all could be worn with ease and not look costumey or uniform. That's Lagerfeld's Genius, His Mastery, His GIFT. He Shows even as he has been doing this longer than many designers have been ALIVE and at that is as much salient at Chanel as at large (owing that he is going into his 32nd year at Chanel!) that he is completely in touch with the Modern woman and how she wants to dress but also that she doesn't want Anodyne or boring clothes.

In the Annals of Chanel History, this is one of those shows that will be referenced for Many, Many years from now and those who were there can only recount to the jealousy of those of us who were not, what a Diabolical moment of Fashion Magic this collection was to be a part of. It's going to be hard for Lagerfeld to top this collection for Content and Presentation. Hard, But because it IS Karl Lagerfeld... Not Impossible.










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Saint Laurent.

Mon. 029/30/2013.











You gotta give it to Hedi Slimane. If there was anyone capable of pushing the Venerable House of YSL (Now just Saint Laurent) into the future by reprocessing the glories of the past, it is He! And he seems born to it like a Duck to Water. Is it ceaselessly Young, Yes. Is it Overtly Sexy, Yes. But in his Heyday those were all negatives hurled at Yves himself, So, it would seem, Slimane is travelling in the well worn steps of the master. 

Quintessential YSL was very much the Flavour of the day, what with bared nipples peeking out from Sheer see-through blouses and "Le Smoking" looks abound, even touches of "Saharienne: crept up in places. Slimane was showing he was adept in the Language of the house and that this season to be sure, He was "All About Yves!"
 
There was MUCH going on, a Mash-up of Yves' Rive Gauche Lady and Slimane's East Coast Party Rockin' Girl met in a mutual dialogue that found perhaps it's best Expression at Exit No. 17. A Point D'Esprit sheer Black Blouse with a Sky High Sequined Mini. That was the Synthesis of Yves/Hedi to it's Core! And it was shockingly good, to boot!
 
Anyone who knows the Lexicon of YSL could go on a Prolix Diatribe about this collection, Comparing and Contrasting Outfit upon Outfit, but it would serve little purpose. Those of us who KNOW YSL know that Slimane is steering the ship in the right direction, those newcomers and those too young to know or care, It would be a waste of good words trying to inform them of what is Transpiring here. If they want to learn, there is ample Data out there for them to pore over and investigate. All I shall say is this, 

Slimane has grasped tight to the history of this house and instead of Ignoring it or slavishly recreating it, he is Distilling his own personality into the DNA of the house and transmutating it into something Perfectly right for now! It's a Herculean Feat, To be sure, but Slimane is proving himself Absolutely Adroit and Suited  to the task! 










That's All.










Bye4Now!











Emanuel Ungaro.

Mon. 09/30/2013.











Ah... The beleaguered house of Ungaro. Poor Thing. She hasn't been the same since now stars of the fashion Universe Giambattista Valli and Peter Dundas (Of Pucci, Now) were there. But realistically... The house has suffered indignity after indignity for many years now, and that really started because of Ferragamo's Ousting of the man who bears the same name as the house. Ungaro was a designer of whom Fashion Wonderment flowed out of his fingers into fabric and cut and pleat and fold. He was a Singular Designer and a Deep, Impassioned, Tormented Romantic who loved all things WOMAN from the core of his soul. That same passion has been missing at this house and lo, has it suffered for it.

That is though, living in the past, although now with the fashion firmament as it, Ungaro would be an Ideal choice to come back and revive his own house and perhaps even relaunch his One-Of-A-Kind Couture... Alas, I digress. Back to the NOW. Fausto Puglisi is a young Upstart of a Designer with a Rock and Roll sensibility and likes to dress Young, Sexy, Wild things, Maybe this is the new identity the house of Ungaro needs to not seem like the Fusty old Couture house of yesteryear, But if this Spring 2014 collection is the route that Puglisi is going to take, The house may still be in very dangerous waters!

The collection... Let's be wholly honest here... Looked Tacky and Cheap! There was no sophistication here and no sense of fun! It felt belaboured and smothered by it's own weight of indifference, As if Puglisi really had not thought about how these clothes would look and just threw things together Willy-Nilly. Those scrolls of Pin Pleats that decorated arms and hems and sides of garments were more than distracting and not altogether attractive. The add Stripes, Dots, Sheer, Military Patch Pockets, Tiers of pleats and MORE and it still added up to insubstantial! More dreadful, It was Heavy Handed. Subtlety was thrown clear out the window and left a far distant memory. 

A simple White Tee with a Black neckline worn with a Teensy Pencil skirt lavished with Embroidery at Exit No. 9 was a Winner for the fact alone that it was Chic and not Gaudily overdone. Exit No. 18 was also giving Stylish Cool in a Gold mesh top with Giant Black Leather patch pockets worn with a Black and Gold Leather striped skirt punctuated with punctures! 

Aside from a couple other pieces that did not scream trashy in a Kardashian kind of way, Puglisi's effort was a failure. The only upside is that it is going to generate enough buzz and attention to keep him at the helm for another season and hopefully in his sophomore effort he can work out the kinks and produce something more worthy of his actual Major Talent. But, if it's another Horrorshow like this, Send in the next man! 











That's All.











Bye4Now!

Giambattista Valli.

Mon. 09/30/2013.










Giambattista Valli.

Provocative. That was the word that immediately sprang to the fore after seeing Giambattista Valli's Spring 2014 collection. In still images, the collection looks dreadful to say the least. But in motion, It's a Vision Walking. Valli's Sculptural folds and whorls look stiff and awkward in flat static pictures, but when witnessed moving, They provide an artistic drama and frisson that is Breath-Catching!

There was also a play with sheer and undergarment dressing that lent a blatant sexual edge to the clothes, an edge that Valli was in no way shy in portraying. from Bra and Panty sets underneath dresses split to the waist in front to those same sets being seen through fully sheer dresses, tops and skirts, the edge of subverse sexual titillation was palpable. Valli's undercurrent of Sexual Provocation was coupled with brilliantly deft technique. Even the most simple of outfits was rendered with Valli's Couture assured hand.

The juxtapositions of the delicate yet stiff furls curls in the outfits finessed out of rich fabrications was ingenious. Taking heavy fabrics manipulating them into feather light masterpieces of construction is just a bit of fashion alchemy! Valli also had a fearless sense of boldness that was tempered with a sensual sparseness and sleekness that gave magnificent counterpoint to the more elaborate pieces.

Take Exit No. 9. A Black Dress slit off-center up the front with boy briefs underneath and cap sleeves. Strict and Pure save for all the thigh revealing, but still Sober nonetheless even with it's marked sexual allusion. The Exit that followed, A Smoky Gazar tunic Dress slit all the way to the there and back, looked positively demure, but still sensual! Later, to add more delicacy Pretty flowers began to embroider the looks and give a fanciful almost Naive gesture to some of the looks, best embodied by Exit No. 31, A slim line sheath in a Mauve floral print accented with the aforementioned flowers.

Valli took much of a risk this season, operating way outside his norm, and it was a success from beginning to end. It was a collection that showed it's designer expressing his Ideology of fashion in New and Exciting ways. Valli Pushed himself past his own comfort level and demanded of himself excellence beyond his usual safety zone. More designers should strive so confidently to redefine what their own identity is and ultimately, Can Be.










That's All.










Bye4Now!














Saturday, May 10, 2014

Stella McCartney.

Mon. 09/30/2013.











"An Accent on Understated Seduction" was the lines that punctuated Stella McCartney's program notes for Spring 2014... YAWN! What that Idee Fixe produced was a Boring and sadly, Homely Collection at the Maison Stella Built. It had none of the usual Wit and Sparkle, The Sly knowing Wink that you can feel in McCartney's Clothes was entirely absent here. It felt Flat. As if Stella was Treading water and Grasping for a lifeline and just managed to grab ahold of a flotation device and keep from drowning.

What was with the preoccupation with those Unflattering Bubble Skirts with the Organza Drop hems? Huh? they couldn't even manage to look good on THE MODELS. How are the real women of the world going to hope for anything in the way of Magical? There were Good moments... The New take on the Track suit in Rust and Cafe Au Lait, and Ink Blue had that Edge that McCartney is known for and looked Chic as hell to boot. A simple Pencil skirt in a shiny Black/White vintage-y floral print worn beneath a classic Cap sleeve top was giving good retro, but looked totally today! 

The lacy numbers that ended the show were neither Seductive or Understated, they WERE Awkward and Silly. By far, Not the best showing from Ms. McCartney, this isn't one that's going to go down in the history books as a Greatest Show. But it will have enough to keep the women Stella dresses with consistency, happy until Fall. 










That's All.










Bye4Now!


Elie Saab.

Mon. 09/30/2013.










Elie Saab.

"A Foolish Consistency Is The Hobgoblin Of Little Minds" One would never think that phrase would be appropriate in the context of Fashion. But in many halls of the Haute Monde, That rings truer than really any phrase could hope to. In the case of designers like Elie Saab and his ilk whom focus strictly on Evening Attire, that Quote is more Akin To GOSPEL! No designer can be taken seriously designing confections alone. With a Sigh of relief, Saab Corrected that Foolish Consistency with some pieces in his Spring 2014 collection that while they erred on the highly decorated side of Daywear, there were true Day Wear Pieces to be found!

The collection felt all the more freed and fresher by this injection of Luxe Day clothes. One Small Hiccup though, Saab has the most unfortunate habit of sending his looks down the runway in Bland blocks of the same Colour at EVERY SHOW! Here, it was first Salmon Pink, Then White, Tourmaline Green, White with a Floral Print, Cerise Red and so on down the line... It's Utterly Infuriating because it just saturates the eye with the one colour and there is no surprise or excitement. Just Blah swatches of colour until that section is spent and then the next colour. Saab would do himself a Universe of good if he mixed things up!

As for the fashion, there's completely NO need to go into details about the Evening wear... this was a Bumper crop of some of Saab's best evening pieces in a while and again, it's so rote to go on about his eveningwear abilities that it travels into the redundant! As for the Day Pieces, that's where the real beauty came in. Saab proved he can cut one HELLUVA Pair of pants and the one he showed throughout were Precision cut and Sexily Feminine as well as Figure Flattering/Accentuating!

The opening Blouse and Pant ensemble in Salmon was Perfect and Refreshing. As was the shirt dress that followed, smothered in Floral embroidery, it did double duty as a Opulent day piece and was equally suited to a cocktail party! A Jaw-Dropping Batwing dress in White at Exit No. 16 with it's Gossamer Lace insets Nearly stole the show! The same could be said for the White A-Line dress with the Floral hem at Exit No. 32.

After that, It was pretty much a Mad Dash to the Evening section of the story and in Typical Saab Fashion, most if not all of it was Top-Notch. Expected, Boring even a trifle, But Definitely at the Zenith of the Milleu! One can hope that Saab has firmly grasped the concept that a GREAT collection needs daywear. While he can turn out a Beautiful Collection of Evening clothes with one hand tied behind his back blindfolded and forced to listen to Taylor Swift music Non-Stop, if he can keep producing Attractive and Desirous Day Pieces he will have conquered the final hurdle to make him a Fashion Luminary!










That's All.










Bye4Now!


Givenchy.

Sun. 09/29/2013.











Ricardo Tisci's Spring 2014 was one of those idiosyncratic affairs that bordered equally on the Mesmerizing and Brilliant as it did on the Foolish and Absurd. Which side of the fence this collection had it's feet more firmly planted on is up for debate, but it sure will be some High-Spirited Debate. I, Myself, tend to fall somewhere in the middle. It was impressive for it's Audacity but it was also a bit of a Convoluted Mess. There was too much going on, and too much of a tale trying to be told that didn't in the end amount to much more than just Bluster and Artifice.

Beginning on a Jersey note with some Intermixing of Leather, the opening idea was hurriedly pushed aside in Favour of almost grotesque tailoring mimicking some perverse Japanese Kimono/Samurai Warrioress tailoring that felt Overly Executed and Tricked out with no real purpose to all the trickery other than a "Look At Me" kind of Gaudiness. Then we were firmly back in the land of Jersey, and to be truthful, nothing good came from this. The execution on these pieces were more akin to Experimentations rather than full-fledged clothes to wear in the here and now. Not to say they were the worse offences of the collection, they were in their own way Fetching, But they were belaboured to the point of being exhausting!

Continuing, Tisci had explained that there was a mash-up of Japan and Africa from whence his starting point came. The Africa idea was apparent in the colours, especially of those drapee Jersey pieces, Rich Spice and Desert tones. and the Japanese aspects have already been touched upon... as wildly divergent as these two spires of inspiration may be, when Tisci got the mix JUST RIGHT, it was spontaneous and compelling.

Also very Compelling, a Trio of Sequined pieces in Garnet, Copper and Rust which were perhaps the most stable outfits in the collection and felt the most modern for their lack of exaggeration. By the time the Candy Coloured Sequined Gowns that ended the show came out, Tisci had navigated some choppy and treacherous waters, seeming to find his way only towards the end of his journey.

This is the kind of collection that will have the Fashionistas Drooling and those who follow Tisci's Huge Celebrity fan base all A-"Twitter" about how Cool and Directional and Influential it all is. In the end, It was really another overly thought out exercise in experimental fashion that for the most part, Fell as flat as those Hideous Birkenstocks that the models trod down the runway in.










That's All.










Bye4Now!


Friday, May 9, 2014

Akris.

Sun. 09/29/2013.










Akris.

Pith Helmets? Calling Gunga-Din! It was a Interesting and In Fact, Absolutely Perfect stylistic choice for this collection by Albert Kreimler for Akris Spring 2014. There was a Desert inspiration that was translated literally and figuratively throughout, from the Undulating Sand Dune prints that were more an abstraction that came off MORE Literal for their abstract nature to the Safari-Esque Clothing that Kreimler produced for the collection.

After opening with a languid expression of Desert Glamour, Exit No. 2 was what really got the ball rolling. A sleeveless tunic dress in a palette of Moonlight shades that suggested the Desert dunes at pitch dark midnight when the moon is high and casts it's glow upon the monotone surface and ripples and curves like ocean waves. It was Breathtaking even though it was Magically Simple. A suit of Bold Scorched earth Sahara shades at Exit No.4 was Exquisite and cut with Precision detail!

Kreimler's fabrications are always of the most prodigious ilk. He has in his backyard at his Swiss Atelier the Phenomenal House of Schlaepfer St. Gall right there under his Fingertips. The Famed Fabric and Embroidery house has worked closely with Kreimler for Decades and has brought to fruition much of Kreimler's Fantasies. The Quality of the Colour Saturations and Depth is because of close work with the St. Gallen Fabric house. It Shows in Spades!

Back to the clothes, a Snowy White Caban coat at Exit No. 13 was a Glorious technical achievement with it's sculpted curved petals on one side of the coat and Pure line and cut. Also exhibiting Technical Mastery were the pieces of irregular cut strips of fabric connected with oversized Fagoting, Two such pieces were Pinging High on the Desirable register, A Luxe Casual full-length dress in Cocoa at Exit No. 23 and a Black Suit at Exit No. 33!

It wasn't exactly Kreimler's Strongest affair for the House of Akris, but it was Noteworthy showing with tons of pieces that would be easy to want and wear. It Certainly pushed the House of Akris forward, and sometimes that's not an altogether smooth transition. But the rewards that are reaped are rich and bountiful. This was just such a case, Rough at times yes, but the house will be all the better for it when the intergration of the new and old coheres!










That's All.










Bye4Now!


John Galliano.

Sun. 09/29/2013.











It has been truly a Sad state of affairs that John Galliano has been absent from the Fashion scene for so long. Dior, for one, would be truly Different, better, if Galliano was still at it's helm, the whole fashion landscape would be different. His own house would be different... But that is now for History books and the analysts. In the here and now, Bill Gaytten, Galliano's Right hand for many, Many moons, has been manning the Vessel that is the John Galliano Label for the last few years since John's Deposing.It's funny to note as well that Gaytten was just beginning to hit his stride at Dior when Raf was installed and completely Devastated the House. If things had only been different....

But they are not! So we deal with what is and not what we would like them to be! In that sense, one could so palpably feel a Sea Change coming on here Chez Galliano, That the memory of what was exclusively the Territory of JOHN GALLIANO and now what is the HOUSE Of Galliano with a Designer whom is not the name on the label. Bill Gaytten has finally it seems let go of the deference to the old house codes and feels now, finally, that his old friend and Boss, is not coming back. He's isn't keeping a seat warm, he's the man in charge. Within realizing that, the time is Nigh that Gaytten gets to showing us what BILL GAYTTEN Can do! What Bill Gaytten Likes to design. Finally, the torch has been put out. 

So.... Where does that leave the Label? Solidly on it's own Two Feet, and Looking like a New Animal Indeed. Like any good designer installed at a house that does not bear their own name, Gaytten has a very big playground of inimitable design history to draw from and keep alive in re-imagined form. Incorporating What was the house DNA and Your OWN DNA together and making a working whole out of the Splicing. Gaytten has, it seems, worked out the kinks and is traversing the path towards making the label his own! 

Now, Down to Brass tacks! The Clothes. There was a definite Sport feeling going on Chez Galliano. There was an emphasis on Speed, Efficiency, Modernity and with all the incredible technique in the clothes, there was also something Covertly elaborate and Couture to these clothes. The Couture technique was hidden behind a scrim of Sporty Athleticism, but upon closer inspection, the Hand of a Couturier was firmly grasping the reins. 

The Orange pantsuit that opened the collection was as chic as it was mobile, having a Track Suit swagger with a Board room spirit. The Next Exit with it's Paper flower like cutouts which was a trope seen throughout and worked without being frilly or girly. A dress in Sunny Yellow at Exit No. 10 looked like it was cut out of a fabric Bubble Wrap but had the allure of a Skating Dress for a Grown-Up. One Quick aside, The colour palette here was the true spark that ignited the collection, Mandarin Orange, Sun Yellow, Pale Mint, Pale Sea Blue, And a Technicolour Variety of Pinks and Purples intermixed with Lots of Black and White. They worked together to give Progressive feel to the clothes while still having at times that Delicate Galliano Fragility!

Exit No. 28 was a Standout for it's simplistic look was betrayed by it's Highly technical construction and was an easy winner of the whole show! The Finale gowns were of true Galliano vintage But also had more impact and gravitas than anything John would have created.

When all was said and done, Gaytten broke free from the tethers that perhaps had held him grounded and has begun to soar aloft freely and unfettered by the past of Galliano. The headmaster of the house is not coming back, it's up to Bill now to define what the House of John Galliano looks like NOW, not with a Backward glancing approach but looking forward and blending the Old and the New. He seems to have hit upon the formula. Refining it is all that is needed!










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Chloe.

Sun. 09/29/2013.










Chloe.

Now, This is the way you want to dress for Summer! For Spring 2014 at Chloe, Clare Waight Keller designed a Powerhouse collection that orientated Grunge and Bohemian together into a Soluble Whole! It was Fresh, Youthful, Easy, Spirited and at times, Tough as nails! That is what gave it such gravity even though much of it was Light as Eiderdown! Keller's Propulsive show was befitting the Typical Chloe Girl had she spent last Summer in Soho or the Haight-Ashbury section of San Fran. Now, she has come back home to Gay Paree and has the Typiquement Chloe vision of style now influenced by her Summer Soujourn.

Keller's Jumping-Off points were Desert shades, tight Plisse pleating, dipping and asymmetric hems on sleeves, tops and skirts. Add in Boho fabric ties at the tops of dresses and sleeves and tons of Bermuda shorts and whisk that all together... Magic! With shades of Stone, Sand, Khaki, Olive, Army Green, Putty, Mineral Blue Along with Lichen Green, Black, Navy and Spinach Green the palette was Wide reaching, but it felt Deftly contained and focused! They communicated Desert Oasis chic and with the shapes and cuts, Gave a Hip Nomadic Hippy vibe.

The Opening blouse could easily double as a short summer dress in Cali or Nice! Paired with the pants shown, it was Glass and Steel City ready in any corner of the globe! There were so many standout looks that followed, that cataloging them all would breach the limits of brevity. A few Noteworthy Pieces...

Exit No. 10, An Olive green layered concoction consisting of a High-buttoned asymmetric sleeved blouse and a double layer Hanky hem skirt simply breezed down runway with the greatest of Ease! The Three-Piece ensemble that followed of a Lichen Green cropped jacket worn with Tobacco Bermudas and Army Drab blouse was Ingenious! An Utter MASTERPIECE in a Symphony of White at Exit No. 18 was how you wear layers in the Summer heat! Need I mention how luscious the hugely Oversized Sweater tunic in Mineral blue at Exit No. 20 that was as Airy as Swan's Down and looked as comfortable as an old friend was? I really think not!

In just a matter of minutes, Waight-Keller produced one of the most perfect shows of the season, From Hair and Makeup, to Accessories to definitely the clothes! The show Felt Nonchalant, Free, But transmutable into something High Fashion with the flick of a wrist. That's a Bit of Fashion  Alchemy if you ask me! With Waight-Keller's Clothes for Chloe in your ownership, This Spring/Summer, you can be The Wizard of your own Wardrobe!










That's All.










Bye4Now!



Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Celine.

Sun. 09/29/2013.











In the beginning... I was part of the Pheobe Philo/Celine Fan Club. For a season or two. Then, as with Ghesquiere, She was being made out to be some Messiah of Modern Sportswear while producing some of the most Head Scratchingly Obstuse and Unappealing Fashion! The more extreme she went to make women look Garish the more it was Lauded and Acclaimed. All this while being one of the BIGGEST perpetrators of the White-Only Model Cast. 

I wasn't going to be swayed easily or convincingly to the Philo side unless she had produced something Stupendous and broadened her view of what beauty is. Spring 2014 while not exactly Stupendous was Sufficiently Great enough (In Places, not as a whole) to Re-evaluate. The Collection was wholly Successful with some blips of WTF along the way, but, for the most part, It was rather Sensational! Philo Injected Tribal Elements, Shocking Primary Colour arrangements, Graffiti, Brassai, and a Certain Flavour D'Afrique into the mix and let it all hang together in intriguing ways. 

Punctuating Philo's opening clothes in Vivid Stephen Sprouse like Colour combinations lent something of a Swaggering air to the proceedings, These were Tough Girls. Even if they Wafted, they were still ready to Rock and Roll if the need arose! Layering came through Loud and Clear as a point of interest for Philo and sometimes she piled it on and never lost the immediacy of Speed and Lightness and Ease. It was rather Fascinating to see. 

Dissecting the whole collection would be a fool's errand. Philo masterfully mashed up so much with such an effortless hand that picking it apart would perhaps take weeks! Therein lay the beauty of it all... With SO MUCH going on, That it actually appeared whisked together as if on Fairy Dust and Whispering Winds and that it translated so easily was the mark of Philo's Genius with This collection. One has to compare the collection to Miuccia Prada's Collection this season for they are spiritual twins. This collection truly had that Lightning Quick spark of resonance that is Stock and Trade for Ms. Miuccia. It LOOKED Like a Prada Collection. And that did it a world of good!

Specifics... A Violently hued Yellow coat at Exit No. 7 with Sapphire applications that looked like Embroidery or Fabric Manipulation, either way, it was Perfect. Exit No. 30 was of Especial Interest, A Long Buttonless Black "Jacket" with grommets punched into the bottom that were either in splashy brights or shiny metals and worn over sublime Buff leather pants.

Yes, There was a TON going on here. Not all of it was exceptional, but most was! Philo showed immense talent in presenting such a wild and audacious collection. Not every woman can wear this type or style of clothing confidently, Nor should they try, but for those Warrior Women out there that can, They'll have much to give Thanks for!









That's All.










Bye4Now!



Monday, May 5, 2014

Kenzo.

Sun. 09/29/2013.











The Rebirth of Kenzo has been something of a Modern Success Story in it's second act. Back in it's Heyday, The 70's and 80's and into the very early 90's Kenzo Takada was a major player in the fashion industry known for his Multi-Culti Fun Fashion with a French Flair and an Asian persuasion. He was wildly famous for his Eclectic styles and masterful colour and print usage. But as the Titans of the 90's began to eclipse the Fashion scene (Chanel, Versace, Calvin, Ralph, Gucci...) And after them the Brits (Galliano, McQueen, Westwood...) Kenzo's democratic yet eccentric styles seemed less relevant than before. So Takada continued on with doing what he loved, Keeping his loyalists happy and keeping his business well intact.

When Takada retired in 2000 his house went through a couple designers for a decade until in 2011 Humberto Leon and Carol Lim of Opening Ceremony were installed and brought an Instant Cool Vibe along with them. They seemed to understand the Kenzo Aesthetic from the Get-Go, making the Kenzo Show a Must-See in just One, Yes... ONE Season. Out of the gate they were focused on getting off on the right foot and making Kenzo as much a success as their own Opening Ceremony. Well, Mission Accomplished!

Fast Forward to Spring 2014 an Leon and Lim and in a more relaxed mood, they're not pushing the label so far forward that the rest of the Fashionable are playing Catch-Up. It's still a Ultra Fashion Moment, but less amped up than usual. Being from L.A. the Native Californians injected a West Coast vibe in this collection more so than anything previously seen at the house. The opening exit had a very Beach-y appeal to it and spoke of California Cool with Parisian Flair!

There were Prints that alluded to the Ocean and Melting Fish or the Slogan Tee that came down about 2/3 the way through that said "No Fish, No Nothing" proving that the design duo had some Ecological thoughts at hand whilst designing this collection. But the California state of mind also inserted itself into the design of the clothes, as Leon and Lim described, the High vents in the back of dresses, coats and jackets were meant to let the "Ocean Breeze" in! What a Delightful Idea!

Some Superior clothes were offered up here as well, especially when the Duo decided to be less casual and a little more strict, A Black Leather top and skirt sang of simplicity, yet was chicer for it! At Exit No. 13, A expertly cut pantsuit in Marine Blue was Crisp, Clean and Powerful, especially fresh with the Black Bandeau around it's Bosom! Those striated "Wave" Prints were Particularly strong, most well done when collaged in multiple colors with solid fabric to break it up and scribble like inset seams, The one on Malaika Firth at Exit No. 28 was Keenly Effective!

Humberto Leon and Carol Lim have kept the Desire for all things Kenzo at a roiling boil from Day One and with the Wantable collection they showed for Spring 2014, that desire shows no signs of abating. The Future looks awfully bright for the Kenzo label to be more than it ever was or could have dreamed of being.










That's All.










Bye4Now!

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Viktor & Rolf.

Sat. 09/28/2013.










Not Good, Viktor & Rolf. Spring 2014 was not the best you can do by a Country Mile. Too Little inspiration and Far Too Little execution of the ideas that were present. The whole affair felt, Downmarket. The label seems to be Floundering a bit now. A slump seems to have set in firmly and Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren cannot seem to Recapture that Bold, Quizzical View they once had. There have been some Up's and more often than not, Down's and it is leaving something of an unpleasant taste on one's palate. 

The most Interesting of all the exits here was the opening one, and even that came off a little boring. They touched upon many of the items that have become Leitmotif of the season, Shirtdressing, All White, Sporty/Athletic, all present. Somehow, though, those pieces latching onto the current seasonal Zeitgeist only made the collection feel even more deficient! V&R are better and more intelligent designers than that! One trope they settled upon that felt new, was the way they handled the pleated skirts. New, Yes. Good.... No! ''

The collection had a Vaguely Preppy vibe it was working and with all the Emblems and Prep Blazers around one could View that V&R and their use of Pleating was thematic... but it Didn't come together as such. What it did come off as was forced! And Inspiration-less, as if a they couldn't find an idea and waited 'til the Eleventh Hour to Scurry about and Scrounge up something to show. and that would be what we got! A Slapdash, Rushed collection that had as much life pumping through it as a Jack-O'-Lantern! 

All one can hope for and say is, Better Luck, Next Time, Guys!










That's All.









Bye4Now!


Saturday, May 3, 2014

Haider Ackermann.

Sat. 09/28/2013.










Haider Ackermann.

Spring 2014 was not a collection up to par for a designer like Haider Ackermann whom has had a Meteoric rise in the fashion ranks and with as much praise and acclaim lavished upon him it was distressingly surprising to see this kind of collection emerge from one of the newest Luminaries in the Fashion Universe. More than anything, This collection from Ackermann was unfortunate. It was a Tragic Misstep. There was little in the way of redeeming qualities to this truly Bewilderingly Puzzling collection!

Ackermann's usually Pitch Perfect Colour sense was faulty here but that was just the most minor of the errors that overran this collection. The long skirts hiked up to reveal Bermudas or skinny pants. What should have been effortless and ingeniously fluid was Haphazard and Disheveled and came off as strained and overworked. In Fact, it looked Contrived in the most unsatisfactory of ways.

Ackermann condensed his collection down to the Sound Byte, "A Handsome Woman" and there was quite a Masculine bent to the show (when isn't there a masculine nuance to Ackermann's work though???) and was perhaps more pronounced than usual. That small conceit although was no Saving Grace, even his skilled Tailoring seemed lost amidst the Confusion.

When Ackermann simplified things, it was Poetry. A Simple crossover halter top with a sublime pair of pants at Exit No. 6 in all black was Stunning if not for the fact alone that it looked Exceptionally Chic! As was a dress that in theory should have been as dead awkward as could be, An off shoulder Black dress at Exit No. 20 also had Dramatic Impact. Two exits however cannot save a show as Flawed as this one. Ackermann delivered a Dud of a collection and nothing was capable of saving it. Faulty, as it was, from the inception, Ackermann careened way off the course with this Show. Let's hope he gets his Mojo back for Fall.










That's All.










Bye4Now!