Spring 2009 NY Highlight: Carlos Miele

Once again I give you the Big Apple's favorite Brazilian designer. This collection is said to be inspired from the vegetation of the Floarianopolis lush rain forest. The theme itself is far from being groundbreaking - the only merit being in its Brazilian heritage - but Miele's floaty chiffon gowns with their plunging necklines never cease to seduce. This season's props include splashy tropical patterns, extra-thin layering and stones sourced naturally from Brazil used around the trim of necklines, cuffs and rings.

Venice Film Festival 2008

It’s that time of the year again when international film stars and celebrities flock to venice to celebrate the 7th art. With the premiere of Matt Tyrnauer’s “Valentino: The last Emperor” a legion of the designer’s Hollywood friends came to Serenissima. The Valentino PR team certainly went to town with this one with virtually all the designs on the red carpet coming from the house of Valentino and showcased by Eva Herzigova, Claire Danes, Charlize Theron and Natalie Portman to name a few.
Alberta Ferretti also did a great PR job among rising international celebrities Tilda Swinton, Ksenia Rappoport and Lika Minamoto. Here are a few shots from the city of bridges.

Paul Ka's little black dress

As Paul Ka marks its second decade in the fashion business, founding designer Serge Cajfinger sat with the French Vogue to reminisce about the success of the brand's signature piece: the little black dress. While Paul Ka is hasn't yet conquered North American territories it is already to be reckoned with in Europe and Asia with 350 selling points and 30 boutiques across the world. The look: Audrey Hepburn , Jacky Kennedy for a timeless elegance. The lines: subtle but carefully researched with a twist that the Japanese dubbed "young couture". Here are some looks from Paul Ka's 2008 Summer collection.

Diesel's 80s Playground Sneakers in Yelle's ACDG

MUST buy!

Spanning six months of a designer's life, with true backstage and industry stories, Imogen Edwards-Jones’ novel is the result of a collaboration with various internationally renowned and A-line fashion insiders tagged Anonymous. You will read this book from start to finish and want more. From London to coke to Kate Moss to Top Shop to Tom Ford to New York to Madonna to Gucci to New York, this book gives the answer to all the right questions: Who decides what is in and what is out? Why is it purple this season? Why is this little black dress worth three thousand dollars more than this one? Is the catwalk really that catty? Is everyone high on coke, marijuana and full of champagne? What makes a supermodel super? A designer too hot to touch? Who is making the money? Who owns who? Who hates who? And who's got who in their pocket?
Comparatively, The Devil Wears Prada is soooo last season.

Dsquared sunglasses

Canadian designers Dan and Dean Caten have teamed up with the Marcolin group to launch the first-ever line of Dsquared-branded prescription frames and sunglasses. The group is said to expect a minimum 20 million Euros turnover from the deal. With DSQUARED2 explosive energy and sex appeal the resulting product line will be innovative with a strong attention to detail. The first pairs will not hit the stores until 2009 but be sure to look for them in the duo’s next Spring/Summer men’s collections. Think of how hot the macho models already look, now add sunglasses….gulp.

Swarovski does cosmetics

The world’s most renowned jeweller has signed a deal with Clarins group, though Thierry Mugler perfumes, to launch Swarovski Beauty – a line of cosmetics and beauty accessories. The partnership is expected to get its product line out on shelves in 2010. Diamond-studded eyeliner anyone?

Tokyo Autumn/Winter 2008 Highlight: Monotari One

It was a first participation that swept Tokyo off its feet. In a globalized vision of French flare and British structural rigour, Motonari Ono set the tone for his eponymous label on the opening night of Tokyo Fashion week. Inspired by Japanese video games – notably Final Fantasy – and traditional European clothing, Motonari Ono plays with structure, layering and shape like a young Dior-tamed Japanese Galliano. Combining ruffles, pleats, fringes and patchwork in a demure beige, black and white color palette, every garment is shaped to such precision that you could admire its silhouette alone. The structural skirts constitute with no doubt the element that ties the whole collection together taming Ono’s shapes into a unified Tokyo Glam rock look. Not only are his garments original but they are also wearable – not in the way in which fashion critics usually use that word to lessen a collection, but in its true sense: the Ono woman is a real woman so It she belongs to the fantasy world. As for Motonari Ono himself, his fame is no longer fantasy. The French Vogue already showcased looks from his collection in their Best of Tokyo feature…and if the French like it, so will everybody else.

Spring 2008 Couture Highlight: Christian Dior

John Galliano, inspired by a portrait of Madame X from John Singer Sargent, opened the Spring 2008 Haute Couture season will his Collection for Christian Dior. Vibrant lime greens, magentas, purples, reds and yellows add-on to the already extravagant yet elegant blown volumes, swirls and Klimt-inspired geometrics. It is hard to believe that Galliano designs a dozen collections a year including ready to wear, accessories and eyewear for Dior as well as directing his own eponymous label. We never cease to delve into explorations of Galliano’s manic fantasy world and this collection is no exception. Words alone will not do justice to his genius; neither will these pictures but they will with no doubt make you hold your breath

Winter 2008 Menswear Highlight: Louis Vuitton

Marc Jacobs and his right hand for menswear Paul Helbers delved into an exploration of masculinity through 60’s French robbery movies – notably a 1963 Ocean’s 11 type original (Melodie en sous-sol) set in Cannes starring Alain Delon and Jean Gabin. The outfits were sleek, elegant, slim fitting yet hinting neglect to account for a notion of hurry - ties were hanging undone, layerings was somewhat incongruous, crash helmets still on. Everything from the color palette – lifted from the tones on old bank notes – to the fabrics chosen – silk, fur – were reminiscent of that time period. As for the accessories, the Damier Graphite look is Louis Vuitton’s latest take on its signature print.

Winter 2008 Menswear Highlight: Neil Barrett

Since launching its collection in 1999, Neil Barrett has consistently hit the mark to become one of the strongest menswear lines on the runway. With 20 years of experience in the menswear business – having revolutionized menswear at Gucci and practically invented it at Prada – Neil has not ceased to perfect his aesthetic over the years. The 2008 winter collection revisits the gentleman code. Neil Barrett opens with a slim salopette paired with a tuxedo shirt, a bow tie and a declination of is ever-reinvented signature parka. This look is to set the stage for a succession of looks where white shirts are paired with a tie or bow-tie, slim salopette pants, with a vest, jacket or parka. The color palette: whites, blacks, greys and dark blues. The look: urban warrior, punk-rock gentleman, sober but dark. Add to that capes, mittens and a leather jacket and the Neil Barrett man is the elegant bad boy of the winter catwalk.

Mens 2008 Spring Trends

Suits with shorts
In a nostalgic look-back at prep-school uniforms, designers from a wide variety of “schools” of thought such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Bottega Venetta or Jil Sander, re-introduced the short and suits some of us use to hate in our early years. But who can deny the high class, juggernaut yet almost anti-conservative implication behind them. As long as they’re not preppied-up with more accessories and not too tight you will have the loose irresistible classic style generations of women – and men – have fallen for.

Jil Sander

Bottega Venetta

Salvatore Ferragamo


Bright colors
Bright colors paired together rarely fail to look clownish or costumy, but pair a bright color with an otherwise neutral outfit and you can produce a wide variety of styles that go from neo-classic to punk-rock. Christopher Bailey made crayola-bright coats for Burberry, Frida Giannini sprayed a skittles-worthy green on her classic silhouette, even Fendi went fluorescent yellow. But remember, one bright color and one bright color only boys.

Burberry

Versace

Fendi

Gucci


Neckware
The winter will be over soon but don’t stop covering your neck. Loose the scarf and pick something lighter. Whether it’s colorful or subtle it will have to be beefy and original just as the ones Paul Smith, Dries Van Noten or Dolce & Gabbana draped around their models. Wear them with confidence and you will look less like Mika and more like Kanye West – if that means anything to you.

Paul Smith


Dries van Noten

Dolce & Gabbana


See-through
Who said women have the copyright on layering during the Spring. From Yohiji Yamamoto to Jil Sander in a loose I’m-too-cool look, passing by Fendi in a daring add-on to a classic look, designers have experimented with see-through texture that don’t look like something George Micheal would wear to a club before hitting the mens room. Do you dare?

Fendi

Jil Sander

Yohiji Yamamoto


Gleaming or reflective surfaces
Shiny surfaces are not only for in-your-face Dolce & Gabbana metallic pieces from last season or bike riders with a mustache. Think glitz, glossy and shining and meet Ferragamo, Gucci or even Fendi. The Dolce & Gabbana can be expected to go a little extravagant but when virtually all designers adopt the trend, the invisible hand of fashion buyers and creative directors shouldn’t be far behind, so expect to see the unexpected in stores, and who knows they might even end up in your closet.

Salvatore Ferragamo