TextAisle

2010-02-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

Alexander McQueen is dead after an apparent suicide. He was responsible for my favorite moments in fashion, as this seldom-updated blog can attest. We can't prevent people from doing what they want with themselves, but we can make an effort to tell those around us how happy we are that they are in our lives.

2009-12-07T23:59:00.000-08:00

Swoon

photo courtesy of style.com
Shoes from Alexander McQueen S/S 2010.

I was earnestly trying to get away from all the McQueen gushing on this blog, but seriously he's hit such a stride in the last couple of collections. For this one he partnered with Nick Knight at show studio to simulcast the runway online. Once Lady Gaga twittered that her new single was being debuted at the show, the runway feed crashed, but still.... technology, digital prints, crab claws as feet. mcqueen is moving forward, and it's totally exhilirating. i highly encourage you to digest each and every one of the exits at http://alexandermcqueenlive.showstudio.com/.

2009-10-18T22:38:00.000-07:00

The Look
As I've been digesting the collections presented over the past several weeks, one thing that keeps coming to mind is how intentionally ugly a lot of the designers make their models, particularly in terms of makeup. so is beauty now just all about being incredibly thin and tall?

2009-10-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

Spring Summer 2010!

photo courtesy of style.com

Lots of collections out there to be digested. Never without a gimmick, Victor & Rolf showed some crazy tulle action. The volume reminded me a lot of the iconic multi-collared shirt from their Fall 2003 Tilda Swinton-inspired collection. Roisin Murphy performed live in a tulle-shirt-as-cape hiding her preggers belly (yes there are accents in Roisin's name, but that's way beyond my blogging capabilities). Watch videos of the collection here (via omgblog).

2009-07-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

Raf Simons S/S 2010, photo courtesy of style.com

Double-Breasted
Starting to see more double-breasted jackets coming down the S/S 2010 runways over the past couple of weeks. Last time I put on a double-breasted jacket, it made me look about four feet tall, so I can't say that I'm all too excited about this direction.

2009-05-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

Thom Browne

So awhile back, I became a member of this website called Gilt Groupe. I'm a little late to the game, but for those of you who don't know, it's a website that has steeply-discounted 36-hour sales on selected designer labels. It's a pretty clever operation in my opinion for a few reasons. From the label's viewpoint, it spares them the negative connotations of having a bunch of sale inventory hanging idly on sales floor racks. That the website is "invitation only" adds a layer, albeit thin, of exclusivity to the operation. And the limited timeframe of each sale creates, at least with me, the feeling that one must ACT FAST in order to get the items of one's choosing. At up to 70% off, it's a bargain, right?!

Well, earlier this week, the website began a sale for the Thom Browne label. While Hedi Slimane is widely credited with shrinking the overall silhouette of menswear in the early years of the century during his stint at Dior Homme, Thom Browne also played a part in the "childman" phenomenon by creating slim suits with high arm holes, shortened sleeves, and hems that barely made it below the calf. He has continued to experiment with the male silhouette, playing at times with skirts, capelets, and schoolboy uniforms. And while I can intellectually appreciate that someone out there is pushing the boundaries of menswear, I am always left wondering whether the impracticality of such a practice, in an artform that is explicitly consumer-driven, makes any sense. After all, the only skirts that western men buy are utilikilts, and those only survive thanks to a heavy counteractive dose of masculinity (e.g., cargo pockets, textiles pulled from blue-collar uniforms, and Braveheart).

Even the proportions of Thom Browne's most basic suit would make any normal person look, well, weird. The shortened pants enlarge the feet and shorten the leg, creating a Humpty Dumpty look on anyone who is not incredibly thin and incredibly tall. All of this for the low low price tag of $5K+! Or buy now on Gilt Groupe for just $2K! I dunno. While the fabrics and craftsmanship may represent an advanced level of sartorial perfection, the label's purpose seems totally misplaced within the framework of our new jittery economy. Will the new life of heritage brands like Gant and Woolrich come at the expense of labels like Thom Browne? Keep an eye on the nexus of these two worlds -- Brooks Brothers -- who hired Thom Browne to design their Black Fleece collection. If that relationship can last, then perhaps so too can his eponymous line.

2009-05-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

Norma Kamali

photo courtesy of nytimes.com

Today's Times presents us a profile of Norma Kamali. First of all, I dream of looking as good as she does at 63. But more interesting than Kamali's weekly tai chi regimen is the way in which she's evolved her business over time. Certainly, she's enjoying popularity at the moment in part due to the resurgence of all things 80s. After all, Kamali was the force behind the marriage of athletic wear and fashion in that time period. More importantly, however, the profile depicts her as someone willing and able to change and thus survive in the fickle world of fashion. The author argues that those moves have been initiated by will of the designer. I'm not convinced, and find it more plausible that market forces have necessitated many of her decisions (e.g., selling a line of clothing at Wal-Mart). Still, it is commendable that she's weathered the whims of the fashion world for decades without outside investors, experimenting all along the way. Younger designers, heretofore relying on models dependent on moneyed conglomerates and hyper-rich patrons should take note. Adapt or die.

A selection from Kamali's current swimsuit line.
Photo courtesy of normakamalicollection.com

2009-04-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

Matthew Williamson for H&M

Matthew Williamson's capsule collection for H&M is launching in two phases. The first phase, made just for women, debuted this week. More items, including a men's line, will show up in May. Given his palette, it's hard to imagine Matthew Williamson designing for any season other than Spring/Summer, so at least that part of the collaboration seems to make sense. You can check out the collection here.

If you've never visited the H&M website, you should check it out. It's incredibly user friendly, is fun to navigate, and you can even create a virtual you to try on clothes in their dressing room.

My only real familiarity with Matthew Williamson comes from his stint as designer at Emilio Pucci for the past three years (a relationship that came to an end last year). He has a reputation for dressing British party girls. Nothing challenging, just fun clothes for the really rich and tan and skinny. One look at the H&M stuff confirms that his aesthetic is all over the collection. Many of the items are done in silk, which helps explain the high price tags (at least by H&M standards). The gray washed silk jumpsuit is fetching, but would you drop $250 on a jumpsuit from H&M, regardless of its design provenance?

2009-04-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

The Last Emperor

Went to see Valentino: The Last Emperor over the weekend. My ability to enjoy a documentary on a fashion designer is probably higher than most, but I would offer that it was actually a good film in its own right. My expectations were incredibly low going into it, given how horrible Lagerfeld Confidential was. But along with the glamorous air kisses and sycophants were more interesting stories. Foremost is the partnership of Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti. Business and romantic partners for decades, much of the movie is devoted to the way in which their collaboration catapulted Valentino's name into the stratosphere, thereby enabling the purchases of houses in Rome, Paris, Gstaad, etc. Although their relationship is never overtly affectionate on camera, their interaction is touching, and hints at the deep bond between them.

You also get a window into the evolution of the economics of fashion. There is particular focus on the conflict between the large moneyed conglomerates that have invested in fashion houses over the last decade, and the methods and idiosyncrasies of an established fashion house like Valentino's. The businessmen want items that will sell. Can't Valentino make more iconic accessories to sell alongside his unaffordable couture dresses? On the one hand, you have a designer who's creative whimsy has created the very foundation of the valuable brand. On the other hand, a profit-driven investor doesn't want to indulge random thoughts and associations - that investor wants proven results.

As Valentino is one of the last houses that continues to do haute couture, you also get a glimpse into his atelier, where amazing hand-craft and talent pour into the construction of wearable art. Unfortunately, it also highlights the reality that this industry really can't survive for much longer. With only a handful of customers around the globe, and an even smaller number of people trained in the practice, it seems destined to follow the path of remote inuit dialects and free drinks on airlines.

2009-04-06T19:20:00.001-07:00

Internet and Fashion

Like they have on most things, the interwebs have had a marked impact on fashion. While the fashion show had already evolved from its more humble beginnings before the information super-highway came along, the access to these shows provided by sites like style.com has added legions of spectators, followers, and armchair critics such as myself. Project Runway has further fueled this trend, bringing fashion argot into the regular discourse of anyone with a DVR. I now regularly hear the most unexpected people say things like "ruching" or "That outfit was just a little too costume-y". It is no surprise, then, that enrollment at fashion schools is up, or if you want to go super-meta, that you can even get your fashion design degree online.

This level of access is a mixed bag for some designers. While the exposure certainly helps move some more bags, the inability to control who gets to see what means that knock-offs can be produced and on racks at the same time as the source collection, at much cheaper prices. It has also diminished the impact of banning a journalist from one's show.

But can the computer monitor replace seeing the clothes in person? Not having been to any big fashion shows, I can't say for sure. But with such a tactile product, it's easy to argue that something might be lost. Point in case: last week, at my own urging, I went to Target to check out what remained of the McQueen capsule collection. While I did come dangerously close to buying a pair of pink and black leggings for myself (don't judge!), my main impression of the collection was a bunch of cheap cotton. As commenter Connie points out, the appeal of Alexander McQueen's clothes is in the tailoring, and in the fabric. That the Target collection is based on his more affordable diffusion line, McQ, seems to have removed the collection one step too far from its designer's origins.

On the flip side, some designers, fashion insiders, and fashion portals are using media to create innovative ways to attract customers and to attract page views. For the Fall 2009 collections, Style.com unveiled a new format for its runway photos, not only offering them in a larger format, but giving the user a Flickr-like navigation tool that allows for easier, quicker access to the slides. In addition, they've added a ton of runway videos to their site, which help to highlight the movement of the clothes that is missing from the static photos.

Nick Knight and his colleagues have been putting the content together on his site, SHOWstudio, since 2000. The videos range from conceptual art pieces to documentaries, often bringing interesting people together like in this collaboration between Hussein Chalayan and Antony Hegarty. It is an easy place to lose an hour or four.

With the production costs of runway shows reaching into the millions, it is no surprise that some designers are beginning to turn to video to show off their collections. Gareth Pugh is a newer designer, originally out of London but now showing in Paris. His collections are typically dark and angular, often described as "dominatrix meets the alien from Predator". In the recent Fall 2009 RTW season, he worked with one of SHOWstudio's filmmakers, Ruth Hogben, to create a video of his collection. Opting out of a typical runway format, he showed the video instead.

Gareth Pugh, A/W 2009, courtesy of style.com

For their Spring 2009 collection, Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf created a clever video starring a bazillion beautiful Shalom Harlows. (At this rate, I'm going to have to rename this website "mcqueenshalomfanboixoxo.com". My apologies. Next post shall have nothing to do with either of them, no matter how hard it might be for me!) It's a gimmick, but it appears to have worked, given that I've watched the thing like five or six times now. I go back and forth on Viktor & Rolf, but I love this collection. I love the subversion of coating black paint over embroidered crystals. I love the Tron light cycle prints on the leggings. And I love the wine-colored shorts they send out about three-quarters of the way through the show -- the best pair of women's shorts I've seen since they came back into fashion three years ago. And importantly, the video allows for a closer look at the construction of the garments, their movement, and their fit. (Access the video by clicking here, then pointing towards the room at the top of the staircase of a runway.)

The shorts
Viktor and Rolk, S/S 2009 courtesy of style.com

Given the uncertainty in the economy, and the need it is creating for designers to find new, cheaper ways to market their visions, I think we'll see more of these types of videos in seasons to come. And until I start getting asked to sit ringside at the live shows, I'm not complaining in the slightest.

2009-04-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

Cintra Wilson

Once upon a time, I eagerly looked forward to Thursday mornings, as it meant the publication of a new Thursday Styles section in the New York Times. Far superior to the Sunday Styles segment (which regularly greenlights publication of drivel like this), Thursday focuses more on fashion, recently-opened bars and eateries, and other things that would generally make me envious of New York City living.

Unfortunately, I feel as though the section has deteriorated as of late. There are still some fashion articles, but they seem less numerous than before. Cathy Horyn, whose every article I've probably read for the past five years, publishes more frequently to her "On the Runway" blog, but at the expense of fewer articles. Worse, I feel an increasing "Sunday Styles" influence, primarily via the trendspotting articles. I firmly believe that the genesis of these articles can be traced to a dare . As in, "I just DARE you to write an article saying that male nannies are the new hot thing!" If successful, the article might actually launch the trend, or at least get into the head of a publisher willing to put a book out on the subject. Finally, the trend comes full circle with yet another Sunday Styles piece, this time about the video about the book about the original article about the non-existent trend.

To its credit, Thursday styles has, at the same time, made some noteworthy additions to its format. The aforementioned blog allows for more spontaneous, and more frequent, postings than the normal Times publication schedule allows. Audio slide shows and video postings, narrated by Bill Cunningham, Cathy Horyn and Eric Wilson, help to tie the words of the authors to the images they describe. But first and foremost among these improvements, and one of the main things that keeps me reading, are the "Critical Shopper" columns written by Cintra Wilson.

These columns are the fashion equivalent of investigative reporting, with a nice populist bent. Sure you've seen those heels on a model, but what is it REALLY like to shop at Christian Louboutin?

I first came across Cintra Wilson by accident, when I was looking for a book to read and I came across one with a picture of a blow-up doll on the cover. SOLD!! A Massive Swelling was a snarky examination of our culture's worship of celebrity. I'm bad at remembering any sorts of details about books, and this one is no different, but I remember laughing, and I remembered her name. So when she showed up on the style pages, I was immediately hooked.

Ms. Wilson's articles are light-hearted, and often totally hilarious. You get the impression that she enjoys fashion, but she's too smart to take it too seriously. She enjoys poking fun at the clothes, and occasionally at the sales staff, but she is equally engaging when describing the perfection of an Alexander McQueen dress.

If you want more than just the stories linked above, this will take you to an archive of her reviews.

2009-04-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

McQueen, Part 1

photo courtesy of style.com

Alexander McQueen has been on my mind a lot lately. He sent out a much talked about collection this past March in Paris. And right before that, on March 1, his capsule collection for Target launched. His men's collection, which showed back in January, was surprisingly subdued, with a Sam the Butcher meets Robert Pattinson vibe to it. I'm hoping to get a chance to talk about all of these things, but today I wanna talk about Target.

Target has a history of mostly successful collaborations with buzzy designers. Like H&M, they've looked to increase their cach� by aligning with these designers. In turn, the designers benefit from the publicity, increasing their name recognition beyond the borders of Bryant Park and the handful of obsessives like me that have nothing better to do than flip through slides on style.com.

In the past, a designer's collaboration with a mainstream manufacturer was more likely to have sounded a death knell on their career than to have done them any favors. The licensing deals struck by Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci and others in the 1980s all took a toll on the labels. It was only by ending those licensing relationships, thereby taking back control of the design and the supply of the brand, that those labels were able to prosper again.

The key to the new relationships between fashion labels and high street stores is supply. Licensing deals in the 1980s failed because the labels had little control over what was produced. The licensee, unhindered by the expense of a couture design team, and with no allegiance to a particular brand, is eager to extract as much profit as possible out of the relationship. This means churning out as many green and red Gucci keychains as possible. But eventually, if you can buy into Gucci for a dollar at a swap meet, there's no point in spending hundreds of dollars for horsebit loafers or a logo bag. The short-term payoff from licensing fees ultimately results in a long-term loss of revenue and brand equity.

The current "mass-tige" collections appear to have learned from past mistakes. An aura of exclusivity is maintained by severely curtailing the number of pieces produced. In many cases, like the collections done for H&M by Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, the clothes were all sold within the first couple of days. Neither collaboration appears to have done damage to the brands of these two designers. And Target has, at times, gone even further to ensure that these clothes do not lose their magical designer powers. For its collaboration with Proenza Schouler, they created a Target "outpost" at hipster emporium Opening Ceremony.

All of this brings to me my point. Yes, it takes me awhile to get to the point. You should be happy it only took six paragraphs, and that I remained remarkably on topic! McQueen's Target collection is still for sale, ONE MONTH after it launched. Worst of all, IT'S ON CLEARANCE! So what gives?

Flipping through the images, I'm not struck by it being particularly bad. A little boring at times maybe, but not bad. Looking at the styled photos of the clothes here, I'm definitely underwhelmed by the presentation on Target's website. And to be fair, it appears that some of the more stand-out items are no longer available. But still...

photo courtesy of Target
Battlestar Gallactica may be over, but you'll always have this T!

photo courtesy of Target
There was an awesome shift dress with this same print, but it's out of stock. This tee is available in a medium, and it's only $14!

photo courtesy of Target
Hot shorts! 21 bucks!!

Reading reviews, it sounds like there are fit issues with some of the items. That's when it's nice to be someone like Rei Kawakubo -- you can just say that the squished boob is an intentional element in the deconstruction of the bathing suit. But most of the reviews are pretty positive (and generally indicate that the clothes are cuter in person, so check them out for yourself).

There is no question that the collection must have suffered from the current economic climate. As in "Here I am at Target, I don't know how long I'll have a job, and I can either buy toilet paper or this McQueen jumpsuit." But still, many of these items are still available in all sizes, which leads me to believe that Target overproduced. Perhaps the lessons of those 80s licenses have not been fully learned.

Oddly enough, my favorite runway show of all time, one of the few that comes to mind year after year, was Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 1999 show. At the end of the show (the point at which a bride would traditionally have her exit in an haute couture collection), Shalom Harlow stands on a revolving platform surrounded by two robotic arms like those you would see in an automotive assembly plant. She is dewy and nervous, as if she has been running from these robots and they finally have her trapped. Her dress is relatively simple -- puffy and white, cinched above her breasts by a tan leather belt. Suddenly, one of the arms lunges toward her and sprays her with paint. Then the other one sprays her. As she continues to turn around, helplessly menaced by the robots, her white dress is soiled by the paint. Did McQueen have a rape fantasy that needed to be worked out? Or was he expressing a view on the destruction of fashion via mass production and machine? If the latter is the case, I wonder if he's thought about it as he's reflected on his relationship with Target. Has the collaboration actually enhanced his career, or is it just a mess of bad graffiti on the otherwise pristine walls surrounding his brand?

Watch the video of that moment here (skip ahead to 0:37).

2009-03-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

Luxury in the Face of Gloom

I gave up cable at the end of last year when we moved. On top of it seeming too expensive for what it is, I was also beginning to feel overwhelmed by all of the programs my DVR had waiting for me every time I turned it on. It was like having another dog, always eager to have me home, and dying to play with me. Watching network TV has its own problems (commercials, nothing on), but it's also brought public television specials back into my life.

And so it was earlier this week that I caught an interesting documentary on Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein, "The Powder and the Glory". The story of these two women couldn't have come at a better time, when luxury goods manufacturers are struggling to figure out how to remain relevant to consumers. Both women made their fortunes primarily during the Depression years, and made those fortunes by realizing that people didn't stop desiring nice things when bad times hit. In fact, the inability to afford new clothes and other more expensive items channeled all of that desire into the smaller, more affordable "luxury" cosmetics peddled by the two brands. Were you a pretty, landed, blue-blooded Arden girl, or were you the urban, stylish Rubenstein gal? Either way, it just cost a few dollars to buy into the dream. A similar marketing strategy has worked for many of the current luxury goods companies, allowing consumers to buy into the lifestyle with the purchase of a handbag rather than a season's worth of clothes.

The documentary got me to thinking a lot this week about concept of the "Little Luxury", and how that could translate today. At first, I wasn't inclined to believe that we'd see another cosmetics boom. Makeup, after all, is far more common these days, and it's hard to imagine women putting that much more makeup on just because of a recession. But then I started thinking about the other avenues of cosmetics marketing -- the anti-ageing serums, the teeth whiteners, the pore shrinkers. Could Creme de la Mer and Strivectin sales be on their way up? After all, stress takes it toll, but you most certainly don't want it to show in your interview for that new job. And what other small pleasures, outside of the cosmetics realm, might enjoy a similar surge in popularity? I'm on the lookout.

2009-03-24T20:20:00.001-07:00

Shoes

Can you walk for more than a block in them? Of course not!
Are they expensive as hell? You betcha!

Here's some of the more clever footwear from the ready-to-wear collections for Fall 2009 (all photos courtesy of style.com):

Olivier Theyskens for Nina Ricci
The craziest of all. Look ma, no heel!

An engineering marvel, for sure. I was particularly amused by the version with a stiletto that only descends half the length of the shoe.

But when put together with the clothes, I didn't like the proportions created by the shoes. "Equine" was the first word that came to mind.

Chanel

In another feat of engineering, Karl Lagerfeld sent out heels with a jade lifesaver in the middle. I love the color combo, and the sorta surreal quality of the gap the ring creates.

A total aside, but I can't say the word "surreal" without thinking of that Project Runway contestant from Season 5, Jennifer Diederich. Cute clothes and all, but when she got booted off I remember her saying something along the lines of "I guess they just didn't understand my sense of surrealism". Yeah, them and the rest of the universe. Honey, a twin set is a twin set.

But back to topic...

Prada
This one gets the Easy Spirit award. Love the rubber sole. And given the height of that heel, it is probably reassuring to know there's a little extra traction on those slippery autumn sidewalks.

But that shoe is but a tiny prologue to the boots sent out in the same collection. "Mr. Wellington, meet Mr. Sock Garter". This is so typical of Prada -- combine a bunch of totally unattractive things to make one totally covetable item. Strong but still feminine, practical and yet totally superfluous.

Dries van Noten

I love that the snakeskin is only on the heel and sole, virtually invisible to the wearer who gets to stare at plain brown leather. In that sense, it's a selfless shoe, one that says, "I don't do this for myself. I do it for you."

Proenza Schouler

Like the wood. Also like that the layered sole of this bootie reminds me of a rubber flip-flop. And right now there's little I'd love more than some hot weather.

Rodarte
Last but not least, feast upon these grey leather thigh-highs from Rodarte. So sexy. And just think of the cost savings from avoided purchases of leggings, and pants.

2009-03-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

The New Yorker's annual Style Issue is out. Not the best one they've done, but it does include profiles of Bill Cunningham (style photographer for the New York Times) and Alber Elbaz of Lanvin (looks like the article isn't available online, but you can view a related audio slide show here).

While Bill Cunningham is a very accomplished photographer (and, as I learned, a former milliner), the thing that stuck out most in my mind was Lauren Collin's description of the bed in his studio apartment ("...a piece of foam, a wooden board, and several milk crates.") I don't know how someone who sounds so cheery in his audio shows can possibly spend the night on a piece of foam.

Alber Elbaz makes beautiful clothes. But it sounds like he can be a bit much to be around. I'm hoping to getting around to writing something up about his last collection. But first I'd like to write something about McQueen's, so we'll see if I get there.

2009-03-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

The Shoulder

New York, London, Milan and Paris RTW weeks have finally come to an end. At the beginning of it all, I couldn't help but be a little excited by the wealth of shoulder that was being led down the runway. Everyone and their mother was referencing the 80s, which in turn referenced the 40s.

Exhibit A: Marc Jacobs

From a construction standpoint, I'm always interested in a designer's ability to transform the figure, whether to accentuate features or deform them. After all, boning, padding and darting have shaped figures far longer than have our modern practices of cosmetic surgery and exercise. So these new shoulders at first seemed refreshing and captivating.

But as we moved onto Milan, all of the exaggerated shoulders had already begun to lose their sense of novelty, and once that was gone, all that was left was a bad taste of Reaganomics.

Exhibit B: Gianfranco Ferre

Exhibit C: Dolce and Gabbana

While I believe that the widened shoulder is flattering to most women's figures, as it shrinks the waist, some of the more extreme examples overstepped the bounds of flattery. These versions referenced a tired form of "working girl"-era feminism, where the power of a woman was still defined by how "male" she was. No kids? Check. Doesn't show emotion? Check. Linebacker shoulders? Check.

The collections in Paris, thankfully, didn't seem to be as focussed on the shoulder. It still showed up, as it did comically in the otherwise great collection that Olivier Theyskens showed for his last hurrah at Nina Ricci (see below). But the more successful shows either tapped into the emotion of the times (Junya Watanabe) or attempted to provide a form of long-lasting, luxurious comfort (Lanvin).

Nina Ricci RTW S/S 2009

So at the end of it all, and assuming you have the money to spend on designer clothes, what does a woman want at a time like this? Designers seemed conflicted over whether the answer is escapism (via princess-like leg-of-mutton sleeves and Mildred Pierce shoulder pads) or comfort (via high quality, multi-season pieces). In some cases, that conflict appears to have crippled designers whose collections I am normally so eager to see. Nicholas Ghesquiere's show for Balenciaga was unfortunate. The palette was soothing, and the draping was absolutely beautiful. Sadly, that draping resulted in some of the biggest-looking hips to come down a runway since you could smoke heroine.

Balenciaga RTW S/S 2009

And if Raquel Zimmerman's hips look big, you better damn well bet that it ain't going to flatter a normal figure. Some amazing prints finally made it down his runway, but gone was his futuristic sensibility that in the past has taken those prints from dowdy to edgy, as he did in one of my favorite collections of all time, Balenciaga RTW S/S 2008.

Of course, how these collections translate into the looks actually available on the racks of department stores is anybody's guess. Given the conservative stance that most shops are likely to take when placing orders right now, I'd guess that many will be softened for a more widespread appeal, or buyers will opt for the safer looks that were mixed in between all of the costume drama. With the mellowing of conspicuous consumption, it's hard to imagine the sidewalks of next year jam-packed with shoulder pads, squeezing the nonbeliever out to the gutter like those wretched golf umbrellas. But crazier things have happened.

2009-02-20T09:34:00.001-08:00

Yikes!

So long for the no postings. There were so many things about the thriving economy that were keeping me from posting. Lots of work, for one. And frankly the sick amounts of money that some people were willing to lay down for clothes was resulting in such a profusion of new labels and ridiculous gimmickry that my interest waned a bit (but just a bit). As Cathy Horyn remarked in the Times today, maybe the spectacle of the runway has been toned down a little, but it's resulting in some good clothes to look at. Plus, you can always count on bad economic times to bring out THE SHOULDER PAD! Looking at the photos from New York's Fashion Week has made me crave another viewing of Mildred Pierce. When's the last time you ate at a restaurant where the proprietress/waitress had shoulder pads so huge that she practically had to turn sideways to walk through doors? See, not everything about a depression sucks.

2007-05-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

Isabella Blow has died.

What a complete and total bummer. She was completely fascinating. She wasn't incredibly gorgeous or a perfect size 0, but she exuded a confidence that just made you believe in her. Sadly, there is no one out there in fashionland taking up her torch. Unlike celebutards like Bai Ling, Isabella Blow wore crazy stuff because she believed in it, not because she thought it would get her copy in Us Weekly. And that's why she could pull it off. She was unique, especially in an era where even C-list celebrities have stylists and no one tries anymore.

I think I'm finally going to open up that "800 years of the New Yorker" DVD I got for giving money to public radio so i can find the profile of her from the Style issue several years ago. It's a great read -- highly recommended.

More photos.

2007-02-07T10:56:00.000-08:00

Ah, New York Fashion Week. I always think that this will be the time that I write the most, since there's just a lot of stuff to write about. Instead, I end up spending all of my time reading other people's writing, flipping through pix on style.com, and then realizing I'm late for my next whatever.

Frankly, I also don't know that I have any better a perspective on the shows in New York than the editors and journalists who are actually there. While I'm terribly happy about the fact that I can review an entire runway's-worth of photos online, I feel that this experience is not even close to that of being near the clothes, seeing them move, and grasping subtle color/texture contrasts that don't come through on the interweb.

But such is my plight. That said, I've had mixed reactions to what I've seen so far. I feel like Marc Jacobs is always able to create a world for his clothes that makes sense. And I think it's brilliant of him to be actively describing the clothes as 'boring', as I heard him do in a Times interview. But that still doesn't make me buy it as a whole. It seemed motivated by change for change's sake than by an idea. And I feel like he's moved the collection away from an American sportswear ideal and closer to things that Pilati has been doing at Yves St. Laurent for longer.

To love or hate Thom Browne, that is the question. I appreciate the spirit of his clothes, and his success at changing the silhouette and cut of a traditional men's suit. And I recognize that there is far less range and freedom in men's design (assuming you want to turn out something that appeals to more people than the D-Squared and Gaultier demographic). But sometimes his runway shows end up more in the vein of Galliano's Dior shows -- basically a bunch of pomp and circumstance and unwearable outfits meant to add allure and cach� to the more boring ones you'll see in a store. Some good ideas came out of it (I really really want a pair of dress shorts now). But as much as one might love them, who is going to get away with those thigh-high wool stockings? And let's not even talk about the A-line capes. Still, I think he's still in my 'love' category. But you're warned, mister!

Especially when the alternative is John Bartlett, whose clothes were wearable, but whose first 8 looks reminded me of the Liz Claiborne section of Macy's. Another masstige partnership, perhaps?

Liz Claiborne ... or John Bartlett?

Duckie Brown had a little better balance. Some more traditional stuff intermixed with some interesting, yet wearable, items like this yellow draped sweatshirt:

In the world of stupid, I am currently having a crisis over my love for the Gucci Fall 2007 mocassin boots that are now available. This is stupid because a) they are $700, and b) they are mocassins for chrissakes. I think I will have to satisfy this love with some "look for less" Minnetonka equivalents, especially since I know I will be tired of them by summertime.

2007-01-24T13:44:00.000-08:00

I wish I could take the internet less seriously sometimes...

Today I was looking through pictures on go fug yourself, and I got unnecessarily frustrated. It's my own fault for having their site in my bookmarks, I know. But their notion of fashion and style is so BORRRRRRRING that perfectly cute outfits get trashed for no good reason.

Exhibit A: Mandy Moore

TOTALLY CUTE! It's like a toned down Joanna Newsom without the annoying voice.

Exhibit B: Jennifer Connelly

Totally cute! I have a soft spot for Jennifer Connelly. I think she (or her stylist) is willing and interested when it comes to fashion (e.g., wearing Balenciaga years before Ghesquiere had gone supernova), and she's always getting flack for it. I got your back, sister!

Exhibit C: Jena Malone

Totally cute! A perfect example of fall's layering look.

Yes, I should look at it as humor. God knows the world of fashion is so self-referential and humorless that a good slap in the face is merited from time to time. In reality, the Fuggles probably just look for photos with obvious punchlines, regardless of the merit of the outfits. It makes their job easier, it makes people laugh, and it gets them guest spots in the back pages of Us Weekly.

But what worries me about this, and any popular blog for that matter, is the implicit authority it asserts. It's snarky, and it involves celebrities, so it doesn't surprise me that it's popular. But with that popularity comes a (false) impression of authenticity and knowledge. Judging fashion is not an absolute science by any means, but pointing and laughing anytime someone dares to stand out is not only a poor method of critique, but it reminds me of being in high school. The only difference is that, this time, the popular people are the ones that had no chance of sleeping with the football team.

Like I said, I need to get over it.

2006-11-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

It's hard for me to believe, but I think it's been almost a year since I bought a pair of shoes. At first, I was just uninspired by everything out there. And more recently, I just haven't found what I've wanted. Well, except for this one time...in band camp (god, i've got to stop saying that). But seriously, I was in New York in early October, and went to the Earnest Sewn concept store over in the meatpacking district. Didn't have time for a pair of custom jeans, but did pick up some nice cords. But really what broke my heart were the perfect pair of black suede lace-up boots. What I loved about them was that they reminded me of olden tyme Sears catalog ads (like the ones on the tables at wendy's), but also had a modern toughness to them. Really, they were perfect. Really.

I should have known better when I couldn't find a price tag on them. But I just had to know. So I asked the salesguy how much they were. He explained that they were Carpe Diem shoes. Hand cobbled, from Italy, one of three places in new york that carried them, blah blah blah. Of course, with each of these details i'm sinking further into depression, because it's the sort of pre-emptive justification that is only meant to prepare the shopper for the price.

So how much were they? you inquire. $1,295. Did I buy them? Hell no!! Have I regretted the decision ever since? Every day.

Thankfully, the past couple of days have been kind to me in the shoes department, which is helping me cope with my loss. Got a cheap pair of black suede jazz shoes from Zara, then got a nice pair of Fiorentini+Baker black leather lace-up ankle boots at Gimme Shoes. And the icing on my little shoe cake? Behold!

Ebay, I love you.

2006-09-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

I hate opera slippers.

2006-09-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

New York Fashion Week! You know what that means -- hours of unproductive work time as you relentlessly flip through the pix at style.com. Or at least that's what it means for me (just kidding HR rep of my company if you are reading. which i know you're not because you dress like crap!)

Have you seen the Marc Jacobs collection yet? Now let me preface by saying that I thought his Fall '06 collections for his namesake label as well as for Louis Vuitton were possibly the two most perfect things I've ever seen. But maybe like me, Marc has an easier time with Fall than he does with Spring. There are lots of beautiful things in the collection, but I'd have to say that I was disappointed overall. It seemed like there was a big effort to maintain the layering aesthetic of the Fall 06 collection. And while it worked when the concept was reinterpreted as a dress that looked like windblown sheets of paper, or with deconstructed bits of lace and organza, it looked dowdy, overdone and un-springlike when duplicating the shorts + skirt + blouse + sweater + coat + hat look from fall. There were some beautiful draped jersey dresses. But the hats were straight out of my sister's harlequin doll collection from '88. No thanks.

2006-08-31T00:21:00.000-07:00

I used to hate Karl Lagerfeld. His fan bugged. Now I love him, and I don't know if it's because of his weight loss, his collections or his mouth. Maybe it's all three.

P.S. I know you won't believe me, but the September Harper's Bazaar is a great read. Yes, I said READ. Of course, there are all of those ads to flip through too...

2006-08-28T17:36:00.000-07:00

sorry i haven't posted in so long. i've been buried under the september issues. but, in the immortal words of jerry blank, "I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY!!" so stay tuned...