Happy 60th Birthday Dior!

Well, it isn't quite a birthday: after all, Christian Dior himself was born in 1905. However, this year marks the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the fashion house which bears his name. To celebrate this milestone, current designer John Galliano produced a 60th anniversary collection to remember during this season's Paris couture week. Held in the magnificent setting of L'Orangerie at Versailles, it certainly was an event to remember. Not only did the show reunite some of the most iconic models of the last couple of decades (Linda Evangelista, Shalom Harlow, Helena Christensen alongside the likes of Lily Cole and Doutzen Kroes)it served as a kind of visual memorial of the work of Christian Dior himself and of the late Steven Robinson, Galliano's right-hand man. However, as always, it was the clothes themselves that were the stars of the show. Following on from his triumphant Japanese inspired Spring collection, Galliano has once more produced a formidable, breath-taking display of his mastery of cut, tailoring and style.
This collection was seemingly inspired by both the signature "New Look" of early Dior and by the works of painters and other visual artists. Cinched waists and "Noir-ish" details (small hats, vertiginous heels, jet-black beading) abounded in reference to the former. The influence of the latter was present in the spectacular array of evening gowns. References to artists such as Renoir and Goya, and even Cecil Beaton, were obvious. However, there were also less direct allusions: a white dress whose front is wound into a slash of red, recalling a smear of pigment on the palette, combined with a hat in the shape of a palette. As with his previous couture collection, Galliano's strength here lies in his ability to transform inspirations which might seem easy to spot or well-known, into something new and unusual. Use of bold colour, unusual mixes of fabrics and adventurous surface details plays a huge part in this. For me, stand-out items include: this wonderful eggshell blue gown and jacket (below),

a form-fitting black dress and white evening coat with over-sized sleeves and graphic detailing

a wonderfully tailored, exquisitely detailed emerald green gown

and this killer outfit.


The stuff that dreams are made of!

Trend - watch - fall/winter at a glance

Whilst it might seem a little precocious to consider what we will be wearing in winter when it isn't even summer yet, it is never too early to plan ahead. Indeed, a capsule of the Balenciaga collection was already available as a trunk-show in Barneys in New York in March. Here are a few predictions for what to expect. As always, its a good idea to mix and match and pick your favourites from amongst these "trends".


Dior by John Galliano

1. color - there was a tussle between kaleidoscopic color and neutrals for the soul of the catwalk this season. Pink was a particularly popular color, with hues ranging from pastel to acid bright (as spearheaded by John Galliano at Dior, in a nod to the haute couture collection). Also, there were splashes of blue and red (notably at Chanel and Marc Jacobs, but elsewhere too) and the odd green. Neutrals remain popular, particularly tan to brown and grey to black, sometimes brightened with color, otherwise a statement in their own right.


Balenciaga (left) and Alexander McQueen.

2. body-aware detailing - this is the season for details on clothes which reflect the shape of the body beneath them, from the bold: Dolce and Gabbana's sequined collar bone and breasts shirt (not recommended for the faint of heart), Maison Martin Margiela's super wide shoulders and Alexander McQueen's moulded breastplates to the more subtle: waists cinched tight with belts on many catwalks, beaded and tailored details emphasising busts and waists at Roberto Cavalli.


Gucci

3. luxe dressing - luxe details and fabrics abounded on this season's catwalks: fur, embroidery, sequins, chiffon overlays, shimmering evening wear, leopard print. The key is not to overload your day look with luxe items. Take a hint from Gucci and wear fur trimmed items with simpler basics such as tweed. Mix leopard print with basic black. Evening wear allows you to be more adventurous.


Louis Vuitton

4. headgear - many different styles were evident on the catwalks, from fringed creations at Dior to oversized soft berets at Louis Vuitton and flamenco style hats at Kenzo and many more. Capes which extend to head scarfs were also very popular.

Quick Tip - Tory Burch

Photography copyright Louisa McKenzie
Tory Burch's line has become the toast of Manhattan. A trip to her Soho shop (above) makes it easy to see why. Her clothes are chic and elegant without being showy. They combine the right about of retro detail with a modern feel. Most importantly, they are designed to be practical, not look practical. It is with accessories, however, that Tory Burch has really taken off. Her signature Reva ballet flat is immensely popular and available in a wide range of colours and prints. These shoes can be seen all over Manhattan and are easily affordable. Despite some of the collection being available in Harvey Nichols, in England the shoes, sadly are not. If you happen to be in New York, stock up.
Tory Burch, 257 Elizabeth Street.
212- 334-3000
www.toryburch.com

Five To Watch From New York Fashion Week

1. Brian Reyes
   
2. 3.1 Phillip Lim
3. Tory Burch
4. Rodarte
5. Peter Som

Spring 2007 Haute Couture At A Glance

Christian Dior.
In order to be truly haute-couture, a garment must be made in Paris. Each year, only a very select group of designers present haute-couture collections in Paris. These represent the zenith of the creative and practical arts of fashion. Haute-couture is an art-form in itself and the pieces produced are wearable artworks. Of course, as with most artworks, the garments come at a premium. Haute-couture is unattainable to all but a small elite group of buyers. However, some of the themes and ideas filter through to the ready-to-wear collections. In any case, the haute-couture shows are worth studying for the sheer vitality and creativity of the designs. Here is a quick guide to some of the shows:
Dior - the most breath-taking and stunning of all the shows in my opinion. The collection was inspired by Japan, particularly by the story of Madame Butterfly, and featured influences from the clothes of geishas, delicate Japanese art motifs and origami. Nothing new here, you might think. However, what made the collection so interesting was the way in which these influences had been viewed through the lens of the New Look designs of the 40s and 50s (an influence also viewed in the ready-to-wear collection from this house, although in a far more utilitarian way). A collection at once nostalgic and breath-takingly modern, particularly in colour palette (acid pink, vivid green, electric blue) and the architectural form of certain details (shoulder, hips etc). Garments featured bold shapes paired with oversized motifs popular is Japanese art - waves, blossoms. This collection truly showcased the technical wizadry which the haute-couture "petits-mains" can employ in realising a designer's creative vision.
Chanel - by complete contrast, Chanel's collection featured designs with clean lines and a short, neat silhouette with a rigorous colour palette - monochrome, with splashes of colour. Suits and day dresses were given a decidedly 60s twist - mini skirts, round necklines and evening dresses were either short or long, featuring innovative combinations of materials, particularly organza and feathers. This may sound simple, but the collection was anything but: Lagerfeld is all about the details and the construction. What looks young and spontaneous, has actually taken many hours and many hands to construct - a case in point the stunning dress below (210 hours). This is the genius and enduring popularity of Lagerfeld, making the complex seem young and insouciant. Other key details to emerge from this collection are feathers, bows, patent leather accents and fingerless gloves.
Christian Lacroix - this collection bore all the hallmarks of Lacroix: bold colours, exaggerated shapes and prints. Yellow and electric blue were big here, as at Dior. Daywear again had a mainly short silhouette, with skirts being wide this time instead of streamlined as at Chanel. Inspired by flowers, the collection is a joy to behold. Lacroix clothes are for those who are not afraid of making a statement. It was in evening wear that this collection really excelled. Lacroix showed a magnificent selection of evening gowns, in a variety of different shapes and styles but all bearing Lacroix' s trademark precise, yet somehow whimsical tailoring. Frills, layers, large flower accents, ruffles and exaggerated sleeves all in the most delicate and flowing of fabrics.
Armani Prive - a collection inspired by India, although the inspiration manifested itself more in the cut of the garments and the texture of the fabrics than the colour. Armani's palette was mostly neutral - black, grey, silver, white. This allowed the cut of the garments and the subtle embellishments on the garments to really reveal themselves. Metallic, textured fabrics were key - either draped fluidly, or tailored delicately. The influence of the sari became apparent in Armani's evening wear - flowing lines, one-shouldered garments, draping - although given a sleek, typically Armani treament.
Valentino - Valentino showed an all-white (well, nearly, there were some very subtle hints of pink and yellow) collection, which was light and airy in its construction. Rich in detail, embellished fabrics, daywear was young and frivolous. Valentino is, of course, master of the red carpet gown. There were several key gowns, which could well appear on a red-carpet soon.
Givenchy - Riccardo Tisci presented a pared back, almost macabre collection for Givenchy. This wasn't to all tastes, but there were certain flashes of genius. Key features were a monochrome colour palette punctuated with splashes of bright yellow; deconstructed yet tailored naval inspired jackets; details applied to Edwardian inspired dress like sea-shells, anemones and other marine flora clinging to rocks.

Trend-watch - the upcoming season, part 1

Lanvin
1. neon brights - this season, it is the brighter, the better colour-wise: electric blue, pink, yellow are very popular. This is not a look for the faint-hearted. A good idea is to stick to accessories, such as bags, belts and jewellery.

2. super-high or flat as a pancake - for the second season running, there isn't much hope if you are a fan of kitten heels. Designers have continued their love affair with super (and I mean super!) high heels in the 4inches+ range. There are some amazing, sexy, chic designs out there but that doesn't make them any easier to walk in - so start practising now. Either that, or choose to go to the other extreme and pick a dainty, elegant flat. Look out, in particular, for the round toe flats and for some very exciting Roman and Native American influenced sandals.



Gucci (above) and Balenciaga (below).
3. architectural pieces - designers like Hussein Chalayan and Dolce and Gabanna showed some amazing, structural pieces on the catwalk, like this example with panniered hips, which looks a lot like armour. Pick a slightly pared-down version of this trend (for one thing, it'll be easier to get through doorways!), such as this dress by Fendi.

Dolce and Gabbana (left) and Fendi (right).
4. metallics - a big trend this season, almost everyone showed something metallic. If the idea of Balenciaga's gold robot leggings frightens you, stick with one of Marc Jacobs metallised jackets.

Balenciaga
Check back soon for part 2 and for a look at the New York shows.

Karl Lagerfeld - A Profile

Photography courtesy of and copyright Chanel.
After a career spanning six decades, Karl Lagerfeld is still at the top of his game. He is director of collections at Chanel, a label synonymous with high fashion and couture. During Lagerfeld's time in this role, the label has once again attained the zenith of creativity it had in the glory days of Mademoiselle Coco Chanel. In addition to designing for Chanel, Lagerfeld has his own labels Karl Lagerfeld and Lagerfeld Collection, his first New York based lines and works as an artistic adviser for Fendi (a collaboration which began in the 1960s). As well as designing, Lagerfeld is an accomplished artist, having taken a break from his fashion career in the 1960s to study this subject.

A prodigy, Lagerfeld gained his entree into the fashion world by winning a design competition in 1955, at the age of seventeen. Also at the competition, winning a different category, was another young, unknown designer, Yves Saint Laurent. Lagerfeld's win gained him a position at the fashion house of Pierre Balmain, then incredibly popular. Vintage Balmain has always been sought-after, but is starting to become very collectible. The mark of the early years of Lagerfeld's career, both at Balmain and then Jean Patou (another very fashionable, innovative label at the time) can be seen in the incredible cut and tailoring of Lagerfeld's designs for Chanel. However, as anyone who has watched Chanel's collections from the Lagerfeld years knows, classic tailoring is tempered with a palpable sense of modernity. It was perhaps this desire to be free from the stifling atmosphere of 1950s and 1960s couture houses which prompted Lagerfeld to quickly move into a career as a freelance designer and then take a break to study art. Scenes from the recent documentary "The House Of Chanel" showed just how marvellous an artist Lagerfeld actually is, sketching quickly and accurately the ideas which come into his head, but with the skill of an illustrator.

The fashion bug had not completely left Lagerfeld however. He returned to the industry in the 1960s and made his name at Chloe in the 1970s. His work for this label again showed his desire for the designer and the consumer to be free from the strictures of contemporary couture.

Joining Chanel in 1983, Lagerfeld has made the label his own. The Chanel haute-couture show is one of the most eagerly anticipated of the season. Lagerfeld's ready-to-wear designs are aware of the label's traditions, stalwarts include signature tweeds and quilted bags, for example, but with a thoroughly modern twist. The accessories line, in particular the bags and sunglasses, has become incredibly popular in recent years. No Hollywood starlet seems complete without her Chanel bag, whether a classic quilted model or a more daring design from the current Paris-New York or Luxury By Chanel lines. These lines display classic or signature Chanel details, diamond pattern stitching , chain handles, double C logo, with more unusual and varied fabrics, for example, ponyskin, suede, distressed leather, oversized alligator. Such marriage of tradition and innovation is key to the way Lagerfeld works at Chanel. This season's Chanel collections can be summed up as "rock and roll classic": tweed jackets teamed with skinny jeans, deconstructed leather jackets over ruffled shirts, mini skirts and boots. Eveningwear is both short and long, featuring tiers, black lace and intricate surface detail. The palate, as so often with Chanel, is monochrome, with dashes of colour here and there, mainly blue and red. A sportswear line is also designed.

Lagerfeld's own lines have their unique distinct design ethos. Again working with a palette of mainly, but not exclusively, black they feature more relaxed designs, some deconstructed, some impeccably tailored. Use of a wide range of materials and the concept of drape is key.

In addition to fashion design work, Lagerfeld is also known for his photography, which has featured in several magazines. He is also well-known in recent years for a diet which helped him to lose 92 pounds. This is the subject of a book: The Karl Lagerfeld Diet by Karl Lagerfeld, Dr Jean-Claude Houdret and Ingrid Sischy. Furthermore, Lagerfeld has also produced costumes for several key stage productions for La Scala in Milan, the opera in Florence and the ballet of Monte Carlo.

A true fashion original, he shows no sign of slowing down and we're sure to see more fabulous collections from him in years to come.
Quis Sum?