Thursday, February 21, 2013

Fall 2013: Gucci

I know it took time but I am back and ready to review Milan and Paris (thanks god the broingness is over).
Milan starts with Gucci, one of the most famous brands ever known for having a G shaved vagina (that was under Tom Ford sorry) and a lot of trashy celebrites (by the way who is exited for the Oscars?). Anyway, I am not a big Gucci fan, I know it combanes classiness and glamour with a lot of sex appeal (and a lot of Natasha Poly) but there is something about the brand that seems quite safe. I think Frida Giannini is making an amazing job building one of the most interesting brands on the world but they just play it too safe for my taste.
This season was very much about tailoring (something that Frida does really well for fall) mixing oriental inspirations in a almost Hitchockish mood. It was all very dark and misterious - something that I love in every colection - and when we got to the last looks after the Matrix ambition I saw myself in a moody oriental garden with Black Swans and dark roses (which could have been way better executed).

The Best:

This is very well made! I cant point any flaw...

Great construction, great color.

This is how you do a Matrix look.

This is a great cocktail dress. Not the first time I´ve seen it but it´s very good.


The Worst:

Frida you are not Sarah Burton ok?

This is all sorts of wrong.

A walking Christmas Tree (I missed this kind of looks)







Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Suvis Moment


Suvi Koponen is on a roll. After snaping a Calvin Kline contract, replacing the very famous Lara Stone, Suvi is now on the cover of Vogue Paris. It may seem something normal since thons of girls feature on the cover of  other publications like Vogue Italia, but since Emanuelle Alt took over Vogue Paris, the only not supermodel who featured on the cover of the magazine was Arizona Muse on November 2011, so having a model which is far from supermodel (but in this pace will get there soon)  on the March issue, the big Spring issue is unbelievable.
Suvi had a break on modelling around 2010-11 and camback in full strenght on Fall 2012 season, when she became the face of Alexander McQueen and ChloĆ©. Meanwhile she also became the new face of  ChloĆ© iconic and most known fragrance (with the same name) and this month ws confirmed as the new face of Calvin Kline, known for making the models on their contract the next big thing.
Now Mert & Marcus shoot Suvi for the Vogue Paris cover, the finnish beauty may be the next big thing and Im on the first row to watch her success.

Fall 2013: Derek Lam

I pretty  much choose the shows I want to review by hoe exiting and popular they are. Derek Lam was far from my list of shows to review this season, but I couldnt resist to such a well made clothes.
Lam has always been a very underrated designer, problably because he is not as cool as Altuzarra, doesnt have Anna Wintour support like Jason Wu or doesnt have a massive show like Alexander Wang; but Derek Lam has something in his favour, a really well done colection that stays out of pretentious molds and focus on real beautiful pieces of clothes like those amazing sublin geometric prints on shirts, the incredibly cut jackets and capes and the skirts witht he perfect lenght.
The only down fall of this colection was being quite safe, but that is no big surprise since I wasnt expecting any kind of risky take.

THE BEST:

Those trousers are glorious.

The cape over the shirt is a very beautiful idea or porpotions.

Im here for the shirt. Beautiful geometric print over fur...its great!


THE WORST:

I dont like anything about this dress. It just seems very over the top and nothing special on the same time.

A very badic dress. Its not bad, its just not enough.







Sunday, February 10, 2013

Fall 2013: Alexander Wang

"I feel like a woman from mars, obviously, Im like, taking over the world"
-Lindsey Wixson

This quote was all that came to my mind when Alexander Wangs army walked through the Cunard Building in New York in a monumental show held under a Renaissance Revival ceiling which contradicted with the pos-apocalyptic scenario. As we saw Aila Wang at the front row we knew that this show would be surround ed by fuzzy sweaters and fur skirts (and I was not wrong!).
Twisted and turned jackets, wool head protector and a lot of fur to protect kick ass girls from the polluted clime. The cast, amazing as always, it was pretty much everything in check and this show established Alexander Wang as the new number one show at NY fashion week (sorry Marc). 
Even through the influences seemed too obvious, mainly by Rick Owen but also some Balenciaga details (not the first or the second time). As the show started Wang presented beautifully executed jackets with no waits almost ignoroing the women figure - or changing it - and the show involved into a beautiful presention of fur that went through the whole show to some looks where you couldnt even say if it was the grey fur or a very beautiful wool used in many looks. Alex´s take on nighwear got me really exited, Im not even sure if that was nightwear but there was something going on looks 27 to 29 that surpised me a lot, where sequins sewn on wool combined with baggy pants, could easily be altered for a cocktail dress in which a risky celebrity could use at a premier.
In this colection there was something for everybody, for the last look Malgosia Bela walked in, what I call, futuristic version of Jennifer Lopez circa 2004. This colection was a success and isnt it adorable to see Alexander Wang running a marathon in his runway like a 13 years ond kid?

THE BEST:

Look at the jacket construction. The materials and colors are subtle but beautiful...
Those holes on the shirt are actualy shear. Call it detail...

Wang´s take on nightwear. Im obcessed with the seater.

The whole styling is impressive. Only Karl Templer to take Alexander Wangs work to the next level.


THE WORST:

This is the only look I dont like. The porpotions are bad, shoul have been cut from the colection.


Saturday, February 9, 2013

Fall 2013: Rag & Bone

For this season the very American brand Rag & Bone celebrated their colection with a more sober and darker look. It started with all black looks which reflected pretty much the brands spirit but with a more toughness and as the models were waking by the materials got softer and softer, as the colors did. At the middle we saw a very beautiful purple section, mixed with a very bright neon orange who woke-up the colection. My big problem was through the end, that the looks seemed repetitive and there was no flow, so when the show was over I needed more, I needed something special to close the show, not an ugly black big sweater and clumsy pants. While I was looking though the colection I couldnt avoid to see a vibe from Proenza Schouler Fall 2010 colection with the whole stocking and grunge look  It was overall a good colection, with a very strong part by the begining and the middle it was actualy a shame what heapened in the end but if it was better edited, it could have been way better.

THE BEST

This is a great look. The material and lenght of the sweater/dress is great.

This is a great jacket and the porportions on the whole look are great.

This are great colors. When a colection is dominated by black, its always nice to see  a pop of strong color.


THE WORST:

Can you believe they closed with this look? There is nothing good about it...

Its a very nice look and very well styled but the fabric used on the dress bothers me a little.

The pants are very very bad!




Fall 2013: Jason Wu

Jason Wu is known for the conservative sweet and bubbly style that fits girls in their 20s and goes through any middle age crisis. But in a way I think that is really nice, judges that he shows in New York that right now is full of trendy designers which colections goes out of fashion one season after.
But in this particular case Wu seemsed very vague about his coelction, it looked like a continuation from last season with the black and white charm ,but honestly, it was a very predictable (more than ususal) he did everything he has ever done and used the same materials he always does. I honestly think he thought that he was being original by adding fur to the trench coats but that is a very burned down idea. He was also doing something with the feminine/masculine and militar but he has also done that already.
Oh well....it was a very nice runway!

THE BEST

The top is amazing. The only thing that surprised me in 43 looks.

Its a very nice dress. Nothing special but I like the leather upper part.

I just love gowns with pants, it gives a very sofisticated but still casual look.


THE WORST:

This adds nothing to the colection. Very weak.

How many times have we seen this coming from Jason Wu?

I didnt like this look, its too fuzzy and has too many details (ugly ones)

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Fall 2013: BCBG Max Azria

BCBG is known for the easy New York minimalish style but in this season (unlike previous ones) we saw I slight transformation from the brand going into a darker mod even through they stayed with the same feeling and attitude. The brand who is famous to kick fashion week and show a fresh model cast.
The show started in a very seductive note, a very urban look who would mostly be used in those kind of movies where the hero takes the lady out of party and they see themselves between car chases and shootings , and so she needs a big plushy coat to cover her damaged (but still pretty) face.
That pretty much sumed the colection and even through you may have a completely different vision of it, I always like to go the the cinematographic side to show point of view. The colection evoluted into something lighter but always with a very grunge aestetique that kept going even in the most fairy and all white looks by the end of the show. I may add the laser cut leather pieces (paired with the beautiful All American leather jackets) which featured on the last 2/3 fashion weeks and seems like its always featured in more than one show.
Those are my favourite and less favourite looks from the show:

THE BEST:
I find this leather jacket the most interesting piece from the show. There is something so cool about it and mixed with  the white dress adds a very street feeling which I like.

Very beautiful dress. My favourite from the white section!

This skirt gives me life. Its just a very usual BCBG piece and its really interesting.


THE WORST:

Its not too bad but its very messy. I guess this is the point of BCBG but this was not a good execution.

Too much lea3ther and too much leather techniques. It just doesnt work.

I cant believe this was the last look! Its pretty awful, the worst of the colection actualy,  I cant believe this even made  in the cut.






Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Supermodels Enter Rehab

I would like to dedicate a post to one of my favourite editorials of all times Supermodels Enter Rehab.
Published on Vogue Italia July 2007 it was (obviously) photographed by Steven Meisel, styled by Karl Templer and with a bunch of hip models at the time (who will be identified in the photos).
Supermodels Enter Rehab is a very complex editorial that creates a plot where supermodels go to a mental institution (or Rehab) and are seen in meetings, baths, dorms and chilling on the living room and the clinics backyard.

While I was looking through the editorial and searching for the references to work on it, I saw myself mesmerised with the quantity of backwork this editorial got from the back team. The celebrity phenomenon was worked very much by Meisel at the mid decade, and in SER there are a lot of photos influenced by that like the ones where models are on car with spreaded legs and no underwear. We lived in 2007, a very interesting year where tabloids about celebrities as Paris Hilton and Britney Spears were spreaded everywhere. The latest is the one of the most present ones through the editorial.
Britney sofered her very famous breakdown in 2007, between fighting with paparazzi and going to mad parties The year was marked with the very famous head shave, that is referenced on the editorial.



photo imitates reality?

The second part of the editorial, past on a mental institution, was inspired by the film Girl, Interrupted (1999), one of my favourite films of all times, and while I rewatched it a few weeks ago (which encouraged me to write this post), I couldnt contain myself by having total flash backs of the editorial through parts of the film. By the girls being taken away by nurses to the chair game on the hallway, its a delight to see a photographer to take inspiration in a movie and instead of making a balant copy, taking it to the next level by mixing it with the society and making a social criticism.

taking fashion photography to the next level



the sence of detail when the clothes are still the focus

Steven Meisel may be a fashion photographer, and in my opinion that is just what he is. While many people try to concider his work as art, I see it as true fashion photography because whatever and how complex is the theme, the focus will always be the clothes, and that is why Steven Meisel is a fashion photography living legend.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Anna Scura Brazil

The newest issue of Vogue Brazil is an open door to the crazy world of Anna Dello Rosso in brazilina lands with the the predictable look of her *almost* personal photographer Giampaolo Scura.
The result is a true fashion mess where the "more is more" standart of Anna shines through the Brazilian landscapes. I honestly dont think that is a bad thing because I think her style is very close to what Brazilian culture could represent and their icons. There are some really stunning photos through out the issue but I have to say my big (huge problem is the photography.
I used to like Giampaolo Scura alot when he started working with Anna but now that he is truly famous I think his work has become mediocre. Right now his photography is always over photoshoped (not in the good term like Mert & Marcus) and lifeless.
From the covers we´ve got a glowy Mirte Maas, a beautiful Bette Franke, a sexy Izabel Goulart and finally a very photoshoped Magdalena Frackowiak (that looks more like Anna Selezneva than herself).


Monday, January 28, 2013

Sag Awards

As I said before this is not a celebrity blog and I dont think about posting celebrity related posts, but since we are at the awards season I just like to review who is doing good, bad and who has the most predictabel stylist on heart and the Sag Awards were VERY boring (Tilda where are you!!).

THE BEST:
Marion Cotillard in Christian Dior: The best of the night (what is saying something).  A very beautiful  aproach to the classic red carpet dress that I aprove.

Kerry Washington in Rodarte: This girl is the surprise of the season. I just love when actresses dont go on the obvious Oscar De La Renta or Chanel. From the Golden Globe triumph in Miu Miu to tis beautiful white Rodarte she knows how to take risks and thats enough to be on my list!

Rose Byrne in Valentino: Its a very safe dress but with sucha few options this is a very solid look plus she looks great on the dress even through I would make the hair a little more lose. Still great look!

THE WORST:

Jennifer Lawrence in Christian Dior: Here is my problem with this dress. I knwo Jennifer has a contract with Dior and so she has to wear Dior in basicly every red carpet but this dress is just not for her. Shes just not a Dior girl, and while the red couture dress she wore at the Golden Globes looked great on her, in this one you can feel how uncomfortable she feels and while Marion looks great on any Dior dress, Jennifer is more a cool NY girl, not a chic parisienne lady.

Anne Hathaway in Giambattista Valli: In this case I just dont get it. Anne is year after year one of the most interesting celebrities to see on the red carpet. Such a modern Audrey Hepburn girl, but this season (her golden season that she is winning every award there is) she is making the most safe and boring choices.

Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen: I didnt want to put my beautiful crush on this list but after that amazing CK moment at the Golden Globes, this is (again) very predictable. I cant see anything special about this dress and the look in general, even her hair that is usually very interesting looks dead in here. Lets pray for something more exiting on the Oscars.