HEY YOU! NOGOODFORME.COM is now found at...NOGOODFORME.COM! You've stumbled upon our old mirror site instead. Please point your browsers to NOGOODFORME.COM instead and update your newsfeed to http://feeds.feedburner.com/nogoodforme/tYOS. Thanks and we shall see you at NOGOODFORME.COM!
Previous Page In This Category | HOME | Next Page In This Category
Sunday , February 10, 2008
New York Fashion Week, Fall 2008: Some Final Favorite Looks
Of course Marc Jacobs had the big buzz as New York Fashion Week wound down. (It started on time! Rachel Zoe got shut down! Oh, snap!) Don't ask me what his show was about, though: some critics dug it and I can get that it's an interesting, focused take on American sportwear with a particularly askew treatment of how clothes sit on the female form -- and the color palette and textures were so lovely and gentle. But will I wear it? Probably not. But sometimes you don't have to wear clothes to appreciate the beauty and craft that goes into them.
I think the same can be said for me for this season's Vera Wang collection, which had another skewed take on how clothes fit on the body -- one less rooted in the American vernacular and more within Wang's increasingly idiosyncratic take on arty European avant-garde, dosed with a shot of New York fancy lady aesthetic. Wang's show was one that I simply 'ooohed' at when I saw the pictures; they fit into my idea of what a renegade modern-day Edith Wharton heroine would wear. I just loved it on a viscerally girly level: the rich colors, luxe fabrics, and the wealth of interesting details (pleating, origami folds, skewed hems, draping and some pretty amazing jewelry.) There were some stunning dresses, as you'd expect, but also some beautiful tops and a pant silhouette that managed to be both narrow and relaxed at the same time. Wang's ideas about color and proportion carry down well through her diffusion collections (Vera Wang Lavender, and her line for Kohls, which for my money is developing into one of the better high-low designer collaborations out there -- if you ignore the bread-and-butter pieces and take time to find the more experimental items.) Could I wear any of Wang's fall collection? Not all at once, for fear of looking like a walking coat rack (I'm petite and that long, dripping silhouette makes me look like I'm melting) -- but I still think it's gorgeous.
And without further adieu:
(l-r: Bill Blass, Calvin Klein, Staerk)
(l-r: Cynthia Rowley, Daryl K, Donna Karan)
(l-r: Jenni Kayne, Kai Kuhne, L'Wren Scott)
(l-r: Marc Jacobs, Phi, Ralph Lauren)
I don't know, man -- it's easy to bag on Fashion Week being boring and all, and yeah, there were some pretty wrong shows to be had. (Zac Posen, I'm looking at you.) But with shows like Vera Wang's, not to mention the serene minimalism at Calvin Klein, the flight of fancy at Rodarte or the lithe take on Victoriana at L'Wren Scott (never did I think I'd love a show by a Mick Jagger girlfriend), I thought there were some nice schmattes to be had.
+ Posted
by Kat in Fashion Weeks
| Permalink | Stumble This! | Digg This! |
Thursday , February 7, 2008
New York Fashion Week, Fall 2008: More Favorite Looks So Far Perhaps it's because we've got a possible female presidential candidate on the collective brain, but there's a streak of "grown up" conservatism going on in the New York collections this season, what with lots of separates, suits both skirt and trouser, and a general covered-up thing going on. I'm not sure how I feel about it; it should definitely sell to the "working woman" and I'm happy to see the sometimes infantilizing girlishness of the recent past recede gently like an evening tide. But surely we don't need to look dowdy, which some shows came dangerously close to being. (If you're making tall, emaciated models look heavy and matronly, you know something's not working.) But happily, there's a few other things happening as well: purple (which has been popping up on nearly every runway), Katharine Hepburn (lots of high-waisted trouser suits happening), and my favorite theme of all, a sort of Joan of Arc flourish, what with a lot of militaristic detail and emphasis on a strong shoulder and almost breastplate-like bodices. Maybe Jeanne d'Arc offers a middle way between past seasons' little girl lost and this new Hitchcock heroine redux? She certainly satisfies my own slightly savage/dark romantic predilections. And certainly it's been fascinating to watch girly and ladylike stalwarts like Temperley and Behnaz Sarafpour find their inner toughie. But I think my most favorite show of all so far was Rodarte -- beautiful, intense, almost unwearable and highly imaginative, with its Japanese horror film and manga inspirations. I would like to live in a Rodarte world, or at least make a Rodarte movie. They should team up with Hayao Miyazaki and make a fairy tale.. I trawl style.com so you don't have to; (l-r: 3.1 Phillip Lim, Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka) (l-r: Behnaz Sarafpour, Benjamin Cho, Brian Reyes) (l-r: Carlos Miele, Carolina Herrera, Catherine Malandrino) (l-r: Chris Benz, Dennis Basso, Derek Lam) (l-r: Doo.Ri, Halston, Isaac Mizrahi) (l-r: Jill Stuart, J. Mendel, Karen Walker) (l-r: Luca Luca, Malo, Marc by Marc Jacobs) (l-r: Marchesa, Matthew Williamson, Max Azria) (l-r: Michael Kors, Monique Lhullier, Narciso Rodriguez) (l-r: Oscar de la Renta, Peter Som, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti) (l-r: Ports 1961, Proenza Schouler, Richard Chai) (l-r: Rodarte, Shipley & Halmos, Stephen Burrows) (l-r: Temperley, Thakoon, Tory Burch) (l-r: TSE, Vivienne Tam, VPL) (l-r: Y & Kei, Zero Maria Cornejo)
+ Posted
by Kat in Fashion Weeks
| Permalink | Stumble This! | Digg This! |
Monday , February 4, 2008
New York Fashion Week, Fall 2008: Favorites So Far For one reason or another (CMJ, jet lag, travel, school) I always end up missing Fashion Week. But I still make time to trawl through all the pictures at style.com! Key words so far: sportswear, elegance, rebellious boarding school girls, all grown up, structured dressing, tomboys and androgyny. And while I missed the Goth Vikings from Elise Overland's past shows, Alexander Wang's show has enough toughness to fill in the void, although what's with all the sheer black stockings? Here, my flash-favorites so far: (l-r: Alexander Wang, BCBG Max Azria, Costello Tagliapietra) (l-r: DKNY, Elise Overland, Erin Fetherston) (l-r: Alexander Herchcovitch, Herve Leger by Max Azria, Jason Wu) (l-r: Jeremy Laing, Jonathan Saunders, Jovovich-Hawk) (l-r: Juan Carlos Obando, Katy Rodriguez, Ohne Titel) (l-r: Preen, Rachel Comey, Rag and Bone) (l-r: Sue Stemp, Three As Four, Tracy Reese) (l-r: United Bamboo, Y-3, Yigal Azrouel)
+ Posted
by Kat in Fashion Weeks
| Permalink | Stumble This! | Digg This! |
Wednesday , October 1, 2003
Milan Begins: Armani, Burberry, Dsquared
If New York's fashion week is practical and commercial and London colorful and streetwise, then Milan is like the alluring, elegant older sister of Fashion Weeks. It began with three disparate shows, including the grand master, Giorgio Armani. He showed within his typically sophisticated mien, taking inspiration from the nautical themes that have been popping up here and there. There were elegant interpretations of sailor stripes and almost surreal little decorative touches like anchors and other sailing accoutrements. Despite the tributes, exhibitions and stars on the Hollywood Walk of Style, Armani's role in fashion is almost overlooked in its quest for perpetual stimulation, but the spring show demonstrates what he does best: make clothes that are timelessly stylish without falling into traps of trendiness. They may not inspire the rabid excitement that greets the newest thing, but Armani will always stand for a classic stylishness that makes him one of the truly global brands of fashion.
If Armani lifts itself out of the maw of fashion, then Burberry Prorsum keeps it all up to the minute, thanks to wonder boy designer Christopher Bailey, who has been remaking Burberry into something decidedly au courant (and financially solvent.) Perpetually It girl Kate Moss walked the runway, leading off a show that displayed a lightness of touch that falls into the rest of the spring trends without stepping into twee or cute territory. The palest green, the freshest pink and the prettiest grey (or is it "griege" these days?) popped up into loose, easy silhouettes comprised of little biker jackets, swinging skirts, abbreviated trench coat capelets and little t-shirts that were tossed together with the coolest insouciance. It was very tomboy and a touch of London in Italy.
If Burberry is a cool customer, then Dsquared is a hot tamale of a fashion show. There was no subtlety to be found: it was very 50s and very sexed-up, and will probably be found on the body of Eve, Lil' Kim and maybe even J Lo if Ben Affleck ditches her and she goes on the rebound. There's nothing new about t-shirts with "Rebel" emblazoned on them - they might as well have "Hot Topic" emblazoned on them - but there were some dead-sexy leather pieces, including a shrunken biker jacket and some tight leather cargo pants. It was exuberantly slutty and heavy on the va-va-voom; no wonder a huge crowd showed up at the show.
+ Posted
by Kat in Fashion Weeks
| Permalink | Stumble This! | Digg This! |
Tuesday , September 23, 2003
London's Coming London's Fashion Week is happening soon! Read a preview here at vogue.co.uk, and be sure to keep an eye out for Fashion UK's coverage of off-schedule events.
+ Posted
by Kat in Fashion Weeks
| Permalink | Stumble This! | Digg This! |
Friday , September 19, 2003
NY MINUTES: Roland Mouret, Behnaz Sarafpour, Zac Posen + Everyone wants to hate Zac Posen because he's young and successful and constantly surrounded by young, successful celebrities. But clearly he knows his destiny in life: to make youthful pretty frocks for youthful pretty people. His was a very red carpet-worthy collection with some superb examples of tailoring and a keen sense of color and line. There's scant little for daytime, but who needs the harsh light of day when you get plenty of light from all those flashbulbs popping as you escort the starlet du jour from her limo? + Behnaz Sarafpour is the ultimate fashion chameleon: she started off with an arty, poetic note with embroidering poetry on sashes of gowns that would make Morgane Le Fay weep, then last season she nailed down the society lady with perfect pitch. For spring, she gave the fashion flock a radical change with a fierce, frankly sexy collection - lots of skintight dresses, lots of leg, lots of black patent leather. (No floaty feminine stuff here.) What remains, though, is an inherent neatness and modesty to her lines and a cleverness to her details, what with floppy bows paired with teeny trenches and minis. + Matthew Williamson has been doing loud, pretty, and joyfully cacophonous for so long, and it seems that the fashion world has caught up with him this season. Funnily enough, he seemed a little restrained this time around; I actually spotted a grey sweater that you could wear to a corporate office. Horrors! Swingy, loose, and boho with lots of caftans in bright colors and sundresses in tropical hues, it's all enough to make you want to swim in margaritas and cha-cha in a barely straight line.
+ The photos are in for Roland Mouret's much anticipated show, and those who have no wish to look like a ruffle-y brightly-hued explosion of Easter candy will breathe a sigh of relief - in Mouret's collection, you have something to wear. There were beautifully draped dresses and layered tanks combined with lots of gentle biker-inspired vests and jackets, punctuated with lots of canary yellow, which is turning into the one of the colors of the season. (There are also some pretty daring swimsuits.) It's all very urban but decidedly beautiful - perhaps what editors were hoping for from Daryl Kerrigan's show?
+ Posted
by Kat in Fashion Weeks
| Permalink | Stumble This! | Digg This! |
Tuesday , September 16, 2003
ADROVER, JACOBS, STUART, DE LA RENTA, HERRERA, DKNY + Marc Jacobs' signature show was on point for the season, all ruffles and pretty, gentle colors, perfect little sundresses and a very relaxed silhouette that reminds of late 80s L.A. - a slouchy pant, a looser shirt, shorts with blazers. He keeps broadening his audience for his main line, keeping his hipsters happy with the Marc line. Style.com mentioned that it is reminiscent of his work at Perry Ellis, before Jacobs became Mr. Fashion Superstar, which makes me wonder when he's going to resurrect his infamous grunge collection that got him canned from Ellis in the first place. + Miguel Adrover returns to the runway! He must have been superexcited, judging from the volume of looks that he showed. It could only have been described as American preppy goes to Africa; there were lots of oxford shirts and blazers mixed in with some inventive capes and jackets, with draping and intricate ribboning embellishing here and there. It, the use of models of all different ethnicities and ages, and the deeper colors must have been great for the eye, since all the springtime pretty must look a little monotonous after awhile. + Carolina Herrera continued in her lady Hitchcock vein, with perfect attenuated silhouette in brighter Mediterranean colors, mixed with a sporty touch here and there, not to mention a little touch of what I like to call Zac Posen constructionism, especially with the collars of some of the dresses. Those who were huge fans of her heralded fall show should enjoy this season; there are still the ribbons and bows, but every now and then a tougher, younger edge pokes through. + Oscar de la Renta's world is all socialites, dinner, dancing and red carpets, which is generally who he dresses. This clientele will be treated to Audrey Hepburnesque dresses and some truly marvelous gowns, including one in a shocking plum that was atypical for a season lightly but firmly dominated by gentle palettes of spring colors. + DKNY was all very swishy and resortlike. Taking a looser silhouette as the guiding light, Karan delivered trademark ease with relaxed trenchcoats, dropped waist dresses, and trenches. There were loose, easy dresses in a relatively restrained palette of grey and khaki, punched up with purples and yellows the color of Peeps marshmallow candy. + Jill Stuart: there was plenty of cute for your L.A. starlet, and plenty of vintage-inspired touches. But to be honest, I don't remember much about the show or the photos. What does that mean? Jill Stuart and BCBG are sort of labels that are always very wearable and probably are meant to sell well, but always seems a little disposable. I'm always puzzled to see them have runway shows but it's just the same stuff in their stores... All these shows can be seen at style.com and mbfwnyc.com. More random observations: + Shorts are coming back!
+ Bright canary yellow is turning out to be the accent color of choice, so snap up those Christian Louboutin flats soon.
+ The flapper dress gets many modern interpretations
+ The little white dress is not going away
+ Ruffles, ruffles everywhere, so girly girls should be plenty happy
+ Posted
by Kat in Fashion Weeks
| Permalink | Stumble This! | Digg This! |
Monday , September 15, 2003
NYC SPRING IN FULL EFFECT The spring ready-to-wear has launched, and style.com has full photos and some editorial comment on shows as they come up. Right now the big shows up from the past few days are Luella Bartley, Imitation of Christ, As Four, Luca Luca, Diane von Furstenburg and Tuleh. Here's my quick lowdown so far: + Tuleh: girly-girl socialite into ruffles who got lost in an Easter basket + Luca Luca: Tuleh's grown-up sister who would rather sip Bellinis somewhere on the Mediterranean coast than get lost in an Easter basket + As Four: "I Dream of Jeannie" goes to Las Vegas via a magic carpet and picks up Siegfried and Roy so they can all sleep in the communal bed in their silver loft in New York. They do not detour through an Easter basket. + Luella: Cool British girl goes backpacking, opens said backpack to find that she's packed her Chanel jacket, which has mated with her ratty, ironic 80s sweats. In despair, she dips her toes into Easter basket hell but gets out when she realizes it goes all Day Glo on her. She goes to some tropical paradise in Southeast Asia and blows through her trust fund on pareos and halter dresses and cabana boys. + DVF: Flapper girl jumps out of an Easter basket, which has turned into a time warp portal of sorts since she also brings bits and pieces of the 80s with her. She gets a part on Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw's long-lost sister and sashays off her guest appearance with a serious drinking problem and a few new boyfriends. + IOC: A bunch of early 50s Hollywood starlets sit around the set sipping grenadine and soda and call each other "darling." Eventually they get political and decry the Easter basket as a symbol of oppression, but for now they shove it in the closet. So far what I've noticed: + Grecian-inspired fashion is still big, ranging from toga-like gowns at IOC or the sandals at Luella, which makes sense: it flatters a huge range of women's body types, which you really can't say for many cuts or silhouettes in fashion. + Like fall, it's a big skirt and dress season, so if you've ever wanted to load up on frocks, this is your year. What's more, the mini is still going strong (which is great for small girls, like myself.) There's still a bit of 80s with the bomber jackets here and there. + Instead of the little black dress, there are plenty of little white dresses. IOC has some darling ones in their girlish, innocently Hollywood-inspired show. Tara Subkof's designs get more and more wearable each season, so I'm only assuming that some mass production is on the way for the label. Whenever I scour all the shows' photos, I'm always struck by the continuities versus the differences at first. As Four has echoes of Balenciaga and even a little Marc Jacobs, only with the rounded edges of their Arabian Nights references and metallic colors. Luca Luca's show has echoes of Carolina Herrera's Hitchcock-inspired fashions, only in a color template in the most sherbet hues of spring; there's also a hint of Narciso Rodriguez in the gowns with their cutaways, with an added rounded edge to Rodriguez's more angular touches.
+ Posted
by Kat in Fashion Weeks
| Permalink | Stumble This! | Digg This! | NYC FASHION WEEK: MORE LINKS THAN I SHOULD CRAM INTO ONE ENTRY Fashion Week in New York has descended. Keep up with schedules, photos and designers here, but don't take it too seriously, in the spirit of this humorous piece, via Gawker. After all, isn't it all about who's in the front row and who's going to what party and the models? (Insert air-kiss here.) Above all, don't act too enthusiastic about anything, since fashion isn't really cool anymore. Whatever. Uncool is the new cool, square is the new edgy, nouns are the new verbs, numbers are the new letters.
+ Posted
by Kat in Fashion Weeks
| Permalink | Stumble This! | Digg This! |
Tuesday , September 9, 2003
NEW YORK PREVIEW Style.com has a preview of the New York Spring Ready-to-Wear season up on the site; the best features are the designers' inspirations and the ones to watch. I'm excited to see that Annelore will have a show; I've stopped in the Annelore boutique in the West Village a few times, and the clothes are beautiful, and slightly eccentric, which is what you would expect from someone who used to design for ultra-girly Catherine Malandrino. Derek Lam will also be showing; a master of beautiful tailoring, he's been recently featured in NYLON and the buzz is building around him. Roland Mouret also joins New York this season - Mouret commands a diverse fashion vocabulary, and having tried on and adored his sensual yet restrained designs at Kirna Zabete, I'm excited to see what he is offering for the season. The designers' inspirations are as diverse and sometimes loopy as the designers themselves. Zac Posen, for instance, cites the Eiko Ishioka costumes in Mishima as well as a book of shells; Behnaz Sarapour is looking to Pop Art this season. There's always a general sense of brightness and return to nature for most of the designers, although Daryl K will keep on her edgy urban woman route. (She's still using the film Escape from New York as inspiration, however, proving that when the weather heats up, even the most urban diehard wants to get away.)
+ Posted
by Kat in Fashion Weeks
| Permalink | Stumble This! | Digg This! | Previous Page In This Category | HOME | Next Page In This Category
