Runway Review

[img_assist|nid=4037|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=480] Another popular Japanese designer to hit the runway today was Takahiro Miyashita. He is the creative director of the successful label Number (N)ine - which he happens to own. Over the past years the label has been gaining a lot of popularity, but it wasn’t until the Spring 2007 Parisian week that he stopped being considered by the industry as a newcomer. For the last two seasons it was all about mixing tight fits with loose garments; but this year the very loose garments took over the runway and impose their style. Cotton was everybody to be seen, and there wasn’t too much space for other fabrics to appear. By a process that took three mere seasons, Number (N)ine has become more obscure. For the spring 2007 line, Takahiro exposed a sort of juvenile cowboy aesthetic; then for it’s fall runway show, the Cowboy style was substituted by rockish grunge. And nowadays, the label’s aesthetic looks similar to an even more melancholically Ann Demeulemeester. Since there wasn’t any other option, a uniform color palette was used by Takahiro, and dark colors embellished the runway. Even though the outfits presented on the runway do not look like something I would wear, I must say that these draw the attention of many dazzled eyes.

Wardrobe:

Number (N)ine shows no color : Spring-Summer 2008

Submitted by Stavros on Sat, 2007-06-30 01:27
[img_assist|nid=4035|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=561] So finally Paris Fashion week has begun, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s not a matter about who is presenting what, but basically about the different chic vibe Paris exudes. Today, John Galliano, who I’ll refer to as Johnny, presented his Spring 2008 menswear line; evoking a sense of “fear” over the runway, using bad-ass models, and portraying diverse types of militias, Johnny designed a ready to wear line that has the usual drama, and it’s loaded with the same amount of passion, but which looks not as “Galliano” as the last four seasons. For Johnny is all about looking rude this Spring. What exposes Johnny’s superb talent is the capability of his to construct stereotypical aesthetics without looking ordinary or trashy. There is - according to my judgment - a Russian crazy guy who is making his way across eastern Europe; there is another guy who looks like a inmate; and there is a flamboyant junkie and a chic French revolutionary among many others. The aspect of the flamboyant junkie also presents some Taliban goes to Latin America thing going on which insanely nice accomplished. The jackets were the essential items of the line. They defined who was who and how bad-ass they were. In addition, the headpieces said a lot about which character the models were performing. For example, you could tell that the “French revolutionary” was in fact from somewhere near France from his hat; and you could identify the gang member because of his twisted cap and bandanna. The headpieces were amazingly good looking and I have no doubt that they will become a hot-selling item if placed on the racks. This season, Johnny was looking stranger than ever. He is hair is long and reddish, and he seems to have done a face job; but don’t let that trick you, since this season his garments and the concept behind them were fiercer than ever - standing ovation for Johnny.

Wardrobe:

Johnny gets rude : John Galliano Spring-Summer 2008 'Mens'

Submitted by Stavros on Thu, 2007-06-28 23:41
[img_assist|nid=4033|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=460] Sometimes focusing on only one side of the fashion season is wise and practical - specially when you happen to design creative youthful garments with a very hip edge. And that’s exactly what Gaspard Yurkievich did this season. For those of you who don’t know who this mastermind is, Gaspard is a Paris-born prominent designer, who has been gaining some serious fame over the last seasons and was named as one of the future French fashion promises by ANDAM. This season, his hip menswear line was presented in the Paris fashion week next to some very famous designer labels such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Givenchy, and John Galliano. His garments rocked the runway very early today and I was truly dazzled by his t-shirts and shoes. The first ones showed-off a robotic print that I very much liked; it reminds me of Raf by Raf Simons’ t-shirts from the Spring 2007 line. Regarding the shoes, they appeal to my taste since I always fall for minimalist shoes. I start drooling when I see one. The only thing I did not like, were the hats. I did not “understand” them nor see no creativity on their elaboration.

Wardrobe:

From Paris with love, Gaspard Yurkievich Spring-Summer 2008 Mens

Submitted by Stavros on Thu, 2007-06-28 23:31
[img_assist|nid=4031|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=459] The Japanese designer whose sportswear designs and sneakers rock the scene, Yohji Yamamoto, was another of the designers to present his new collection today in Paris. The Yamamoto aesthetic was seen in every outfit presented. Relaxed models showed-off even more relaxed garments, which only seem to expose Yamamoto‘s tranquil persona. This season, Yamamoto did the right thing: he restrained himself from designing too over the top pieces; elaborated garments which expressed his ideas, but were extremely wearable; and used light soft fabrics that are just adequate for Spring and Summer. The signature pieces of the collection are the low-crotched pants which ooze relaxation and still look stylish and hip for many. Something of relevant importance is how Yamamoto was able to print butterflies on these low-crotched pants without making them look feminine. The fabrics used by Yamamoto are also of great importance since the concept behind the collection would not have been accomplished if any other type of fabric had been chosen. The lightness and softness are vast, and by having a quick glimpse at these, anyone rapidly assumes that they belong to a spring collection. Some might describe these as old-looking or as they had been previously used, but for me they look just fine. I admit they look rather vintage, but describing these as already worn is absurd.

Wardrobe:

Yohji Yamamoto unveils his new collection : Spring-Summer 2008 Mens

Submitted by Stavros on Thu, 2007-06-28 23:28
[img_assist|nid=4023|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=601] Calvin Klein, as a fashion house, has been trying over the last few seasons to polish its public image. Without a doubt, they have done a pretty nice job, but the one who deserves all the credit is none other than Italo Zucchelli. Since Calvin Klein Collection is the high-end facet of the firm, and it’s the one the industry socialites and buyers focus their eyes on, it’s of major importance how good its runways shows are. Luckily for Calvin Klein, Italo has presented outstanding menswear collections over the last few seasons. The very last one, exposed a radical change on Calvin Klein’s image. Slim cuts, candid colors, and Lycra tights were among the amusing garments that dazzled the eye of those who had the privilege to watch as those superb elaborations graced the runway. As evidenced by how much speculation there was as soon they announced the date and place on which Calvin’s show would be held on, everyone was expecting too be amused once again by Italo - and they sure were. This time it wasn’t the fabrics nor the cuts that draw the attention of enthusiastic spectators, but the concept behind the collection was responsible for causing quite a mental stir on many. You may wonder why or how he managed to do such thing, and the answer is that he designed a menswear line on which the labels classic aesthetic mixed with a very relaxed sporty looked without looking “ridiculous”. The idea of movement, was so incredibly present that by just seeing them you wanted to hit the gym or grab a bike. From my perspective, the essential ingredients for achieving such concept were the short shorts, the lycra and, above all, the relaxed Miami attitude the models vastly oozed. In addition, I believe that the hairdos played a very important part, since these were responsible for much of that “attitude” portrayed by Italo thru the models.

Wardrobe:

It's the Italo Zucchelli semi-sensation one more time : Calvin Klein Spring-Summer 2008

Submitted by Stavros on Thu, 2007-06-28 02:45
[img_assist|nid=4021|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=396|height=640] Everybody has a few shows they always skip no matter what. For fashion socialites, it’s the entire London week; for me it’s Versace, Roberto Cavalli, Emporio Armani, and Dsquared. And some others as well I believe. But this season, I accidentally had a glimpse at the runway show by Dean and Dan. And I must say that I was truly surprised by the general aesthetic the Canadian duo depicted. The Spring 2008 season is undoubtedly a season of change, and I probably will remember it as the season in which DSquared's trashy t-shirts vanished from their runway spectacle. Unlike the other designer labels I mentioned, Dsquared sometimes has a thing or two I like hanging from their racks, and it’s commonly t-shirts - trashy t-shirts. But these aren’t the ones their average fake tanned guy would get, but the ones he even considers as trashy. These lack of any artistic value, and just vastly exude fun and stupidity, and that’s why I like them. It’s like a circle, and I know it’s hard to understand, but my theory is that sometimes some garments are too trashy that they end up being nice. I think that the irony implied on wearing them also affects how I see it. But even though how much I may like them or not, I always believed that these weren’t appropriate for the runway shows, and I always end up frustrated every time one trashy t-shirt appeared on the runway; and that was mainly why stopped watching the shows. The Spring 2008 is a different thing. The menswear line is slightly more refined and a lot of the trashy material was taken out. Nevertheless, do not alarm! There is plenty of it still to enjoy and Dsquared continues to be the same disgusting label. The important thing is that a positive change is visible, and THAT should be rewarded and talked about. Photo credit: Dnrnews.com

Wardrobe:

Dean and Dan Caten clean their runway : DSQUARED2 Spring-Summer 2008

Submitted by Stavros on Thu, 2007-06-28 02:37
[img_assist|nid=4019|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=427|height=640] This year there wasn’t a red jacket to applaud; and there wasn’t an innovative garment to be amazed by. Nevertheless, Alessandro Dell’Acqua presented a nicely conceived collection which seemed to avoid almost every current trend. No florals, no geometrical patterns, no nylon, and no candid colors were included in his collection, so you might assume that he successfully escaped from every stalking trend, but the truth is he embraced one and gave his own personal touch to it. Since no relevant innovations took place regarding his garments, it seems to me that Alessandro opted to focus on footwear, and that’s about the only place on which certain reminiscence of a trend is visible. He designed a minimalist looking yellow sneakers, but as common as it sounds, he was the only to do so. Dries Van Noten and Alexander McQueen both created yellow shoes, and Viktor & Rolf presented their own modern-traditional clogs which are very unlikely to ever hit their boutiques. So a trend is present, and it’s all about using yellow as a audacious footwear color. What Alessandro did was designing a more easy to wear and cheaper version of it, and evoking a more juvenile vibe.

Wardrobe:

Alessandro Dell'Acqua's version of yellow footwear

Submitted by Stavros on Thu, 2007-06-28 02:33
[img_assist|nid=4017|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=426|height=640] Neil Barrett was one of the other designers whose runway show did not seem to include any of the current “hot” trends. His menswear line was somehow obscure and uniform. Meaning that the color palette used always stayed between very delimited boundaries and there isn’t a major outburst of color, and that the Neil Barret silhouette is identifiable in almost every outfit. The quality level of the runway show definitively was what I expected. I think it’s very adequate to say that Neil Barret was the one of the very few designers who did not mess up a big part of their menswear line because of the spring/summer division. You see, many designers, specially Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, have had some troubles with the amount of summer looking pieces and the amount of those corresponding to spring. Their collections were extremely unbalanced, and in some cases the styles they exposed seemed more appropriate for fall than for spring. Well, Neil Barret wasn’t one these designers, and he brilliantly portrayed the concept of summer without sending tons of models wearing short shorts and floral shirts down the runway. He managed to expose the warm side of the season, and at the same time he composed a structured line full of jackets, vests and long-sleeves. I say he deserves any type of recognition and for the next spring seasons Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana should learn a thing or two about this man. Enjoy the rest of the collection and see more of what I’m talking about at Frillr.com - don’t forget to share your thoughts.

Wardrobe:

Summer is not just about short shorts and florals, and Neil Barrett certainly knows that

Submitted by Stavros on Thu, 2007-06-28 02:29
[img_assist|nid=3988|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=386] It was early this morning when Marni was the first fashion house in line to present its runway show. Around 9 A.M the show began and the garments astutely conceived by Consuela Castiglioni slowly started to appear on the runway. Worn by young models, whose age is hard to determine, the garments appealed the eye of the usual spectators who attend season after season to see similar creations. Consuela Castiglioni is one of the very few high-end designer who gets away with presenting the “same” outfits season after season. Now, you might be thinking “why on earth does this woman keep on doing similar pieces?” The thing is that the average Marni consumer is extremely attached to the aesthetic that has been presented over the last years, and people who run Marni, as well as the diverse buyers from all over the world, are somehow afraid that a change in the label’s image might cause them to loose a big chunk of clients. So when the buyers and others applaud after the runway show ends, it’s not because they are amused by the new pieces and so, but for the fact that they are almost sure that they will keep their regular amount of customers. Let’s analyze a little bit Marni’s latest menswear line. The youngish innocence that has been the concept behind the previous couple of seasons is once again present. The long shorts, the high socks, the squared shoes, and the short-sleeved minimalist meets Amish looking shirts are essential pieces for creating Marni’s aesthetic. Sometimes I think of it as a more “relaxed” version of Raf Simons; you see, while he plays with minimalism by doing it hip and modern, Consuela does the opposite. I think the only difference with this collection is that Consuela has gone too far, entering the “boring side“. I don’t see the appeal this season, and I know that Marni dresses the simple - which I think that rocks - but this season her garments lack of the minimalist juvenile fun that the other collections evoked. In addition, while everybody used strong vibrant colors, she opted for a soft color palette. And that’s a major error, her winter line had more color for crying out loud!

Wardrobe:

Predictable Marni : Spring-Summer 2008

Submitted by Stavros on Tue, 2007-06-26 20:30
[img_assist|nid=3950|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=345] So Fendi came by and put a smile on my face - Fendi’s runway show wasn’t exactly glorious, but it was refined, minimalist, and elegant, yet youthful at the same time. Even though at some points the show seemed to start going wrong - with the bohemian-like outfits - it didn’t last too long, and the runway presentation went on nicely. The garments designed by Silvia, at least for me, weren’t exactly the center of attention - it sounds odd, doesn’t it? Although they were mostly brilliantly conceived, and the color palette used was very adequate the tote bags stole all the attention. Before further analysis of the totes, I’d like to write a thing or two about the rest of the outfits. The fits were pretty slim as usual, but some loose nylon pants appeared on stage which I did not like at all. Nylon was also present on Fendi’s catwalk, and it seems to me that this season it came here to stay - plastic like fabrics as well. The other thing I didn’t like was the Moroccan/bohemian outfits, for me it was just so distant from Fendi’s image that I couldn’t imagine any relationship with the rest of the line. On the other hand, the jackets were amusing without being hip or avant garde; but what the hell, Fendi is not about avant garde figures. The tote bags were so insanely magnificent that Silvia Fendi could have sent her models down the runway with Wal-Mart clothes on them that nobody would have cared. And by this I’m not saying that the Fendi’s garments are hideous, but how spectacular the bags are. They majestically appeared in diverse colors and style. You can say that there was a tote for everyone, a tote that would adjust to your profile. If you were hip, fun, and always playful, there was the creamy yellow tote waiting for you; if you were the type of person who likes to dress all in black no matter how hot it is and won’t stand a minute without his heroin chic persona, there was the black one with leather; and if you were the relaxed bohemian type of guy, there was also one that fitted your profile. Fendi’s menswear line is not exclusively designed by Silvia Fendi. The German guru, Karl Lagerfeld, also plays a part on creating the mens collection. His participation has always been rather minuscule, but this year things seem to have changed. There is the outfit in particular, which I do not happen to like, which expresses what I’m trying to say. I post it above the article, and if you know the Lagerfeld aesthetic you should able to see what I’m talking about - the color palette used, the tie, the shirt under t-shirt, the model’s attitude, and the adoration for Hedi. Maybe Karl wasn’t more involved in the actual process of designing the new pieces, but he has certainly influenced Silvia. After the great success Fendi has had over the last few seasons, I think that this would be the perfect time for them to begin an expansion plan, making their mens ready-to-wear line more available, and taking it global.

Wardrobe:

Fendi assures a good day

Submitted by Stavros on Tue, 2007-06-26 19:13

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