Lagerfeld Show Endures Despite Rain

On Tuesday July 3rd, Chanel presented their fall/winter collection, in a former royal park that borders the Seine river in Paris. Rain almost put a halt to the show before tarps were brought in and the crowd was given umbrellas. Karl Lagerfeld has been recently shown with the wilting pop start Lindsay Lohan. She has been known to admire his work with the fashion house and are rumoured to have some of the same addictive interests.

When asked about the mystery that surrounds couture and its inaccessiblity, Lagerfeld replied "Haute couture is a distinct culture and this is the reason why there are so few couture houses around". Source

Photo: imaxtree.com/Alessandro Lucioni This slide has been added to your lookbook. click to view my lookbook >

The looks were somewhat dry despite the rain, except I particularly liked the above creation, specifically the fitted but slouchy pant.

The highlight of the collection was certainly the dresses, with a 1920's feel mixed with shine and feathers.

Photo: imaxtree.com/Alessandro Lucioni

Photo: imaxtree.com/Alessandro Lucioni This slide has been added to your lookbook. click to view my lookbook >

The above dress particularly stood out. The gorgeous cross-hatch pattern mixed with whimsical feathers made it work with the mild grey fabric.

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NEW!

Although not couture-related, Kate Moss has designed her own line of clothing that had its debut in the Topshop on Oxford Street in London on April 30th, 2007. Kate's name drew hundreds of women looking to preview the collection, which officially went on sale today.

Photo by: Ray Tang/Rex USA

This off-the-shoulder chiffon dress is pinned to be the top seller. A halter-style dress is selling for $110 USD on Ebay, so buying her clothing won't break your bank.

Judging from what I've seen, the smart and fashion-saavy shopper is better off saving her cash and buying a nice pair of Jimmy Choo's.

Watch Out For......

*THE GLADIATOR WEDGE*

Chunky wedges that end at the ankle. The wedge was seen all over the runways during New York Fashion Week 2007. Watch out for them, they're hot but not for everyone.

These boots are great for those who need to hide/dress up an unsightly ankle, however will be difficult to wear for people with big calves. Beware! Despite being easier to walk in versus teetering around on stilettos, the heel with a narrower sole will still cause some embarrassing moments if you don't watch your steps. For those that party a bit too hearty, choose a wider sole for easier mobility after that fourth glass of champagne.



Brilliant! Donna Karan does it right.
Photo by: Don Ashby

This shoe + chunky calves = NO!

Although conservative to the
eye,these shoes are meant
to be worn with finesse.
(Derek Lam)

Photo by: Don Ashby

REVIEW - Jean Paul Gaultier (Spring 2007)

-Floor length gowns
-Inspired by 14th century style
-Religious imagery in design
-Billowing or loose style skirt
-Strappy, wrap-around stilettos
-Vivid colours
-Combination of sheer and solid fabrics
-Large and intricately designed head-dresses



Photos by: Marcio Madeira

In this collection, the Renaissance has been brought back to life in vibrant colours and flowing fabrics. Jean Paul Gaultier focused on draping gowns and religious imagery, creating beautiful visual effects. One dress had a print like stained glass in a church.




The dresses were lovely, but nothing original or unique. Re-creating traditional designs has always been a popular technique of designers. Jean Paul created eye-candy with his personal touches of colour and fabric mixing, and overall the collection is enjoyable.



With the exception of a more modern pant-suit and several shorter, simpler dresses, the entire collection could use some new twists on old concepts. Jean Paul is known for his past use of iconography in his designs, and this show is no different.

Academy Awards 2007

One of the biggest fashion events on television each year are the Oscars. Many celebrities don couture clothing for the event. Popular designers include Zac Posen, Valentino, Armani, and more designers to come.

When stars walk down the legendary red carpet, "Who are you wearing?" is one of the most common questions. Not only do the fashions make the celebrities look great (in most cases), but couture really becomes accessible to the masses.

This year, Ellen DeGeneres will be hosting this year and has already told the press she will be changing outfits several times during the show.

Current celebs that have walked down the red carpet tonight include....




Beyoncé looks good in this ivory white dress, clearly designed in the old school style as per her movie "Dreamgirls". The pearlized accents are gorgeous and the colour really suits her. Source






Cate Blanchett looks very polished in this dress by Armani. It's tough for her to wear certain colours because of her typically pale complexion, however the dark grey and black looks stunning.
Source

REVIEW - Armani Privé (Spring 2007)

-Off the shoulder
-Pastel metallic fabric
-Fitted leggings
-1920's-1930's style
-Thick, draping necklaces
-Slim fitted skirts
-V-necked blouses and jackets
-Intricate detail






PHOTOS: By Marcio Madiera

The contrast between conservative style and dazzling fabric is what makes this line aesthetically appealing. While the dress-suits are whimsical and stylish, it is the evening dresses that sweep the line up and away. Full skirts, billowing silk with metallic shine, they are elegant and chic at the same time.

The only think I disliked in the show was the emphasis on the retro hats and hairstyles. I felt they were too severe for every model to be styled in. The black dresses were stunning but seemed heavy with fabric for a spring line.

BURBERRY - Christopher Bailey

More popularly known as the designer for the classic Burberry label, Christopher Bailey has been the Design Director since 2001 and won the British Fashion Designer of the Year in 2005.

Burberry has been creating fashion since 1856 when Thomas Burberry opened his own shop in Hampshire. He focused on outdoor clothing and became popular when he invented type of fabric called gabardine. Gabardine was a breathable yet water-resistant fabric which was perfect for handling the unpredictable British weather.

In 1924, Burberry came up with the "Nova" which is one of the most heavily recognized trademarks even today. The legendary "Burberry Check" is red, black, white and peach which they now use on most of their luggage and as lining for their coats.

Popularity, however, does not make a company invincible. In September of 2006, Burberry was criticized for a factory closure which would movie three hundred jobs out of Britain and into China. There were protesters outside of the flagship store in London and a campaign was launched to
Keep Burberry British. To make matters worse, a local Minister of Parliament made a motion to remove Burberry's Royal Warrant if the company makes the proposed factory move.

Understanding Haute Couture

To fully understand fashion, you have to understand the roots from which all seasonal fashion stems. The top of the fashion food chain is Haute Couture, which is defined by Wikipedia as:

"Haute couture (French for "high sewing" or "high dressmaking"; IPA: [ˌoːt kuˈtyʁ]) refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted fashions. It originally referred to French fashion and in France, is a "protected name" that can be used only by firms that meet certain well-defined standards. However, the term is also used loosely to comprise all high-fashion custom-fitted clothing, whether it is produced in Paris or in other fashion capitals such as New York, London, and Milan.

Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques." Source

Fashion houses are where fashion is designed and sewn. Fashion houses typically create a couture line (designs that appear on runways) and a prêt-à-porter (literally translated as "ready-to-wear") line for each season. The latter is what brings in the most money, as the items can be mass produced and sold to department stores.

The beauty about fashion is that it reflects the type of person you are. If you were to look into someone's closet, you could tell a lot about them. Denim, dresses, designer neckties, Wal-Mart blouses, Manolo Blahnik or Shoe Club....all ways of self-expression. Whether people like it or not, a much of how you are perceived is by the way you dress. It also allows people to be deceptive about themselves.

Many organizations and individuals criticize couture designers because there is a preference to slim bordering on sick. Couture clothing is generally made in sizes 0-2 with the largest being a size 4 for the runway. This means that the women chosen for modeling the clothing are silently pressured into decreasing their size to be competitive with those who are naturally very slim. This translates into advertising campaigns and photo spreads featuring almost unattainably slim women that creates our society's perception of what is "beautiful".

Couture was intended to be of the best fabrics with the most cutting-edge fashion designs. Despite the ups and downs of the fashion industry, one thing we can all appreciate is the effort and style that fashion houses and fashion icons create that affects the way we dress.