YSL: Paris in Spring 2011

Fashion Week NY is right around the corner so I thought I'd trump the situation and report Men's Spring/Summer 2011 which showed way back in June 2010.  If you were't thinking about Fall all summer then you may as well bundle up and forget about it, because the Spring 2011 collections are casting as we speak.

Fashion is always desperate for something new & YSL always rises to the occasion to appease the anguished style enthusiasts around the globe.  This collection is a fraction more contained than usual in comparison to the languid silhouettes presented to us in the past few collections.
Jackets cinched & tied with the standard male elegance of a sash feeling of a cumberbun.  Smart and tailored if you're rocking washboard abs & a  30 inch waistline.  This look is definitely on the stunning side and reserved for the gauzy guys who put the skinny in and on the RTW convention.
As usual, Stefano Pilati (Head Designer YSL), is right on the mark with the latest in textile innovation with the unbalanced feeling of an abstract plaid.  It creates a casual mystery of texture and color that adds a quiet subtlety to bold idea.  
The color palette is chic and functional and will prove to have a long wearability factor with the stylings of today's modern man.

The NEW COOL

If you are wondering what the Rock Stars' girlfriends are going to be wearing this SPRING 2010, then you better ask  the guy who dresses them.  Christophe Decarnin, (Designer/Balmain) for the past two seasons, has had the world's trend forecast embedded in his DNA. The House of Balmain has mutated and fused subtle textures and over-the-top drama. 
Keeping in stride with his flair for exaggeration ,again, the shoulders are addressed with details that define the focal points of his vision.  Above, the shoulders are strategically exposed by the extensions of corset string...minimal, and so effective.
The Balmain "RockStar/Alien Chic" look has quickly become the generic "go to" for the masses and it is so very obvious why.  Why else would all of the top models (who can fit the drag) be lined up to do his show every season.

The show itself was a runway masterpiece of gorgeous super-model show-stoppers who always deliver: Madgelena Frakowiak, Anja Rubik, Natasha Poly, Isabeli Fontana,  Daria Werbowy (Above) had 3 looks in one show!  When does that happen!?

WUNDERKIND: understated genius

Wolfgang Joop (Below) was a pioneer of innovation when he departed from traditional styles and standards of design with his globally licensed brand "JOOP!" His Spring '09 collection for Wunderkind delivers a stellar command performance during London Fashion Week. He unveiled a Japanese military feeling with hints of an era that still very influential by today's design standards.

Some Looks from the Collection:

1.Strategically arranged square shapes in a grey scale proves to be the "non-plaid" plaid of the season.

2.Bold and quirky geometrics (above)that could be worn as jazzy seperates add spice and just the right amout of pattern to revive pieces already in the closet.

4. Mixing and matching prints is simple when you balance the +/- spacing and keep the colors coordinated(above, below).

5. The lotus bloom is an asian textile staple and still has calming properties even after being laced with a soloarized color palette for a youthful effect (above, below).
6. A very feminine floral camouflage(below) is a clever thread in the overall military theme of the show.

7. Eyelets and applique (above,below) are always a reference to yester"year" and add a note of nostalgia to the collection with an updated contemporary technique.

Asian Persuasion

Prints that are of an Asian derivation seem to always connote a regal and ornate feeling regardless of what they are printed on. The most common of which are the floral motifs screened on fine silks in bright tones and pefectly composed repeats.
Vivenne Tam takes this classic motif and applies a brushstroke (Above) to give it a more random feeling and a freehand style for the liberated and rebellious look of the season.

This technique is not new to the runway but her choice of color and scale makes this century-old idea new & appealing all over again. (Above) It is applied to a floor-length look that can easily be worn as an evening gown or with sandals for a pache resort look for the day.

Embroidery is far too often overlooked as an art form that pays homge to texture and pattern in a three demesional format. She applies it to the bottom of a dress (Above) to give it a feeling of luxe seperates.

Indian Summer

This is the first real peak at Fall 2009 done right "a la" Matthew Williamson. Sienna Miller is radiant as the summer sun over the blazing desert sands in this ethnic print over lame'. Matthew's entire Collection for the season was a stunning spectacle of intricate prints that gave the audience the experience of being in a royal suite at a luxurious desert resort. The prints and beadwork were perfectly chosen & lavish symbols of the desert's beauty by day and by night. This show is easily going to be rated in my Top 10, so stay tuned for the video of this fabulous show in the May posts.

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Abstract To The Future

A painting by Marko Blazo called "Taxi Marathon", 2007, was the NY.ArtSlant.com winner for the month of March. The vivid coloration gives the piece movement and a sense of orderly chaos. The line between art and fashion is virtually non-existent in modern culture and it has become my mission to highlight how one is an outward expression of the other. It is more than appearent that the age of the future is upon us and being expressed in every format by mass media outlets.

Cynthia Rowley has a spring collection that is all about the future of textiles & utilizes brushed metallics and textural fabric selection to broaden the scope of space age lifestyle choices. The patterns in this collection bring a sort of cosmopolitan whimsicality to the racks that will appeal to the cultured and street-wise fashionistas.

The Great Americana!

Only Michael Kors could take such campy & general motifs such as stripes, dots, & gingham to make such a fresh runway statement. It's like taking a walk on the waterfront in Cape Cod or having iced summer cocktails at the Kennedy compoundin Hiannisport. A large scale gingham(above) is a winner every Spring.

A bold rugby stripe (above) is a perfect compliment of casual elegance for the on the go look, and will boldly celebrate the winter thaw.

The ever present polka dot is perhaps the most vesatile print known to fashion because of its' ability to be everything for every designer looking to connect with the general consumer. Evening(above) is no exception, the large scale dot works nicely on a formal look in the warmer months.

Throughout the industry, it is often thought that the americana look is strictly for novelty lines and it only appeals to the mass-market aesthetic. MK submits looks (above & below) that are contrary to this belief and make for stunning sportwear combos that work for the entire season.

A Galliano Spring!!!!

While sitting in the audience at John Galliano waiting for the music to queue, one can't help but wonder just how shockingly creative the storyline will be once the lights go down. He has a history of putting on elaborate productions that are inspired by moments in history and infusing influences from this very minute and the future . This season was no exception as he toys with the idea of regal florals on the everyday woman. The mix includes countryside flowers as we would see them on an elegantly woven tapestry or fine linen and a digital array of colorful shapes arranged to look like a fine work of art rendered by Monet himself.

I want to give you a peek at what I'm working on for next season.  I will be bringing you video footage of all of my interactions on my journey following the print trends around the world. This is a brief look into the tents and my coverage of NY fashion week from a textile perspective focusing on the prints in each collection.  

Obama Alta Moda

The merchandising surrounding the newly elected President of the United States, Barack Obama has reached markets never before chartered by any political movement.  We all found the need to wear a T-shirt or maybe a button or two bearing the Commander-in-Chief's likeness to show how visibly supportive a constituency could be during his campaign.  The Italian house of Gattinoni proved that this high-powered political figure fosters intrinsic beauty that is beyond satire, and makes room for a fashionable statement that is forever relevant.  The solarized pop image used on this caftan has become synonymous with the promise of "hope and change", clearly the predominant trend of choice across the globe.

Polka Couture

Now whether you know it or not, polka dots are a print.  They have been around for longer than anyone can seem to remember and seem to find their way on to the boards of inspiration every season.  They are classified as a "geometic" in textiles but for some reason they seem to have the same endearing qualities of a floral print and the recognizable components of a conversational print. Dots are a major key item for Spring '09 in every facet of the market from nightgowns to ball gowns. In these looks from the Christian Lacriox Couture show, they take on a silhouette of sophistication and elegance because he creates a moment of motion by accenting with a smaller scale. 

Save The Garment Center!

This is not a new topic at all, but, it is one that that will forever be newsworthy to those it affects directly. There is no question in my mind that these two designers Anna Sui (above) and Nanette Lepore (below), will top my charts for "Top 10 Spring Shows,"  

as well as having printed looks in virtually every category. However, I feel as though the strongest statements made for the season are in the finale looks being worn by the designers themselves.  "Save The Garment Center" is a serious issue that is not only affecting showrooms around NYC, but all over the world.  Small design houses and private labels alike are struggling for business and having to close their garment district showrooms because of escalating rental rates.  The textile buildings are being taken over by luxury lofts, financial, legal, and other non fashion businesses that bring a new dynamic to a once predominately creative area.  Let's show some support to our neighbors by joining www.savethegarmentcenter.com and I expect to see lots of t-shirts in the tents this season.

DVF: Spring 2009

When speaking of the design legend that is Diane Von Furstenberg, one would have to agree that it is a tale of a dynasty that has largely contributed to the shape of American fashion as we know it.   Her legacy is a myriad of iconic patterns and prints that have been inspiring the contemporary palettes of women from every walk of life for decades.  This season was perhaps one of her strongest ever in terms of developing abstract prints that are easily understood by the DVF woman.

Dots are always a safe bet when it comes to inserting a light hearted print to appease the buyer's requests for key items, but even here (above) we see DVF feathers the edges and adds an asymmetrical edge for a slightly more ethnic flavor, like that of an animal skin.
In both of these looks (above & below) oblong geometric shapes are fused together with moody yet complimentary colors to give the illusion of a floral softness.

Above, the hombre moment is interpreted nicely by achieving a swooping angle on the diagonal.  It is always characteristic of the DVF design squad to have a light-hearted look in the collection.  However, despite the fact that a tunic (below) is printed with the whimsical feel of  butterflies, the strategic border placements helps it adhere to the standard of sophistication that is always a part the overall initiative in her collections.  This show was fashioned after the likeness of a rock goddess with nostalgic hints of a "hippie" era past and is filled with looks and prints that will be adored for years to come.

Play A Classic Please

Just like a favorite Rock-N-Roll tune, John Varvatos cranks out recognizable ideas that appeal to the nostalgic persona and the rebellious type. Traditionally, etoile is story telling on fabric that connotes a classic reverence and marks definitive moments in textile history.  Above, an ordinary pair of trousers takes a dramatic turn down memory lane for a juxtaposed feeling of rebellion and Varvatos style.

Remaining true to the more regal qualities of this print, B. Michael(above) creates a more subdued interpretation by using it to give his classic tailoring an intricate sense of male elegance.  From opposite points of view, both designers were able to take an obviously archival print and play it on an updated silhouette to make it relevant to their respective customer bases.

Make It Pop.

Sometimes.... it looks a little adventurous or maybe even a tad bit retro when prints are incorporated into the today's male wardrobe. It is, however, becoming more prevelant for men to show just how masterfully they have harnessed the ability to stylishly accessorize a look to garner fashion points on the style meter. 3.1 Phillip Lim is perhaps the season's runway favorite daredevil to defy convention. The house constantly reinvents the laws of design by overlooking the principles of proportion and creating contemporary formulas that are up-to-the-minute decrees of trend for the new-fashioned man. On this already great suit, we see just how powerful the hint of a pattern tranforms an ordinary look into a quiet statement that calmly whispers, "I have style!" This brand of expression and stylish tailoring is already taking a global and definitive stand and will hopefully govern mens design for years to come.

Inside Out

Above, Alexander Mcqueen, as he does season after season, never disappoints when it comes to being devicefully manipulative of the female silhouette. He took Paris by storm this season by taking the very hip skeletal trend and created a look of machine-like precision that relates beautifully to the human form. The translation takes on an architectural mood that is stunning as it is clever and ingenius. Below, an equally amazing display of this upcoming trend, is the walking lifesize X-ray from Narcisco Rodriguez's collection that seems to expose the subtle power of femininity as it would be seen from the inside of today's most influential women of fashion. These almost radioactive looks were by far the most prolific diplays of positive and negative print engineering to hit the runways in quite some time. Now this is the science of textiles at its best!