Summer Paisley

The official kick off of Summer is right around the corner and retailers are pulling out all the stops to offer something new and familiar.  Paisleys rank among the highest in looks that are re-worked to fit into every season.  For women, Miss Sixty (above) offers a graphic and bold take on the classic motif, to give it an explosive charge for the young at heart.
For the guys (above), Cavalli stays with the formal intricacies found in ancient tapestry and opts to interject lively and vivid punches of color for a cool summer look.

Dignitary Style

All the world is watching the stylings of Michelle Obama since she has made a stand to support American designers and especially those who are ascending to new heights with their collections. The French have their own sytlish first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, who has her eye on a fashion new-comer, French designer Alexis Mabille. He isn't afraid to take chances while he is building a name for himself and carving out a niche with the fashion elite by showing during Couture Fashion Week in Paris.
Mabille creates a playfully sophisticated conversational look (above) that is somewhat kitchy, but the effort to put some originality in the novelty of a nautical theme is absolutely adorable. A muted & tonal fractual print (below) is used on one of his evening looks by using an abstract applique to create an elongated hombre effect that is elegant and scintillating.

Gucci Pants

Since taking over the house, designer Frida Giannini has taken the Gucci brand in a much more leisurely direction for the luxury consumer. This season she took a whimsical idea and intertwined a serious textile pattern with sophisticated colors to create looks that are distinctly her own in menswear.

The subdued floral wallpaper pattern (above & below) is a subtle tropical scenario that plays on a masculine yet romantic theme for a look that will turn heads. The idea of mens trousers playing host to a print is a novel idea in the market place, but Gucci is quickly putting an end to that age old concept and hopefully making it commonplace.

Top Prints at The Met/2009

1. LIYA WINS AGAIN!!!!!

Mega model Liya Kebede is in full stride and seems to be getting it right every time these days. She created a photo frenzy last night at The Met's, "Model as Muse", when she showed up in a sawed-off Derek Lam mini that was as expressive as it was daring.

2. JESSICA STAM in Rodarte

3. ALLISON SAROFIM in Giambattista Valli


4. CLAUDIA SCHIFFER in Chanel


5. IRIS STRUBEGGER in Givenchy Haute Couture


6. LEIGHTON MIESTER in Louis Vuitton

7. CHANEL IMAN in Zac Posen

8. ANNA WINTOUR in Chanel Haute Couture

9. LIZ GOLDWYN in Rodarte

10. OLUCHI ONWEAGBA in Oscar de la Renta

Models, Artists, & Designers: A Creative Conference

The airbrush technique is the modern watercolor for creating beautiful patterns of luminous motifs and textural designs that celebrate the season of Spring/Summer. Master artists, especially from the Impressionist era, forged a path that epitomizes this very principle and is still very relevant today. A look from Elie Tahari (above) demonstrates this concept in an updated botanical design that will definitely be on the trend boards for the season.

For centuries, artists have used models as a source of inspiration. George Seurat's painting style of fusing softness with light has been inspiring the world in every way possible. His famous painting "The Models" (above), has the kind of tones and hues that have stimulated color stories for every maket imaginable. Its timeless appeal and classic reverence was rendered as if he had an airbrush tool himself.

Today we are celebrating the Model as "The Muse" for sparking the vision of designers and influencing the path of fashion.

Liya Kebede, Natalia Vodianova, Anna Jagodzinska, Isabeli Fontana, Lara Stone, Jourdan Dunn, Raquel Zimmermann, Caroline Trentini, and Natasha Poly have been crowned the Muses for this season.

African Market Place

It is virtually impossible to run contemporary apparel lines without using the influences of African textiles. The prints that have emerged from the looms of the village artisans for centuries on the African continent has helped shape western design in color theories, composition and direction for as long as there has been fashion. Rachel Roy had a most interesting take on color blocking (above) by using a batik as a textural background to add a sense of complexity to the garment. (Below) Anisa Mapungwe of South Africa, achieves this same feeling by engineering a retro stripe coloration for an international feeling of cultural diversity.

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.

Life-A-Sketch

Is there a more personal life accessory than the lap top? In the mindset of personalization, it makes sense to embellish the tool that creates all of the fabulous designs that keep the world stimulating and fun. This is an extreme example (above) of what is possible in terms of tricking-out your Mac Book. If you are challenged for a direction, be mindful that there is an endless source of inspiration available(even to the artistically impaired) once you commit to your computer having its own daring look.

The i-generation has a very strong passion about making themselves identifiable in this age of mass merchandising and computer cloning. It is all about making your personal items compelling enough that your personality is incarnated within your possessions. As if an exotic car isn't alluring enough, try wrapping it with graphic etchings to give it a tattoo appeal.

Home Designers & Interior Decorators have had a recent rise in requests to add peculiar designs to the upholsteries of fine furnishings. This is a must for clients who want to cater to their more eccentric sides, without compromising the equity of their homes. Roberto Cavalli agrees that eye-grabbing design should be reflected in every form of our lives. He lends his unique brand of prints to Coca Cola Light bottles (below) for the fashion enthusiast who likes a beverage with style.

The New You.

Sometimes to most outrageous print is the one that simply defies all logic and reasoning and addresses the issue at hand, style.   Rachel Roy always delivers a sophisticated palette with intricate print stories that are of a language she can call her own.  The statement that is strategically engineered on the dress (above), creates a moment of rebellion and defiance in a manner that conforms with contemporary RTW standards.  This chic rendering of graffiti is a winner, so be prepared to see it all over the place for late summer transition deliveries in stores.

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.

Digital Dip

This is not the time to break out those plaid shorts, or the faded and once vibrant red lifeguard shorts of last summer. This season's choices are just too funky and are inspired by pop imaging that reads hip and fresh for all ages.

Whether it be a Warhol-like collage of portraits, a gaffiti motif tagged by a supreme designer or just a fun kaleidescope of colors to give the edge, swim is about keeping your cool this 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.  

"New But Old"... Is The New "Old But New"

The Kris Van Assche Collection Spring 2009, is like opening your grandfather's vintage cigar box and finding a fresh batch of gummi bears. A well designed vintage floral stripe (above) has given Spring foilage a growth spurt. Noticeably, a refreshing yet masculine take on the floral trend that is gaining momentum in the men's market.

The abstract watercolor board shorts (above) are a fun and sporty twist when paired with a well tailored jacket.The choices to pair the old with the new seem to click in a way that relates to the metropolitan"fashionisto" who wants to be appropriately hip and stylish.

Notable: The Runway presentation also had a "fannypack" (below) and a "tote"(bottom) stamped with this same print and it gave this show just the right amount of iconic zest that's missing in mens fashion. These are must haves for the "guy-on-the-go" whose day requires him to carry more than just keys and a wallet.

Mi Casa, Su Casa...Armani Casa!

Fine Fashionable fabrics over simple elegant forms and delivering glamour and beauty to refined luxury interiors is the Giorgio Armani creed for furniture. Metropolitan living is synonomous with sharp clean design and timeless patterns that endure the whimsicality of passing trends. The silhouette of the Turnadot Sofa from Armani Casa (above) offers sophistication and modern refinement in the most handsome and clever way possible. The sofa takes on a beautiful minamalist elegance when combined with a neutral palette and the simplicity of large scale geometric shapes. The print plays on the familiar without being as obvious and boring as a plaid, and brings a unifying theme to a classic decor.

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.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Magnificent.  Intriguing.  Avant Garde. M.I.A. is not only one of the hottest artist to emerge from the Brooklyn music scene she is also setting the new standard for hip-hop chic.  She rocked an opulent ethnic print with a peacock colorway that gave her pregnant frame just the right silhouette to pull off such a risky combination.  Manish Arora (designer) is well known for his unconventional styling and creating garments that are of a distinctly couture nature.  

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.