Sunday, March 4, 2007

The Grand Dame Westwood


Vivienne Westwood Le Grand Dame

What is there to say about the Le Grand Dame Ms Westwood? She stuck to what she knows her style. Yet always just reinventing the style that is her own.

It was a pleasure to view her collection come down the runway. Now that punk is a la mode, who better to dictate? She took her signature looks and embellished. Sexy warrior women style skirts with her Pirates of the Caribbean boots. Many fashion editors have said pirate boots are out of style and that it is all about the ankle boot. Not at Westwood. We also saw the bustier as fashion accessories, if you wear a bustier is tends to take 7 inches off your waistline, keeps you shirt down over the ass hugging jeans. Hmm. As well gold and red were the palette of the show. We also say the entire range of bags, shoes, hoodies and sweaters and hats to accompany the entire collection. Also so very Westwood was the Boy George oversized high waisted baggy pant!

It seemed has if marriage was on the mind of Westwood, with bridesmaid style dresses and ending the show with a fierce black chick in a white wedding dress. I have to admit Westwood had more women of color then most of the runway shows. Quelle horreur.

Paris Punk Masion Martin Margiela II



Maison Martin Margiela

I am already thinking about the ‘It’ boots of the next season. A signature piece for my wardrobe for my next fall wardrobe essentially because I love black and pink! Two seasons’s running le Maison Martin Margiela has had the 'IT' shoes!! Love those plexy glass numbers! This show he had some off the hook black and hot pink numbers must have regardless of the price. I hope to get to the sample sale. Now more about live from the show.

Martin Margiela is proving to be a powerhouse. The fall collection he showed was all about the shoulder. This time, the line was way, way out there—50 centimeters, to be precise—and aided, in some cases, by rods on which to hang the vast inverted triangle of the upper body. In effect, MMM sent tapered downward to high-waisted narrow skirts or black leg casings that were a strange amalgam of ski pants and long-line girdle down the runway. Nutty as this sound, there was a dramatic, graphic elegance in the way Margiela worked the theme through black and white, with contrasting shots of fluorescent pink and lime. He moved from squared-off capes through conceptual boleros constructed of strands of looped wool or giant tubes of tulle-covered padding. But then came the luxe part, sans superstructure. There were rabbit-fur jackets with huge cowls, and a couple of glam backless shaggy goat halters that gave a clever twist to the season's ubiquitous chubbies.

This was another Paris punk collection and also was staying true to MMM very avant-garde and not for everyone. I have to also complement the show for including women of color an element that was missing in many of the shows! I also believe many of the designers that I will talk about are trying to protect us from the world at large. We are seeing very punk influenced garments go down the runway. We as a people are rebelling like the roots or punk, roots, rock and reggae.

Paris Fashion Fall/Winter 07-08 Week Wrap Up Part I

Sunday, March 4, 2007



Paris Punk

Paris Fashion Fall/Winter 07-08 Week Wrap Up
Paris Punk

Balmain



Christophe Decarnin has taken the couture label to new heights since his he has taken the reins at Balmain, with its re-launch a year ago. The tough-chic element came via silver armor embroidery at the neckline of a sequined number, metal coils at the shoulder of a short white frock, and a swooping cape of feathers that attached around the neck with a rope of shining crystals. Metal studs on suede platform booties completed the picture.

The sound track was the Cure and all the models where tall and lanky. Christophe made this collection a strictly for after work party girl attire, and his work has a decidedly more young and hip then the history of the house which was know for the ultra-elegant day’s of Pierre Balmain's signature. His low-slung bumsters clung to every inch of the models’ legs from their backsides on down to the mid-calf, where they flared out in big swooshes of fabric to the soles of their platforms studded ankle boots, which I say are must have for next fall, totally punk rock! Take a look for your self.