“The hurricane which destroyed his house allowed Marc Jacobs to find a new source of inspiration. He symbolizes through his collection the renaissance. Under a light at first dark, almost apocalyptic, the Marc Jacobs woman who seems to be a survivor, wanders, wearing only a pajamas, a coat or a panties and clutching her personal effects. Then comes the time of resurrection, the light becomes more intense, hotter, the silhouette is more complete, glitter, lamé, fur are mixed on evening dresses, coats and boleros. The materials are divine and ostentatious but the style is uncluttered, only few pieces but all comfortable. Boa made from luxurious real mink fur, reworked to achieve the look of an actual pelt, with button eye detailing.” This fox boa that first time came out on Marc Jacobs runway, shocked everyone. No wonder why- it looked real good from far, and everybody found sweet and cute. But when I found this on Colette today, all my view destroyed on that item. This looks like if MJ stole this muppet from a child! No way, don’t buy it. Disapointed!
New York
The Sense of Print
Prints are always the key element of every Altuzarra collection. Thanks to SSENSE.com, now we can explore deeeper the inspirations of Joseph Altuzarra’s magic skill of printing and embroidery in his amazing collections. Everytime he choses a colour or motive for his new print, Joseph’s mind is being influenced by travels and everyday life. It may be a jungle paradise, ethnic flower print or Nazca caligraphies. And here is a recap of Joseph’s biggest hits!
Resort 2013– Altuzarra explored culture of nomadic people, trekking into the heart of African Safari. The print that are used on the skirts, as he said, are inspired by Massai tribes. The colours were left as they are in reality- pigments of curulean blue, verillon red.
SS 2012– Joseph interprated the classic Hawaiian shirt and hulla skirt, and made it cool and very New York. The prints “contained” hibiscus flowers, parrots, liles and hyper strong colours. This paradise is very close to heart of designer because when he was a child he remembers the bird watching in California. And this is my favourite print of all! 
Resort 2013
Fall 2012- Altuzarra took us to the souks of Marrakesh when creating his prints for winter. He revisted traditional motifs of Maroccan rugs, used jacquard and tribal luxury in the coats with fox fur. The fragile silk sweaters were meant to replicate… carpet effect. When I saw it for real (it was like yesterday… :D) it looked horrrible. And that was as for me the worst collection of this designer. 
Spring 2013- The 2013 Altuzarra Collection was like a plate of Indian curry mixed with duck’s foie gras. Definitely there was too much of everything. Butterflies, India, gendarmes outfits, orthopaedic leg braces… Yes leg braces! An I’m talking about these horrifying gladiator shoes with butterflies. They really look like they were inspired with orthopaedic legs, but with some “beautiful” ornament.Then we’ve the highly tailored jackets. They look, like if they were stolen from a wardrobe of a French gendarme. But only the colours are different and the Altuzarra ones are more stylish. And if we believe Altuzarra, the print was all about vintage jewellery- Altuzarra looked to the American naturalist art movement of the 1940’s to create this print for the SS13 season.
The New Yorkers
The Resort 2014 is already arriving everyday with tones of new collcetions, and it’s the time when the the hottest designers of New York already went for a nap, and the Europeans have just woke up before the Resort/Haute Couture Fashion Weeks. So here it is- a short review of Resort’14 in New York, that covers Proenza Schouler, Altuzarra, Balenciaga (it’s Parisian, but for me, because of Wang as head, it’s New York), Derek Lam and Jason Wu. So lets begin with… The PS brothers, Proenza Schouler!
Well, Proenza Schouler is getting every season more mature and colourless, as you can see. Creme, white and grey colours, comfortable forms and warm prints. And it looks very similar to the Pre-Fall collection. There is no excitment, because clearly Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez stand for practicality, and their fantastic unique ideas are on the other side. Sad, because that was really different from others. Now it’s a bit Ralph Lauren- boring, classical.
From some time I really love what Joseph Altuzarra is doing recently- first he did a amazing AW13 collection, then took Stella Tennant as a muse… The resort is how he said, sensitive and very femine, but not as sexy as his past ones. We’ve got some wild west pants here and a bit cowboy shirts mixed with modern elegance. Beautiful fur scarves, white dresses, lace and gold, do really match Altuzarra style! 
No, I’m not crazy. Balenciaga officially IS Parisian, but since Alexander Wang is the creative director, it lost all Parisian Chick. The collection began from Wang’s visit at Cristobal Balenciaga Museum. Yes. Then, Alex did nothing more, but copied the archives and made them black and white. When Ghesquiere designed Balenciaga, it was inspired by archives, but it was futuristic, edgy, modern. Now, with Mr. Wang it looks only into past, and just makes a first look that it’s SO FRESH bacause of the colour palette. I thought it won’t be so bad. Now even Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent is much more better for me.
Derel Lam maybe is not a newcomer, but for sure a shooting star of NYC Fashion. This resort was minimalistic, eometrical and full of inovative fabrics. The dresses are at the time perfect for a shopping at Bergdof’s Goodman, for a run in Central Park and as well for a dinner in Nobu Tribeca. Is it a New York Celine? For now I see big future for Derek!
Jason Wu suprised me this Resort season. I usuall didn’t really like Jason Wu’s collection because they were always so formal. But, this time I am pleased! Lots of new materials, fantastic paradise prints, jeans jacketa and midi skirts, plastic trench coats, pink bra’s, transparent lace dresses… There is really a lot of telling. For sure Michelle Obama won’t wear any of these, but it looks more affordable than ever! Jason Wu, big bravo’s for the best (exequies with Marc Jacobs galmorous collection I wrote few days ago)!
Twinset. Marc Jacobs Resort’14
Marc Jacobs suprised! And in a good meaning! Well, I thought, that Marc would do something, you know, full of flowers, colours and everything like everytime for the Resorts. And that’s totally not true! The Resort is like a continuation of SS13 and AW13. Glamorous sequins, 70’s polo shirts and skirts, New York “Great Gatsby” epoque and of course… Stripes! The collection is very mature, totally not sweet and cute as last resort.
Is Marc getting a bit of inspiration from… Prada? Look at the blue stripes- and now see SS11 of Miuccia Prada. The crepe skirts are just like Miu Miu SS13 and use of fur in summer? Plus there are also lots of crystals that were in the 2010 Prada era… As for me that’s totally clear- Miuccia Prada and Marc Jacobs are life friends so why not? Will we see soon a collab of these two!
And back to the collection- Jaime Bochert looks beautiful here! Just as the collection!
Porcelain Pretty
Porcelain figurines are usually kitsch but still very beautiful. So why shouldn’t the porcelain topic be shown in fashion? And if we can say that everything is in fashion, then there is no problem with that! Staffordshire figurines had always these amazing flower details. Spanish, for example Liardo, is advanced in hand made 3D elements like tiny flowers in baskets, embroiderment on the Geisha’s kimono and other artistic fantasies. And here I’ve taken my own pictures when I was in New York from Metropolitan Museum of Art! (These are all very mind blowing!).
Meadham Kirchhoff, London based label known for very kitsh collections, had a surrealistic collab with Nicolas Kirkwood- ornamented and kitsch sandals full of embroidment, flowers, colours and ribbons. Kept in mostly in pastel colours they look like cakes on feet! That’s a bit fairy tale like, but this is how it is. Who else from London thought of porcelain as a inspiration? Queen of prints, Mary Katrantzou and her archival collection. The dresses had 3D prints with tea pots, flowers, jewels- like if Katrantzou was redrawing all the porcelain figurine features. That’s so porcelain fantastic!
Fei Feng (the graduate from Central Saint Martins) was inspired for her new haute couture collection with Ming dynasty vases and the splendor of Chinese wedding. The highly crafted detail like these flowers that move on air, or trees around the dress. Ok. Everything looks in reality ugly. And not practical. And hilarious. But still, I think it’s all very spectacular, if we have in mind that Fei did all these dresses handmade. And it matches the topic!
