What a lovely collection was that… it was like a 5 o’clock tea. Like a British picnic in Kensington Gardens. Like… Burberry. Every item in the Burberry’s Monday show was somehow painted- from the bags to shaved coats and flawless 70’s dresses. That handmade work was continued to be used on the shoes and even the throws that had models initials on the last looks. It was a romantic vision of nature and flowers in English country garden. The clothes were gentle and loose… And lets just note who stole the model moment this time: Edie Campbell, Suki Waterhouse, Cara Delevigne and Jourdan Dunn!
Cara Delevigne
HC: CHANEL SS14
Karl Lagerfeld again cleared it all straight away- he is the innovator of Couture as every season. The SS14 was so… Feminine. Soft. Girlie. Innoncent. There are hundreds of words that may describe this amazing collection. First of all- no more heels on couture. ONLY SNEAKERS now count. Just like at Dior, but in more cooler way. Cara Delevigne was a beautiful bride in a white wedding gown (that was unexpectly very modest and comfortable!), hands-to-hands with a small boy who looked cute in a tiny Chanel suite. The collection was inspired with sporty chic (that’s why the embroidered trainers and knee defenders) and the simplicity of beautiful dresses- forget long gowns. Now it’s time for mini-dresses and sheer bodysuits. That was a really lovely collection.
Nottingham. Burberry SS14
“Nottingham, in the U.K.’s Midlands, was once the center of the world’s lace production. Now, there’s a sleeping giant waiting for Christopher Bailey to give it a good poke!” as wrote the Style.com about this very, very good collection of Burberry for SS14. Indeed, the use of British lace in this collection was a right shot from Christopher Bailey- lets say goodbye to sporty jackets, and welcome new Burberry, that is all about feminity and glamour! First of all, Harry Styles of One Direction was there in the front row, so he of course stole all spotlight… but because I don’t like 1D, I more feel like to write about the collection… Kept in pastel colours of pink and blue, beautiful laces mixed with embroideries and geometrical prints brought lots of sex appeal to the collection, and at the same time made it wearable… The look were Edie Campbell wears this blue pastel coat, a white lace dress and blue panties looked adorable! That was definitely one of the strongest collections of the season!
Weird Party. Marc Jacobs SS14
“It’s more of a weird frat party, Burning Man, shores-of-Gotham City sort of beach scene. It’s a lovely nightmare, or it was for me anyway.” And this, more interestingly: “I didn’t want the cliché of Spring and Summer, I wanted it to be about girls who have no problem coming to work in a Victorian gown and Birkenstocks” said Marc Jacobs about his SS14 collection that with grace closed the New York Fashion Week. The venue was amazing- a huge, huge place, that reminded of something like a beach apocalypse- beach chairs, towels, sand, trees, cigarettes were lying in chaos everywhere. The models (the set of them was really impressive) were for example Cara Delevigne who flew straight from London through Atlantic to walk the runway for Marc and comeback on London Fashion Week… Sky Ferreira (!!!), Edie Campbell, Lily Mcmenamy, Georgia May Jagger and Hanne Gaby were also here. Coming back to collection, Marc Jacobs broke all the rules of the SS14 but in a good way- when everybody were into pure minimalism and pale clothes, MJ slapped it, with a print, embroidery and colour bomb- in a much darker colour than I expected. The clothes were inpired with Victorian era, widow weeds and some 21st century- birkenstocks again rocked the runway just like funny backpack totes! Definitely, that was one of these “weird” parties I would love to come…
Le Smoking
The Yves Saint Laurent Le Smoking look is schanging every season, but always stays black, simple and classical. Even if it is now Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane! The campaigns of this famous Parisian style looks maybe slightly different (models for example) but usually it’s all about one beautiful women in the Le Smoking and other one totally naked! Just like in 1975, when Le Smoking began to be a bestseller of the master, Yves. After his death, Stefano Pilati came and strangely looking from persepective of now, FORGOT how the Le Smoking should look like! There were some black jackets but there was no this parisian chic thing. Now, when it’s Hedi, after few months later when his AW13 show was presented, I think Hedi Slimane keeps the tradition much better than Stefano! Just check Net A Porter- you look, and mostly we can see the elegant jackets and trousers to the Le Smoking costumes! It’s chick, luxurious and elegant but Ready to Wear! And now this amazing campaign with Cara Delevigne (advertising YSL Baby Doll) with this naked women… This is like a new Helmut Newton work (he took this fabulous pic in 1975 on Rue Aubriot in Paris).
And today (but before Cara) Anja Rubik looks amazing in Le Smoking Slimane photography for his campaign. Here are pics of past Le Smoking campaigns and runway pics from Yves era! Chic, Chic!
And now just one thing… did you see the Louis Vuitton film for Love Magazine presenting top models (Cara, Magdalena Frackowiak…) walking naked in furs around Paris at night? And sitting in a car and doing sexy poses? This film by James Lima did a lot controversy in the media worl, for example that LV accuses prostitution in their campaign! Well… in 1975 Helmut Newton did a controversy with his Smoking campaign and nobody set it’s prostitution. By the way, in 1975 (again) there was this TOTALLY naked (in film Cara wears fur) and there was no real commotion about it. And that was kind of good then? It is good, as well as the film. So for what do the politicians do this commotion? in reality, there is a really short moment when one model show some parts. I think this film is more about fashion and sensuality than about prostitutions. For sure for controversy that Marc Jacobs likes to do…But should we care? I like it, just as the amazing Le Smoking!
Design & Culture by Ed 