The Fendi boutique located in Florence is not only fool of beautiful furs and spiky shoes, but it is also a great design space. All the ceilings are original from times when the place was one of the rich palaces in center of the city. Greatly renovated, it is now decorated with a Milanese designer with massive, colourful chandelier. But it is not a crystal chandelier, but made of… Plastic! What do you think about it? I love this kind of interior mixes… It is superb!
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!
The Lady trend takes a new hold through few last seasons with modernity and minimalism! And what is the new fashion object of a modern lady? No, not Jay Gatsby. A furry scarf or coat! What amazed me was the most lady like label is… Celine! Through lots of seasons, Phoebe Philo used I think the biggest amount of fur in her beautiful clothes! Prada in SS11 did a crazy thing with furry scarves- stripey print and lots of colours! This AW season Marc Jacobs used fur in a mature way- these accessories together with the gold gowns would be right thing for Gatsby woman…
Pictures: from left to right: 1. Jean Paul Gaultier Pre Fall 13 and The Row Resort 14, 2.,3. Prada SS11, 4. Celine Pre-Fall 11, 5. Marc Jacobs Resort 14, 6. Lanvin AW13, 7. Marni AW13, 8. Celine Pre Fall 10, 9. Marc Jacobs AW13
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)!
COLETTE on Rue du Saint Honore
Colette is a highlight for every fashionista in Paris. Labels like Marc Jacobs, Rodarte, Kenzo, Celine and Christopher Kane got their place here together with dozens of great magazines, music and things you need to love! I’m totally a fan of this fantastic place. First you can find here great people, then find great pieces of clothes (I found two great things), Coca-Cola by Marc Jacobs (got it!) or CR Fashion Book and I-D (of course I do have it!).
CELINE on Avenue Montaigne next to l’Avenue restaurant
A real fur land for this season! These shoes are fantastic even if they are ugly! In various colours, as sandal or heels, they do have their horrible price! As I talked with the Celine person, the most popular are the black fur sandals. The heels are just scarrying because of the price! I truly fell in love with the dresses with net on them- so sexy and modern!
DIOR on Avenue Montaigne
What can I say. The clothes are just a clean elegance and beauty- but the shop? Ok. The shop is also beautiful, but it’s not Raf Simons but still Galliano. The clothes and atmosphere are biting each other. Thanks god they changed the service because it was horrible last time I was in Paris! The dresses are breath taking. So delicate and fragile! But the shoes were unfortunately a disapoinment. Looked kitch and cheap. This rhymes eve
BALENCIAGA on Rue Victor Hugo and Saint Honore
That was a big pleasure to see unfortunately the last time designs by Nicolas Ghesquiere. His designs are so lite and flowless! The shoes with cubic heel are just the hottest thing this season and I loved the bags! Small and practical, looked like boxes! Fromclothes there was only the resort collection… So no ruffled dresses and skirts inspired with ballet Bolero.
LOUIS VUITTON on Avenue Montaigne
The square power! The welcome sign that it’s all LV, were the squares on windows! Inside the first thing I see are the beautiful dresses full of yellow squares. The shoes with a pointy nose are very 60’s and at the same time modern. They were in two types- with md heel and a high heel- but I liked more the mid one.
Design & Culture by Ed 