Since Katie Hillier and Luella Burtley are present at MBMJ, the label caught some fresh air. The rebellious Marc by Marc Jacobs is a bold, provocative character, she’s a riot and she is full of power. MBMJ brought bold prints on mini-skirts, punk berets, dyed denim and heavy-duty accessories. Also, there was something of a scout girl. Bandanas tied around the necks and strict, slightly modified, camo print dominated the show. Or else they had a mini-skirts that suggested the fashion radicalism of Vivienne Westwood in the early ’80s. Good one, MBMJ.
NYFW
Trashy Sequins. Rodarte AW15
Mulleavy sisters got trashy for AW15. A lot. Rodarte woman is flirty, sultry and sexy – she loves opulence, wears leather minis and reminds us a Hedi Slimane / Saint Laurent chick. I am a fan of Rodarte since their spicy beginnings – but this collection seems to be a bit… too much? The last looks remind me of dresses, which HAD to be beautiful, but somebody unfortunately overdid themselves and created a pile of sticked up feathers, sequins, glitter and Swarovski cystalised stones. That’s, surely, not my taste. Possibly, Rodarte wanted to make a parody out of kitsch-dressed women – if that was their aim, then they really nailed it. But if their aim was to “create” something fanastic… then sorry, we don’t need that. We’ve got Hedi Slimane who’s doing vulgar chic at YSL. Let the real Rodarte spirit come back.
City Trotter. The Row AW15
The Row is always a go-to label. It’s, as I said once, American version of Celine. It’s wearble and feminine. For fall, The Row approaches the customer with babooschka flats, flared trousers, leather robe coats, new “drum” bags and smooth, knitted turtlenecks. All of that sounds like a perfect kit for city trotters, which go to work in the morning and come back home in the evening after a dinner with friends. Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen brought out the old, good signatures that really sold well in the past season – the collection is good, but it lacks a boost the Olsen twins always bring. Of course, it’s a great base of #OOTD inspirations, but it feels a bit like a remix of the biggest The Row best-sellers.
Murder, She Wrote. Thom Bronwe AW15
If talking of good drama, Thom Browne knows how to amuse the viewer. For AW15 venue, the enfant terrible of New York’s fashion scene presented his extraordinary show in Victoria era seminary, where “doctors” gave life to the patients. Also, the guests had a chance to be present on the funeral of a mafioso – every model was dressed head to toe in black, with veils on their faces. And, no, he said, he did not see the new all-black exhibition at the Met, where his partner, Andrew Bolton, is a curator; he purposely avoided it, so as not to be overly influenced. The sadness brought by Thom Browne in black colour was meaningful – opposite to Alexander Wang’s recent retail-friendly collection, the darkness felt emotional, beautiful and ironic at the same time. Each outfit offered something for the eye – a swingy jacket edged in thick beaver fur worn over a tweed mini and cardigan; an overcoat of black wool bouclé edged all around with frayed silk; warm and sublime wool dresses; coats horsehair fringe, and a jacket in a wool woven to resemble astrakhan and then embroidered with tiny black beads and deep green feathers. The veils were impressive, too – they all told a story.
Thom Browne’s AW15 was a totally different experience than his SS15 – the season before, full of green and flowers, brought cheer. AW15 is utterly different – it’s dull and gloomy. But both of them are ultra-couture if talking of craftsmanship and represent fashion as art. Thom Browne owns that.
Zigzags and Ibiza. The Elder Statesman AW15
Once you’ve got a knit from The Elder Statesman, you don’t need any other in your life. The quality offered by Greg Chait’s label from America is out of this world. His apparel clothes are simple, yes, but they have this characteristic attitude. This fall, The Elder Statesman takes his women and men to Ibiza and Morocco, where the colour palette is warm, while the clothes worn are always practical, but bold in texture. Ponchos, knitted bermuda shorts, maxi dresses and cashmere t-shirts are all must-haves, if you ask me. As I wrote before in MANY other posts, I am obsessed with this label.






































