Paris: Crazy About Dior

January 3, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Paris is crazy about Dior! First of all, they opened a pop-up store on Rue du St. Honore with cosmetics and perfumes; then because of Christmas and New Year, they hang a huge, shiny chandelier above the entrance to Avenue Montaigne’s store… and also changed the store’s windows into Resort 2014! The windows show the models wearing the colourful dresses and bags with a backround made of cut-out texture, presenting the daily life of Parisians- through windows.

And if you feel it’s not enough, then here is your SS14 Campaign preview of Dior. Stella Tennant (the new star of the Parisian maison) looks as always amazingly good, and the dress, bag and shoes designed by Raf Simons… simply beautiful. Dior really got Paris in it’s hands!

Dallas Baby! Chanel Pre-Fall’14

December 11, 2013 | Design & Culture by Ed

Everything that happens in Dallas, is big. Just as Chanel. The capital of Texas state in USA inspired so much Karl Lagerfeld, that his Metiers d’Art collection for Pre-Fall literally took place in one of the Rodeo barns. It’s been a mutually beneficial match since way back in 1957, when Neiman Marcus’ Stanley Marcus, having embraced Coco Chanel’s 1954 comeback collection even as the French rejected it, gave Chanel the store’s Award for Distinguished Service in the field of fashion.
Saskia de Brauw… Fantastic!
I want this men poncho, now.
In reality, 900 people came to the “Fair Park, home of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition and a National Historic Landmark” in Dallas city to see what Karl prepared for us. In American-English I would simply write: Oh gosh. This was amazing! And now normally- Yes. It was amazing. The Chanel collection for Fall was full of ponchos, chunky knitwear, cowboy hats and Rodeo chic (obviously). It seems that for Karl, fashion at Chanel is not a show after show, but it’s always a whole performance! Models phreshed down the runway in beautiful clothes, all in warm colours… Models like Erin Wasson (who is natively from Texas!) and Stella Tennant looked ‘gorg’ in their mustang jackets and cowgirl prints! But the star of the evening was definitely Miss Caroline de Maigret who was an Indian bride, wearing a feather made bonnet and white outfit… This closing of the show said one thing- Coco would be proud!
Stella Tennant and Caroline de Maigret… So Dallas!
This outfit at Jamie Bochert is the most beautiful of all in this collection!

The British Fashion Awards 2013

December 3, 2013 | Design & Culture by Ed

Last evening, the British Fashion Awards took place! As every year, the BFA is nominating and rewarding the most emerging and hottest stars of British fashion scene and… international. This year, lots of it girls and it boys were present, and the star of the event, Kate Moss, was together with Marc Jacobs… Lots of things happened!

Donatella Versace and Christopher Kane (Womenswear designer of the year)

Suzy Menkes (Special Recognition Award)
Gwyneth Paltrow and Miuccia Prada (Best International Designer)
Rita Ora and Nicolas Kirkwood (Accessory Designer of the Year)
Stella Tennant (IN ALEXANDER MCQUEEN!)
Christopher Bailey (Menswear Designer of the Year)
Edie Campbell (Model of the Year)
Natalie Massmet
Rita Ora and Kate Moss (Special Recognition Award)
Poppy Delevigne
Alexa Chung
Lily Donaldson (in MARC JACOBS!)
Pixie Geldof and Rita Ora
Harry Styles (British Style Award)
Erdem (Red Carpet Award)

The New Yorkers

June 8, 2013November 3, 2013 | Design & Culture by Ed

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)!

Globe Trotter. Chanel AW13

March 5, 2013August 7, 2013 | Design & Culture by Ed

“I’ve got my feet on the ground, but this collection is up-to-earth, not down-to-earth.” said Karl Lagerfeld about his recent Chanel collection that was presented this morning traditionally in Grand Palais, Paris. As always Karl, made us all stunned before the collection- a huge Earth globe and around a massive grey carpet with continents on it. As always, shocking!
Lagerfeld thought this time about luxury travelling- silk, gold, silver, but still it should be comfortable and useful. So the collection was like! The new muse Ashleigh Good opened the collection in a revisted tweed jacket, with glam punk boots and a cool bag. And when I saw the hats… So great! These were like fake hair, made from fur, in pink and blue colour.

The show was full of signature colours by Chanel- indigo, black and grey. And do you remember this clutch box for 17’000€ with Chanel logo from SS season? It’s back! But now in warmer, knitted version. And I really loved all knits! Karl Lagerfeld always keep them elegant and cool.
Loved also all golden ornaments on tops. It was like a small reminder of Chanel’s trip to Bombay! And of course black and white flowers. Without them, there is no Chanel!

The end was full of gowns and Stella Tennant. Black evening gowns were mixed up with punk like styled pearl bracelets. And the boots I wrote about before. Chanel, is as always ruling, but for me definetly not best. And what’s always good about Chanel is that it’s always changing, never stays the same. And that’s thanks to genius of Karl Lagerfeld, who by the way opened his first boutique of his label “Karl”!