Helmut Lang Catwalk Fashion Show New York Womenswear FW2014

The collection of Michael and Nicole Colovos for Helmut Lang was called Rough Terrain and inspired by satellite photos of Mars. The duo played with cool abstract prints and pebbly textures that reflected the planet’s surface images.

Working in a neutral palette with shots of red, the designers focused on trans-seasonal pieces worked in lightweight fabrics — thin angora knits, minimalistic wool suiting and fluffy fur sweaters had a light feel.

Donna Karan Catwalk Fashion Show New York Womenswear FW2014

It was an emotional moment when Donna Karan took her bow yesterday after her show – she celebrated 30 years in fashion and that didn’t happen easily. But the applause was well deserved, not only because she is a remarkable designer, but also because her fall-collection had everything Karan is famous for. A collection with a city vibe, sensual, urbane.
Her show opened with with three versions of her original building block — the body — now rendered as body jacket and body shirt as well as bodysuit. These were worn with over-the-knee suede boots and caps frothed with dollops of long-hair shearling, giving the models the air of showgirls at a decadent yet refined nightclub. They set the stage for a parade of the Best of Donna.
Evening-wear rocked, particularly the gowns with fluid, translucent skirts that wafted provocatively over bodysuits and bare legs. Some were beaded in celebration of New York’s night sky.

Alexander Wang Catwalk Fashion Show New York Womenswear FW2014

Alezander Wang presented an impressive collection, which started with the idea of extreme conditions and survival. To editors the designer mentioned National Geographic, the great outdoors, competitive sports and the urban landscape. He translated that into sporty silhouettes lavished with detail. Spare, seriously tailored tunics layered with sharp shirts provided a baseline look that Wang built out through the show. He added puffy utility pockets and then moved into a colorful, paisley foulard moment, before escalating the fabric development into knotted leather-and-tulle sweaters and fluorescent jerseys made of woven shoe-laces. The leather-work continued in interesting coats and tunics with raw-cut hems.
Accessories were designed like thematic toys: utility handbags with detachable compartments molded into shapes for a lighter, an iPhone, a Moleskine notebook and a flask. Two boot styles — one like a shin guard, one over-the-knee — were likened to shields. And the ultimate special effect: the finale of all-black outfits that turned colors — purple, green and blue — thanks to heat-sensitive fabric.

Trend Report FW2013: Pinstripe Parade

There’s nothing surprising about a woman dressed in a suit anymore. Us ladies have been borrowing clothes from the lads for ages now. But this season the menswear inspired tailoring is extra sharp! Designers from Yamamoto and McCartney to Ralph Lauren and Margiela all introduced the masculine inspired trend in a new and very feminine version. Now they may have opted for the typical (boring) business pinstripe generic viagra print, they did manage to turn it into the most wanted, extra elegant print on any woman’s fall fashion wish list. They showed the print on a jacket, combined with skirts, bare legs and high heels (Ferragamo), paired with nothing but some lingerie (Marc Jacobs) or a pair of shorts (Saint Laurent), sleeveless (Margiela), on sharply tailored suits (Moschino, Yamamoto) and last but not least used on unexpected fashion items like, dresses and thick winter jackets (Stella McCartney). These labels made it clear: you don’t have to look like a fella to join in on this pinstripe parade. Be inspired by our image gallery below, use your creativity and have a little feminine fun with it!

Trend Report FW2013: Over the knee

They give you length and viagra online stores they’re super sexy, yet there is a trick to wearing over the knee boots the right way. This season every big designer, from Karl Lagerfeld to Peter Dundas, Donna Karan and Frida Gianni, are showing their way of how to rock the statement boot. Black leather at Chanel (patent leather that is) and DKNY, but colourful at Gucci and Pucci. Next to regular black leather, colored suede seems to be a success formula for this trend too. Especially when worn just a little on the loose side (as seen at Pucci). Combined with a skater skirt (not too short!) the boots form a truly on trend look, but they work perfectly with an oversize woollen dress too. Show a little leg or leave it up to your spectator’s imagination to guess where those sky high boots end. Oh and a skinny or a pair of thick tights will work as well. Just make sure this over the knee footwear gets all the attention it deserves, ‘cause these boots were not just made for walking…

The Big Round Up Womenswear SS 2014, Part 3

This is the third and last part of the 9 big trends we spotted for the coming spring-season: Tribal, Showgirls and Understated.

TRIBAL

From left to right: Missoni, Moncler Gamme Rouge, Givenchy, Missoni, Givenchy

Make way for the fashion tribes. It was all feathers and fringe, African inspired patterns and crafted textiles. At Missoni a subliminal strand of exotica trailed through the collection embracing tribal artisanship and textile crafts; Monclers Gamme Rouge touches on the feathery froth of the urban jungle, celebrating diversity in a multiracial catwalk and a natural assimilation of urban cultures; Givenchy shows the car crash of  two cultures—the fragility of Japan and the draping of Africa – brewing a hot and exquisite mixture of African romance and Japanese elegance and fragility.

 

UNDERSTATED

From left to right: Hermès, Salvatore Ferragamo, Donna Karan, Stella McCartney, Paul Smith

There is value in simplicity, in effortless and sophisticated silhouettes, impactful and strong in execution. Hermès shows the look particularly long, lean, light and relaxed, executed in a late Seventies vibe; Salvatore Ferragamo makes it polished in an unpretentious way; Donna Karan shows the fundamentals of a beautiful line up, showing languid dresses in an inviting palette; Stella McCartney shows easy feminine shapes, designed on instinct, staying true to her aesthetic;  Where Paul Smith shows a sexy, shrugged-on attitude and a carefree confidence.

SHOWGIRLS

From left to right: Rodarte, Julien Macdonald, Miu Miu, buying viagra Roberto Cavalli, Louis Vuitton

Dressed to face the spotlights. Rodarte exclaims “Los Angeles” – staging fringed brocade bras and satin leopard diner jackets; Julien MacDonald shows a metropolis-reminiscent body matching his glambassador status, his motto – “you can’t have enough of glitter!’; Miu Miu displays a rebellious view on femininity – pretty and perverse, the classics of a bad girl; Roberto Cavalli keeps it savvy and seductive, in clingy, webby laces and repurposed reptiles – telling stories of silver-screen dreaminess; Where Louis Vuitton tries to awaken “the showgirl in all of us’ with an emphasis on fearless and fabulous denim with crafty lace patchworks.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

Trend Report FW2013: Folded 'n Pleated

This season designers are taking the Eastern inspired origami trend to the next buy viagra uk level. Dresses. coats, skirts and jackets are given the folded/pleated – sometimes draped and ruffled – treatment and the variations seem endless. From a basic pleated maxi skirt at Jean Paul Gaultier and a simple folded version at Chanel to impressive architectural pieces at Bottega Veneta, Céline and Dior. Who needs busy prints, bright colors and delicate embroideries when you can have folded, pleated details as the eyecatchers of your look? As seen at Kenzo, Stella McCartney and Alexander Wang the trend seems to work best on Japanese inspired clothing, like kimono’s. Yet don’t hesitate to throw in an extra pair of pleats on a party dress, a suit jacket or an elegant blouse. It will make up for an original, on trend fall look and will have everyone guessing on how exactly your piece of clothing (or should we say piece of art?) is constructed.

The Big Round Up Womenswear SS 2014, Part 2

This is the second part of our Round Up for the coming season, which focuses on the designers’ favorite print for ss2014 – Flowers – and the glamor of shiny fabrics.

SHINE & SHAPE

From left to right: Rodarte, Prabal Gurung, Balenciaga, Ports 1961, Christian Dior

This is all about personal fixations and idealized heroins acting on a contemporary stage. Rodarte reveals tacky satins with  faint 80s references on a sunset strip and a Hollywood boulevard in outfits that show stardom and cool couture confidence; Prabal Gurung shows urban glam in Marilyn Monroe inspired dresses and outfits; Balenciaga sculpts to go where couture and twenty-first-century technology meet; Ports 1961 merges the bold and the boxy with silk, satins and lace; Where Christian Dior concludes that respect for the past is all well and good – but the future won’t wait…

 

THE FLORIST.01

From left to right: Antonio Marras, Aquilano Rimondi, Christopher Kane, Dries Van Noten, Hermès

Botanical gorgeousness was all around. At Antonio Marras with otherworldly fashion sensibility; At Aquilano Rimondi jewel-like in its coloring, couture like in its obsessive polish and exotic in its pattern; Christopher Kane shows flower activism “We live because of flowers and trees”, his spreading blossoms show a lush physicality and he emphasises viagra online pharmacy cheap the flowers’ reproductive capabilities; Dries van Noten finds paintings of bulbous tulips at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, he translates them, as if stenciled by magic, onto cloth; He might have met the Hermès team there – scanning the same sources.

 

THE FLORIST.02

From left to right: Comme des Garçons, Mary Katrantzou, Jonathan Saunders, Preen By Thornton Bregazzi

Here sweetness comes with en eerie edge. Comme des Garçons looks nearly pretty, in pink floral nursery patterns; Mary Katrantzou pumps up the psychedelia of her prints, showing florals exaggerated with embroidery; All-new Summer of Love for Jonathan Saunders, showing psychedelic sunsets and giant globes that glow like alien suns while trance music drowsily drones and opium poppies shimmer on organza starburst floral prints, all to show perverse delight; Where Preen shines brightly with foil silk floral anoraks and shiny pink shifts in cellophane nylon.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

The Big Round Up Womenswear SS 2014 Part 1

 

Against the chaotic backdrop of modern times we witness more extreme fashion scenarios this season. After a rather calm start in New York, with safe recycling of the successful and proven of previous seasons, creative energy was unleashed in Milan and a more dynamic spirit came to full strength arriving in Paris. There we experienced a mind-blowing climax during a happening loaded with raging energy staged by Rick Owens.

We sense the spirit of activism. Obvious in all quotes and messages boldly embedded in clothes that are both dynamic and wearable. Fashion used as a billboard for rage, concern, care, as well as joy. Designers tend to dive deeper into the context of their collections, want to give meaning to their actions and draw strong narratives that speak to the imagination.

Empowerment is one of the more politically driven manifestos. Women in general, women in Africa – from Alexander McQueen, Lanvin, Céline and most obvious at Prada – and there are more…

A booming interest in art conveys a sense of unbridled energy and optimism. Paint is dragged, dabbed, pulled and splattered across garments. Clothes are used as a canvas and art on stage is used as a backdrop for calm and beautiful clothes.

Africa provides key inspiration, fringe and a tribal beat as the theme of the season. The echo of Africa is omnipresent. As mentioned above, reflecting on the fate of women, but also on its cultural vibrancy, its folklore and rich aesthetics – designers place it in a new context and translate it into high fashion looks. Let’s hope the interest is sustained, translated into positive action and that something is in it for Africa….

We are entering a brave new world in which science and technology are the driving forces behind new innovation across the design industry. Balmain and Céline are among the designers who show impressive examples of technical fashion textile innovation. With hypermodern materials and an energetic attitude, sport was one of the stories that engulfed the runways.

We listed 9 strong influences straight off the international catwalks in New York, London, Milan and Paris.
ARTWORKS, FIRE BRIGADE, GRAPHIC AND SPORTY, SHINE AND SHAPE, SHOWGIRLS, THE FLORIST 0.1, THE FLORIST 0.2, TRIBAL, UNDERSTATED.

Let’s start with the first three.

ARTWORKS

From left to right: Viktor & Rolf, Céline, Céline, Kenzo, Chanel

A fest of art processes and a good portion of fashion activism generates primary, urgent expressionism in giant strokes and squiggles. A one off sprayed couture canvas energizes the plain range of Victor & Rolf; slaps of primary colors like tribal brushwork and big, bold, bright tunics and skirts wild with fringe frame the power of women at Céline; artful ocean drawings point out the cause of overfishing at Kenzo where Chanel poses its products of crafts and artisanship against the backdrop of an art gallery.

FIRE BRIGADE

From left to right: Undercover, Emilio Pucci, Hermès, Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior

We signal an alarming portion of red. Walking billboards shout the revival of logo mania during the show of Undercover – showing impressive activism and manifestos in vibrant fierce red; Emilio Pucci chooses red for streetwise gym clothes to express extreme body confidence; Hermès shows red in a rendezvous with romance resonating the faint echoes of Africa; generic version of diflucan At Alexander McQueen power women are painted in dazzlingly tribal red; Where Christian Dior paints poisonous red to stress the harder attitude. Fashion is politicized and shades have a meaning.

GRAPHIC & SPORTY

From left to right: Viktor & Rolf, Victoria Beckham, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Céline, Ports 1961

Sport proves to be one of the big drivers this season. Viktor & Rolf dress dolls and play sporty tailoring games with knife pleats and sharp crested blazers; Shape, leggy and cling where the buzzwords for Victoria Beckhams crisp line up showing athletic body-harness dresses; City smart sports layers make easy outfits that are cut with efficiency by 3.1 Philip Lim; Céline goes ragga style in this elongated string vest look, layered with a yellow jumper tied around the waist; Where Ports 1961 shows sports clean and sharp, matching bold boxy tops with generous drapes in full swing.

 

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

 

Louis Vuitton Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear SS2014

After months of speculation about the status of Marc Jacobs’ contract at Louis Vuitton, the writing was on the wall. The staging of the show re-created many of the sets from his sixteen-year at the house: the elevators, the escalators, the carousel, the fountain, last season’s hotel corridors—they were all there only rendered this time in shades of black.
So it was good-bye on the runway. But despite the all-black clothes, it didn’t feel like a sad affair. Jacobs dedicated the collection to the many cheap viagra‎ women who’ve touched or influenced him during his time in Paris, including designer muses Coco Chanel, Rei Kawakubo, and Miuccia Prada. You saw bits and pieces of their work in this collection, in addition to callbacks to his own greatest hits. “To the showgirl in all of us,” was how he signed off his program notes.

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