Streetwear Trend: Touch Base

Every season sportswear is one of the big influences in fashion. And this year designers seemed inspired by baseball. The signature high school jackets not only popped up on the international runways (Alexander Wang, Dsquared, Opening Ceremony), there were as big a hit in the streets. Now of course you can go all preppy with the baseball jacket, yet the trick is to turn it into something grown up, feminine and surprising. Like pairing it with a little black dress or wearing it on top of a tight pencil skirt. Wear it oversize (steal your boyfriend’s) and show some leg to pull this sporty look off. Perhaps add one of those cool caps we’ve been seeing a lot? Looking sporty without hitting the gym. It’s so easy.

 

Festimode Casablanca Fashion Week 2012, Day 2

The second day of FCFW was sreserved for three designers: Siham Sara Chraibi, Paolo Errico and Said Mahrouf. Three different designers with their own signature. Siham Sara Chraibi studied architecture in Rabat and architecture& philosophy in Paris. But since she is also passionate about fashion and couture she deceided to start her won fashionhouse. Her style is sober and pure with contructed and graphic lines but always influenced by decorative arts and historic costumes.

Said Mahrouf lived in Amsterdam for a long time and focused his work on designing costumes for site-specific performances. But eventually his love for fashion made him design ready to wear again. His fashion-collections are an ode to femininity and elegance. The soft, sensual lines of his designs truly come to life on a female body. And his clientele in Casablanca loves it. Said Mahrouf returned  to Casablanca in 2010 definitely. In his atelier he designs and sells ready to wear de luxe.

Paolo Errico is originally from Milan, Italy. He began his career at Calvin Klein, Versace and Roberto Cavalli. Since 2004 he runs his own fashion-house.  Paolo’s inspiration and reference point are architecture and design. His technique involved using primordial geometric shapes and combining them with the human body to produce timeless fashion. The result creates a multi-dimensional effect of innovation, dynamism and sensual elegance.

Please enjoy the pictures of day 2, with a selection of the three collections and backstage.

Festimode Casablanca Fashion Week 2012, Day 1

The seventh edition of Festimode Casablanca Fashion Week (FCFW) 2012 started yesterday with two shows of Fadila el Gadi and Mehdi Khessouane.

Fadila el Gadi has been working as a fashion-designer since 1990, and she is probably one of the few people in the fashion-business who has been working with the legendary Yves St. Laurent. That experience opened some doors for her, but it is of course Gadi’s talent that made her design for Barbara Streisand and Beyoncé. You can find her work in boutiques in Paris, Madrid and Saint-Tropez, in Morocco she has her own boutiques in Tanger and Marrakech.

Mehdi Khessouane was always surrounded by art and design, since his father is a interior-architect and his mother has a passion for art. Besides that Khessouane also had a passion for science. No wonder he studied Biology at the university and Fashion at the l’Ecole superieure des Beaux Arts in Casablanca. He is not only fascinated by designer Amina Agueznay but he also stands up against global warming. In 2009 Khessouane joined the selection of young talented designers at FCFW. This year he returned with an avant-garde collection for men and women.

Please enjoy the pictures of the first day of FCFW, with a selection of back and frontstage and some atmosphere during the event.

 

 

 

Casablanca Fashion Week 2012 Preview: Said Mahrouf

One of the designers who will show his collection at Casablanca Fashion Week is Said Mahrouf (40). He is the one who invited Team Peter Stigter to Casablanca. That’s no coincidence, since Mahrouf lived for more than 30 years in the Netherlands – he came to our country with his parents when he was 9 – and studied Fashion Design at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. This year in January he presented his collection for the first time at Amsterdam Fashion Week.

Mahrouf is fascinated by the interaction between human movements and space. He gradually focused his work on designing costumes for site-specific performances. His work has been displayed at the New Museum of Contemporary Art and the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, both in New York, the Utrecht Central Museum, the Amsterdam Municipal Museum, Carriage Works Gallery in Sydney and in Casablanca’s Loft Gallery. In 2011 he was appointed artistic director of the 15th edition of Morocco’s main traditional fashion event, Caftan, which was broadcast live from Marrakech. Said Mahrouf presents a ready-to-wear collection at Festimode-Casablanca Fashion Week annually.

His fashion-collections are an ode to femininity and elegance. The soft, sensual lines of his designs truly come to life on a female body. And his clientele in Casablanca loves it. After years of living in Amsterdam and traveling the world, Said Mahrouf returned  to Casablanca in 2010 definitely. In his atelier he designs and sells ready to wear de luxe. And it made him a celebrity in Morocco. Moroccan fashion is often traditional in spirit, what Mahrouf designs is considered avant-garde. And elite wants that.

Team Peter Stigter visited the designer in his atelier in Casablanca for a preview of his new collection, which is inspired by the colors of Marrakech.

More information about Said Mahrouf and Casablanca Fashion Week

 

The Big Round Up Womenswear SS2013, part 3

Spotting trends, common threads, strong statements and influences was not an easy task this S’2013 catwalk season. What does this tell us about the present status of fashion? Is this the outcome of the current economic turmoil? Making designers opt once more for carefulness, minimalism and restraint? Does this push immaculate tailoring and supreme crafts? Excitement more hidden in cut and materials then in expressive aesthetics?
Reflecting on this we concluded that there was pure concentration on the making of beautiful clothes rather then strong fashion statements. Today, part 3 of our list of 9 inspiring directions ss2013-collections are taking us:

TIE DYE

Graduated coloring adds an exclusive, crafted and lively aspect to fabrics and garments. Here it reflects many moods. Acid and intergalactic at Missoni, bohemian at Versace, dreamlike at Blumarine, 70s at Jonathan Saunders and poppy at Cristopher Kane. These lovely graded coloring and subtle ombres become classics over time.

PRINT POWER

We DO believe in the power of print. This season they are scarce but smashing. Patterns with heritage and pedigree: inspired by hand pained glazed terra cotta at Dolce & Gabbana, to reworked animal skin classics by Stella McCartney as well as Kenzo. Fresh and modern are the vibrantly printed volants of Peter Pilotto and the wild ink outburst on red by MiuMiu.

 

FRESH STRIPES

Stripes are going to make it BIG! This parade of bold striped dresses breath crisp retro reminiscence yet the designers stated their inspiration was found in more obscure places.

From historic couture at Dior, disco at Jonathan Saunders, Sicilian souvenirs at Dolce & Gabbana, to 60s graphism at Sportmax and glam sports at Michael Kors.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

The Big Round Up Womenswear SS2013, part 2

This is part 2 of our list of inspiring directions the new ss2013 collections are taking us.

SHEER LAYERING

When there isn’t the urge to change shape and silhouette, when restraint and understatement reign, interest in intriguing and manipulative fabrics raises. Here the playfulness is not in the cut yet in the cloth. Translucent layers cover simple shapes. Not so much about sexy sensuality but all the more about moderation and adding a faint touch of magic. Stella McCartney, Dior, Sportmax, Lacoste and Givenchy.

JAPONISM

Yoga suits and kimonos inspire minimalist silhouettes. Layered and gently wrapped; reinventing the dress as well as the suit. Subtle origami folds in soft plains with sophisticated shimmer, polished sheen or simply matte surface looks. Padded aspects, square trims, knotted belts and obi’s. At Prada, Lanvin, Mugler, Gianfranco Ferré and Haider Ackermann.

GORGEOUS COLOR

Gucci, Costume National, Dior, Lanvin and Jil Sander show that intense and passionate colour is just part of the message. The silhouette is the big story. As sharp as its shades, these forms are bold, square and boxy. Form fierce symmetry as well as sensual, bare-shouldered asymmetry. Power dressing is not just reserved for suits.

 

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

The Big Round Up Womenswear SS2013, part 1

Spotting trends, common threads, strong statements and influences was not an easy task this S’2013 catwalk season. What does this tell us about the present status of fashion? Is this the outcome of the current economic turmoil? Making designers opt once more for carefulness, minimalism and restraint? Does this push immaculate tailoring and supreme crafts? Excitement more hidden in cut and materials then in expressive aesthetics?

Reflecting on this we concluded that there was pure concentration on the making of beautiful clothes rather then strong fashion statements.

We saw lines of models wandering like babbling brooks, very interesting but far from mind goggling. The strongest acts of expressionism where in the sphere of geometrics and linear patterning. An interesting pulse came from textile technology, novel finishing and techno-crafted embellishment. Outspoken silhouettes where most inspired by the Orient, which was a follow up from what started previous seasons, rather then being a novelty. Understated black and white reigned when it came to coloring. And the return of patterning was near to non-existent.

So it will be the high street in desperate need of ways to differentiate, that will fuel the pattern trend, or it will take another season to reflect on it. And let’s be honest … in the context of recent catwalks, the few collection showing pattern, print and decorative accessorizing seemed quiet trivial and out of sink.

The lessons learned where: ‘how to be beautiful’, rather then ‘how to be fashionable’. And what can be wrong with that?

But… after seasons of flash backs and heritage, playing safe and conservatism… aren’t we in need of excitement and entertainment? Isn’t this what catwalk shows should be about? To be honest… we would have loved to see the sparkle of the unexpected.

The fun is, it’s there! Just look at the street photography during the catwalk shows. There the fire of decorative expressionism and eccentricity is burning.  It is all in the mix.

Nevertheless we list you 9 inspiring directions, spotted at the international catwalks of New York, Milan and Paris. The first three are:

OPTICAL STRIPES

Where Marc Jacobs and Moschino show a literary revival of the swinging 60s, Aquilano Rimondi, Costume National and Sportmax add a contemporary twist to manipulative and illusionist black and white geometrics. From neat linear stripes to optical cut, patched and scattered blocks. Alternating contrasts of matte and shine, as well as transparency and opaque.

OPENWORK

There is a massive interest in materials, in techno-crafted embellishment and innovative manufacturing. Sportmax lasercutted hounds tooth patterns where Alexander Wang cuts and carves in more organic ways. Michael Kors punches sail rings and rivets where, Christopher Kane shows spectacular updates of quilting and lace, where, Balmain goes over the top showing glamazones in leather embellished with a layering of techniques.

NEW TAILORING

Works of art or couture mathematics? Costume National shows graphic cuts and sharp asymmetrics, balancing layers and proportions. Balenciaga confirms the important role that the sleeveless jackets will play coming seasons, martial arts reflect in Haider Ackermann’s wrap suits, where Narciso Rodriguez goes classy, Givenchy throws layers and Dior goes for powerful contours.

Stylespot is a collaboration with Stijlinstituut Amsterdam

 

 

 

Dutch Fashion Here & Now India, the Show

Dutch Fashion Here & Now opened India Fashion Week yesterday with a show that celebrated fashion in all its parts: craftsmanship, fantasy, glamor, style. The Dutch label *DIED* presented their custom made shirts, Jan Taminiau and Suneet Varma collaborated on a glamorous and  elaborated collection and Roheet Ghandi and Rahul Karma showed their contemporary pret a porter. Part of the production was the soundtrack made by Starstudded Studios, make-up by Ellis Faas and runway photography by Peter Stigter.

Miu Miu Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

On a barely lit runway Miuccia Prada sent out her fifties style ladies. Ladies that appeared elegant, but there was something off. Their clothes were tailored, but ill-fitting. The designs had a feeling of couture, yet were definitely ready to wear.

Miuccia did her first few looks completely in denim; pencil skirts, large coats with ¾ sleeves and strange tops. Pointy shoes, long leather gloves, rhinestone details, high bangs, long hair and cat eye glasses to completely capture the Mad Men feeling.

Even though the models appeared like well dressed fifties women; there was not one ‘picture perfect’ in the collection. Rich fabrics were destroyed (satin was pummeled, furs were tie dyed) and poor were upgraded (dark denim was lined in satin). “It was not about destroying elegance, but achieving a different kind. Very Parisian,” said Prada, “but in a fake way, in a wrong way! The femme fatale is never perfect…at least the ones I like.”

The dark show area, the countless furs and not the brightest of shades Miu Miu didn’t really breath summer. Yet Miuccia did manage to portray that 2013 feeling by bringing together conventional chic with contemporary raw.

Louis Vuitton Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Please enjoy the pictures for now. Our review will follow shortly.

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