Burberry’s New Wave Men, Take Two

As promised, here is the rest of the gallery comparing Burberry’s Menswear for Spring 2010 with some ‘old new wave’ icons.

Long hair + long jackets at Burberry Spring 2010 menswear show.

Goth capes + skinny pants + Morrissey cardy @ Burberry

Grimly Fashionable – Dave Vanian of The Damned

Nylon/Leather jackets – the new wave uniform.

Depeche Mode – trying to toughen up their image.

Are those white shirts underneath the black??

Army inspired flaps – I had forgotten these…

The quintessential windbreaker, complete with flap collar.

Very Simon LeBon

Didn’t all of us Durannies have this bag + 4000 DD buttons?

The Fab Five, circa 1984

Burberry’s New Wave Men

Christopher Bailey has always been a muso. In past interviews and collections, music is often a key inspiration. No wonder then, that Bailey’s Spring 2010 menswear collection had a certain ‘old new wave’ vibe.

I took a walk down memory lane with each runway look from Bailey.

Roddy Frame, is that you? Wavy hair and burnished flight inspired jacket say so.

"I hear your footsteps in the street...won't be long before we meet."

Roddy Frame doing what he does best - strumming his guitar.

While the ’80s definitely seem to have inspired this collection, there is an edge here that differentiates this from so many other ’80s homages in fashion of late.

"And the tap drips under the strip light...drip, drip, drip, drip..."

Robert Smith: trendsetter, extraordinaire.

While others have shown the kitsch of the era, Bailey clearly has a love affair with it. It’s a tribute, not a nostalgic sequence.

This is the Modern World

The Jam, backstage as captured by twink.

No bootlegs here, kids. This is the real UK import.

Booted and Suited @ Burberry

Fellow muso, Christopher Bailey

More pics in an upcoming gallery post. [Update Jun 28: View the rest of the gallery.]

Burberry photos: Style.com / Roddy Frame photo by Philippe Carly at www.newwavephotos.com / Robert Smith photo from www.slicingupeyeballs.com / Jam photo by Twink, courtesy of www.thejamunseen.com ( I could hang on this site forever.)

Glastonbury Gladrags: Union Jack Flash

The Glastonbury fest is rocking the other side of the Atlantic right now. Brit retailer, Topshop [Sigh. Still waiting for the Toronto Topsop, Bonnie Brooks.] just finished their pieces for the singer of Florence and the Machine.

And, much to my chagrin, Wellies are all over the fashion news again. B & E are giggling to themselves as they read this.

Now if I were to wear Wellies – say, if a Brit musician type asked me to hang backstage at Glastonbury – I’d choose these. [B & E have fallen and can't get up.]

River Island Rubber Wellingtons

But the after party? I’m going back to my stilts with a blast from the recent past.

Brit Booties by McQueen, who else? FW08

And the matchy bag? Chanel, natch – from the Paris-Londres 07/08 collection.

Now that’s cooooool Britannia, luv.

Wellies photo courtesy of Telegraph UK. Bag photo courtesy of Lane Crawford. McQueen stilts courtesy of www.alexandermcqueen.com.

The September Issue Trailer

Get the popcorn champers and caviar, dahling. The first glimpse of The September Issue, the already infamous doc about the only Editor-in-Chief that matters – Anna Wintour of a little glossy called Vogue, is due to hit the theatres soon.

Love the one-liners so far. I will have to take notes during the full movie.

Great style…the better way

Heading home after work on a Friday night, I was ready for the subway gaze. You know it – where you stare off into the nothingness of the blurred landscape of fellow passengers in your train.

Imagine my surprise, when this young lady entered the car. I didn’t want to stare, but her look was so well put together. I had to ask to take her picture for this space – but only had the CrackBerry, which doesn’t capture her look as clearly as I would have liked.

Style inventory:

Black leggings + black tunic/cardy with grey sketch print + fantastic hair + Rick Owens? boot/zip sandals = obvious goth + 80s inspiration (and I don’t mean new goth, kids – there is some Siouxsie Sioux in there).

Black slouchy bag with gold zip (wasn’t expecting gold)  + high heels + brown shades (another curve thrown in for good measure) = obvious fashionista-ness.

Chunky link cuff bracelet + black panther ring + red manicure and toes = added girly touches to hard rocker edge.

Even better than the great style? The sweet personality to match when I asked to take her picture.

Thanks for enhancing the Toronto fashion landscape, Catherine.

Men – Made by McQueen

Mr. McQueen’s menswear for Spring 2010 is all about well thought-out chalk-strokes, rough edges and tatters, making for a surprisingly polished, finished and well, manly collection for the girls lucky enough to be in the presence of a McQueen man.

Here are a few snapshots of my favourite looks.

Pristine and painted

Chalk it up to a great lapel

No holograms here – it does look fab.

Classic tailoring - a McQueen trademark.

 

The full lookbook is on the Alexander McQueen site, where you can also watch the AM film directed by David Sims. The film is a little dark for me – but individual pieces of the men’s collection are great additions to any daring man’s closet – those man enough to wear artwork nonchalantly, anyway.

Sneak Peek: Chanel Avant Coco Trailer

Watch the trailer for Chanel Avant Coco, one of three current films about the infamous fashion icon.

Can’t wait for the film to debut here.

Déjà Vu: Loco for Coco

There are precisely three movies about the illustrious Mademoiselle Chanel currently hitting small and big screens the world over.

The first stars Shirley MacLaine in the role that earned her a Golden Globe nod in Coco Chanel – which aired locally on Viva in March. I have an email in to Viva to ask about repeat dates – keep you posted.

The second film stars Audrey Tatou as Coco, before her fame, er, infamy. Coco Before Chanel opened in France in April, but has yet to debut on this side of the Atlantic. It’s directed by Anne Fontaine. (Update Jun 22: Watch the trailer.)

I love the black and white-esque movie poster – it’s a classic. However, it’s not the original – that one was banned in France for its portrayal of smoking – sure to be a collector’s item.

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky – the third film, directed by Dutch-born Jan Kounen and starring Anna Mouglalis and Mads Mikkelsen, closed the Cannes fest in May.

It seems that filmakers and fashionistas, alike fawn over the femme that moved fashion forward.

MacLaine poster source. Coco Before Chanel poster source. Coco Avant Chanel poster source. Stravinsky poster source.

Retail Recall: U&I

It’s always nice to be back in Mentreal. Ahem, Montreal. Style prevails no matter where you go. Boho chic on St. Denis to designer diva on Laurier to goth goddess on St. Laurent.

There are a few must-stops for fashionplates, when in la belle provence. The aforementioned Boulevard St. Laurent is home to a few fashion haunts including U&I – a mecca for interesting/avant-garde/edgy pieces.

U&I Boutique, Montreal

On this visit, I got a chance to see Philip Lim’s zippy frock. Worth it’s weight.

Phillip Lim Zip Dress, SS09

While the zipper detail may be rock-starrish for some, Lim did a mellower version than Junya Watanabe did a few years back. I still think about that Watanabe skirt.

Lim also did a fringed tunic that I fell in love with. I would have photographed it, but then I’d have to see it on the blog on a regular basis. If we couldn’t be together, it was best to make a clean break.

Speaking of clean – Ms. Westwood did clean lines in a not-as-simple-as-you-think bias cut t-shirty dress. Made for curves, no?

Throw me a curve, sailor.

Line it up with a great bag, ladies.

Denis Gagnon Ribbed Satchel, SS09

C’est très chic – in any city.

 

U&I

3650 St. Laurent Boulevard, Montreal

boutiqueuandi.com

All photos by Jyotika Malhotra.

Sundays, the Jason Wu way

Fashion Designer to Michelle O and beyond, Jason Wu, like the rest of us, likes to chill on Sundays.

Unlike the rest of us, he watches Madge’s paparazzi, buys fashion books at The Strand and has brunch at Pastis.

Read more about Jason’s Sunday adventures in the New York Times.

H&M: Choos Me

B and I have often tried to predict who the next H&M celeb designer will be. We haven’t gotten it right, yet.

We heard about the first collab with Karl – and weren’t quite sure how we felt about the high/low dance then, so we waited it out. I remember being at Vaughan Mills (yup, we were in an actual mall) and seeing racks of leftovers…so maybe the first one wasn’t as successful as they’d hoped.

Then came Stella. We stood in line, coffee in hand, and laughed at our silliness for lining up for clothes. The whole atmosphere was fun and friendly, apart from one young fashionista who was sizing us up – literally saying that we were her size, so we had better watch out, “ha ha”. She wasn’t kidding. I think I saw her elbow flash by my eye before a chrome rack almost took me down.

Our Stella stint was fruitful, though.

Stella's "Maniac" Dance Top for H&M

B got a few pieces and I walked away with the black dress pants, the coveted grey denim jacket, the Flashdance-y printed raglan sleeve T, long V-neck hip-length sweater and the gorg tuxedo coat. The latter was a very cordial, fashionista’s boyfriend to fashionista fitting room barter for the correct size. The crowd was warm and lovely.

I remember us trying to guess who would be next. Balenciaga? No, the mainstream world wasn’t there yet. Narciso? Not young enough for their target. McQueen? We both gasped. Could it be? We immediately wiped the delicious prospect out of our minds. (Little did we know, he’d choose Target to collaborate with a couple of seasons later.)

But then they threw us a tailored curve with Viktor & Rolf the following year. Nice. 

We had a déjà vu then, too. Same line-up. Totally different crowd. Leaner. Meaner.  But we endeared, being the ahem, seasoned fashionplates, we are. There were lots of tall boys accompanying the girls – eBayers. We looked at each other, bemused, but ready.

We walked in. I remember arms, legs, B’s hands and then it all faded. We walked out with matching heart-buttoned pea-coats and I, with a poufy trench – B is more bendy than I thought! That pilates is working…

 

Our pretty pea coat by Viktor & Rolf for H&M

We couldn’t predict the next one, but surely, the designer had to be edgier that V&R? Gasp? Not Ann D or Commes? Nah…couldn’t be…

Then came Cavalli. Miami is not our style, so we opted to continue on with our lives without the annual retail ritual.

Comme came the year later. I wanted the deconstructed jacket, but I was too old to stand in line again. (Remember concert ticket line-ups? Bryan Ferry, I will wait in line for you…but Rei? Rei, I might eBay.)

I thought I was SOL re: CDG, but managed to pick some up on a casual lunch-time walk, entering the store with no expectations. Left with a bag for me in one hand and a bag for B in the other. Even scored a men’s piece for Mr. B.

Got excited that maybe it was time for Balenciaga or (another) gasp, Olivier, next.

Colour me wrong. Hippie chicster, Matthew Williamson was the next choice.

Katy Perry rocking the peacock frock by Matthew Williamson for H&M

I almost buckled at the peacock dress, but decided not to strut in public this time.

I should have guessed it right then and there, but I missed a step. The next designer for H&M’s collaboration?

Jimmy Choo for H&M.

Tamara Mellon of Jimmy Choo-dom will be designing a line of shoes, belts and other fab accoutrements - including clothes (!) –  for the Swedes and the rest of the world, come November 12th 14th.

Now the masses can Choos to be fabulous, too.

Photos: Stella shot from photobucket.com. V&R photo courtesy of nitrolicious. Williamson pic from mtv. Jimmy Choo photo by Magnus Magnusson.

Glad it’s summer

I know it’s summer. I know that boots are supposed to be in boxes in the backs of our collective closets. But these are sandals. They just happen to go all the way up to your knee.

I, for one, am happy that the gladiator “trend” isn’t over. I’ve been wearing them for the last dozen years.

But these? These are gladiators on steroids. March on, sisters, march ON.

Sigerson Morrison Huarache Boots SS09

Déjà Vu: Seeing Red Squared

I was seeing red at Sol(e)d the other night. Hannah, a fellow blogger, was rocking red tights with her ’50s meets ’60s meets ’20s vibe.

Lady in red

Red tights + ’20s + ’60s skirt lengths = very Chanel Resort 2010.

She walked off with one of the best looks of the night.   

Photo of Hannah by Jyotika Malhotra. Chanel Resort photo from Style.com.

Sol(e) sisters are doing it for themselves

Vintage stores and dealers in Toronto are out of merch today. Why? It was all at the Sol(e)d party, held by Worn Fashion Journal  last night. This was no ordinary crowd at the Bata Shoe Museum – these sisters were self-styled.

The ’80s were well represented…the slouch, cuffed boot with a striped shirtdress – very Molly Ringwald, minus the angst.

When I saw these thigh-high lace-ups, I could have sworn they were vintage Alaia. Close. Sarah from Cozette Designs, who wore them so well, said they were vintage Betsey Johnson. Me-ow.

And would an ’80s fashion moment be complete without this look? Gingham? Check. Chuck’s? Check. This could be Ally Sheedy in Breakfast Club, or even Winona Ryder in Reality Bites (Ugh. Gen X in the ’90s. Never mind. Ok, maybe Heathers? Oh the humanity!)

Victoriana meets Ascot meets Queen West (the original Queen West, please.) Karyn Gingras of Lilliput Hats adorned one of her creations, watching eagerly to see who walked away with her heeled (!) and feathered Keds.

And then there was sweet Hannah from An Aesthetic Feast blog, who rocked a bit of the ’60s Audrey Hepburn + ’50s neckline/scarf + ’20s gamine all at once. Beautiful makeup. (I’ll save her full look for another post, later this week).

But the night belonged to Meagan, the events diva for WFJ. Not only did she look stunning in a ’40s inspired tomato red frock, but her mum bought the best Keds of the night as a giftie for her.

Veronica Lake, is that you dah-ling?

Dane Richards 'Danegerous' and decadent Keds (yes, Keds!)

She earned those – the party was fab.

All photos by Jyotika Malhotra

Fashion’s got sole, after all

I attended the Sol(e)d party last night with B, a fun(d) do put on by Worn Fashion Journal at the Bata Shoe Museum, with part of the proceeds going to Fashion Cares/ACT. They’ve just published their first ever themed issue for retifists: The Shoe Issue.

A perfect night for a couple of pairs of shoes, just itching to get out. B wore Christian Louboutin Rhinestone Cowboy boots.

Christian Louboutin Boots on B

I wore the McQueen Tiger Claw stilettos that have been roaring to get out of the box for their debut since November. A girl has to wait for the right time.

McQueens on Me (Ooh, I like how that sounds!)

Who says fashionistas are frosty? It was warm and toasty as soon as we walked in – sashayed, really.

The evening’s highlight was an auction of pimped-out Keds, frilled, funked and otherwise fashioned by local indie designer darlings, including my Twitter pal, Danielle Meder of finalfashion. Danielle was creating her to-be-auctioned stitched sneaks before our very eyes, on a gorg antique foot-pedal sewing machine. They sold for $350, the second highest bid of the night.

Vintage machine and scissors. Modern shoes.

Danielle Meder of finalfashion, working while we partied.

She was telling us how it took her a while to get the rhythm of the foot pedal down, when we noticed our own feet tapping to a different rhythm. Etta James was calling us to basement, so we headed down the stairs (in stilts, no less!) to what was surely the opening of the City’s vintage vaults.

Vintage reveals and sole sisters in the next post.

Photo of McQueens by B. All other photos – Jyotika Malhotra.