Gareth Doth Scareth for Spring

Paris Fashion Week got a dose of the grim for Spring 2010 by a gent named Gareth Pugh.

Just in time for L’Halloween, the sombre greys, monastic robes and feathered head-gear scared us silly into thinking we could never wear brights and lights for the season, again.

But alas, life is all about the grey areas, ‘innit?

Catching the red eye for Paris Fashion Week

Linear Ladyhawke at Gareth SS10

No peripheral vision. Who needs to see when you look this good?

Modern goth at Gareth Pugh

Laced, fringed and feathered. Now if only I could see...

Cowl + scowl = dressed.

Illlustration by Laura Laine for Gareth Pugh

Oooh, shredded skinnies and a long wispy jacket. Me likey.

Muted greys get the regal treatment.

Pretty close to couture, if you ask me. Sheer artistry.

On my list for Spring 2010. Rich, grey, layered Love.

I've got a headache and it's got THISHEADDRESS written all over it.

Would love to wear this sweater on a breezy day.

All images courtesy of Getty Images.

The Love Song of JJ Valaya’s Red Frock

While Mr. Eliot may not have been musing about a specific designer, he certainly did admire a sartorial detail or two in his poems.

Fitting then, to dedicate a few of his infamous words to the poetry that is JJ Valaya’s layered, flared tunic.

Valaya Base FW09 gown/tunic - poetry worthy

Valaya image source.

Buy the book that contains one of the best poems of all time.

Falling For You

No, no, really. I have fallen and can’t even think of getting up.

These beauties are not for the faint of heart, but made for art.

Shoe Sculpture by Alexander McQueen

They are to be admired, like sculpture, on one’s mantle…or as a bookend for racy reads.

Detached platform plus pointy toe = potential disaster

But to wear them? And without a life insurance policy? A girl has to be wise these days.

4.5 inches of Louis-heeled drama

Best to just walk away – preferably in your more sensible 4-inch stilettos from last Fall.

Incidentally, their matchy-ness with the exshoesme decor is not lost on moi. Thanks Lee!

Photos courtesy of Alexander McQueen.

Déjà Vu: Artist vs. Artist

19th century Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma, was known for his depictions of beautiful, voluptuous women. His painting of Lady with Swarbat, shows a woman in a gauzy, gold-bordered sari.

Lady with Swarbat by Raja Ravi Varma

Anamika Khanna was surely digging through the art archives for inspiration for her Fall Winter 09 collection.

Her version of the woman in white and gold, shows Khanna’s trademark asymmetrical lines and confident, modern woman. I love how my soul sister combines the traditions of the 18th and 19th centuries and fuses them with the future we’d like to wear now.

Instead of a churridaar, she showed leggings, with sparkling sequins and a front slit. And I love the trailing, knotted and embroidered second layer of fabric coming out from underneath the tunic, which also has knotted ends.

It combines the soft woman from Varma’s painting with the toughness a woman needs in 2009.

Artist complements artist.

Anamika Khanna FW09

See more from Anamika Khanna’s FW09 collection.

Khanna photo from rediff.com. Raja Ravi Varma photo source.

Galavanting

Is there a recession? Someone tell the fashion jetset.

There was no shortage of glam, gorj, gala-worthy gowns at a multitude of recent fashion weeks.

So hot, it's cool at Ralph Rucci SS 2010

This fiery hot neck piece adds a layer of drama to an otherwise cool and breezy gown. Perfect for a night of flamenco, no?

Cool it down with this leathery slick satin dress by Project Runway Canada alum, Evan Biddell. Love the neck adorment here, aussi.

Cool Canadian Evan Bidell's leather-like satin number. Photo by Angela Y. Martin

Bubblegum pink at Bottega Veneta Resort 2010

The evening ease continues at Bottega Veneta Resort 2010 and Alexis Mabille FW09. Float or glitter away – the choice is yours.

Getting the cold shoulder at Mabille FW09

But a woman is a complex creature, full of intricacies and layered details. Desi girl, Ranna Gill, created a perfect piece for her Spring Summer 09 collection. It’s colour blocked and beaded, without looking overdone.

Just a Ranna Gill type of girl.

Fitzgerald's Daisy goes Rock and Roll. Chanel Resort 2010

Necks get covered again at Chanel Resort, 2010. Karl showed a ’20s inspired collection and in this case, it looks like the modern, Rock and Roll version of Fitzgerald’s Daisy B.

Modern girl, Stella McCartney made lacy – not racy – separates sing.

Elegance personified at Stella Resort 2010

Speaking of elegance, there is nothing like rich colours, embroidery and textures to make a woman look regal. Sabyasachi Mukherjee likely dressed maharanis in another life. That sari border is from another era, entirely – where beauty reigned.

This is Indian couture, my dears. It may not be classified as such since les petites mains didn’t make it, but there were likely many chotay, chotay hath that touched just this one ensemble.

Maharani Mode at Sabyasachi FW09

Feel like going out all of a sudden? I know I do.

Sources: Rucci, Bottega, Chanel, Stella photos from Style.com. Evan Biddell photo courtesy of AYM Photography. Mabille photo courtesy of Alexis Mabille. Gill photo courtesy of Ranna Gill. Sabyasachi photo source.

Mabille’s Autumn Gifts

Alexis Mabille wrapped up a few gifts for us, this Autumn. While not a girly girl who like bows, there was something about unwrapping one of these…

Aw, all gift wrapped, for moi? You totally should have!

No, it’s not the whole suit I love – it’s that tie with that collar and um, who is wearing it.

And I’m not sure why I like these at all. They are coral + suede + have bows – all things I normally do not agree with, but sometimes a girl wants a little pretty. I think that teeny bow at the bottom of the heel was what won me over.

It wasn’t just bows – the ties came in different shapes. Love the vertical split on the skinny ones. I like my ties, my pants and my men on the skinny side.

Tieing one on at Mabille FW09

Bows weren’t the only detail Mabille showed. Fur added a feminine touch to tailored suits and coats, and even softened a rectangular shopper (but my, my, those scarlet nails have to go!).

Girly details at Mabille FW09

Skinnies + a great coat = City Chic

But my favourite piece at Mabille? The gorg grey suit, with stocking detail skinnies – in a traditional men’s suiting fabric.

Lu-uv. Wa-ant.

Now that's what I call a business suit!

All photos courtesy of Alexis Mabille.

Ahhhh Choo…Jimmy Goes Evening for H&M

Jimmy Choo is synonymous for shoes – tall, dark and then some…

The company has done handbags before and is introducing other accessories.

And now you can get kitted out for a fab night out – wearing Jimmy from head to toe – thanks to the high/low dance with retailer H&M.

The clothes hit selected stores November 14th.

Maxed out for evening

Why leave the boys out? They need to look good, too.

Related posts: Take the Choo Shoe Train or Choos Me.

All images courtesy of H&M.

Déjà Vu: Put a Feather in Your Cap…

…and call it couture?

In one case, a yes.

In another case, good guess.

But we must confess – it’s ready to wear.

Eliciting stares.

To dream in such luxe.

In a season of flux.

Is unheard of, oh yes.

And unseen, one would guess.

Given the tip of the brim,

the plumed and the prim,

the allure of the couture,

will reel them in I’m sure.

Prim plumes at Dior Couture Fall 2009

Gothic Grey Goose at Gareth Pugh Spring 2010

Image sources: Dior, courtesy of Style.com. Pugh image by Antonio de Moraes Barros Filho/WireImage.com, courtesy of OnSugar.

The September Issue Reviewed

The documentary, the phenomenon, the hype machine that is The September Issue was seen by my very own eyes tonight. (B and I have been on a fashion film marathon for the last month – it’s exhausting!)

If you’ve been living in a non-fashion state of being the past year, this is the doc about the inner workings of Vogue during production of the magazine’s iconic issue – it’s largest, wrist spraining issue ever – the Sept 07 edition.

However, it’s a doc that reveals the mystery of  the mag mecca for a mainstream audience. If you know Anna Wintour’s name without needing a descriptor or explanation (for some of us she doesn’t even need a last name – you know instantly who “AH-NNA” is), chances are you have a slight insight into well, Anna, because you likely care enough to have sought it out before news of this doc hit FaceBook or Twitter.  I learned nothing new about Anna that I didn’t know before. And surprisingly, ALT isn’t all over this film either (we’ve seen lots of him in post-fashion show clips though, haven’t we?).

I did enjoy the extras that were the design team as well as watching the actual layout assessment and print production processes. Must be a remnant of the layout geek in me (be a doll and not tell anyone?). Incidentally, does anyone know where I can get a set of those magnetic layout boards? Right now?

What I did come to know is that Anna may be the talk of the town, but The September Issue, for me, was full of Grace.

Anna may be the saviour of the $300 billion fashion empire and whose words upon which retailers stake their businesses (fascinating, actually) and designers hang their clothes, but it is Grace that is the lifeblood of Vogue.

She is the soft to Anna’s knife-pleated and printed edge, she is the gothic English romance in a sea of upper east siders and she, in fact, is what is keeping that magazine even slightly relevant.

Anna’s biggest strength is dignified Grace.

A '60s cover of British Vogue with Coddington as model

Grace Coddington

Visually – and in my book any film about fashion should be smack-in-your-face striking, visually – it didn’t hold up. I’ve seen those images many times over already. I’m tainted. More valuable were the pages that didn’t get in.

It wasn’t a Valentino: The Last Emperor from a while back, parts of which still remain in my mind’s eye and reactions from which are still in my inspirational memory bank.

It was a good film – just not a brilliant one.

Watch the trailer.

Image sources: film poster, Grace cover, Grace now.

Tom Talks in Tokyo

A WWD story this morning states that Tom Ford, in Tokyo for the film’s premiere there, has confirmed on the record that the rumoured women’s line is a go.

He’ll be working with long time biz partner Domenico De Sole, although the pair wouldn’t discuss facts and figures beyond that – and no confirmed date for the official launch of the empire.

It’s fitting that I am wearing skinnies and some zips and studs to hear the rocking news.

Be still my black-clad heart.

Tom in Tokyo

Photo courtesy of WWD.

The Art of La Linda

Linda E is hot.

She is literally sweating it out for W mag’s November edition.

Well, okay, maybe it’s designer makeup sweat. But here’s a woman who isn’t afraid of a little drama.

The Super-sport touches on social, religious and political taboos for the mag’s annual art issue.

Always entertaining – there is no other Linda.

Living cover art: Ms. Evangelista

Sweating over her craft.

Santa Maria!!

All photos by Maurizio Cattelan, courtesy of WWD.

Tarjhay Targets Gaultier – Update

JPG is the latest visionary designer to collaborate with US bargoon retailer, Target.

The rumour’s been brewing for a while, but the rumour mill was based around the Go International line by the retailer. This is a bonafide Designer Collaboration, celebrating the American woman. (Um, thanks but what about the rest of us?)

The line will hit 250 stores across the US ( and presumably online – but we all know how the McQueen thing turned out for me).

The date to enter in your BlackBerries is March 7, 2010.

I have to be honest with you…I’m getting a little more than bored with the collaborations…the quality seems to be deteoriating.

My fave one is still Stella for H&M – the quality was unbeatable – 100% wools and cottons, great workmanship and even biodegradable bags. It was 360-degree Stella. Others since have been marketing cash grabs without the substance to fully back it up.

But let’s see what JPG can do. He is going from the ultimate in luxury -Hermès  to Tarjhay. It will be an interesting transition to watch.

JPG red, white and blue ad campaign, 2007

Zip, Zero, Zilch

That’s how many of these beautiful shoes you can actually buy.

Denis Gagnon co-created these zippy cutom-designed Aldo beauties with stylist YSO for his Spring 2010 show.

This is as close as you might get to them – because they are not for sale.

Pretty, aren’t they?

Photos courtesy of Fashion magazine.

Choo Shoe Train

More snaps (and literal snaps) have appeared for the H&M Jimmy Choo collection, hitting stores November 14.

Don’t know about you, but I haven’t been feeling the Jimmy Choo feeling for a while now. I remember gushing at their Liberty boutique in London about five years ago, but now…well, it’s a little too mass consumption for moi (even at regular prices).

Here are a couple of interesting bits that you might like.  The thigh highs – again, a little too mainstream and very few women can pull them off without looking tarty. They could work if the rest of your look is thrown together, geometric separates from say, Jeremy Laing and no makeup. Think arty, not tarty.

And that belt? Already wore a version it a few years back.

But careful in that lineup, girls. Studs and snaps might leave scars.

Sky and Thigh High Choos - for H&M

Getting Snapped at Jimmy Choo for H&M

Images courtesy of WWD.

Rimmel London’s Honky Tonk Women

First there was Kate. Moss, of course.

Kate for Rimmel, circa 2006

Then came Lily Cole.

Next was Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

Now, Rimmel London adds two more stars to their ad roster.

Coco Rocha will be one of the cosmetic company’s new faces for their Spring 2010 campaign.

And the last one to round off this repertoire of Honky Tonk Women?

None other than Georgia May Jagger, offspring of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall – model and rock royalty.

Image sources: Kate, Lily, Sophie, Coco, Georgia May.