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She told me to walk this way…
Letters from the Avant-Garden
It seems a few designers took a page from this book when it came to inspiration, this season.
Prabal Gurung's avant-garden dress was one of my faves this season.
Loved the graphic print and the ribbon of red.
I am really loving the angles of Kallol Dutta's perspective lately, too.
Berardi is no stranger to bold - and impeccable tailoring.
Urvashi Kaur had soft asymmetry all tied up.
Images: Vogue.com, Elle.com and WLIFW.
Piping In
Oh look, there is someone else piping in on the piped trench I love so much.
So lovely in midnight blue, too.
Burberry's take on the crisp trench: belted, piped, trimmed...sold.
Image courtesy of Burberry.
A Cuff’s Enough
It doesn’t take a grand ball gown to impress me.
Life is all about the perfect little moments – in between the fancy parties.
It’s about the enjoyment of the daily pleasures – like the length of the perfect cuff.
Sometimes, my dears, that’s simply enough.
Paul Smith knows not to mess with knuckle-length shirt cuffs.
Image: Elle.com.
Métiers de Mumbai?
The House of Chanel releases a Métiers d’Art collection annually to highlight the fine work of the seven Paris couture ateliers which Chanel owns. And each year, Uncle Karl gives us a dream – whether it’s the perfect marriage of Paris and London, a journey through time to the Byzantine age, or an ode To Russia, With Love.
For me, these Métiers d’Art collections from Chanel often resonate the most. These are the ones that remain in my visual memory.
Well now, my darling Uncle has decided to take a trip to my Motherland. The Paris-Bombay collection, to be shown on December 6th at the Grand Palais in Paris, will be an ode to Mumbai.
Given Chanel’s rich history in couture craft and India’s equally embellished passion for ornamenting the ordinary, I cannot wait to see the collection.
After all, Karl is the West’s answer to the mac daddy Maharaja, is he not?
The modern maharaja of mode?
The mac daddy Maharaja, Sir Bhupinder Singh of Patiala.
Images: Karl from Getty Images; Bhupinder Singh image courtesy of AGO.
Japanese Blossoms
Edita Vilkeviciute, photographed by Sølve Sundsbø for the November issue of Vogue Nippon’s beauty supplement.
A study in beauty, indeed.
Images: TFS.
Fashion Set Fêtes Filmmaker
Pedro Almodóvar loves strong women.
Woman on the verge, Rosie de Palma, looking beautiful amongst the blooms.
Well, many a fashion femme fatale showed up at the MoMA last night to fête the famous filmmaker at the Museum’s fourth annual Film Benefit – A Tribute to Pedro Almodóvar.
Wendi Murdoch, with Tamara Mellon who looks deep in thought - about her rumoured lifestyle brand launch, no doubt.
Grace, aglow in red.
Ms. von Furstenberg.
The perfect backdrop for colourful, John Waters.
Uncle Karl and Uncle Pedro - two uncles every woman needs.
I am not a party girl, but this is one I wouldn’t have minded being an extra in, if only to be photographed in a glorious dress against a backdrop of roses.
No small entrance - model Joan Smalls in a drop-dead-in-front-of-red, Tom Ford dress.
The scent of those blooms must have lingered, like the scenes from his films in one’s memory…
Rachel Roy looking chic. I am still craving the burgundy version of these Celine shoes.
Images: Grace, DVF, Karl/Pedro photos from Vogue.com. All others by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
Fresh Funds and Faces
The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund fête was held in New York last night.
It made me smile to hear that Joseph Altuzarra won this year’s Fund, taking home $300,000 USD.
I met Joseph briefly at the FIT Symposium in New York a couple of weeks ago, where he spoke about both the creative and the business sides being equally important for him.
“It’s very difficult for me to design in a vacuum. I need to know how the company is doing,” he said.
Well Joseph, the company is doing a little better now – thanks to the influx of winning bucks. Couldn’t happen to a sweeter guy – I was so, so impressed by his talent – and by his humility.
Runners-up included jewellery designer Pamela Love and the design duo of Gabier and Peters, who will collect $100,000 USD each.
Anna Wintour with Joseph Altuzarra and Pamela Love.
All the proud CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winners - Joseph Altuzarra, Pamela Love, Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters.
Images: Vogue.com
Déjà Vu: Ophelia
Shakespeare’s Ophelia:
O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!
The courtier’s, scholar’s, soldier’s, eye, tongue, sword,
Th’ expectancy and rose of the fair state,
The glass of fashion and the mould of form,
Th’ observ’d of all observers- quite, quite down!
And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,
That suck’d the honey of his music vows,
Now see that noble and most sovereign reason,
Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh;
That unmatch’d form and feature of blown youth
Blasted with ecstasy. O, woe is me
T’ have seen what I have seen, see what I see!
-Hamlet, Act III, Scene I
Waterhouse’s Ophelia:
Ophelia by John William Waterhouse, 1889.
Vogue’s Ophelia:
Rooney Mara in Vogue, November 2011, photographed by Mert and Marcus.
Ophelia, through the brush of Sir John Everett Millais:
I must go and look at this 1852 version of Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais at the Tate Britain, on each London visit.
Ophelia, through the lens of Mert and Marcus:
Mert and Marcus take Mara on a Pre-Raphaelite journey.
Inspiration never fades…
Image sources: Wikipedia, Vogue.com.
Mellon Moves On
Tamara Mellon, the founder and chief creative force of famed footwear brand, Jimmy Choo, seems to have kicked her habit for the label, post Labelux.
WWD reported today that Mellon and CEO, Joshua Schulman have both resigned from the company, but Schulman tells the trade publication, the two departures are unrelated.
Schulman will remain on the board until early next year to help with the transition, but neither exec will retain any shares of the company, acquired by Labelux Group in May for over $800 million USD.
Let’s see what step Mellon takes next.
And more importantly, what shoes she’ll be wearing while doing so…
She'll surely have lots of options to Choos from. Mellon, well-heeled, in her NYC apartment.
With files from WWD and Bloomberg. Image: popcrunch.com.
No Reason or Rhyme
Sometimes, it’s Paris – and sometimes, it’s Harris that you want.
Many a mood can be tailored by mode.
Auntie Viv's Harris Tweed will smarten you up, Scottish style.
Image: Liberty.
Apply Two Coats
I’m having trouble deciding which Theyskens’ Theory cover up I like better.
The flat lapel makes this manteau so manageable.
Love this one, aussi, for those days with no wind.
Best to apply two coats, in this case.
Images: Vogue.com.
RAmpal.One
You know, it’s true what your mother told you…
It’s not the clothes, but what’s underneath that counts.
My dears, I give you Mr. Rampal - in character for Ra.One – the Bolly sci-fi action/adventure flick in theatres now.
Mamma mia. One for the scrapbook, ya?
I'm gonna walk down to Electric Avenue...
Clothes do not make the man, after all.
WhileRampal has always been buff (he’s a former model), this is a whole new level of lean and mean. The buzz cut also has social media circles a-buzz.
Images courtesy of the man himself, @rampalarjun.
Boys and Girls on Film
The boys are back.
The original scene stealers and directors of fashion films in the form of music videos are in top form, after more than 30 years. Duran Duran have given us a piece of visual culture as only they can deliver, in a shiny, oozing new vid for Girl Panic, featuring not models of the moment, but models whose collective momentum changed the face of fashion.
In other words, the girls are back.
Helena, Cindy, Eva, Naomi and Yaz are the girls on film in this classic rock star meets runway romp. The ladies each play a member of the band, with the Durans making cameos, along with Dolce and Gabbana, a chauffeur and a few other notable characters.
Is it cheeky?
Is it tongue-in-chic?
Is it dripping with double D-dom?
Why yes, darlings, it is.
It is a Duran Duran video after all.
In true media form, the December issue of UK Harper’s Bazaar has an editorial to accompany the video’s release, with a Super cover. The video was directed and the editorial, photographed by Jonas Akerlund.
The ladies, in Dolce & Gabbana corsets.
Cindy as JT. She's got that look Down!
Eva as Nick. It's all about the shoulders, 'innit?
Naomi as Simon - hams, both.
Helena as Rog - hard to define which one of them is cooler.
Mrs. Le Bon as the band's rotating guitarist. Loved the attitude.
These ladies make the 40s look insanely good.
These boys make anything look good, really.
Editorial images: TFS; Duran image courtesy of DuranDuran.com.
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