Hot List: 21 shades of…

Summer officially starts within a week. You can see and feel it in everything; nature’s buzzing, festivals are popping up, Nike running sessions all over and the gym and yoga classes are overbooked (of course we do our exercises too. Promise!). But if you haven’t yet started with building your ultimate summer wardrobe, why not start now? Beach ready or not, the streets are craving for some new season fashion highlights too. Your shades may not be the starting point, but consider them to be the cherry on the cake. Picking the right pair is as significant a style marker as finding you the right pair of shoes for your first date. And maybe even more important: no summertime Instagram photo feels complete without a striking pair of sunglasses to get that double-tap from your followers. So choose wisely when it comes to size, colour and fit. Oh, and before we forget: leave your modestness at home, it’s gonna be a bold and quirky SS15.

1. Keeping it fresh on hot summer days – Classic white frames

2. Saturdays’ hangover – Oversized, yes please!

3. Feeling your Dutch roots – Orange fever

4. Cultural weekend break – Powerful frames

5. Late summer nights – Ombre-effect

6. Aviator attitude – Hot child in the city

7.  Bold red – Why only a red lip when you also have red sunglasses?

Menswear: it’s all in the accessories

Spring is not far away, but in Europe it’s still winter. So we still stay close to the wintertrends – just in case you’re looking for a hat, boots or bag.

 Boots

Karl Lagerfeld is wearing them for years and will probably never take them off: his black heeled boots. And he’s absolutely right, because this fashionable footwear is everything a man needs this winter.

While women are already hooked for years, finally our men seem to be down for this timeless and ultra comfy footwear. Even the trouser- in- shoe- style seems to be accepted right now. While boots used to be worn by the rebels and mavericks, they now veered into high fashion territory. Labels like Burberry, Alexander McQueen, Kris van Assche, Bottega Veneta and Ann DeMeulemeester showed us masculine and sturdy boots. And also on the streets we find many men walking in them.

Most popular this season is for sure the combat boot, based on the actual military boot worn by soldiers. We saw them already last year, mainly because of the huge military trend, but this time the designers gave a little twist to it. They played with different colors and textures and combined brogues, sporty and grunge elements into one. Not convinced yet? Just take a look at these men…

Classic hats

They used to be the ultimate style element for a man in the twenties en thirties and for some men it still is: the classic hat. After the huge popularity in the early Nineteenth Century – think American entertainers like Humphrey Bogart and Frank Sinatra – this iconic item sadly enough disappeared for years because it became an item that was more for the older and conservative man.

But in the Nineties it was pop icon Michael Jackson that made this phenomenon incredibly popular again. Flipping his head while doing the moonwalk. And many stars followed his lead later on, like Justin Timberlake and Black Eye Peace front singer Will.i.am. They showed that a hat is something that everyone man could en should wear on every age, and not only in a classic way.

And that’s exactly what the designers showed us too this season. While still most popular worn with a suit, a hat can be worn with almost everything and in every style. From fedora chic to Mafioso cool. Preferably right on the head and a little bit over the eyes. Take a look at the photos to see which style will suit you well…

Bags

Bags, you can’t have enough of them, at least if we ask most women. But for men it has always been a little bit different. Why carrying a bag all day when you can put your stuff in your pocket? But it seems that they’ve changed their minds. For the last few years we’ve seen more and more men walking with a so-called man bag. And not just a bag, but a real it- bag that fits perfectly with their outfit. Even a clutch is no longer a no go area. Thanks to male celebs and style icons like Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and David Beckham, showing off their Louis Vuitton and Prada purses, men seem to no longer be ashamed to be spotted with a man bag.

And this is not only noticeable in the streets but the catwalks are also full of it. Man bags are coming in a wider range of size, type, color and material. They’re masculine, aesthetic and perfect to finish off your outfit for any occasion. Like the Bottega Veneta super size casual chic purses or the structured clutches from Louis Vuitton to smarten up your look. So do not longer be afraid to get in touch with your feminine side, because the man bag is slowly becoming a real wardrobe essential.

Eva Dusch

Wintertrend 2011 for her: Lace Up

Probably one of the most remarkable trends in fashion this year was the dominatrix trend. We saw shiny leather pieces, hand cuff bags, corsages, transparent fabrics and…   lots of ultra high lace- up boots. Remember Kate Moss closing down the Louis Vuitton show walking in those stunning boots? And she was not the only one.

We already saw a few occasionally last winter, but this season this provocative footgear is making a huge comeback. They’ve been spotted on almost every catwalk, from Paris to Milan and New York. Just to name a few designers: Yves Saint Laurent, Oscar de la Renta, Diesel, Dior, D&G, Balmain and Versace. Whether sky high, up to the knee or ankle height, those tied- up boots are a real must have this winter. Just embrace your inner vixen and show ‘em what you got!

 

Trend Report SS2011: Baby Get Higher

Need a few extra inches? This season’s shoe trend will help you get a little higher. ‘Caus it’s all about wedges and platforms. And there’s only one rule: the thicker the sole, the better!

Go for some cork wedges and create a seventies style look or man up and opt for Prada’s layered brogues. The remarkable colored Prada layers were an instant hit and we definitely get why they’re so popular.

The best thing about this shoe trend? It’s super comfy! Due to the super thick soles you’ll get extra inches without extra pain. Let’s hope this trend stays around for a few seasons!

 

 

Backstage-snapshot at Jan Taminiau

Trend Report – Warm Winter Accessories

Unfortunately a warm camel coat is not enough to keep you warm this winter. You’re gonna need some winter proof accessories to go with that too. We selected the best warm winter accessories straight from the catwalk:

• A knitted scarf, the thickest one you can get.

• A pair of long leather gloves.  According to Gstar, Carolina Herrera and Moschino the best ones are blue this season, but you can choose any color you like. Just take a colorful risk and try to have fun with it.

• A nice fur detail, perhaps on your collar, bag or shoes.

• A hat, cap, turban (very trendy) or headband, anything that keeps your head warm and prevents your ears from freezing off.

• A pair of hairy snow boots (you don’t wanna ruin your suede heels).

The rule for wearing these accessories seems to be: the bigger the better. Especially Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier and Galliano went over the top with their enormous hats and overload of fur.

Spijkers en Spijkers launches collection of glasses

This year glasses have been very popular in fashion. People, more than ever, were wearing glasses even if they didn’t need them. So it’s a smart move of designer sisters Truus and Riet Spijkers to come up with a collection of glasses this month.

On Tuesday eve they celebrated the launch of their first collection of glasses in Amsterdam. They collaborated with Specsavers to come up with 24 frames and 10 pairs of sunglasses.

Like their clothes the glasses are absolute statement pieces, each with it’s individual style and shape. And they sure looked good. Congrats on this collection Spijkers en Spijkers!

Spring is in the air #6

Time to get your BIG sunglasses out. Like these from Giambattista Valli, made of wood and metallic-colored plastic. So glamorous.

Catwalktrends ss2010: showstopping shoes

The designers gave the models a hard time walking the runway to show the spring/summer collections. The shoes they had to wear often had eye-catching shapes and heights.

The shoes in the Jil Sander show had iron pins for heels. Donatella Versace used platform shoes. John Galliano’s shoes were extremely high and his stiletto heels seemed to be made of colored pearls. Chanel introduced a few clogs.

Some models in the Dsquared show had spikes all over their shoes. Viktor & Rolf embellished theirs with pink flowers, Vivienne Westwood decorated hers with wings. Matthew Williamson’s shoes had bows.

Next to the ultra high shoes we saw ultra-flat sandals (Issey Miyake, Anna Sui, Valentino, Lacoste, Etro, Armani, Chloe). Those sandals, snake leather and wearing socks in open shoes seem to become the trends for this spring.

Of course the Alexander McQueen shoes were real showstoppers. His shoes were high, had crazy alienated shapes and had reptile prints all over them. Gaga oehlala…

Catwalktrends ss2010: really tiny bags

Tiny bags definitely seem to be a trend on the runway. Yet they are very unpractical, because there aren’t many items that will fit in these bags.

But can we still call it a bag? Most versions we saw on the runway looked more like extraordinarily shaped purses, if you ask us.

The bags may be unpractical, yet they created some funny looks on the catwalk. Extremely tiny were the bags in the Anteprima, Blugirl, Bottega Veneta, Etro, DSquared, Fendi and Moschino fashion show. .

Most original were the Fendi bag with spikes, the pink bag form Gianfranco Ferré, the wooden ‘bag frame’ from Stella McCartney and the silk heart shaped bag from Moschino.

Unfortunately you’d have to keep most of these tiny bags in your hand all evening, but do they look cute!

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