Lanvin Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

You can see in every detail of Alber Elbaz’ designs for Lanvin that he loves his job, but – above all – that he loves women and that he understands their way of dealing with clothes. No difficult shapes or silhouettes, but flattering dresses, sporty & elegant jumpsuits and classy but also modern skirtsuits. His fall winter collection was inspired by tribal cultures, it was in the dark and earthy colors, the accessories, the feathers and furry details, the black hair and in the shoes.

Elbaz doesn’t dictate his clients what to wear, he suggests and gives them the freedom to add big, chunky accessories and ultra high heels. He gives them the tools, like fierce dresses with ultra-wide coat-shoulders, dresses with one arm cut-away in red and pine-green, big coats, pleated skirts and a sensual suits – the women make it their own.

Maybe that’s why the stage – a stairway to heaven – was so symbolic. Once you wear a Lanvin, it really feels like heaven.

Dries van Noten Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

It was a different setting and a different collection at Dries van Noten. Especially after his colorful mix & match of east & west this spring, and the show he held in an empty and  stripped bank. His casual/elegant fall/winter collection was presented in one of the gilded salons of the Hotel de Ville. Malcolm Mclaren did the soundtrack: sweet and classical with angry singing.

Army green became elegant and feminine when used in tailored skirts, pants and sleeveless trench-like coats. Gray popped up in tailored jackets, big sweaters and dresses. The hourglass silhouette was also present here, thanks to the  full skirts.

The realist floral prints (in red, blue and green), men’s inspired jackets and animal prints gave it just that rebel feeling. But also because it looked like these women just put their outfit together without thinking too much about the effect and result. This was how they felt and how sthey wanted to look.

Beautiful. Casual. Sensual. Original. Femine.

Gucci Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

This was one of the most simple, easy and safe Gucci-collections I’ve seen in years. No real focus at bags – a few totes, croco shoulderbags and clutches – thigh high boots and high heels. The silhouet was pretty straight, sometimes bodyhugging. Short dresses in white, black and gray showed flashes of skin and were pimped up with silver details at wrists, neck or waist.Other dresses were more draped and had a painterly prints.

Pants were Gucci-like: slim, low at the waist and mixed with short (fur)jackets, silk tunics or a printed shirts. Big 70’s inspired coats in camel were eyecatching. This is what Gucci is known for, but I was hoping for a little bit more firework and inspiring ideas. The eveningwear though had just that extra elegance and sexappeal, great for a red carpet-moment instead of those big in your face gowns. Hopefully Rachel Zoe will be inspired, she was sitting frontrow at Gucci.

Bottega Veneta Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

This was a different collection at Bottega Veneta. Tomas Maier switched the nonchalant chic for tough, black leather and over-designed pieces. No more sweet, simple dresses in light colors, but rather severe looking dresses in black wool, leather or mixed worn with high boots and triangle-shaped bags. There was even a loosefitting, draped overall in black.

The Bottega Veneta collections used to have a certain edge, colorwise, in shape or in the use of fabric. The fw-collections looked a little bit dreary though. But that doen’t mean there was nothing we loved:  the fluid looking dresses in purple and gray, the coats in shiny techno-fabrics, the eveningdresses in pleated, sheer organza, the pantsuit with green metallic shoes and the pink leather pants with lighter colored shirt.

Philip Lim Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2010

Every fashioncity has its darlings. Philips Lim is one of the darlings of New York. Not because he is so brilliant and original, but because he knows how to sell clothes. The Chinese American Phillip Lim has a major in business at California State University and that shows.

American fashion generally puts pragmatism ahead of pyrotechnics; Lim more than most. That can make his shows seem like a series of ticked boxes rather than an experience. Mohair? Got it. Céline-esque camel drenched minimalism? Check.   Those winter 2010 trends kept on coming. Jersey, fur trims, trouser suits, low-shine sequins, sheepskin-lined biker jackets, animal prints. Sometimes it makes you a bit grumpy because it is almost predictable.

After launching his label six years ago, Lim now sells in more than 400 stores around the world and it’s not hard to see why. In real life the clothes work just fine. Lim has a knack for combining cute with chic.

McQueen’s label will live on

Alexander McQueen’s fashion label will live on despite the designer’s suicide last week. PPR, the French luxury group which has a controlling stake in the designer’s companies, said it planned to build on the McQueen brand.

Francois-Henri Pinault, president of PPR said at a press conference in Paris: “The Alexander McQueen trademark will live on. This would be the best tribute that we could offer to him.”

Robert Polet, president of PPR’s Gucci subsidiary under which McQueen worked, said the autumn/winter collection the designer was completing before his death will be shown at Paris fashion week next month.

Jeremy Scott Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2010

“I can be a freak, every day of every week” sang Estelle – part of the soundtrack at the show of Jeremy Scott. Well, you can say that from the designer himself too, and he seems to wear that slogan with pride.  He is the guy  who makes coats of Mickey Mouse gloves and dresses in Flintstones prints.

His fall collection was named Hanger Appeal, and contains a mix of sporty print pieces, restyled classics (like tuxedo’s) and a section with jewel and cross covered dresses.

Badgley Mischka Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2010

Twinkling embellishments and stardust beading were a big part of the Badgley Mischka collections. Their inspiration came literary from the stars, the designduo had been  studying pictires from the Hubble telescope.

Donna Karan Catwalk Fashion Show New York FW2010

It was all black at Donna Karan, only two other colors popped up during her show – purple and electric blue. But this was a kind of celebration-collection, because the house turned 25 now. Enough reason to look back in black, but not too obvious. Donna Karan stuck with the sculpted tailoring and draped dresses – they were a hit the last two seasons – but she changed the silhouette. It all looked fuller, away from the body-conciousness, also thanks to the dense fabrics she used. The cocoon-coats looked great and comfy and had big sculptural shawl-collars, black and white tweed was mixed with satin and laminated wool looked like a wet pavement. The overall look was modern, powerful and very feminine – and didn’t feel like looking back at all.

Zac Posen Catwalk Fashion Show New York fw2010

Describing Zac Posen’s collection in few sentences is simply not possible. There was a little bit of everything in his fall/winter collection, called ‘40s futurism’.

While young Israeli ‘hip hop’ violinist, Mira Ben Ari, set the mood right silk skirts, short dresses, ruffles, stripes, transparent fabrics, fur, high-waisted pants, asymmetry, colorful prints and velour dresses passed by.

Many of the outfits looked like patchworks of different fabrics. Zac Posen also brought several techniques together in one design. He, for example, made a combination of an asymmetric, draped red/brownish satin dress and a straight black cotton dress.

We did recognize one constant factor is Zac’s new collection: the silk kept coming back in the designer’s pants, tops, skirts, dresses, blouses and even as the lining of a velour skirt. Repeated accessories were a small hat with black netting and a flat stone brooch.

For his winter coats Zac used a lot of fur, he again combined it with other fabrics, like wool and leather. The coats were matched with fur boots, designed by Manolo Blahnik. In fact all shoes in this collection were created by Blahnik.

But  Zac didn’t only get help from Blahnik. For his bold multi-colored prints he (again) got a hand from young artist Rosson Crow, who also took care of the prints in Zac’s spring/summer collection of 2010.

Overall we can say Zac’s collection was daring. With three great collaborations (Mira Ben Ari, Manolo Blahnik, Rosson Crow) Zac proved himself as a great entrepreneur as well. That’s why we’re convinced he will become even more successful in the future.

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