Etro Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

The male models at Etro were right to wear a big smile on the catwalk: the new collection looked marvellous, the guys sexy and confident.

Every outfit felt right. First the paisley shorts and the transparent shirt, then the body-fit suit, the checked trenchcoat, the neat pants, the paisley-printed Tees and the V-neck sweaters. All shown in a beautiful soft color palette of white, grey, pink, olive green, beige, sand and a splash of yellow towards the end. It formed a nice contrast with the bright green of the turf the models walked on.

The paisley prints gave this collection a nice edge. We know a pair of paisley trousers will be a little too outspoken for some guys, yet the modern metro-man will definitely know how to work them. Just as he will love the new tie; small, with a straight bottom.

In fact, all details Kean Etro added to his looks were stunning: the bags, the leather belts and the handkerchiefs.

We’re sure this summer any woman would love her man to look like Etro’s models did today.

Moncler Gamme Bleu Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

The Moncler fashion was held at Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan. This sports venue, where the Beatles performed in 1965, is mostly used for American Football events. Yet this afternoon the area was one big catwalk.

Due to the circular shape the models had to walk in circles and while the area was so big all guests were lucky to have a front row seat. The theme of the show, the Tour de France, matched perfectly with Moncler’s sportive heritage.

To the sound of Queen’s ‘I want to ride my bicycle’ the first model appeared on – surprise – a cycle. He wore a coat with a special bike print which we were going to see much more throughout the collection. As a matter of fact this print was visible in almost every look. All models wore a cycling legging with the bike print on it. They wore those leggings under their shorts and normal trousers. It didn’t really make sense, yet it gave the looks a sporty touch (as did the lines, hoods, drawstrings, pockets and the bands on the model’s arms and legs).

To finish the outfits Thom Browne added some cycling gloves and ties with a straight end. Also, every model wore a cap with the French flag on it.

The red, white and blue, pink, gray and black looked al right together, yet the way the clothes were layered was just wrong. Swim trunks over bike shorts?! Still, all individual items would have looked great when combined differently, with more basics.

So the styling was off, but the great show venue, the cycling models and the free drinks and umbrellas made the show worthwhile.

Vivienne Westwood Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

Today the Vivienne Westwood show area turned into a circus. There were no elephants or tigers, but we saw quite a lot of clowns. Absolutely everything appearing on the runway was screaming for attention. To start with, there was a huge pile of old TV’s on stage. Then the models came on stage. Dresses in colorful, printed, shiny outfits full of crazy details.

Vivienne presented a crazy kind of streetstyle in which we saw rolled up legs, high-waisted pants, short suit jackets, shiny disco-pants, polos, V-neck sweaters and tight swimwear. As if those items weren’t eye-catching enough, they all had different prints. The suits got a mix of checks and stripes, the tops had a more spacey print on them.

On top of the attention-screaming outfits there were some hysterical accessories, like small feminine scarves, colorful belts, striped braces, small printed ties, bright knee stockings (worn in open shoes) and canvas bags. One model had a sailing boat as a hat.

As an extra the models wore questionable wigs and had tattoos. Besides, some entered the runway on skateboards, while others carried big parasols with a text on the show’s theme – endangered species – on it. Even the model’s poses at the end of the catwalk were exaggerated.

If Vivienne Westwood was to portray any message with this collection we think it was that there are no boundaries in fashion and that you have to make your outfit into your own little party.

Versace Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

Many pale, young male models walked in Versace’s rockabilly-inspired fashion show today. Their eye-catching hairdo’s, tight-fitting clothes and small silver necklaces gave them an absolute edgy look. They looked tough, like you wouldn’t want to mess with them.

The fact that they had to wear the most psychedelic (printed and sleeveless) blouses seemed to make them even more aggressive. But we can understand that. Donatella came up with the strangest graphic prints for those blouses. She introduced those as a tribute to the iconic images Bruce Weber made in the 80’s.

Like today at Calvin Klein all blouses were fully buttoned. So that might just become one of the new trends for next year. Apart from the blouses, Donatella designed many tight suits with rolled up legs and leather jackets with fringes.

Towards the end some printed beachwear was shown. Not in color, but in black & white, like the biggest part of the collection. But the absence of color didn’t bother us, Donatella’s prints were already spectacular enough!

Topmodel of the Week: Lily Cole

This red-haired beauty is not only a great model, she does some acting too and is even still studying at Cambridge University. Though she’s slowing down on the modelling she’s still making the headlines. Like last week when Glamour reported on her finishing her exams and other media spoke of her participation in a search for a new topmodel. Read here why Lily Cole is different from other models…

Name: Lily Cole
Age: 22
Date of Birth: May 19, 1988
Place of Birth: Torquay, England
Discovered: by actor Benjamin Hart at the age of fourteen
Breakthrough: 2003, when Steven Meisel took her picture for Vogue.
Runway debut: Anna Sui
Agencies: d’management (Milan), Marilyn Agency (Paris), Storm (London)
Fashion shows: DKNY, Jean Paul Gaultier, Versace, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Louis Vuitton and Hermès.
Last season she opened the fashion show of Hermès
Covers: Playboy, Numero, Vogue
Lily was the youngest model to appear on the cover of the British Vogue at the age of 16.
Ad campaigns: Chanel, Christian Lacroix, Hermès, Cacharel, Accessorize, Rimmel, Prada, Moschino, Tiffany & Co and Longchamp
TV Commercials: Rimmel London make-up
Quotes:

• ‘I’m compared to a doll a lot’
• ‘I’m a student and a model; I get the best of both worlds’
• ‘It’s much nicer to watch a fashion show than to walk in one’

Extra:

• Lily is still studying history at Cambridge University
• She was named Model of the Year at the 2004 British Fashion Awards
• She appeared in a video clip of the Sugababes
• Together with Storm Model Management she is now scouting some New Faces.
• Lily Cole is an actress too, she played in movies like St Trinian’s and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (with Heath Ledger).

Streetstyle vs. Catwalk fashion

Each fashion season we all get very much inspired by the collections presented on the catwalk. After New York, London, Milan and Paris we have new creative ideas and we have picked up the trends we will probably be wearing a season later. So there’s no doubt fashion designers create trends or at least a certain style.

Yet it’s also true that a big part of  fashion starts on the street. What people wear in their daily lives is a starting point for fashion too. Whether it’s your grandma walking her dog in a floral printed skirt, your father in one of his suits or your neighbour is a pair of old school jeans. Every kind of streetwear can be the beginning of a fashion trend.

During the fashion weeks our team always spots the most fashionable people outside the fashion shows. They wear clothes not everyone dares to wear. Their streetstyle is often bright-colored, crazy-shaped and remarkably printed. Not to mention their shoes and accessories.

To show you that streetwear can be an inspiration for fashion designers we selected six outfits that were seen in the streets as well as on the runway.

The navy theme was a big inspiration for catwalk fashion and streetstyle. Next to the blue and white we could spot a lot of red and white stripes. Anna Sui used the Tartan check in one of her outfits; a comparable blue check could be seen on the streets. For the summer of 2010 Iceberg and Jeremy Scott were inspired by Mickey Mouse (mostly his ears). One of the fashionista’s we spotted also proved to be a fan of the Disney character. And if you are planning to buy any fur these season, it seems hairy blue is the style you should be going for….

Streetstyle vs. Catwalk fashion

Each fashion season we all get very much inspired by the collections presented on the catwalk. After New York, London, Milan and Paris we have new creative ideas and we have picked up the trends we will probably be wearing a season later. So there’s no doubt fashion designers create trends or at least a certain style.

Yet it’s also true that a big part of  fashion starts on the street. What people wear in their daily lives is a starting point for fashion too. Whether it’s your grandma walking her dog in a floral printed skirt, your father in one of his suits or your neighbour is a pair of old school jeans. Every kind of streetwear can be the beginning of a fashion trend.

During the fashion weeks our team always spots the most fashionable people outside the fashion shows. They wear clothes not everyone dares to wear. Their streetstyle is often bright-colored, crazy-shaped and remarkably printed. Not to mention their shoes and accessories.

To show you that streetwear can be an inspiration for fashion designers we selected six outfits that were seen in the streets as well as on the runway.

Anna dello Russo worked a golden dress that could just have walked out of the Gianfranco Ferre show. The lollipop pink she chose for another dress was Lindsay Lohna’s color-choice for Ungaro too. The red leopard print Dolce & Gabbana introduced, was seen on a pair of streetstyle pants. And of course the style of a tweed Chanel suit can always be seen on a chic lady somewhere in the streets.

Topmodel of the week: Natasha Poly

This week we’d like to focus on one of our favourite models: Natasha Poly.

Name: Natalia Polevshchikova (shortened to Poly)

Age: 24

Date of Birth: July 12, 1985

Place of Birth: Perm, Russia, two hours from Moscow (by plain)

Discovered: ‘When I was fifteen I went to Moscow for a model competition and I kind of won’ (Natasha)

Runway debute: Emanuel Ungaro

Breakthrough: 2004

Family: Still lives in Russia and is very proud. They all love Natasha’s pictures.

City: Natasha lives in New York

Fashion shows: Lanvin, Chloé, Stella McCartney, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, D&G, Louis Vuitton, Roberto Cavalli, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Gucci, and Sonia Rykiel, Kenzo, Givenchy…. Just all the big fashion brands.
Last season (fall/winter 2010/2011) she opened the shows for Kenzo, Roland Mouret and Rick Owens.

Photographers: Any big shot photographer has taken Nathasa’s picture. Patrick Demarchelier, Mario Testino, Annie Leibovitz, Terry Richardson, Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Emma Summerton, Steven Meisel, Craig McDean, Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, Mario Sorrenti and Solve Sundsbo to name a few….

Covers: Natasha has appeared on covers of many Vogue issues. For example we saw her on Vogue Australia (Dec 2004), Germany (Jun 2006), Japan (Jan 2005), Paris (May & Sep 2004, march 2007), Russia (Aug 2008, Mar 2009), Paris (Apr 2010). Plus:

• Vogue Russia dedicated a whole issue to Natasha Poly in July 2008.
• Vogue America named her one of the faces of the moment in 2009
• Vogue Paris declared her one of the top 30 models in the 2000s.

Ad campaigns:  Gucci, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Robeto Cavalli, Sonia Rykiel, Nine West, Dolce Gabbana, Calvin Klein Jeans, D&G, Epoca, Philosophy by Alberta Ferretti, Fabrizio Corsi, Fornarina, Jimmy Choo, Krizia jeans, La Perla, Louis Vuitton, Massimo Rebecchi, Marc’O Polo, Max Mara, Ralph Lauren, Nina Ricci, Jil Sander, Blumarine, Givenchy.

We also recently spotted Natasha in the campaign for the H&M Garden collection.
Gucci is one of the biggest deals for Natasha, she has worked with the brand for several years now.

TV Commercial: Gucci by Gucci fragrance (2007)

Agencies:  Women management (NY, Paris, Milan), Select Model Management (London), Mega Model Agency (Hamburg) Traffic Models in Barcelona.

Quotes:

• ‘I hate it when they say that models are like mannequins, and not the people in the flesh.’
• ‘You’re never fully dressed without a smile.’
• ‘A driver is a must during fashion week. Having a car means you have somewhere to nap during shows, a place to leave your bags, and a trunk to stock up with generous gifts from designers, like shoes and handbags.’
  (yet we saw her arriving at a Paris Week fashion show on a motorcycle last season)
• ‘Besides my iPod, during show week I carry make-up remover, some money, lip balm, gloves, my ID, face cream, and my Sony Cybershot in my bag.’

Extra:

• Natasha has walked the Victoria’s Secret fashion show twice.
• Paris is her favourite city
• Natasha had long dark blond hair before, now her hair is very light blond and it’s shorter too.
• Natasha thinks Karl Lagerfeld is a genius.

Dreams: Natasha dreams of opening a shop in her city with fashionable, yet affordable clothes.

Hermès Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

It looked as if Jean Paul Gaultier wanted to stress the origins of the Hermès fashionlabel. There was leather everywhere in the collection, which was inspired by the British 60’s television serie The Avengers.

A not-too-great-looking Lily Cole opened the show in a black leather pantsuit, zipped on the front. The rest of her outfit was made from leather as well: shoes, belt, gloves, bag. Even her bowler hat and umbrella could easily have had some leather parts.

Some crocodile leather followed, on a skirt, a belt, a pair of trousers and a jacket. After that, the leather designs became so thick they seemed more appropriate for men. Especially when the (leather!) ties and the extra-wide pants came by, the show got a very masculine feeling.

Fortunately shades of light gray, camel and brown softened the looks. Just when one of the models came on carrying a New York Times under her arm (slightly pushing Suzy Menkes, who works for the newspaper, to write a good review on the show).

Most of the woolen coats that followed, had leather collars in a different shade. A beige toggle coat popped up out of nowhere, shoulders were accentuated by leather parts and a long leopard printed skirt was seen from under a stiff leather jacket. And though we were happy most labels temporarily said goodbye to this specific animal print it later came by on several dresses, a coat, a blouse and even on one of the two hoop skirts.

There was so much animal material in this collection any PETA activist would have gone mad watching this show. Even we could hardly handle the amount of leather JPG sent off on the runway. Yet we did get very inspired on how many ways there are to wear it.

Valentino Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

For fall Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli got in a very feminine Valeninto mood. Their designs had frills and ruffles from the beginnening till the end of the show and were made out of the most delicate fabrics.

While videos of waterfalls were played on huge screens all over the show area the models worked the runway. The clothes they wore, were embellished with ruffles and floral appliqués. On most designs this looked great, but on a short black leather jacket, worn by Mirte Maas, it felt like ruffle-overkill.

This Valentino collection had a very romantic and classic vibe, still Chiuri and Picciolo succeeded in letting it feel more youthful than before. The fur coats, lace blouses, silk dresses and airy chiffon tops looked smooth. The shades of nude, beige, white and black worked really well with the Valentino red we saw on four dresses and a skirt. Golden studded kitten heels were the perfect detail on every outfit.

Five long evening gowns were the ending of the show. The last one in transparent Valentino red looked stunning. Yet a black lace gown with a butterfly on the right shoulder, worn by Patricia van der Vliet, was even more breath-taking.

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