Nina Ricci SS09

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For years, the ultimate fashion question has been debated between in the minds of dressers everywhere: long or short dress? And then, once the decision has been made, the unending doubts: is the maxi too formal? Is the short dress too riske? But who says I need to decide, what if I don't want to decide? I'm better than that, I deserve the best of both worlds, and Olivier Theyskens understands and has answered my prayers in the form of Nina Ricci's SS09 collection.


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I adore these dresses, for many, many reasons. Firstly, the silhouette. The way the silhouette plays with the eye: are they long dresses with a chop? Are they short dresses with a train? My mind cannot make up its mind, so plays back and forth upon the two ideas, making even the simplest frock simply irresistible to the eye. The dresses themselves are acutely detailed beings, vacillating in their era. Some of them are reminiscent of Victorian gowns, constricting and embellished to psychosis in with flared sleeves and high necks. Others are tweaked to the point of looking like futuristic space wear. Yet as separate as these are, all the dresses feel cohesive as a whole.


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If the dresses weren't enough to captivate me, the slacks certainly finish the job. Theyskens creates tapered slacks that are detailed with graceful fin/flaps/awesome wings that just throw the entire pair into overdrive. They manage to be both dramatic, but subtle enough that you could pair them with a simple tee. My new dream item is a pair of these in both brown and black.


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Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some dresses I need to chop...


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Alice Palmer SS09 Rocks Knits

By far my favorite new designer I was introduced to during New York fashion week was Alice Palmer. Based in Glasglow, Alice has studied heavily in textiles, specifically the knitted variety. She received her Masters from the Royal College of Art in 2007. Alice presented her work at the Nolcha Fashion Week, as a part of the UK Edition that was held on the second day.



Alice's knit SS09 collection truly invokes a sense of play. The color palette is bright and colorful, mixing cool violets with punchy teal, magenta and purple, with the occasional black and white number thrown into the mix. Hemlines were anything but straight, all of the designs embracing the asymmetrical. Alternating rows of color are spread throughout, but the real art of the pieces lie in their structure. Within the knits, fabrics pucker out playfully, creating a wonderful landscape across the body. Often these projecting points will merge across the garment itself, forming funnels, peaks and caverns of cloth. The results are pieces that feel so much more than simple dress - they are pantone environments, just begging to be explored.



Palmer's style did not stop at simply the garments, but extended to the accessories as well. The show displayed the array of her necklaces, bracelets and hats that Palmer created as well: bold, geometric pieces created with carefully interlaced thread. The models were also decked out in fantastic woven spats, worn slipped over their heels, varying in length from ankle to knee. I am a sucker for spats, and I love the idea of socks being worn over shoes - composed of fine threading and strong rounded ends, these managed to be both delicate and streamlined.



I had the opportunity to speak with Alice after the show. Not only are her designs lovely, but so is she. She was both friendly and modest about her work. This is a designer I look forward to keeping my eye on.







You can find more of Alice's work on her website, here. I have already begun gazing upon the lookbook, longing for one of her sweet little violet numbers...

SS09 Runway Review: Sarar / Eva Zissu / Royal Sunday at Nolcha

As I have said previously, my favorite shows by far during Fashion Week were the smaller shows, highlighting up-and-coming fashion houses and independent designers with talent bursting from every seam. By far my favorite shows were hosted at Nolcha. Nolcha is a global fashion industry network that works to introduce designers from around the world to the world at large, and Nolcha fashion week is a presentation of selected designers work to a national audience.

Nolcha shows run a bit differently than your regular tent show. For starters, besides the main show, the location plays host to numerous smaller, independent designers that display their collections in a gallery setting. It is quite pleasant to walk around before and after shows, and find yourself surrounded by even more stunning work than simply the show itself. Nolcha also varies from a standard show in that each show hosts multiple designers, varying from three to roughly a dozen. As fashion shows tend to happen absurdly fast, I feel this is an excellent variation - who ever complained about having to see more great fashion?

Nolcha kicked off this season with three designers of varyied talents: SARAR (high-end menswear), Eva Zissu (handbags and accessories) and Royal Sunday (street style). Of the three, SARAR is by far the most established brand, having been in the business for over 60 years. SARAR is Turkey-based company that was established in 1944 by Abdullahman Sarar, specializing in elegant, finely made menswear. Though this company has had a rich history, the last few years have been particularly developmental for them as a brand. In 2005, SARAR launched their CSS brand to a more middle-income audience, and have also opened their line to include women's wear. Over the last few years they have opened numerous flagship stores worldwide, the most recent in Manhattan. This Nolcha show marked their first ever fashion show.

Simply put, SARAR makes beautiful clothes. Not only is each piece exquisitely tailored, but the materials used in their creation are pieces of art in their own right. Rich, tactile tweeds, wool, and cottons and silks dominate in this collection, the result being a suit that is less a garment than a companion, a piece that is sure to last in both quality and style for the next 10 years.



This timeless style and quality also translated into the women's wear line, whose pieces were feminine and appealing, while being sturdy and well-formed. The central area of attention in most pieces were the necks, which were decked in Victorian-reminiscent ruffles, high collars, bows and ties. There was a sense of propriety and modesty in these pieces that was simply delectable.



Eva Zissu was shown after SARAR, and her bright, vivacious handbags proved an interesting counterpoint to the classicism of the previous collection. Former model, turned buyer, turned boutique owner, recently turned handbag designer, this Caracas native can whip up a bag as hot as the South American sun. Built heavily on animal print and unique leather, these bags are not for the faint-hearted or demure dame. Sizes were big and bold in flat, envelope-thin clutches and massive duffels as models strutted out with no less than three in tow, sporting matching vests and cowboy hats. With bags so striking, it should only be a matter of time until every celebrity with a bit of spunk is carrying one of these hot little numbers.



The final collection to be displayed was Royal Sunday, a Swiss design label launched in 2006, innaugurating its entrance into the U.S. Market through Nolcha's show. Royal Sunday touts that its items that are all hand tailored, finished with unique metal accents, and intended for a young, fashion-conscious generation. True to its word, RS's line did have a number of intriguing metal accents. I particularly liked the metal studded elbow patch adorning a leather jacket, and the grommets used as a form of decoration on t-shirts and slacks. With any sort of embellishment, there's always the risk that the "look" will take second stage to the "effect" - which I feel did occur in many of these pieces. It just feels like a lot of the outfits are vehicles for the effect being presented, rather than standing as strong designs in their own right. However, they are a still a very new label, and if they can hone their clothing designs into as sweet a trick as their embellishments, we're gonna have a contender on our hands.

SS09 Runway Review: Doucette Duvall

Aw, what can I say about the Doucette Duvall show? I will say this, that my most surprising lesson from Fashion Week was how much more I thoroughly enjoyed the smaller, independent shows to the large-scale tent shows. Not only did the shows feel much more intimate and gratifying, but the work in them really blew my socks off, particularly the Doucette Duvall show, and the Nolcha shows, which I will reporting on in the next few days.



The show took place in Rockefeller Plaza, which immediately made me and several other attendees curious, as the plaza is not known for having an area to accommodate a catwalk. Upon arriving, we quickly discovered why one was not necessary: the label had made the decision to have the models stand in place, and the audience to move. The room was exquisitely designed with gold-gilt framed photographs of the collection, and a few lovely pieces of furniture for the models to pose around. In order to guide the flow of traffic, green apples had been placed along the floor, creating a delicate, delicious footpath. Everything was sweet and novel about the presentation, from the adorable foot socks worn by many of the models, to the tiny, bite-size cheeseburgers and fries that were being served as hors dourves throughout the presentation.



The collection itself was simply breathtaking. Classic forms were implemented and subtly upgraded with exquisite details of bows, scalloped edges, cloth roses and careful ruffles. These details provided soft, feminine touches that were perfectly suited to the tried and true cuts. Fabric prints were either floral or striped, which immediately brings to mind the french millinery period for me, though there was something extremely Americana and uppercrust to the feeling of the collection. I was very pleased to see well-spaced florals in the prints, rather than the jammed-up florals we have been seeing in the past seasons - there is something so much more delicate and timeless about these than the current trend to jam as many flowers into as small a scrap of fabric as possible.



The collection felt like it perfectly captured the moment of prepubescence longing for womanhood - outfits that felt innocent yet utterly sexually appealing - "Lolita" immediately comes to mind, which I always felt was positively wrong term for those ridiculous doll outfits worn by so many Japanese cosplay kids. Anyone who has read "Lolita" (which is an absolutely AMAZING book, and I highly reccommend), knows that THIS is the sexiness Nabakov writes of - that divine Americana innocence of the young girl trying to climb into the skin of womanhood.



The choice to have the models stand in one place was an excellent one. There was something so fitting about the outfits being caught in leisurely tableaus rather than rushed by the eye upon a catwalk. The coquettishness that resulted from models posing for numerous cameras focused on them by passerbys only aided to that sense of shy innocence, resulting in the perfect impressions of the costumes "in their natural habitat". It also reminded me of a prom or dinner party, with young girls being the the somewhat unwilling subject of photographs and attention thrust on them by relatives. The apples were also the perfect accessory: what better model of America, and also of temptation.



Stephanie Doucette and Annebet Duvall are big participants of environmental sustainability in their line. They manufacture their entire collections in New York City's historic garment district, and as well as contributing proceeds to Build it Green. Each collection they include a "little green dress" : a piece utilizing pre-existing fabric and trim as a reminder of their commitment to "Madame Earth." I am not sure if the green dress on the left is that dress from that collection, but a part of me thinks it might be, and it is certainly the most fitting, as it has "Earth Mother" written all over it, and is one of my favorites.



I have never been one to like things overstated - give me a feather to a sledgehammer any day of the week. And the thing I love about this collection is how subtle the grace in the pieces is - how it accomplishes making the woman wearing them look "dressed up" without being "dressed up" - which to me is the ultimate goal of fashion, creating a second skin that is intuitively suited to the wearer. It's even more inspiring to know that such lovely garments a coming from a line that is only 3 years old. Keep your eyes on Doucell Duvette - they will continue to make utterly covetable outfits, mark my words.

SS09 Runway Review: Gottex

There's something so hopeful about viewing a new swimsuit collection in September. It almost makes the upcoming winter seem like a momentary diversion from the excellent summer that awaits just a few calendar pages away. And what better way to fantasize about next summer than by viewing vivacious, dramatic suits by Gideon Oberson, in a collection that is as bold and bright as it is novel.



The collection centered heavily on objects incorporated into the apparel: anchors, orchids, leaves and even chopsticks were integrated into suits in all manner of curious ways. And while a few presented what might be considered slight physical debilitations (I am quite curious as to how one is supposed to swim in a suit with two chopsticks poking into your belly), the LOOK was really fantastic and inspiring. I particularly enjoy the anchor series, which utilizes ship anchors as the connector between the top and bottom of the suits. It never occurred to me how feminine the shape of an anchor actually was until Oberson laid it over the form of a woman, and now that he has I can't believe it is not used more often in this manner.


Images courtesy of Wire Image (via NYPost)

My only concern about this collection is that some of the reliance on objects could at times come precariously close to swinging over into kitsch; the worst offender a leaf encrusted shift, is a diaphanous affair whose bodice is entirely composed of gold-leaf leaves. The piece seemed more suited for a scene in Elizabeth Taylor's "Cleopatra" than the runway - it just felt a bit too theatrical for my tastes. However, this really was the only piece I didn't like in this collection - and I tip my hat to Gottex for successfully walking that thin red line between artistic and odd.

My positively favorite piece in the collection is the black orchid shift. The piece was one of the more abstract outfits in the collection, composed of soft lines, flowing, diaphanous material and an image of an orchid so enlarged it resembles a piece of modern art more than a flower. Sexy and casual, I could see this as easily paired for a night out as with a pair of jeans - i utterly covet it.



Oberson also gets kudos for integrating many decorations that would seem downright tricky to translate into swimwear. For instance, this was the last show I anticipated seeing fringe at, but lo and behold, Gottex has managed to create a fringe bathing suit top that bears all the elegance of a mink stole. The big bow bikini was also quite a pleaser.



Of course, I was positively tickled to see my beloved ombre made an appearance too, in a brilliant transition from tan to pink to orange. Good to see that this is a style that continues to be explored more this upcoming spring.

SS09 Runway Review: House of Cassette

House of Casette is an independent fashion label based in Los Angeles. The brand is spearheaded by Peter James Lee, a designer who has traveled extensively, and formerly worked for Puma.



Cassette's fashion is built upon strong, well crafted basics, and Sunday's collection was no exception. Menswear definitely dominated the night, perfecting mens' slim shorts and trousers in tight tailoring and careful form. Tops and outerwear held a schoolyard flare: whether tough bully, nerd, or reform school good boy. Men's shorts have been slowly rising in the ranks in terms of formality and popularity, and Cassette continued and perfected this trend, pairing slim shorts with dress shirts, cardigans and bow ties. I find the effect totally captivating: I feel it makes the men look like they are mature, yet still hold that element of youthful innocence. Cassette prides itself in not being over processed, and the tactility of the simple fabrics was palpable. The majority of pieces were in black, I imagine to optimize utility.



Womenswear kept it simple and well sculpted, concentrating on blousy tops and dresses, many inspired or spun off from the simple t-shirt, and trousers tight and tapered. Hemlines were kept short, often paired with tights and leggings. I particularly liked the hooded jacket (shown above), carefully formed in such a way that it accomplished the "hiding" look without the making it look like it was overwhelming the wearer.



Cassette brands itself as a avant-garde fashion house, and I think it was just those anti-establishment choices that are the main reasons for the reservations I came away with in this show. Particularly, I found it hard to resolve a spring collection that could be so determinedly centered around a black color palette, though I can understand the sentiment. The pieces were great basics - the kind of items you could feel being a part of an outfit, but not the center of it. Garments were strongly constructed and brilliantly formed, but also very "safe": I would have enjoyed seeing boundaries pushed a bit out of current popular trend. By the end of the show, when the models came out for their final walk decked in Cassette's notoriously brilliant array of colorful jeans, I felt a wash of relief to finally see a bit of color. However, let it be said that I am nothing if not an extremely colorful person - monochronism is a style I have pondered and written about in the past, and there is something inherently in it that I have a hard time fathoming and digesting.



All in all, I feel the House of Cassette is a fashion house with a lot of talent in the wings. They appear to be making clothes that many people desire to wear, conforming to the wearer's needs rather than trying to determine it for them, a sentiment I can respect, if not agree to entirely. I look forward to seeing what they turn out in the next few years, and whether time will bring with it the ability to take more risks, and really blow us all away.

SS09 Runway Review: Rubin Singer

Rubin Singer is a designer with a head for elegance, and his newest collection once more taps into his classic-fresh aesthetic, incorporating fun pop elements into classic fashion forms.


Images courtesy of Coutorture.com

Stripes and polka-dots are leveraged with careful grace in much of the evening wear, colored in strong blacks and lovely champagne hues. The combination is timeless, yet not as severe as the black/white duo often associated with these forms. Whether it's popping dots on a full length gown, or bold candy-stripes on a short no-nonsense number, the results are dresses that succeed in being both extremely elegant and divinely fun. The music played during the display of these pieces was built around lines by Sinatra, who I feel really encapsulates the spirit of these outfits - that suave formality, with a charming, devilish sense of fun.


Images courtesy of Coutorture.com

Outerwear was also very notable in this collection, playing off of dramatic, bold shapes and larger-than-life details. Audible praise could be heard in the audience at the appearance of the champagne jacket, bearing an over-sized hood and striped interior. A cool silver woodgrain fabric was a nice counterpoint to the warmth of the champagne/black combinations, and a unique way to modernize such an organic design.


Images courtesy of Coutorture.com

Prints were splashy and painterly, shown in either a vivacious wash of orange, blues and violet or a subtler inky blue, whose mountain and fan shapes seem to carry an Asian influence. Pieces utilizing these fabrics were less structured, and more loose and flowing, centering on the movement of the fabric to fully convey the loose movement translated in the fabric print.

All together, the collection was a brilliant introduction to Fashion Week - Singer is a classic designer, and his collection this season is an exciting preview of the season to come.

Fall 2008 Fashion Review: Marni

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There are many collections this fall that I enjoy, but I think my absolute favorite is Marni’s AW08 collection. Consuelo Castiglioni returned to her minimalist designs from last season, but I feel she refined this season’s work by taking out the fluff and truly letting the fabrics and the shapes of the garments take the forefront. Whereas in the spring/summer collection Castiglioni used a good deal of printing and unique, quirky fabrics, this season centers around the old classics: tweeds, silk, printed knits and fur in a stunning palette of pastel shades and muted colors.


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The entire collection seems to take a strong influence from the 1920’s and art nouveau. The silhouettes are long and straight, with skirts resting just below the knee. Blouses and dresses drape loosely over the forms, incorporating a good amount of fabric. All the pieces include beautiful striped stockings or knee socks, and platform shoes ending in a square toe – an ideal touch for such an architectural collection.


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Fabric effects are brought to a minimum in this collection, but when they are used they are broad statements that encompass the entire garment. Particular favorites of mine are the mustard yellow and black checkered skirt and the wonderful diamond lattice texture in the duotone skirt suit. Particular interest can be taken in the pieces that employ the most unique patterns in the collection – as these are the ones that seem to embody art nouveau. Not only are the models adorned in these nostalgic, graceful patterns, but the headpieces that adorn their heads are highly reminiscent of the wreaths of fruit and flowers that often garland the heads of female archetypes depicted in the period work.


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Integrate Marni style into your wardrobe this season by opting for loose trousers and blouses in pastel and muted colors. Trousers should end a little above the ankle, to prevent them from looking baggy. Choose colors that compliment each other, but do not be afraid of adding a third or fourth flash of color to make the look “pop.” A cardigan or light jacket can be worn over the outfir, cinched in place with a sleek belt. Accessorize your outfit with striped socks, and vintage headband and maryjanes, and you are ready to hit the streets in your modern classic style.

Fall 2008 Fashion Review: Gucci

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When I think of Gucci, I think of luxury, sexiness, sumptuousness – and maybe ladies blinged out to the max. I think this has a lot to do with my eighties upbringing, a time when sophistication and lavishing in the expensive reached new heights, with Gucci the call to arms of affluence in fashion. But looking at Gucci’s stunning AW08 collection, I am forced to reassess my former opinion. Frida Giannini has done a remarkable job taking a brand that had a high potential of becoming dated after its rise as the hallmark of opulence, and bringing into the new age of cultural assimilation and bohemian sensibility, all the while preserving that sense of sumptuousness that makes Gucci Gucci.

This collection is a perfect example of her accomplishment. Giannini has pulled from bohemian, folk and middle-eastern influences to create outfits that feel sleek, sexy, yet culturally relevant, well-traveled and ethnic. The result is what I like to think of as a “sexy matroshka” – outfits that feel smart, sophisticated, yet down-to-earth and traditionally aware.


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Many of the ensembles in the collection have an almost uniform-like composition: black slacks, black boots, beautiful belt scarves, decadent waistcoats over blouses and turtlenecks that provide vivacious punches of color. The pieces all carry old-world embellishments that make them feel rooted in tradition – particularly the gypsy belt-scarves and the waistcoats, which vary from caftan-esque knits to carefully embroidered coats, finished with military buttons.


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The footwear in this collection is particularly appealing. Many pieces incorporate long-fringed boots, which add a wonderful movement to the costumes. Others incorporate heavily studded ankle boots, which look both traditional in their decoration, but entirely new and unique in their construction. I am quite smitten with these beauties.



Incorporate Gucci’s style into your fall wardrobe by opting for form-fitting leggings, waistcoats and tops that pop with color. Wrap a large, ethnic scarf around your waist to add a dash of color, and don’t be afraid to pile on the belts. Finish the look with fringed boots, and chunky, ethnic gold jewelry. A no-nonsense black bag and dark sunglasses brings the whole thing together.

Fall 2008 Review: Dries Van Noten

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Dries Van Noten has been quickly ascending as one of the most applauded designers today, particularly in the department of footwear, in which his shoes have garnered an almost cult-like following, However, Van Noten’s AW08 collection shows us that his sense of garment design is just as acute as his panache for sharp footware.


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Van Noten’s collection seems inspired by a trip into your rich Grandma’s attic: vintage furs, chunky oversized sweaters, embroidered Eastern coats from long-ago travels, brought together with modern-art inspired prints on blouses, skirts and slacks. Throw in some men’s trouser socks to ground the entire look with a smart black base, and a look is created that is eclectic, romantic and divine.


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The look is one of elegant clutter - a variation of prints and textures brought together with a careful eye. diaphanous skirts and slacks are mingled with coarser, knobby knitting and fur that is spiky or textured. But my absolute favorite touch are the necklaces - whose beads are so loud and pronounced they appear to be numerous bangles strung together. A smaller accessory would be completely drowned out in these outfits, and I admire that Van Noten created a unique accessory that could compete with such ensembles and be entirely captivating in its own right.

Work this look into your fall apparel by being bold - don't be afraid to mix strong prints and textures against one another. Mix your floral print skirts from the summer with large, heavy sweaters. Printed fabrics brought together can be married with the right accessories -- a neutral fur vest, black scarves, and of course, black shoes and black trouser socks. Find the chunkiest necklace you can get your hands on to complete the look, or better yet, make your own from cheap bangles (which is what I am sure to do).

Fall 2008 Fashion Review: Stella McCartney

If your personal sense of style revolves around comfort, like mine, then Stella McCartney is the ideal designer. Her pieces always carry a sense of grace and elegance in even the most casual fabrics. Her AW08 collection once more delves into pushing the envelope on couture and comfort, this time through a greyscale color palette, heavy knits, and loose, billowing, one-piece garments that almost cocoon the wearer in the material. The effect is altogether elegant, sensual and stunning.


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Many of the pieces in McCartney's collection utilize elaborate intarsia (a flat knit fabric with patterns knitted in solid colors), but unlike the chunky, kitsch effect that the style is often associated with, McCartney adds refinement by using loose-form patterns, or elaborate patterns rendered in a grey color palette, which creates a more subtle, sophisticated effect. This successfully translates the look into a much higher caliber, turning a style rather charming and folksy into one of the utmost elegance.


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In my opinion, an almost Elizabethan influence can be found in several pieces of the collection, particularly the evening wear piece above. Again, these two dresses are examples of the way McCartney can take the most simple, casual ideas – in this case, a nightgown and an oversized sweater, and turn them into sheer elegance through shaping and details. The effect is almost geisha-like and old world – the beauty of the woman lies in what is hidden rather than what is revealed. The sexiness of the female in repose, if you will.

You can capture McCartney's cool comfort by sticking to greys and blacks, and donning uncluttered, large, simple knits. Keep the look uncluttered with accessories -- in this case, something soft like a scarf is more appropriate than jewelry. Pair an oversized sweater with another large knit piece (like a vest or cardigan), simple black leggings and black accessories. The look will leave you looking elegant and ready for the elements, while feeling comfy to the max.