Thursday, March 4, 2010

Paris Fashion Week, V Magazine, and Surprises.

It's Paris Fashion Week! Hands down my favorite of all the fashion weeks. Milan is eccentric, London is witty and quirky, and NYC is generally hardcore, but Paris--Paris is fashion forward.

Balenciaga, Balenciaga, Rue du Mail: And speaking of fashion forward, here's a little Balenciaga. I feel like Nicolas Ghesquiere is always light years ahead of everyone else. What he does with texture and color is absolutely breathtaking. This cut has a simple cut and restricted color pallete, but the variety of textures makes it both rich and ultra-modern at the same time. The rounded shoulders almost have a bit of a Jil Sander feel, but the overall look is very Balenciaga. And what that man does with knitwear...no words (that's a lie, I still have words). The sweater itself is interesting with its asymmetrical color blocking, but the idea of belting it so that the hem of the sweater forms a mini-peplum and that finishing that all off with ankle-grazing pants in colors that echo the jacket is just genius. Belted knits were also big at Rue du Mail. How luxe and fluffy does that sweater look? I really love the idea of taking a voluminous sweater/top/scarf and belting it into a sexy, figure-flattering shape. It's the ideal mix of hard and soft, glamourous and cozy.


Rochas, Gareth Pugh, Dries Van Noten: Pairing a leopard coat with a green top and teal leather pants sounds totally ridiculous. Ok, it kind of is ridiculous, but that leopard print coat...me want. The print is very out-there, but the clean, classic lines of the coat rein it back into the wearable realm. And even Gareth Pugh is getting in on wearable clothes this season. Don't get me wrong, it's still Gareth Pugh, but it's subversive and dark in a sexier, more feminine way. The way the chains hug the model's figure is almost reminiscent of a flapper dress, and then the long sleeves and emphasis on the shoulder give it an even more modern, edgy feel. Dries Van Noten had even more spectacular layering with leopard prints. The leopard print scarf actually works over the leopard print top because they're in two very different color palettes, and the large, neutral block of color in the skirt balances out all the pattern on top nicely. Who else loves the idea of a leopard print, fur scarf?


All Giles Deacon: My brain somehow always pairs Giles Deacon and Gareth Pugh together, even though they're really quite different. Silly brain. Gareth Pugh does wearable dominatrix, and Giles Deacon did a fab, slightly futuristic take on the '60s. Shearling aviator jackets with oversized colors have been all over the runways, but this version feels fresh. The collar swoops in an organic, artistic fashion, and it looks like it could be turned into a hood (super practical). This black leather dress combines dominatrix and girliness so well. The top is very little girl's dress, with its ruffled neckline, but the high sheen of the leather skirt adds a modern, sci-fi edge that makes this dress bridge the gap between badass and sweet perfectly. I absolutely love the structured bustier top on this blue dress. The simple shape downplays the inherent sexiness of the top, and the spontaneous floral print of the skirt mediates the highly architectural lines of the bodice.


And now for some lovely pics from V:

"The Art of Being Kirsten Dunst," photographed by Mario Testino for V Magazine and styled by Nicola Formichetti. I guess Kirsten Dunst is back. I think she's a bit of an underrated actress--she was seriously amazing in "Interview with a Vampire," "Virgin Suicides," and "Marie Antoinette." Off-screen she usually dresses very casual and low-key, so it's nice to see her get all glammed up for V. Doesn't she look insanely Old Hollwood? That bone structure is insane.



Alexander Wang Cutout Ponte Knit Dress, $620 at nordstrom.com: So one of our lovely readers, Sophie, emailed us and asked for help in finding a cute, unique, and affordable prom dress for this year. And of course, being the formal occassion/planning nerd that I am, I'm all over it. Look out for a few posts on different prom looks at different prices points in the next few days, and as a little taster, here's what I'd wear to prom. I realize that I'm in college, but hey, a girl can dream.


Image Sources:
Balenciaga: style.com, Rue du Mail: style.com, Rochas: style.com, Gareth Pugh: style.com, Dries Van Noten: style.com, Giles Deacon: style.com, V Magazine shoot: vmagazine.com, Alexander Wang dress: nordstrom.com.

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