New York Fashion Week SS13: Minimalist Modernism

I've not had a lot of time this weekend to poperly submerge myself in New York Fashion Week coverage, however, from what I have seen, there is a distinctly modernist aesthetic running through a lot of the collections. 

Alexander Wang

Prabal Gurung

Alexander Wang, New York's cool-kid and king of sports-luxe, went down the metallic and monochrome route with bold cut-out panelling and simple, clean cut lines whilst Prabal Gurung used light silk-chiffon and silk-satins to create deconstructed biker jackets and sports-inspired shorts. Both collections, though extremely different, are tied together by a sense of elegant feminine modernity.

Derek Lam

Honor

Helmut Lang

Derek Lam's collection championed the one of the fashion packs outfit staples: a simple (and occasionally baggy) jumper paired with a knee-length pencil skirt of heavy embellishment/detail. Honor, much like Wang and Gurung, used a lot of white in the collection though instead teamed it with candy-coloured tulip skirts and sheer chiffon tops; the monochrome palette really cleverly emphasised the neat silhouettes without looking dull. 

Victoria Beckham

Victoria Beckham was probably the bravest of the minimalist New York pack in terms of colour - though it was still fairly conservative in comparison to the sorbet-shades that dominated many of the SS12 catwalks. Chic tailoring and sharp design defined Beckhams SS13 collection, the black cut-out jacket (seen above, middle) is particularly beautiful.

New York Fashion Week never really appealed to me as a whole but some of my favourite shows in recent years have been New York based; Karen Walker, The Row, Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler - to name a few. What do you think of the collections so far and who are you most looking forward to showing this season?

photos from style.com

Wednesday Weakness: Cobalt Blue

Dries Van Noten, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Mary Katrantzou and Preen

To some, it might seem rather odd to have a colour as a fashion weakness, however, if you've been paying attention to the catwalks for Fall/Winter 2012, you'll know that cobalt is set to be a massive trend. Along with tangerine and fuchsia pink, cobalt-blue is one of those colours that Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada (aka Anna Wintour) would rave about until it went into the sale. The best way to invest? Buy something now, especially if it's in the sale!

From left: J Brand waxed skinny jeans, Alexander Wang striped sweater, Rimmel eyeshadow, ASOS clutch, Urban Outfitters platform brogues, Swatch watches. 

What colours will you be wearing next season? 

London Fashion Week AW12: What I Wore (In My Head...)

I'm not actually attending any Fall/Winter London Fashion Week shows, nor am I going to any after-parties or events - I won't even be going down to Somerset House to have a gander at all the fashion peacocks. However, if I had a limitless bank account, if it wasn't absolutely freezing and if I was in attendance, you'd probably find me wearing something like this:

From left to right. (Top row): KARL Sachi faux-leather skirt, Topshop denim shirt, Alexander Wang cropped sweater and Diego ponyskin bag. (Bottom row): Vintage military jacket, Eddie Borgo cone bracelet and bear-trap bangle, Topshop ankle socks, Acne Pistol boots, House of Harlow 1960 Armour Claw ring and Linsey sunglasses

Everyone loves a bit of imaginary shopping, right? Unfortunately for me, this outfit costs in the region of about£2500 so I'd have to sell an arm or something to even consider being able to afford it. If you were given the chance to buy that designer piece you could never realistically afford, what would it be? I hope everyone is having a great time at fashion week!

New York Fashion Week: The Prints Prevail

Yesterday I said that Alexander Wang was one of the American designers I was most looking forward to showing at New York Fashion Week and having taken one look at his Fall/Winter 2012 collection, this may have been a mistake.

It wasn't terrible, it just wasn't exactly interesting. Besides some classic Wang tailoring, the fabrics and shapes looked quite clunky and unless you're of model proportions, shapeless jumpers reminiscent of smelly wetsuits just ain't gonna work. Maybe it'll grow on me, who knows, but Alexander Wang Fall/Winter 2012 hasn't quite hit the mark or the standards we've become accustomed to.

Yesterday I said how my fear of colour restricts me to a uniform of black during the winter months but that might be about to change. Enter Band of Outsiders, Christian Cota and Mara Hoffman and their colourful, outdoorsy, printed collections. 

 Band of Outsiders

Christian Cota

Mara Hoffman

These collections probably instil the fear of God in anyone with an aversion to colour but they're so chic and well-styled it's almost impossible not to like them. Floaty peasant dresses were given sheer sex appeal and slouchy printed harem-pants were teamed with super-bright blazers at Band of Outsiders; their men's collections are always great so it'd be hard not the love the women's too. Fur is always a massive trend for Fall/Winter and my favourite variation this season has got to be the long-line waistcoat also seen at Christian Cota. His ethnic inspired collection made me want to travel back to the 70s and explore South America; it seems the printed trouser is fast becoming a serious contender for the most popular trend this season. Everything about Mara Hoffman's collection is doing it for me: the hats, the snoods, the prints, the shapes. Everything. The printed trouser and white shirt combination has to be my favourite look so far - you can just tell that over the coming weeks, there'll be a million and one variations.

I never thought I would favour bright prints over classic monochrome shapes but these collections are undeniably wonderful. I absolutely fell in love with the leather body-harnesses at Hervé Léger by Max Azria (see below) so have my fingers crossed that the high-street is taking note. How amazing would they look over a sheer vest or a contrasting body-con dress?

What are your favourite trends so far and would you like to see the high-street producing printed-trousers and body harnesses next winter? 

photos from style.com

Past, Present and Future: Alexander Wang

There are a select handful of designers whose collections I genuinely get excited about each season and Alexander Wang is one of them. His ingenious ability to give sport-luxe commercial appeal, his extraordinarily collectable accessories (I defy you to attend a fashion show where a Rocco/Diego isn't present) and his beautifully deconstructed take on tailoring make him one of the best designers in America right now. If you haven't already guessed, I'm quite a fan.

In anticipation of his Fall/Winter 2012 collection which is showing later today, I have put together my two favourite ready-to-wear looks from 2009 to the present day. Think of it as an homage, if you will.

Wang's Fall/Winter collection from 2009 is still my favourite of his - I distinctly remember the biker boot/cycling short revolution that followed and, along with thousands of others, promised myself that I would one day own a Diego.

There wasn't a girl in the fashion-world that didn't covet a side-plait/develop a sudden interest in American Football after seeing Wang's Spring/Summer 2010 collection. 

Everything about Wang's Fall/Winter 2010 collection was slightly odd. The flares, the slicked-down hair, the mish-mash of textures and the unusual styling technically shouldn't have worked together but they did. Harmoniously. 

I don't like white. I especially don't like metallic pastel colours. I do, however, love Wang's take on them both for Spring/Summer 2011 (he really can do no wrong in my eyes). 

My second favourite collection, Fall/Winter 2011 spurred the masses onto wearing knitwear with a silk maxi-dress on nights out. Sexy and practical, what's not to love?

Wang's Spring/Summer 2012 offering is probably my least favourite of the bunch, maybe my fear of pale-colours is preventing me from loving this collection as much as the others? Regardless, it's still undeniably great and I have faith that for Fall/Winter 2012, he'll produce something marvellous. 

Who is your favourite American designer? And your favourite designer full stop? After years of hard-graft, I am now the proud owner of Wang's infamous Diego bucket-bag and unashamedly parade around town with it, just because I can. Is there an item of clothing, or an accessory that you one day hope to own? 

photos from style.com

New York Fashion Week: Alexander Wang AW11

Last season I was less than bowled over by Alexander Wang's SS11 collection, especially as I absolutely loved his previous season. I wasn't expecting much for AW11 but it turns out I was wrong to think he'd had his time in the spotlight because this collection is anything but boring. I adore it. The three main looks that I picked up on were statement jackets, sheer (grunge-style) and muted pastel hues.

I am a sucker for black clothes and these jackets are my idea of heaven. I love the quirky fur detail around the collar and sleeves and can totally see these being ripped off on the high street, they even make the colourful trousers appealing! It's grunge - Wang style. 

Sheer is a fabric for the brave - you either need to be a goddess at layering or just have the body of a goddess to successfully pull it off. These super gorgeous tops make the idea of wearing sheer less American Apparel and more, well Alexander Wang. I also think the trousers are super - they really remind me of something Aitor Throup would do which is never a bad thing.

Again, these jackets are to-die-for - how amazing is Wang's use of silk and wool?! I think there's something super elegant about combining unusual fabrics and he's got it down to perfection. I love how this collection is very elegant and contemporary but at the same time referencing everything that was brilliant about the 90s; it makes me really quite excited for the next couple of weeks, anyone else?

What do you think of Alexander Wang's AW11 collection and have you seen any outstanding shows so far?

Hello Sunshine

You know it's summer when you can eat breakfast outside and not be cold; I'm so glad the sun has remembered us Brits, the whole Arctic April scenario was getting a little bit ridiculous. 

With sun (or summer in general - England isn't exactly known for it's warm climate) comes the onslaught of music festivals; what better way to spend a weekend than drinking beer and watching bands as the sunsets? Last month, it was Coachella that really raised the bar for festival fashion - forget denim cut-offs and straw hats, this summer it's all about vintage pieces, floppy hats and super-cute accessories. 

Of course, not everybody has access to showers, clean clothes (three whole outfits, for that matter), a bed, a hair-dryer or make-up therefore Kate's killer Coachella look is more aspirational than anything. Aside from the obvious - beer, tent, sleeping bag, food, more beer - here are a few of my festival essentials that will see you through this season.

Dress, Playsuit, Hat, Orange Sunglasses - Topshop. Barry M Nail Varnish, 

Dry Shampoo - Boots. Wipes - Witch. Wellies - Hunter. Lipstick - M.A.C. 

Leather Shorts - Rokit. Glasses - Alexander Wang. Rucksack - Eastpak

If you've ever attempted to wash your hair under freezing water whilst a queue looks on, you'll know its best avoided - at all costs. Get on the dry-shampoo bandwagon or invest in a floppy hat, with a dash of lippy and a coat of pastel varnish you'll be festival-ready in no time. Swap the denim cut-offs for a floral maxi, sounds impractical but just think, jeans under maxi = incognito. 

If it's forecast to rain, don't think you'll be able to get away with pumps/Converse, chances are they'll be swept away in a torrent of mud, so invest in a pair of decent wellies - I've posted these Hunter wedges before but I can't get enough of them!

I've already bought a couple of maxi-dresses and a load of lipsticks for the festival season, wellies and rucksack here I come! What will you be wearing to the festivals this season, are you trading the denim for a dress or sticking to the traditional festival uniform?

photos from justjared.com

Nothing New Here...

Don't get me wrong, I loved the Preen collection and I adored the dresses over at Victoria Beckham but otherwise, I'm pretty bored by Fall 2010 at New York Fashion Week.

It might be because I wouldn't wear anything from the collections but mainly I think it's because I've seen it all before. I don't get the sense of anything new or exciting. I was quite unimpressed with Alexander Wang's deconstruction although really liked Thakoon's oversized hoods and blue, black and grey palette, but nothing REALLY stood out.

My friend over at Between Every Line found a couple of shows which actually really caught my eye, from designers that weren't on my radar. However, these few shows don't make up for the lack of freshness and excitement. Here are a couple (and I literally mean couple) of pieces I liked, don't expect anything groundbreaking though...

Herve Leger by Max Azria

Alexander Wang

Rachel Roy

I really, really wanted to like the shows but I just couldn't - maybe after looking at them a couple of times I'll see the light, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

What do you think of fashion week so far?

photos from style.com