Paris Fashion Week: Best In Show

Stella McCartney and Kenzo's Humberto Leon and Carol Lim  have without doubt presented my favourite two collections of all respective Fashion Weeks. Paris is known for its extraordinary designer calender and each season, something wonderful happens; I can't confess to previously being a devoted fan of either Kenzo or Stella McCartney but for Fall/Winter 2012 I am more than dedicated.

Stella McCartney FW12

Stella is a woman's woman: she knows what we want to wear, how we want to feel and what message we want to convey through our clothes. Her Fall/Winter 2012 collection is powerful, elegant and refined without being clichéd or stuffy; cobalt blues and electric pinks are perfectly matched with charming tweeds and more subdued palettes of grey and black, whilst patent ankle boots are boldly worn with above-the-knee skater skirts and oversized jackets. I couldn't give two-hoots about the sports-luxe trend that we're seeing all over the high-street at the moment but for FW12 Stella makes it more desirable than Ryan Gosling covered in chocolate. These are clothes that women want to wear, all of the time.

Kenzo

The big-guns were clearly out over the weekend: Dior, Isabel Marant, Lanvin, Viktor & Rolf, Jean Paul Gaultier, Celine, Hermes and Givenchy all came out to play. Though it was the unlikely Kenzo that really caught my eye. As only their second season with Kenzo, Opening Ceremony's founders Humberto Leon and Carol Lim sent out a fantastically coherent and covetable collection for Fall/Winter 2012; dropped-hem A-line dresses were decked out with autumnal grape-vine prints as cropped jumpers were emblazoned with the tiger logo that will inevitably be replicated for the high-street on a colossal scale. Where last season we saw more of a street-inspired edge from Kenzo, this collection was altogether more accomplished and fun. 

Forget the apocalyptic leathers and blacks that have recently permeated the catwalk, these collections are exciting and act as a constant reminder of all that is great about womenswear. 

Photos from style.com 

Lost For Words: Commes des Garcons FW12

Not a single word in the English dictionary can accurately articulate my thoughts on Rei Kawakubo's Autumn/Winter 2012 collection for Commes des Garcons. That's not to say this is a bad thing, in fact, I think it's rather brilliant. "The future's in two dimensions" was Kawakubo's foundation for her latest collection as seemingly two-dimensional outfits graced the catwalk. In a fairly sardonic statement against the industry, Kawakubo's 'flat' outfits were a reflection of the images put out by the industry online and in magazines; therefore stripping them of any detail and quality. Velvet felt, leopard print, florals and even evening wear was given the Commes des Garcons treatment - leaving no satirical fashion stone unturned.

I can absolutely appreciate the message behind the collection, however, as a part (no matter how minuscule) of the fashion industry, I can't help but think it a little tenuous; fashion can only survive as long as the magazines and websites that promote them can permit. Aside from this, I think the collection is...bizarre/wonderful/brilliant/ingenious/ridiculous/captivating - you decide!

Photos from style.com

Paris Fashion Week: 'A Lesson on Confusion' by Dior

When John Galliano left Dior last year, there was a great deal of speculation about the future success of the brand. Some claimed that Galliano was not the cornerstone of Dior whilst others remained incredulous as to what would become of the French fashion powerhouse. Personally, I was one of the sceptics. Though what he did was shameful and entirely inappropriate, there is no denying that John Galliano is a fashion genius; without him at the helm, Dior's collections have thus far fallen short of the creative mark that we had come to expect. Bring that to the present day and Bill Gaytten's Fall/Winter 2012 collection for Dior was really quite uninspiring.

The balletic influence is strikingly obvious whilst midi-length pleated skirts with cinched waists evoke nostalgic images of Dior's infamous 'New Look'. However, the collection felt too safe for my liking. Bold colours and creative designs have been replaced by a predictable colour palette of black, pink and grey. As a whole, the collection is confused; with a theme surrounding the notion of 'soft modernity', Gaytten stuck to familiar silhouettes which in my eyes, translates as boring.

However, that isn't to say there were some really nice pieces. I can't bring myself to use a more enthusiastic adjective so 'nice' will have to suffice. The latter end of the collection presented some interesting pieces that you can see working well in both editorials and on the red-carpet. My favourite item is definitely the horizontal striped maxi-skirt with sheer panels - it's got Tilda Swinton written all over it, no?

I don't want to be critical of Bill Gaytten because he has an enormous pair of shoes to fill; away from the Dior label, this collection would probably be fantastic. However, when the bar has been set so high by such an ingenious predecessor, it's hard not to make the comparison. This is a collection that demonstrates great skill and knowledge, though Dior now needs to reignite its spark and enthusiasm for passion - without Galliano.


Photos from style.com

Wednesday Weakness: Dries Van Noten AW12

I'm going to make 'Wednesday Weakness' an image-led regular here at Bang Bang You're Dead, as well as resurrecting the old 'Spotlight' feature (do let me know if it should remain dead and buried, though). Dries Van Noten's Fall/Winter 2012 collection, which showed at Paris Fashion Week earlier today, is what fashion dreams are made of - I literally want every outfit! Is anyone else as enamoured with Dries FW12 as me?

Darcel Disappoints: '150/50' at Colette

It's not every day that you see a one-eyed portrait of Yves Saint Laurent paired with a similarly unusual interpretation of the late Coco Chanel. However, as part of their 15th anniversary celebrations later this year, French fashion store Colette have called upon New York based artist Craig Redman to give friends of the store his signature 'makeover'. The exhibition immortalizes Redman's 'Darcel Disappoints' character in the guise of 150 portraits, including the likes of Rihanna, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga (see below).

Juergen Teller, Susie Bubble, Diane von Furstenberg and Joseph Altuzarra have all previously been given the  Darcel Disappoints treatment and each one perfectly captures the essence of that individual. The exhibition runs at Colette until the 31st of March so if you're lucky enough to be in Paris for Fashion Week or if you'll be visiting the French capital in the next month then it's worth a trip! Check out the video below for more information.

   

Paris Fashion Week: Givenchy AW11

There is literally nothing that I don't like about Givenchy this season. Riccardo Tisci is such a fantastic designer and this collection tapped into everything I love; the sheer layering, the gaudi prints, the cutesy hats - it was all amazing. It felt quite East London to me in the sense that it was busy without being fussy and it was very, very trendy. I could quite easily have posted the entire collection but these are my favourite looks:

I'm such a fan of the panther-print details - especially when teamed with the adorable hats. There's a bit of a Versace vibe going on with the chain detail but Tisci has managed to make it look super modern rather than something you're dodgy next door neighbour would wear.

I noticed a fur skirt at Junya Watanabe and Tisci has done a mini-version which is think is gorgeous; the fur biker jacket is a cute addition too.

I have such a Givenchy crush and want to wear everything right now; if the sun hadn't made an appearance today I definitely would have been channelling sheer/fur chic.

I know a lot of people that have been waiting for Givenchy, so what do you think now it's here, worth the wait? I obviously think so! If anyone fancies

photos from style.com

Paris Fashion Week: Comme, Celine and Junya AW11

I mentioned in my previous post about giving up slightly by the time Paris Fashion Week comes around which is terribly sad as Paris is usually the most exciting. It's a good job Paris is the most exciting otherwise I wouldn't be doing this post - Comme des Garcons is quite literally one of the best collections I've seen all season. I don't understand it and it baffles me beyond belief but I thought it was great nonetheless.

I absolutely adore the ruffled shorts and even though the half-jacket is a little impractical, I think it's stunning. You can always trust Comme to mix it up and do what every other designer is too scared to create; it's a whole new ingenious twist on androgyny.

Celine was another show I enjoyed but only for the jackets. There's always room for a tailored trouser but the coats were especially wonderful this season; the whole deconstructed element is something I didn't expect from Celine which made it all the more better.

The zesty orange number is very Raf Simons/Richard Nicoll but it's a beautiful shape and I love that Phoebe has kept it ultra simple - that sort of colour can't handle fussy details. The lengthy deconstructed coats are truly amazing. I keep seeing variations of everything I loved from the 90s but given a modern twist and these are perfect examples - I can tell AW11 is going to be a good season for me.

Last but not least, Junya Watanabe. I previously mentioned that I wanted to write about this show because I thought it was utterly bonkers - in a good way, of course.

Fur was a stand out aspect of Junya's fall collection and although I want to think it's a little bit vulgar, I really love it. The coats remind me of something hideous you would find in New Look or Primark but if you imagine Carine Roitfeld or Emmanuelle Alt in them, they suddenly become really great. Fur is an obvious choice for fall but then again so is black which was also heavily featured this season, I don't care because had I the money, I'd buy them.

What do you think of Comme's bizarre collection and Celine's take on deconstruction?

photos from style.com

Paris Fashion Week: Haider Ackermann AW11

 I know it's really bad to admit this but by the time Paris Fashion Week comes around, I've completely lost the will to pay attention. This is most upsetting because Paris Fashion Week is usually the best; Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Viktor and Rolf, Comme des Garcons, Dior, Givenchy, Lanvin - the list of amazing designers goes on. Anyway, I haven't really had time to look through all the shows yet and Haider Ackermann was the first I looked at this morning. Convenience aside, I really love Haider's designs and although there were a couple of pieces I could do without this season (the wide belts and the cone-head hair), the collection was stunning.

My inherent aversion to colour makes Haider one of my favourite designers - I especially loved the jewel-toned glam-goth vibe this season. I mentioned before that grunge was going to be a big hit for AW11 and I still stand by that; grunge isn't simply about wearing Dr.Martens with a floral dress and plaid shirt anymore, it's about mixing silk with wool, wearing oversized knitted jumpers with flowing maxi-dresses and having that 'I don't give a fuck' attitude (even though we'll all know it took an hour to put together the outfit).

I particularly loved Haider's biker jackets and the floor-sweeping Matrix looking coats - I couldn't pull it off myself but know several people that could. My favourite pieces from the show were from the last couple of looks - neither of them were black (shock horror) but they just looked absolutely stunning.

That cropped white jacket makes me drool slightly, isn't it beautiful? I'm dying to post about Junya Watanabe but I'm about to go and have some lunch in London town so will do that as soon as I'm back. What do you think of Haider? Would you be inclined to wear a floor-sweeping leather coat or would you prefer to leave that to the cyber-goths of the world?

Photos from style.com

Paris Fashion Week: Hakaan AW11

This time last year (Friday 19th February, to be precise) I was sent to watch a show by little known designer, Hakaan. No one knew who Hakaan was so I was hardly expecting big things to happen. Oh how I couldn't have been more wrong. To say that it was bewildering to see Lara Stone, Natalia Vodianova and Natasha Poly at his début show in London would be a bit of an understatement. At the time, Hakaan caused a bit of a furore but mainly for his star-studded FROW and model line-up; this season, I have a feeling time has repeated itself...

The clothes are undoubtedly beautiful but I don't think his success is down to skill alone - were it not for the stellar line-up: Freja Beha Erichsen, Maria Carla Boscono, Natalia Vodianova, Karolina Kurkova, Natasha Poly and Anja Rubik, Hakaan might simply be another struggling designer. One gets the impression that Hakaan has friends in very high places, which is great, but there's only so far that monochrome-tailoring and pleated mini-dresses can take you.

Maybe I'm being too harsh; I was all over the début collection after all. I'd like to see some innovation and ingenuity if I'm going to track Hakaan's progress - not just a handful of the world's best models (although apparently, that helps). Do you think a world-class line-up is enough to propel Hakaan into designer stardom or does he need to up his game?

Photos from style.com

Meow!

I was going to post about the start of New York Fashion Week but I haven't seen anything that exciting yet. This has become a bit commonplace on Bang Bang You're Dead because I'm really rather fussy. Anyway, in its place, I wanted to share this super-cute editorial from an old issue of Vogue Paris with you; I'm a bit of a cat lover (yes I am aware of the negative connotations) and a massive Lara Stone fan, so this is my idea of editorial heaven...

 Morning Beauty featuring Lara Stone by Mark Segal, Vogue Paris 2007.

 I love the whole 'let's use a baby jungle animal' strategy to sell things; if I had enough money I clearly would have bought the entire Cartier collection just off the back of the adverts. Lara is so incredibly beautiful and I can't wait to see her and David out and about here in London; they were adorable after the Hakaan show.

Who are you most looking forward to seeing at Fashion Week - a designer? A Celebrity? A Model? Let me know!

photos from fashiongonerogue.com

Spotlight: Martha Streck

You know the kind of girl that turns heads as she walks down the street? Well, Martha Streck is one of them:

I rarely want to be someone, but I definitely want to be this girl. Her street style is near on impeccable and she looks like one of the few models that actually smile these days. Obviously they're not my main reason for wanting to be someone but with legs like that I hardly need to justify myself. 

Martha is in this weeks Spotlight because she's never really crossed my radar before and I think she's absolutely stunning. I love this image from Dior Couture this season and can't wait to see her over the various Fashion Weeks.

Paris Fashion Week is so close I can almost taste it. What designers/models are you looking forward to seeing the most? I really really can't wait to see what Sarah Burton produces for Alexander McQueen, something completely outrageous I hope! What do you think of Martha?

photos from altamiranyc.blogspot.com and thefashionspot.com

Couture 2011 Round-Up: Good, Better, Best

Forgive me for being insensitive to the current economical climate but Couture is supposed to be about beauty, wealth and decadence. I may be being a little fashion-blind but there were few collections this season that even whispered those words. Chanel was a massive let down for me so I don't even want to talk about it (I usually love Chanel, so that's saying something) and the rest, well, was rather uninspiring. There were, however, a few saving graces.

I'll start with the good, Valentino:

Valentino wasn't extraordinary but it's the craftsmenship of the pieces that stood out to me. They clearly have been beautifully made and constructed but sadly the bland colour scheme let the collection down a bit. I thought these dresses were particularly gorgeous - they're perfect for the upcoming Oscars - but otherwise I wasn't that bothered, sorry Valentino lovers!

Up a notch from Valentino is Givenchy:

Last season I fell completely head over heels for Riccardo Tisci's collection for Givenchy so he had a lot to live up to. I don't think 2011 packs quite the punch as 2010 but it is still undoubedtly a stunning collection. I love the flashes of colour and the sheer/feather combination and think that the white theme is really strong. I could see every single one of his dresses worn on the red carpet but these were my favourites. The first dress is out of this world, no?

For the grand finale and my personal favourite - Elie Saab:

If you click on the image it will enlarge and you'll see just how perfect these dresses are. Every single piece in Saab's collection was red-carpet perfect, I really couldn't fault him. Admittedly the dresses are a bit safe in terms of fashion but there's no denying that they're completely absolutely stunning. I'm usually not so disappointed at Couture Week but I think Elie Saab saved it for me, without him this post wouldn't be possible!

What do you think of Couture Week in comparison to ready-to-wear? Do you think it should have been more outrageously decadent or are designers right to present something representative of the economical climate?

PS. If you haven't already, please pick me to win an internship with Elle, it only takes a second and I'll be forever greatful!

photos from style.com

Back to Basics: Mary-Kate Olsen

It's been coming for some time, but Ashley Olsen move over - Mary-Kate has officially taken over in the style stakes. I didn't want to admit it, but she is definitely the more fashionable twin these days and their recent trip to Paris proves just that...

Sticking to what she knows best in black layers, MK came out on top. I know I've been talking of experimenting with colour recently but until there is a need to do so (summer isn't until next year, after all) I'm going to make like Mary-Kate and go head-to-toe black. Predictable? Yes. But you can't say she doesn't look smokin'.

There's a million and one black pieces out there just waiting to be bought - my winter coat included - but here are just a few pieces you could start with, I'm especially taken with the YSL heels...

Coat, Alexander McQueen. Heels, YSL. Bag, Marc by Marc Jacobs - all at Net-a-Porter.com. Felt Hat, Topshop. Silk Blazer, Issa at TheOutnet.com.

Do you have a favourite item in Mary-Kate colour of choice? I'm looking for the perfect black winter coat, so if you know of anything particularly special, let me know!

Photos from the fashionspot.com

Paris Fashion Week: Alexander McQueen SS11

I'm usually so consumed by Fashion Week (home and away) that I forget what eating/sleeping/having a social life is. This season, not so much. Yesterday evening, Paris brought proceedings to a close for another 6 months and I can't help but be severely underwhelmed by everything. Trust McQueen (or should I say Burton) to be my diamond in the rough...

Considering she had some rather enormous boots to fill, Sarah Burton really encapsulated what Alexander McQueen is about. Although she added a more feminine twist to the collection, the edge and ingenious were still very much there. The amphibious and decadent military elements from the previous two seasons have been re-worked for the modern Mcqueen woman, and I completely loved it. 

Admittedly I wasn't so keen on the suits but the black leather and floral embellishment made Burton's début collection a winner. I'm already thinking about which leading ladies will be wearing these beauties on the red carpet:

What have been your highs and lows from this season and who would you like to see wearing McQueen's latest designs? It'll be interesting to see where Burton takes the brand, I hope she retains Lee's ingenuity and creativity because after all, that's why we loved him so much...

photos from style.com

Paris Fashion Week: Anne Valerie Hash SS11

It's pretty depressing seeing so much flesh on the runway when it's pissing it down 24/7 and the mere thought of wearing shorts gives you goosebumps. However, thanks to Anne Valerie Hash (and Fendi, of course) I'm actually looking forward to next years summer wardrobe.

Don't get me wrong, I love the sun but up until now the winter wardrobe has always been my favourite. However, Hash has pretty much banged the nail on the head, the layering is there (an essential during winter) as are the neutral shades, loose-fitting shirts and super short skirts.

The hair and make-up are spot on too: messy ponytail + natural face = summer ready. Seeing as camel has been tipped as 'the colour' for AW10, you could get the essentials for next season now - just check out Topshop's range of goodies...

Whether you try it now or next year, make sure you're wearing enough layers to clothe an army. What have you loved/hated about this season? I'm still rather out of the loop but London seems to be the best out of all the cities so far, then again Paris is quite an opponent...

photos from style.com and topshop.com

There's No Place Like Home

Giles Deacon tapped his metaphorical red heels and landed smack bang in the middle of London Fashion Week - I'm so glad he's come home.

We've seen it happen before. Alexander McQueen was one of (if not the) best designers this country has ever seen and we let him slip away, definitely a case of 'you don't know what you've lost until it's gone'. However, Giles has returned from notoriously tres chic Paris, and hopefully he'll bring all of his lovely quirkiness with him, because damn we've missed it!

I remember when this gorilla-esque ensemble was shown because all I wanted to do was try it on; nothing has changed because every time I see Giles' work I instantly want to wear it. His return also means I'll have more of a chance to see the collection at LFW which is massively exciting.

Are you glad Giles has come home (I'll be mortified if you say no, so make me happy)? PS. It seems I can't apologise enough for the lack of posting recently, but I really am sorry!

photos from style.com