Spotlight: Mara Hoffman

I'm a little bit obsessed with US designer Mara Hoffman's prints. A native New Yorker, Mara Hoffman first caught my eye a couple seasons back in 2012 and I have since fallen in love with every one of her collections. I'm probably the last person you will see wearing head-to-toe print but there's something about Hoffman's designs that makes me want to embrace the trend; from the bold, acid colours to the effortless silhouettes, there's something about Mara...

Mara Hoffman SS13

Mara Hoffman

The AW13 collection is quite literally to-die-for though it's probably more suited to the English summer rather than winter. Regardless, I'm super excited because Spotted on Celeb stock her designs which means that I can now indulge in my print obsession without the expense of international shipping!

If you're a fan of celebrity style and LA designers, I'd thoroughly recommend you check out Spotted on Celeb - a UK website dedicated to finding the latest celebrity fashions (think ASOS but with real designers, not copies). Not only do they stock Mara Hoffman but they also have great brands like Wildfox, LNA and exclusive to the site, For Love & Lemons.

In an attempt to coax the sun out of hiding and in honour of Mara Hoffman, I'm going to make it my mission to whip-up a head-to-toe print look for work this week so I'll let you know how I get on. Do you know of any great shopping sites? I'm always open to suggestions!

Milan Fashion Week SS13: Fendi's Fluffy Dice

Of all the accessories in the fickle world of fashion, none get a girl more excited than a good handbag. I'm an absolute sucker for anything by Alexander Wang but for SS13, Fendi's fluffy dice and bold studded totes have come up top trumps.

Whilst I wasn't overly enthralled by the collection as a whole, the accessories really stood out as being the potential 'It' pieces of SS13. The fluffy dice are hilariously cute but the vast array of textures and varying styles that have put Fendi up there with Mr Wang; studded heels, bright geometric designs and the combination of leather and fur makes the whole collection really desirable. It's been a while since we've had some sexy handbags to covet, no?

photos from style.com

London Fashion Week SS13: Battle of the Prints

It seems that we're either going to be embracing a mishmash of colours and designs or keeping it simple next season; monochromatic-minimalism has already dominated several of the SS13 catwalks but head-to-toe prints aren't all that far behind...

 Temperley London

Erdem

Michael van der Ham

For SS13, prints have been given a bit of a grown-up makeover; knee-length pencil skirts, high-necklines and classic shapes inspired by Dior's 'new look' were all transformed by various forms of print. Michael van der Ham and Erdem are among my favourites from the London catwalks so far although I'm not convinced I'll be wholeheartedly embracing the trend next season; I'm much more of a black and white kind of gal:

Christopher Kane

As much as I love the colourful and aesthetically exciting variety of print, I feel comfortable in a monochrome palette; it requires much less thought in the morning and you know you'll always look half decent. What are your thoughts on the London collection so far? Have any designers already caught your eye for SS13? 

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? 

Alternative Red-Carpet Dressing with Valentino FW12

None of these dresses are of the traditional red-carpet variety: there are no garish colours, no strapless sweetheart necklines, no silk-chiffon bows and definitely no heels. Saying that, they each have insane amounts of  'red-carpet' potential, especially if worn by the right person. Think along the lines of Elizabeth Olsen, Carey Mulligan, Dakota Fanning, Rose Byrne and Florence Welch and you're on the right track. The difference between these lovely ladies and the likes of other Hollywood starlets (anyone from Gossip Girl or 90210, for instance) is that they aren't afraid of 'worst-dressed' lists and can therefore think outside of the box when it comes to fashion.

Not that any of Valentino's dresses would land anyone on a worst-dressed list, of course. The demure necklines, full-length sleeves and ankle-skimming lengths from Valentino's Fall/Winter 2012 collection are for the more brave of the bunch. Valentino has always, and will always be worn on the red-carpet - it's just that these dresses require that extra something.

Photos from style.com

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?

Milan Fashion Week: Dolce and Gabbana AW12

This past week has been incredibly busy. In between working and dog-sitting, I managed to go to the London Aquarium, have a well overdue night out with the girls, go to the gym and have a bike ride along the beach. Good for the social life, bad for blogging. Well aware that I've completely ignored some of the best shows from London and Milan fashion weeks (I haven't even checked out McQ, Jil Sander or Prada), the first designer I looked at this evening was Dolce and Gabbana. I have a slightly biased love for the Italian duo as I once snapped up a beautiful silk top in the sale for a mere £20, but I still think their Fall/Winter 2012 collection was AMAZING.

This collection evokes images of otherworldly opulence; of the Tudors and the murdered wives of Henry VIII. It's an amalgamation of everything I love within fashion at the moment: quirky prints, luxurious fabrics, classic shapes and sexy gothic undertones. I'm a complete sucker for anything leopard print therefore the cape is pretty much a no-brainer (trend alert?) whilst the baroque embroidery, the Michaelangelo-esque prints, the ruffle necks and the tapestry all scream 'made by Dolce & Gabbana'. I love that as always, the collection is completely over the top - that's why we love Domenico and Stefano so much, right?

Not only that, I now have an excuse to finally buy the Dr. Marten's I've been dreaming about since last year:

I fell in love with these babies (from Dr. Martens Spring/Summer 2012 collection) when they came into the showroom in New York but seeing as though I already own three tapestry bags, I figured another tapestry-related item might have been a bit too much. How glad I am that Dolce & Gabbana don't agree! What do you think of these Dr. Martens and do you love Dolce & Gabbana's AW12 collection as much as I do?

photos from style.com

London Fashion Week: Fall Forward with Florals

Unless you've been living in a cave since September, you'll be acutely aware of the amount of floral prints that have cropped up all over the high-street. Everyone from Topshop to Marks and Spencer are having a go which undoubtedly means that there's something for everyone - even the colour-phobes like myself. However, amongst others, Christopher Kane and Jonathan Saunders have been flying the floral flag here in London for Fall/Winter 2012:

Christopher Kane

Jonathan Saunders

Unlike the prints that we saw in abundance on the Spring/Summer catwalks, Winter florals are bigger and somehow more mature. Instead of the familiar pale yellows, blues greens and pinks that came in the guise of small, dainty designs, next season is more dark and brooding with greens, red and purples taking centre stage.

There are millions of different varieties of floral print on the high street already so if you're sensible, you can buy statement pieces to take you through both seasons. Recycling doesn't get much better than that! So if you want to get ahead then ditch the pretty pinks for murky greens and remember, the bigger the print the better. Capish?

photos from gorunway.com via Vogue

New York Fashion Week: The Catch-Up

Yesterday evening I was stuck on a train for three hours and my brain still hasn't recovered from the trauma of it. As a result, I'm finding it somewhat difficult to write coherently this morning so instead of rambling on about the last of the New York Fashion Week collections, I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Elizabeth and James

Michael Kors 

Proenza Schouler J. Crew

Some of the best collections thus far have been those with tailored, cropped printed trousers and those with unusual shapes and fabrics. There has been such variety in terms of styling, influences, prints and shape that it's almost impossible to compare the collections against each other, however, slick tailoring is a trend that is constantly reappears in various guises. Maybe it's just because these shows are coming from New York but I've loved the different ways it has been explored so far. I know London is the creative Mecca of all Fashion Weeks, I wouldn't have it any other way, but sometimes we do go a little OTT. 

Now that New York Fashion Week is over, which designers are you most looking forward to seeing? London used to be my favourite city but I'm kind of veering towards Paris at the moment, how about you?

New York Fashion Week: Marc Jacobs FW12

Whilst at a birthday party this weekend, a friend of mine turned up wearing an oversized, red woollen jacket and what can only be described as a floppy, misshapen top hat. Eyebrows were raised at her dubious choice of head-wear; little did we know that she was one step ahead of us all. Enter Mr. Marc Jacobs.

There's no denying that Marc Jacobs is an absolute genius and although (initially) I was a little perplexed looking through his Fall/Winter 2012 collection, it's clear that he has once again created a masterpiece. Rhinestone encrusted pilgrim shoes, giant knitted scarves (complete with giant safety-pin), paisley prints, floral prints, leather panels, fur panels, buttoned wool stoles, tulip skirts with padded hips, metallic jackets, geometric knitwear and to coin a term from the brilliant Coco's Tea Party, Stephen Jones' 'Jamiroquai' mink hats. Jacobs' had it all.

And yet, in spite of the mish-mash of different pieces, the collection is extremely coherent, typically stylish, wearable and in true Jacobs style, desirable. On paper it shouldn't work and at first sight it's all rather overpowering but when you look closely at the finer details you see a fantastic collection bursting with Jacobs' inimitable creative touch. The witty use of colour and the unlikely combination of textures are central to the success of this collection, cementing the knowledge that Jacobs' truly is an outstanding designer.

I think you'd agree that that's enough shameless flattery/arse-licking for one day (though I am desperate to try out the ankle socks, printed midi-skirt, contrasting geometric knitwear and oversized woollen stole combination). What is your opinion on Marc Jacobs' Fall/Winter 2012 offering and will you be doing the 'Jamiroquai' any time soon?

photos from style.com

New York Fashion Week: Karen Walker, Preen AW12

This time last year I raved about Preen and Karen Walker's Fall/Winter collections and now I intend to rave some more. Last year, Walker's collection was inspired by Britain's Northern Soul scene and featured great prints, styles and a clever use of vinyl; this time around, she was inspired by Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea where boxy-woollen coats and paisley-print Chelsea boots took precedence.

Reworking her signature tomboyish aesthetic with bold colour-blocking and interesting prints, Walker's mod-influenced collection is bang on the money for Fall/Winter 2012. Cropped slimline trousers and boxy single-breasted jackets are clearly going to be huge for Winter; Walker's tartan and orange versions are especially lovely, don't you think? She used a lot of orange and yellow last year and I really love this season's interpretation, particularly when worn as a colour-flash statement under more subdued pieces.

There's something about Preen's collections that is effortlessly classy and elegant, without being stuffy or outdated. For one thing, the styling is flawless and more importantly, the clothes are always outstanding.

For Fall/Winter 2012, Preen took inspiration from Beatrix Potter alongside notions of the strong, independent modern day woman. The end result was a striking balance of intricate botanical prints and bold, geometric shapes with a contemporary 'girl power' edge. These are the kind of clothes that women in power wear, women who mean business; they're not for your everyday Jane but for someone who know's what they want and how to get it. Although not realistically practical, the suede and lace platform heels will undoubtedly appear on 'must-have' lists everywhere come the end of Summer whilst a million and one geometric-colour block suits pop-up on the high-street. Ground-breaking? No. Desirable? Completely.

Will you be investing in a boxy-woollen coat and cropped geometric trousers or botanical florals at all? I am definitely taken with Walker's collection and can totally see myself buying a single-breasted jacket, they're all over the catwalk's this season and are super versatile.

photos from style.com

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: Helmut Lang AW12

Some of you may (or may not) know that last September I moved to New York for 3 months. Everyone kept telling me it was like London, only bigger; however, geographical differences aside, it's nothing like London. I could write a list as long as my arm citing the disparities: fashion, lifestyle, night-life - where do you start? During my first week there, I was lucky enough to attend a show during New York Fashion Week and it was there that I noticed a massive contrast in clothing and personal style. See, New Yorker's are very chic and more often that not, live in a uniform of black whilst rarely venturing into the world of colour. I, for one, can appreciate this apprehension of wearing colour because it scares me; what if it clashes with my hair? Do I have to co-ordinate it with my nail-varnish? The potential colour predicaments are endless.

Anyway, what does any of this have to do with Helmut Lang? Technically, New York Fashion Week and I should be the best of friends but to be entirely truthful, I usually find it excruciatingly boring. There's rarely any 'oomph' (for want of a better word) and I'm usually disappointed, even more so after having fallen in love with the city. So far this season it's been true to form and the only people I'm vaguely excited about are yet to show. With its monochrome palette, structured tailoring, luxury fabrics and clever styling Helmut Lang has thus far been my favourite show.

I'll be the first to admit that there's nothing new here: over the knee boots, cobwebby knits, funnel-neck leather jackets and leather trousers are all far from cutting edge. What I do love though is the simplicity and wearability of the collection - it is neither generic nor high-fashion and therefore suits me just fine. In my opinion, this is the best collection out of a bad bunch which is such a shame as New York has so much to offer. I know it isn't notorious for avant-garde and unwearable fashions but it would be nice to see something unique and original come out of NYFW this season, let's hope the best is still to come!

Couture?

Haute Couture is often considered the pinnacle of fashion; it represents excess, elitism and craftsmanship more so than even the (not so) modest ready-to-wear collections. At least, that's what I thought. Obviously, the majority of us would never be able to afford a couture gown (unless we married into royalty) but to me, it always used to represent something completely unobtainable. It's a symbol of wealth - the fashion houses are never going to make a profit from couture collections because only the richest of the rich can afford to buy them and even then they probably would commission bespoke, one-off pieces anyway. With this is mind, couture should be the most ridiculous and excessive show of fashion, not a sombre and boring display of mindless expense.

As you have probably gathered, I'm thus far entirely unimpressed by Couture Fall 2011....

Left to right: Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier and Chanel

Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier and Chanel all showed collections as dry as Ghandi's flip-flop - ok so there were a few good looks but on the whole, each designer didn't exactly pull it out of the bag. Last season, I was equally as uninspired, maybe I've got the whole idea of couture wrong? Regardless, I was really quite disappointed by all three - especially given that the ready-to-wear collections are usually so brilliant. Dior was interesting as it was the first show without Galliano at the helm and sadly, it was really quite obvious; it all felt very amateur and lacked that great sense of Galliano decadence.

The only collections that I liked so far have been long-term couture favourites: Givenchy and Elie Saab. Last season, I would have died for every single Elie Saab dress because they were all absolutely stunning and Givenchy, well, Riccardo Tisci is just a God, no? This season both collections felt very 'high fashion wedding' but they were gorgeous nonetheless...

Elie Saab

Givenchy

Tisci can do absolutely no wrong in my eyes - every collection from the past year has been nothing short of amazing and although Fall 2011 is quite similar to last season, I still love it.

I know I went off on quite a tangeant but I just don't feel as though Couture is anything to get excited about anyone, is anyone else of the same viewpoint or I am just being slightly ridiculous? What has been your favourite Fall 2011 Couture collection so far?

photos from style.com

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