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.

   

Fashion Week Favourite: The Friendship Bracelet

Friendship bracelets are one of those things that come and go within fashion on a regular basis. There's no telling who sparks the trend each season because it changes so often: Madonna sparked a red-string frenzy with the Kabbalah associated bracelet whilst fictional character Ivy from 90210 spurred every bohemian teenager to pile on as many woven and leather variations as the wrist would allow.

It's nice to think that friendship bracelets are slowly acquired by means of actual friendships but more often than not, they were bought in Topshop because someone saw Abbey Lee wearing some. You get the picture.  Either way, whether you genuinely want to offer someone a symbol of your friendship or if you just want to look insanely popular, there are some really great options on the high-street at the moment:

From top: woven bracelets with silver detail, Lucy Folk. Cobalt Keepsake and Jade Keepsake, Mia Lia. Skull bracelets, ASOS. Silver skull bangle, Alexander McQueen.

Though the term 'friendship bracelet' usually evokes imagery of little girls weaving string hooked around their toes, it doesn't mean they have to be traditional. Mia Lia has some really gorgeous designs that don't cost the earth - these adorable beaded bracelets come in a variety of colours and would make the perfect Mother's Day pressie, no? I usually wear my own friendship bracelets until they break and to be quite honest, the idea of having to take them off scares me a little! 

What do friendship bracelets mean to you: are they simply a fashion statement or do they have a greater meaning? 

Photos by Tommy Ton, from style.com

The 84th Annual Academy Awards (or The Oscars, to us common folk)

After sifting through the barrage of Oscars red-carpet photos, I have come to the conclusion that I'm not particularly enamoured with any of the dresses that were worn last night. Don't get me wrong, there were some beautiful ensembles: Rooney Mara in Givenchy (I officially have a new girl crush), Emma Stone in Giambattista Valli, Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford, Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen (see below), to name a few.

However, as expected from these types of event, there was some fantastic photography which in a way, outshone both the outfits and the celebrities themselves. These three, of Rooney Mara, Lily Collins and Gwyneth Paltrow in a gorgeous Tom Ford dress, are particularly beautiful.

There's something about a great landscape 'behind-the-scenes' photo that is completely irresistible; the dresses and the celebrities all become irrelevant. Quite ironic when you consider that the subjects in each of these photo's are judged for the way they look and the way they dress instead of for the quality of their acting, no?

What are your thoughts on the Oscars? I don't even know who won what, and to be really honest, I'm not that bothered...

Photos from Huffington Post, InStyle and Vanity Fair

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

London Fashion Week Street Style: Tommy Ton

Not only does Tommy Ton have an impeccable eye for great street-style, but he also knows how to frame a picture perfectly. This image makes me a) want long blonde hair, b) own a scallop-front jacket and c) wear blue. I hate wearing blue (don't ask) so that's quite an achievement, no? The point is, this is a really great photo that captures some fantastic styling. I'd love to know who the woman in blue is and where she got her trousers from because they are really rather super - any help here?

photo by Tommy Ton from style.com