Two if by Sea

Raquel Zimmerman and Glee's Matthew Morrison star in the editorial "Two if by Sea" in the June issue of Vogue. Raquel Zimmerman is one of my favorite model chameleons.

See the full editorial at Vogue.

Miranda Kerr in June's Numero

I have always been a fan of the French magazine Numero since going to school in Paris. As a student, we would buy Numero for inspiration. I absolutely love the latest June issue's editorial with Victoria's Secret model, Miranda Kerr.

Happy New Year!

a thought for today...

"How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone."

Coco Chanel

Blue Feelings...

Balmain Spring 2009

pic from Style.com

Recently in denim silhouettes we had the skinny leg and then the extreme skinny leg (sometimes so skinny there would be the zipper on the ankle just to get them on). These silhouettes were very minimalist in color and detail. Dark indigo washes, black, and grey were the most popular colors with back pockets free of embellishment. One of the most popular jean brand to emerge during this time was J Brand, which perfectly reflected this trend (http://www.jbrandjeans.com/). As the fashion industry likes to mix things up to keep consumers interested and buying the wide leg jean emerged. As the wide leg jean was not accepted at the commercial level it quickly disappeared. The skinny jean came up for air again before another silhouette emerged; the boyfriend jean. The boyfriend jean was adopted by numerous celebs who would roll up the hem and pair the relaxed masculine style with overtly sexy high heels.

Now, with the economy in a recession, designers are gravitating towards something a bit more nostalgic with vintage looks. These vintage looks are heavy in details with Seventies inspiration and strong used patina*(see below). These details can include distressed and faded color, rips, and fringe. Rigid denim is also starting to become more popular then the cotton/spandex blends as rigid denim is said to hold onto some of the vintage washes better then denim blends.

One designer really making a statement in denim is Balmain’s Christophe Decarnin. His distressed washes and vintage details, while taking inspiration from the past, look like the newest thing out there.

Another look from Balmain's Spring 2009 show

pic from Style.com

Katie Homes in the boyfriend jean with heels

“I’m Gonna be a Supermodel”

Linda Evangelista in Prada's Fall'08 campaign

Claudia Schiffer, Eva Herzigova, Christy Turlington, and Amber Valletta

In the current fall and winter 2008 ad campaigns we have seen the powerful supermodels of the 90s return with a vengeance. It makes sense for supermodels to reemerge now. We have gone though a period where the actress was dominating fashion ad campaigns and magazine covers. As we all know, Hollywood starlets are not always the most dependable people and consumers have been bombarded with their over exposure due to the tabloids and the web. In a time of economic uncertainty, people want to see something beautiful, yet familiar. Hense, the return of the supermodel. The supermodels who have made their return in fall-winter campaigns include…

- Linda Evangelista: Prada

- Claudia Schiffer: Chanel & Salvatore Ferragamo

- Eva Herzigova: Louis Vuitton

- Christy Turlington: Escada & Bally
- Stephanie Seymour: Loewe

- Amber Valletta: Dsquared & David Yurman fragrance
- Naomi Campbell: Yves Saint Laurent
- Kate Moss: Longchamp (and too many more to remember)

But, as the fashion industry likes to jump from extremes (skinny jean, to wide leg, to the boyfriend or purple and black in Fall/Winter ’08 to the bight outlook of yellow in Spring ’09), it seems the next modeling trend will move from the very familiar faces to the unfamiliar, which in this case in the fashion industry (sad, but true) would involve diversity. The white model has dominated runways for a long time now and the fresh crop of rising stars are as uniquely different as they are beautiful. The models currently rising the ranks to become the next household names are Jordan Dunn, Arlenis Sosa, Liya Kebede, and Chanel Iman.

These new faces will help to bring some new life and change to the runways and fashion. Change being the element everyone is looking for now.

Arelenis Sosa

Chanel Iman and Jordun in American Vogue

Liya Kebede in Italian Vogue

A Bright Spring 2009

Everyday we have been bombarded with more gloomy news on the state of the economy. People want to escape and what better way then through fashion. Spring 2009 is looking very optimistic with yellow billed as the color of the season. As there are numerous different yellows the Pantone Inc. has specifically named the Mimosa pantone, 14-0848, as the standard.

See the full article on Yahoo! News…
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081203/ap_on_re_us/color_of_the_year

Taking a Risk with Gareth Pugh

Beyonce wearing Gareth Pugh in Elle Magazine.

Photographed by Alexei Hay.

Now, in a time of large corporations dominating the fashion industry, it is refreshing and almost surprising to see any boundary-pushing, avant-garde designers emerge. When a designer has to appease a corporation, along with the daunting sales plans that follow, it is extremely difficult to take an avant-garde stance in design. Taking such stance puts a designer at risk of not being considered commercially viable in these trying times. But, how else can a young designer stand out today with out a suit in the background financing the dream? At the same time, would any designer want to take the risk of creating an avant-garde line, which is typically more costly and possible less profitable? And then how can such a designer under a corporate umbrella do something extremely creative and risk-taking that still appeases the sales figures that need to meet? This will be the challenge of designers now and in the future as we have more conglomerates dominating the fashion industry than ever before.

With this in mind, it is refreshing to see the avant-garde designer Gareth Pugh take the risk to do his first line in Paris, without a corporate backer, that was focused more on creativity and less on the commercial aspect, and receive such great press. Check out some of his designs from his Spring 2009 show. One cool aspect of his designs was that they were two-toned; white on the front and black on the back. I am looking forward to seeing more from this original and unique designer.

Looks from Gareth Pugh's Spring 2009 RTW line on Style.com

Come All Ye Faithful Fashionistas!

Ladies who Brunch but can't Lunch

I am sure working in NYC you find yourself eating your lunch at your desk while working away more likely then not. So, if you can't make it out at lunch why not steal a glamourous moment for yourself and have breakfast with fellow fashionistas at Bendel's. A fashion fix before 10am sounds pretty good to me!

Montreal and Toronto store windows

I took a trip recently to Canada for work and saw several store windows I really liked. I thought I would share two...

"Je veux" is French for "I want". I wish my arms could hold that many shirts at one time. It would make shopping so much easier...


Check out the Barbies' heads! How original!