Fall 2013 Ready to Wear: Milan

Ciao Milan!

Well Milan fashion week has bit the dust and we are all geared up for Paris!

I have to say, Milan was a pleasant surprise this season. Normally I dismiss it because it can be a bit safe and obvious, but this time, I really saw a lot of growth and some beautiful clothes. Of course, there were the stinkers too, but all in all there wasn’t that much on the negative side, so I’m doing one big post for this season in Italy.

Comments follow the images.

THE GOOD

I really never look at the Albertta Ferretti collection. It is more often than not, a languid exercise in clean and safe clothing, but this season saw her branch out into slightly tougher, yet still approachable clothes; well, to my eye at least. This light avocado shift dress exemplifies the clean aesthetic of the house, but gives the wearer an elegant air thanks to the subtle beading. This is a perfect example of simple clothes not being boring.

I LOVED THE DSQUARED² COLLECTION!  There. I said it and I’m not taking it back. This collection is typically an over the top romp through a trendsetter’s closet, but this season the Caten boys slowed it down and took us to a singing siren’s war-time lounge. My one complaint was the way the trains on the evening dresses were cut. They were way too long and tripped up more than one model. The meat and potatoes of the collection was the suiting. This look exemplifies the overall mood of the collection with cohesive styling and beautiful fabrics.

I know nothing of Marco de Vicenzo, but if this is his normal course of study, I think we’re in for a great ride. There is something about this beautifully proportioned look that hits every high note with me. Clean color palette. Check. Unexpected textile treatment. Check. Clean styling without looking tired. Check. Beautiful fabrics I wish I had access to. That’s a big old check!

I have NO CLUE why I like this Prada coat. It shouldn’t work. The chinchilla, the green tweed and the contrast waist have nothing to do with anything, but here it is in the ‘win’ column. You know, it might be the cut and the length.  I know I’m a sucker for a 50’s silhouette, but Prada? Come on Gilbert. What’s wrong with you? OK, so the wet hair look is a bit flat and the… umm… DAMMIT! I got nothing. I just like this. WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE ME????

Again, it’s that 50’s silhouette that churns my butter, but this has the sleek sophistication of that beautifully cut shearling jacket and the contrast textures of the black textiles. I love giant collars and this one from Ports 1961 really melts my already churned butter. The socks are a bit goofy, but I’ll excuse them because the overall appeal of this look is so irresistible.

The Dolce and Gabbana collection was… umm, well I’ll get into that in a second. BUT there was a glimmer of hope with this dazzling red dress. It drips with excess and, as someone who has spent HOURS hunched over a frame embellishing and adding sequins to garments, speaks volumes to me with that level of beading mastery. I love the length and definitely love the bold pop of color. This is the shining star in an otherwise obvious collection of black holes.

THE BAD

Told ya. Yeah the D&G boys went back to their beloved Sicily with a vengeance that only a mobster could appreciate. They said they were inspired by the mosaics in the churches, but seriously, you didn’t have to read a brief to figure that out. They have been down this road so many times,  they have worn out the asphalt with the wagon wheels. Seriously, this look sums up about 60% of the collection. Over time, the prints and images became cloying and repetitive. Yes they were beautifully made, but who wants to walk around town wearing a midi length saint on her body?

Did you know that the house of Fendi was founded by an amateur entomologist? That’s a total lie, but you’d never know it because Karl Lagerfeld sent this furry caterpillar down the runway for fall. Eventually, this coat will morph into a beautiful butterfly, but I guess we’ll have to wait until spring for that to happen.

This kills me. The house of the late designer Gianfranco Ferre was founded on his skills as a master tailor of white shirts. He made dozens of them each season with a beauty that always followed the shape and grace of a woman’s body. Apparently the new design team never got that memo and is now designing giant, white, unflattering blobs that look like Casper the ghost crash landed on the model’s chest.

Just Cavalli. Please, just stop! My God! This outfit is more confusing than assembly instructions from Ikea. At least there is a hotline for help at Ikea. This look just sort of leaves you hanging… like an unfinished symphony… of crap.

And once again, Donatella Versace proves she is out of touch with reality and has no clue what a woman needs to wear for fall. If I ever saw a woman walking down the street in this ensemble, I would: A – marvel at the fact that she can afford head to toe Versace, B – laugh hysterically and C – oh who am I kidding? I’d have passed out from laughing hysterically and need immediate medical attention.

If Blumarine had just left off the pants, this look might have been passable. But noooooooo, they just had to go there and ruin it for everyone! Let’s really read the description of those pants. Are you ready? Printed, peach and white, horizontal awning stripe, fitted capris. Seriously. On a runway… in Milan… by a venerable house that has been in business for like 20 years. Yeah…

OK, that’s it for Italy; up next, Paris.

Oh and my studio is shaping up nicely, so I should be back in the sewing groove soon enough.

G

London Fashion Week: Fall 2013 Good and Bad

London fashion week is now a thing of the past, so by royal decree, I present the best and worst of the British designers.

I’m doing this in one post because London fashion “week” is actually just four days and there aren’t that many shows to see.

Comments follow the pictures.

THE BAD

Once again, designers prove that hideous, unflattering clothes are perfect for the runway! Here you see Emilia Wickstead’s plaid-tastrophe sauntering down the catwalk in front of a less than amused audience.

 

Again with the topiary dresses! Seriously, she looks like she woke up on the lawn, naked and drunk, then wrapped herself in the ‘welcome’ mat so she wouldn’t get arrested walking home! Thanks John Rocha.

 

By the looks of it, Kinder Aggugini is no stranger to the ‘shrooms. In fact I’d say there were LOTS of ‘shrooms used to help design this little number.

KTZ. So that’s what happened to Carmen Sandiego! I always wondered…

Mark Fast has you covered for those times you need to do some light dusting on the way to a pool party.

If you look carefully at the model’s face, you can actually see her soul being sucked away by this turd of an outfit. This entire collection was a let-down. The design team of Meadham Kirchoff usually inject a lot of life into the season, but this look proves that someone was asleep at the wheel.

Pringel of Scotland. You know, for those times you want to wear the mini blinds to the office.

THE GOOD

Normally I shy away from bold prints like this. They are typically too difficult to wear and can easily overpower any accessories, but these two looks from Duro Olowu work for me, for some unknown reason. The cape is a bit theatrical, but then again, most good capes are. I think it’s the black satin that helps ground these looks.

Giles Deacon is hit or miss every season and this collection was no exception. Amidst the flotsam and jetsam of his usual handiwork came this striking ensemble. The simplicity of the skirt paired with the intricacy of the laser-cut, gold bodice pair beautifully together.

Mary Katrantzou has made her career on digital prints– REALLY bright and garish digital prints. This season however, she dialed back the dramatic colors and focused on a cleaner, grayscale coloration. This look exemplifies her new aesthetic by combining her pension for intricate shapes and prints with the ease and simplicity of a black T-shirt. This is accessible opulence.

Temperly London. Like New York, there were a lot of obviously practical collections that just didn’t stand out. When combing through the pictures, I found that this simple, yet elegant cocktail dress kept staring back at me. The cut and embellishment are just interesting enough so that a clean white dress becomes a standout in a sea of monotony.

 I love Vivenne Westwood simply because she makes clothes the way she wants to. This suit from her Red Label is quintessential Westwood in that when worn, it looks slightly off, as if moving on the body in a way that suggests it has a life of its own. The tailoring is sharp and the color is enough to make a statement in a boardroom of gray pinstripes.

OK, Milan is next, but it’s going to take a while to sort through those collections.

G

NY Fashion week, Fall 2013 Ready to Wear: The Good

Like I said, the New York collections were all about practicality. It’s difficult for me to get excited about a cashmere sweater and a pair of khakis, so the good list is rather short. There were some beautiful, albeit safe collections, but I’d have to start a new blog just to show you all of the camel coats.

There were a handful of nice things that did catch my eye though. I try to explain why I like them, but honestly, these looks just made me smile.

Comments follow the pictures.

 

Marc Jacobs can be hit or miss from season to season; in fact, this season was one of the simplest and most straightforward outings he’s ever had. There were several basic shapes and cuts, but this dress caught my eye for its ease, simplicity and clean decoration. The sleeve length, neckline and sweep of the hem pull this dress together perfectly on the model. This dress will be difficult to keep on the racks at Neimans.

Thom Browne is New York’s showman. For his women’s ready to wear, he typically pushes the envelope beyond the limit. I really liked this collection except for the fact that the flat look from the shoulder has been done to death by other houses. There were a few exceptions though, like this look. The styling is over-the-top, but the clean fabric composition and beautiful tailoring makes this a nice example of how “outré” can be just this side of wearable.

Vivienne Tam has made her name on an east meets west mélange of cuts and shapes. It is a difficult line to straddle when you’re constantly force fed Asian accouterments  but Tam knows how to balance it perfectly. This offering takes a traditional Chinese character and turns it into a graphic element that gives a simple dress an unexpected delivery and modernity.

Anna Sui is the fashion historian of the New York set. She tends to air on the side of rock and roll, but always with a whimsy and youthfulness that feels fresh. The bright tights and bold use of electric blue binding hearken back to her beginnings without making a retrospective move. This is a look that makes a statement without having to say a word.

It’s going to be difficult to top Oscar De La Renta on evening wear. I am always in awe of designers who can turn something like a sleeveless top and a wrap skirt into a sophisticated, yet effortless statement. The violet belt and black shoes are styled perfectly with the turquoise satin. Oh to have an event to go to in this outfit!

 OK, We have London, Milan and Paris left AND I promise that I will start to get up some projects as soon as I get my studio unpacked.

G

NY Fashion week, Fall 2013 Ready to Wear: The Bad

New York designers make salable clothes. I don’t blame them. It’s their job. I personally prefer a more dramatic flair on the runway, but let’s not ask for the moon.

For the most part, The NY runways are filled with the same old, boring blazers and trousers that get paraded out, season after season. However, a few designers do try to get creative with their collections. There are some shining stars (that I will point out in the next post) but for now, let’s stare agog at the steaming pile of WTF that the city that never sleeps has dished out for Fall 2013 ready to wear.

Comments follow pictures.

It’s like a pilgrim and a hippie got drunk one night and decided to have a baby.

Only it wasn’t a baby, it was this turd of a dress by Rodarte.

Could we all get together and buy Prabal Gurung some more fabric to finish his dress?

He had to make this work with the scraps left on the cutting room floor.

So sad.

Thanks to Jeremy Scott, somewhere out in the world is a very cold, fur-less Muppet.

The Elder Statesman

(yes, that is the name of the label. No, really.)

So let me get this straight. The photographer was told to make the models look like they are being held hostage wearing their older sister’s parochial school uniform from the 80′s?

Oh dear.

Michael Kors, please stop designing evening wear.

You suck at it. Really, really, suck at it.

Oh Carolina Herrera, your usual flair for whimsical evening wear really backfired this time.

Like, a terribly loud backfire… that frightened cattle into a stampede.

Seriously, who wants to look like a Victorian librarian wearing a visual illustration of a virus?

Dear house of Honor, WTF is this supposed to be?

I’ve stared at it so long, my eyes started to bleed and I STILL can’t figure it out.

Is she supposed to be a prisoner at a heart shaped emerald mine?

I await your answer.

G

New classes this Fall

WOOHOO! I got my approved proposals to teach at the 2013 International Quilt Festival!

This year I’ll be teaching:

Wednesday, October 30^th: Shiny Hand-Embroidered Embellishments. In this class, you’ll be learning a few techniques to add sparkle to your clothing or quilting projects.

Thursday, October 31^st: Dimensional Sequin Flowers, (Mixed-Media Miscellany). This is an open room even where you go from table to table learning a quick embellishment technique. These dimensional flowers are super easy and add a drop of sparkle to any project.

Friday, November 1^st: Fascinating Fascinator Hats. In this class you’ll be learning how to make a small fascinator hat that can be embellished in a number of ways. You’ll build a hat from the foundation up. These can translate from simple day hats to ornate wedding veils.

I’ll be posting tons of pictures of finished projects the closer the classes get.

G

ShowStudio

Nick Knight’s website, ShowStudio, has an archive of downloadable patterns from notable designers that you can print out at home. There are garments from Anthony Price, Yohji Yamamoto, Junya Watanabe, John Galliano and others. There are never instructions, but there is a visual reference in the form of a finished product. Some of the garments are very complicated, but half the fun of learning is working through the challenges.

There is a new pattern up now for a Giles Deacon dress: HERE 

They are also running a contest of sorts to see if your dress can be in a fashion film on the site. It sounds like an interesting challenge.

G

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show

WOO HOO!

My piece, Composition, has been accepted into the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show!

You can find out more about the show here: QUILT SHOW INFO

This is the first time I have entered this show, so I’ll let you know how it goes.

G