Showing posts with label Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye. Show all posts

It’s all about direction babes

Babes is my new ironic word du jour but I use it way too often that people think that I’m for real using it. Not
so babes. I like to use it when I’m feeling like a trash bag so if you compare the frequency of it’s use
to how trashy I’m feeling then I must be pure trash baggery 90% of the time.
The spring 2012 shows are soon and I’m excited. In the lead up it’s quite a good time to log on to Style.com or Vogue and look over the winter collections but I feel like I’ve been seeing them for months now. Like the Prada collection which I’m soooo over. If I have to see another shaggy plastic fish scale coat I’ll just.. I don’t know. I’ll probably just cross my arms and make a displeased hrmph sound. I didn’t hate that collection but Prada always get so much magazine coverage that the clothes become grating. And those stupid fucking hats. Infuriating. I dunno, that collection is everywhere at the moment and it doesn't deserve the coverage it’s getting unlike their last spring show which was amazeballs.

Here's my round up of what I'm looking out for at this seasons shows...

Balmain-Olivier Rousteing
Since Christophe Decarnin left the house due to health reasons Olivier Rousteing is now the head designer. I’d like to think that he’ll forge a new direction for the house but I don’t think it’s gonna happen. I mean, where will Emanuelle Alt get her pants from? Certainly not Balenciaga.
Left: Olivier Rousteing. Hnnng. Right: Carine Roitfeld and Emmanuelle Alt in zebra print Balmain skinnys. 


Sophmore Mugler show
As head creative director, Nicola Formichetti admitted he’s not a designer but I have a feeling he believes this gives him an edge and a freedom that trained designers don’t have. There’s no doubt that he’s talented and perhaps he’ll bring Mugler to a new, much younger audience (with a little help from Lady Gaga of course) but what he's doing isn't fashion, nor does it have to be. Mugler is a different animal now and is more of a product than it used to be under the creative direction of Thierry Mugler. Instead of feathered dresses and motorcycle bodices it’s mesh tops and mint flares (which I’ve commented on before. Le meow). Sure I think the new direction is disappointing but at the same time what the house stood for is mostly forgotten and most consumers have little knowledge of what Mugler was like (except for people I guess who went to fashion shows in the 80’s. How amazing right?).
     From this............................................................................to this. Yeah, it's $6000. Get yours now.


Chloé-ClareWaight-Keller
So Chloé threw out Hannah Macgibbon after a few seasons and brought in Clare Waight-Keller. CWK was at Pringle of Scotland which is a nice enough label but Chloé has a cool factor that Pringle doesn’t so presumably CWK jumped at the opportunity. I’m guessing Chloé CEO Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye wants to bring the brand back into the fold because it’s slipped since Phoebe Philo’s departure. Though Macgibbon produced some great stuff it never reached the realms of say, the Paddington bag or the knockout dresses Philo designed.
What's with these black and white studio portraits of designers? 


Dior-Bill Gaytten.
More fun? More clowns? After Gaytten’s Miami movement train wreck I don’t know where it’s going to go. I’m kind of hoping for more train wreckage because it’s highly entertaining. And it throws into sharp relief how talented Galliano is and what he was capable of doing (even when he was apparently high and drunk).
Galliano always talked about how the couture shows informed the ready to wear collections. Certain shapes or colours would spill over from couture to ready to wear. I always got the impression that he used this as a defense for couture. Something to ensure its relevancy. I wonder if Gaytten will do the same.
Tootle. Exactly as I remember it

Just How bad was Hannah Macgibbon’s last collection?


Hannah Macgibbon, head designer of Chloé has just had her contract renewed...for one more season. Chloé CEO Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye said “Hannah is still with us, that’s all I can say.” That’s all you can say! Mee-ow Geoffroy (if that is indeed your real name). ‘That’s all I can say’ translates to oh em gee you guiz. Like, ginorm goss but I totes can’t tell you. I’m surprised Macgibbon hasn’t released a bitchy retort because Geoffroy is sassing her good n proper.
Geoffroy-claws out diva and CEO of Chloe
Above: Hannah Macgibbon. Hay gurl

So I’ve decided to do an exhaustive look by look review, weigh up each look as good, bad and I dunno. Then I’ll add them up and see what happens. I’ll be the one making decisions from here on in so step aside Bourdonnaye.



LOOK 1
Nice pant/top combo. A little meh for an opening look but okay.


LOOK 2
This is better. What are those? Dungarees? If they were denim we could’ve had a Babysitter’s Club moment. Let’s have one anyway shall we?
Boy crazy? How bout crazy for statutory rape? Inappropriate!

LOOK 3
Snakeskin coat. Better than Prada’s take but still a bit iffy.

LOOK 4
A mint sleeve insert? Brown leather cuffs? Yes please.


LOOK 5
The pants are nice. Very Céline. But that’s probs a bad thing. The chunky knit sweater is too Michael Kors so that’s definitely a bad thing.



LOOK 6
Leather tracksuit. I could jog then have beers at a leather bar. Who’ll join me?


LOOK 7
Printed snakeskin top with trousers. Meh. It’s kinda cool.


LOOK 8
Hannah! No! You’re doing it wrong.


LOOK 9
Snakeskin printed silk chiffon. Yes. This is the DNA of Chloé.


LOOK 10
I’m so torn after bagging those mint Mugler flares on Gaga in ID. I like this look I just don’t like mint flares.



LOOK 11
Brown suede for fall? Brenda Walsh has already spoken about this.


LOOK 12
Yes to this top. No to the skirt. This is what’s wrong with Chloé.


LOOK 13
Yawn. Too Gap


LOOK 14
I'll Let Zach Morris take this one


LOOK 15
Okay this is an interesting piece, the poncho. It was a collaboration with Dr Noki, a sustainable fashion designer. Pff, sustainable. Who ever heard of such a thing?
It’s, I don’t know. Ugly hot? Like Andy Samberg.


Oh Andy, you can cry in my lap any day


LOOK 16
Uggh, now the Gap khakis are working with the knit top. Of all the unreliable fashion sources out there I’m honoured that you choose me. I’m tearing up you guiz.


LOOK 17
Slouchy, tom-boyish.


LOOK 18
Moar snakeskinnnnnn


LOOK 19
No to that skirt and no (but secretly yes) to those clogs that I wish were made of foam for the sole with an elastic strap. 90’s lesbian chic.


Above: Pussy magnets

LOOK 20
Mustard and denim. Yes.



LOOK 21
Meh. And is this just too Céline or is Céline just too Chloé? I got ma Macgibbon on ma Philo.



LOOK 22
 A suede bodybag. Run Daphne.


LOOK 23
No


LOOK 24
No


LOOK 25
Why did this skirt length work in New York for so many designers yet here with the suspenders it’s just so unflattering.



LOOK 26
No



LOOK 27
Jumbo dolly dress.


LOOK 28
Yes. Hit the nail. So French. So au courant non? 


LOOK 29
I’m not convinced by this dark chocolate romper. Why is it cuffed like that?



LOOK 30
No


LOOK 31
This is too 70’s. There’s nothing modern about it.


LOOK 32
 A macramé leather bib? I mean, what? No, you just....why????



Well the official results are in and the pie chart says it all really. 

Major issues- The silhouette. Totally get what she’s going for but it doesn’t work. You want trousers cut with ease then see YSL fall 2008. Exquisite.
YSL Fall 08
Too 70’s. It doesn’t have to be 70’s to be Chloé. Though Stella and Phoebe both had their 70’s moments as head designer they still pushed forward and made it relevant. 

Have management told her to simplify and be more like Céline? I think so. Because of this a lot of pieces just don’t feel special. They look a little too run of the mill. 

I don’t think things are going to end well. I think critics, buyers, customers and her boss have already made up their minds. I don’t think she’s gonna pull a rabbit out of her hat for the next collection. In fact I think her boss is just biding time to find a replacement. They just recently hired Laure De Sade (former assistant at Isabel Marant) to do the See By Chloé diffusion line. 



Above: Hannah Macgibbon recently seen outside a Job Centre in Milton Keynes.