Haider Ackermann Spring Summer 2012 Review

 Oh how deshabille, how French, so Fifth Arrondissement. No! just sloppy lesbian clothes

I don’t like Haider Ackermann. I can understand why people like his work but I think he’s overrated. His  spring summer show opened with tailored day suits in silk. So practical. He draped one side of a jacket, elongating the lapel and then tucked the other side into the pants. They were a nice, un-fussy opening but then he got carried away with his draping and yeah it’s his thing, I get that, but whatever. Meh.
The problem with Haider Ackermann is that his clothes aren’t extremely avant garde so it’s considered just ready to wear but it’s too avant garde for 'normal' people to buy. I don’t think that makes a lot of sense. Actually, Lady Gaga wearing one of his dresses on the cover of Vogue is the perfect summation of his work. Slightly avant garde to suit Lady Gaga but wearable enough for Vogue.

Me Gusta

Above: Celine. Georjizz

Oh Katie, stop

Above: Comme Des Garcons. There was even some bewb in this show! Above CDG is Viktor & Rolf. 

Above: Soft painterly Cacharel. Above Cacharel is Carven. 

Hola! (that's Spanish for hello)

Well fashion week is coming to an end and on Wednesday I'm taking off to South America for 3 weeks. I don't believe I'll be blogging in that time. I think I'll just be a bloated disgusting tourist experiencing the rich culture of Argentina, eating steak and drinking way too much wine.

Unfortunately I don't have time to riff on all the collections from Paris so far. It's been quite a week. Not an article goes by without someone mentioning Galliano or how orgasmic Haider Ackermann is. I have a feeling he may be the chosen one to helm Dior.
Christophe Decarnin has a major case of the sads and wasn't at Balmain, though you wouldn't know it by looking at the clothes. Same old pants, t-shirt, jacket combo. I actually liked it, the ikat details.

There's also been whispers that Hannah Macgibbon may be out at Chloe. Now that would not surprise me. Some people dig her quietly glamorous clothes but I find them a little too quiet. A little too vacant and neither here nor there.

Phoebe Philo makes my panties ping yet again. I know some of you guys are like fuck minimalism but I just can't help myself. The leather, the chiffon, the rough fabrics, the new doctor's bag. She's so talented and knows exactly what she wants.

 Cedric Charlier at Cacharel just gets better with each season. For fall there was plenty of layering and expert colours. I love this collection very much. Sorely underrated.

Also, Carven, amazeballs.

Waaah, I wanna stay up all night and write reviews.

So what do I think after 4 weeks of New York, London, Milan and Paris?

Heather Mooney? Is That You?

Karl Lagerfeld had this to say about retirement…

“I have a contract for life so it all depends on who I would like to hand it to. At the moment I’d say Haider Ackermann.”

Emphasis on atm. I love Lagerfeld but homegirl is old. I watched the Lagerfeld documentary and he’s blind! He was reading something and was holding it up to his face, like right against his face. It was like something right out of Absolutely Fabulous.
Today it might be Ackermann but tomorrow it could be Baptiste Giabiconi.

Jump to 1:40. Hilarity. 

Ackermann’s response?

"What can one possibly say to such a phrase?! Such a compliment! Honored I feel, how can one not be?! In all honesty tremendously, immensely touched especially coming from Monsieur Lagerfeld."

Gayest response ever right?

He later said "I think Mr. Lagerfeld said something that was a really nice compliment. But I think people should take it as he took it: a compliment. No more, no less.”

In other words, he called Lagerfeld immediately to thank him and Lagerfeld was all wer? Quoi?

With so many talented designers out there is Ackermann right for the job? Chanel ticks so many boxes that make the brand so successful and I’m sure they’d like to keep it that way when Lagerfeld sashays off to heaven. They’re one of the top luxury fashion brands in the world with a slew of house signatures that are instantly recognized as Chanel, even if they’re not the real deal.

Oh hey Court, is that Chanel? Didn't think so

Tweed, chains, the camellia flower, 2-tone shoes, quilting, No. 5. The list goes on and most of them are distinctively Chanel. No other house comes even close to such brand awareness. And then they have the star designer. Lagerfeld. Outspoken, flamboyant (that’s journalist-speak for total fag) and has an anecdote for every strand of his grey pomp.
He’s such an integral part of Chanel that the house will undoubtedly change when he is gone. The house will go on but Lagerfeld’s void will be felt and no one will have the impact he’s had. I don’t question Ackermann’s abilities (his Spring 2011 collection of jewel tone mullet dresses was tres swell) but his personality may not suit the brand. But what the fuck do I know. I used to think corduroy cargo pants were a legitimate daywear option.


Here’s my list of who should take over when Lagerfeld retires/dies.

Luella-Not only is Luella unemployed (fashion design-wise anyway. Sadly her label has shuttered so she’s wide open) but she had an amazing Spring 2009 collection that was like a young frisky Chanel girl after doing a line of blow and eating a scone. It was yummy.

Rei Kawakubo- Can you even imagine? I didn’t think so.

Alber Elbaz- He ticks every box. He’s distinctive looking, apparently a screaming diva if things aren’t done his way (yes, that’s a box that needs to be ticked). Oh, and incredibly talented.

Chloe, let go of the talented designer you hipster freak

Should bequeath his job to a bunch of cats like all crazy old people do.

Here’s my list of people that if they got the job, I’d die a little inside.

Marc Jacobs. I would die A LOT inside if Marc Jacobs did Chanel.

Dolce and Gabbana. Greasy Italian tax evaders who haven’t done a great collection in forever. And Gabbana dissed Stella McCartney over Twitter. Mee-owwww

Fabio Viscovo: I LOVE Stella McCartney!
Stefano Gabbana: who ??????
Fabio Viscovo: ahahaha! You don’t like Stella McCartney?!
Stefano Gabbana: Who ????? The daughter of the singer ?????
Fabio Viscovo: Yeeees! Stella McCartney, the designer !!!!!
Fabio Viscovo: Stefanoooooooo, please !!!!! You don’t know Stella’s a stylist ?????
Stefano Gabbana: What’s she known for?? What’s her specialty??
Stefano Gabbana: What sort of style does she do? What’s so special about it??
Fabio Viscovo: She makes a lot of minimalist sequined dresses… … .. they’re really feminine. They’re perfect for a nude look!
Fabio Viscovo: Come on! You’ve just got to have seen them! And although she’s really famous … she’s still an upcoming designer!
Stefano Gabbana: Yeah, she’s upcoming after 15 years doing nothing!! Hahahaha
Stefano Gabbana: Aaaaaaa …… I see you appreciate nonentities!! Bravo!

Henry Holland. Embroidered tweed slogan t-shirts? When hell freezes over Miguel Androver.

Anna Sui. That would actually be hilarious but then quickly become tragic.

So I wanna do this like, prairie patchwork skirt right? You feel me?

Raf Simons. Chanel? Minimal? It didn’t work in the 90’s so why bother. You stay at Jil Sander Mr Simons. You stay.

it looks like a ball sack

                                                    

 I am not amused

HAIDER ACKERMANN SPRING 2010

I’m not sure what it is that’s so appealing about Haider Ackermann’s work. I find it a little dull. Perhaps it’s work that needs to be viewed up close and worn because apparently his jackets have an amazing cut and fit. His spring collection had an air of a well-traveled woman ready to weather a dust storm. There were some nice leather jackets with epaulettes and military pockets on the front. This theme extended to silk cargo pants but it didn’t work as well and looked dated. A neat little crinkled jacket with epaulettes looked modern as did the dresses that were cut short at the front and long at the back (the mullet of dresses?).
His work has a romanticism and sensuality in his work like that of Olivier Theyskens and Alber Elbaz of Lanvin. Maybe that’s the appeal.