Viktor and Rolf SS 2012 Review

 Okay ladies, srsly, look at that dress on the far left. How do you piece that together so seamlessly? Viktor and Rolf are witches. 

Viktor and Rolf chose dolls clothes as the inspiration for their latest collection. It worked well with their interests in proportion and shape despite being a little poorly received by critics.
Though it wasn’t their most avant garde collection there was a ton of stuff that was on-trend but still had that VnR touch without making them look like a bore. The wide, Barbie doll-sized belts were also at Céline and the brocade swirls were at Stella McCartney too. Some very simple cut A-line high-waisted skirts and dresses were like those at Miu Miu and the mid-riff exposing crop tops, well they showed up in a number of collections too. Whether or not crop tops will make a comeback is up to you.

There were a series of outfits that had cut-outs of baroque swirls. I cannot fathom how this was done because the construction is flawless. There’s not a single spot of puckering seam edges which can be quite common in this type of work but for Viktor and Rolf? Nothing. I can only presume these were laser cut but still, to piece these together with mesh inserts seamlessly is unreal. It honestly blew me away.

Alexander Wang Spring Summer 2012

My soundbite for Wang’s show: tough sport bitch. The collection could’ve been overwhelmed by sports references but Wang held back and not a single pair of sunglasses were in the show. And this is what made it such a level-headed and very smartly edited collection. The shoes. Flawless. Everyone (me) is talking about the bags. They were like a fancy leather papoose for golf clubs. The cropped cycle jacket on Frankie Rayder was cool. I wasn’t fond of the print but I’m all about the mid riff and Spanx so it’s a win. The floral cargo pants were iffy as were their white zipped sibling dresses but as separates they will work.

*sing* Under da sea

The resort collections for 2012 have been quite hilarious. It's like, okay we get it, it's summer so we should be at the beach but whaddya want me to do, wear scuba gear? Fuck yes say a dick-load of designers. 

Ursula. Clearly excited by resort 2012

The whole time I was shopping these images I had that crab Sebastian from The Little Mermaid singing Under The Sea stuck in my head.

 

Under the seeeeeea

Under the seeeeeeea

Under the sea something you and me under the sea

I'm certain those are the lyrics. Ariel would be proud. 

First up...McQ, the Alexander McQueen diffusion line

Alexander Wangs urban sporty swimwear awesomeness

And Stefano Pilati did rope printed skirts and anchor charms. You want these clothes? Well stay away from the buffet when your on that cruise ship yo. 

GET INSPIRED

Boot by Jil Sander. Bag by Alexander McQueen. Would you just look at that little skull nesting in fur! So cute. 

Long flowy coaty shit is best for next fall or if you're like me and live in the Southern hemisphere it's best for right now. From top left: Theyskens Theory, Antonio Berardi, Gucci, Gareth Pugh, Alexander Wang, Doo Ri. 

Camilla Skovgaard. I diiiie

Creepy 40's flesh boot by Prada. Weiiiird. And glittery, suede bootie from Miu Miu. Coooool.

Candied Wang

Woolly jumper with marshmallow twirl sleeves. Om nom.

I enjoy the humour in his work. I may have said that before. The shoes with the metallic leather flaps at the back looked like mud-guards. I mean, what the fudge? They’re pointless but I want them. Also pointless? Those fur sunglasses. Yes fur sunglasses. In the same sentence. Like amaze and bomb in the same sentence, they shouldn’t go together but they do.

The needle punched fabrics were interesting. I haven’t seen this type of fabric technique since Prada’s fall 2007. It gives an eerily organic look to the clothes like they’ve been genetically mutated and fused together.

Above: Prada fall 2007 collection featured mad bitch fabrics such as needle punching and treated mohair

Esteban Cortazar x Exito

Esteban Cortazar has linked up with Colombian retail giant Exito and designed a capsule collection.
Estaban was last designing for Emanuel Ungaro but left amid reports he was forced to team up with Lindsay Lohan who would ‘consult’ for the brand, whatever that means. Cortazar quit and Estrella Archs tag-teamed with Lohan and that’s how pasties were, like invented.
The collection looks great but is derivative of Alexander Wang (the sweats, the hoodies, the tanks), Proenza Schouler (the high-waisted skirts) and even a bit of Helmut Lang.
I know that A Wang didn’t pioneer the tank top and PS the high-waisted skirt but Wang in particular really ‘owns’ these looks wouldn’t you say?
I never liked what he did at Ungaro and this is such a great departure from that and much more reflective of his 26 years of age.

Btw, where did Hanne Gaby Odiele come by such a giant forehead? I feel like we’re related.

Alexander Wang Fall 2010 Review

My first thoughts of this colection weren't good. I didn't know what to write so I left it for a day, mulled over it and took another look tonight. I still don't like it. The prblem is I struggled to find pieces or looks that leapt off the screen and you shouldn't always have to do that. The collection prominently featured a 90's office-wear theme with poorly reconstructed and re-worked charcoal pinstriped pants and jackets. It was somewhere between Clueless and Delia Deetz, the highly-strung mother from Beetlejuice.

Above: Delia Deetz. When I google-imaged this hot slut I came across a fascinating article about the costumes from Beetlejuice. All of Catherine O'Hara's outfits were off the rack Issey Miyake, Comme Des Garcons & Mitsuhiro Matsuda. Srsly, click here for the article, it's really good.

There were cute, if not dull black shorts paired with criss-cross tops which we saw at Prada for spring. You can hardly accuse him of stealing but it's unfortunate that such a prominent look was featured on someone else's runway so recently.

Above: Prada Spring 10, hay gurl haaay

The collection then moved through to somesubtle goth touches of bloody velvet tops and black lace shirts. Funnily he used chenille for leggings and tops. Though this isn't his best work I still like that he has a sense of humour to his work, something not seen since Marc Jacobs.

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK IS OVER

My head is still spinning from all the collections I've seen this past week but there's barely time to breathe. London is already kicking and screaming.
I had a quick look on the official LFW website and I think I saw Bora Aksu has already shown so I've gotta look at that.
I saw Jeremy Scott is on the schedule too. Apparently he's going to be showing this collection in New Zealand for fashion week and none other than Vivienne Westwood's muse, Pamela Anderson will be there.

I think the Spring shows were the strongest I've seen in New York lately. The last two seasons were blaaah.

My faves for New York were Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang and Karen Walker.

Worst collections? That's tough and most would be for different reasons but off the top of my head Peter Som (but maybe I just don't get his vision), Narciso Rodriguez, Halston (just let the man rest in peace) and Ralph Lauren.

ps, here's a pic of my fave shoe of the season. It's Calvin Klein. It kinda reminds me of this hideous orthopaedic shoe my maths teacher used to wear. You know, the ones you buy from the pharmacy. I love them.