Monday, December 31, 2012

2012's Best Fashion Moments

Tis the season for lists! I can honestly say I've spent hours on my computer reading the lists people have compiled for this year. From best books to funniest moments, its interesting to see if you agree or disagree. But to me I can't stop thinking about what a year its been for fashion. With massive trends hitting the runways and streets, the world has seen an array of fashion taken to a new level. Now this isn't to say its been a perfect year (way over the peplum). But lets take a look at 10 moments I think are worth noting and remembering for the year:

Gold Rush at 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony
The 2012 summer Olympics were a HUGE success for London. With all eyes on England, there were some major fashion trends that came straight from the country. But during the closing ceremony I could not wait to see the most well known models walk through the stadium in gorgeous, gold ensembles designed by British designers. 
What they wore: 
Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell were both in Alexander McQueen; Lily Donaldson wore Vivienne Westwood; Lily Cole wore Erdem; Stella Tennant wore a Christopher Kane suit; Karen Elson wore Burberry; Georgia May Jagger wore Victoria Beckham; Jourdan Dunn wore Jonathan Saunders; David Gaudy wore Paul Smith
Click HERE to view their September issue spread in British Vogue
 
Diane Kruger at the Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival is my favorite event of the year (next to the Met Gala) to see what the rich & famous bring to the table in regards to fashion. Diane Kruger, the german actress, has always been one of my fashion inspirations but she took it to the next level during the film festival in 2012. In the picture above she wore a beautiful Giambattista Valli dress but throughout the week she wore show-stopping ensembles down the red carpet including big names like Chanel, Balmain, Dior, Versus, and Vivienne Westwood. 
To see more of my favorite looks from the Cannes Film Festival this year click HERE

Burberry's Autumn/Winter 2012 Runway Show in February
My obsession with Burberry in general is probably unhealthy but when I was watching the show during London Fashion Week (online of course) I was stunned by the show in its entirety. Christopher Bailey is simply a genius between the clothes and the creativity for the actual show. He merged the worlds of country and city and created a magnificent line. About 15 minutes into the show a "thunderstorm" was created and the finale started with all the models carrying umbrellas as it flurried fake rain (while playing one of my favorite songs the Cinematic Orchestra - To Build a Home)!  
Click HERE to see the full show from my post on February 20th!
  
Raf Simons Named as the Next Couturier for Christian Dior
After 13 months of no official creative director, Raf Simons was finally given the title in April this year. Previously Simons was the creative director for Jill Sander where he brought minimalism and futuristic elements to the clothing. When giving him his new title the hope was to continue the elegance of Dior but to give it his modernistic twist. During Paris Fashion Week in September he did better than expected revolutionizing the brand for the better. 

Cara Delevingne Winning Model of the Year at the BFA's
If you read my blog you should know by now the obsession I have with Cara. It started with her Burberry Campaign ad for Spring 2012 with Eddie Redmayne. Ever since I have loved following her crazy life through pictures and shows. However, after she won model of the year during the British Fashion Awards I realized the impact she has had on the modeling/fashion world as a whole. With her crazy personality and her openness to sharing her personal life she has shown another side to modeling. Not only do you see pictures of her eating McDonalds but you get to see the fun side of being a supermodel which isn't the image the world has seen the past couple years. So thank you Cara for making me want to be just like you (good luck to me)!

Stella McCartney's London Fashion Week Performance
When I heard that there was a mini dance performance at Stella McCartney's Presentation Dinner I was beyond jealous I wasn't there to see it in person. But when watching it online it was a joy to see people like Shalom Harlow, Amber Valletta, and Yasmin Le Bon dancing on tables and chairs in front of fashion's finest. It was a dinner to show off McCartney's evening capsule collection and it was definitely one that will be remembered for years to come.

Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen Winning Womenswear Designer of the Year at the CFDA's
Being a 90's kid I grew up watching Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen on TV and in films. So the moment I found out they won Womenswear Designer of the Year award at the CFDA's I couldn't be happier. Seeing them grow and develop their brands has been a joy to follow and considering the honor this award is in the fashion world this is definitely a year they will remember. Now on Forbes Top 30 Under 30 they are considered the top competitors in the world for fashion and arts. (and now I'm in the mood to watch Getting There... yes, its on netflix!)

Angelina Jolie at the Oscars in Versace 
No it wasn't the dress the necessarily got the attention... it was all about the leg. It was the most tweeted about topic the night of the Oscars in February, it even received its own twitter name @AngiesRightLeg. The high slit in the dress made this beautiful black velvet gown by Versace very memorable. I do also believe this started a trend, I started seeing a lot more high waisted skirts with long slits along one of the legs. So Angelina, even though you got quite the banter about the leg, you sure did look gorgeous with just the right amount of sex appeal.

This year certainly has been crazy but it makes me all the more excited to see what is to come in 2013. Although there were certainly many more fabulous fashion moments this year  these are some of the few I will definitely remember for years to come! Happy New Years Eve everybody, enjoy your last moments in 2012 before rushing into the new year!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

What's Trending for Pre-Fall 2013?

So I pretty much have been M.I.A this past month. Basically sickness and exams took over my life but that doesn't mean I haven't been looking into these new collections. 
Overall, these collections have been a great follow-up to Spring 2013. With a lot of moody palettes and awesome prints there has been a lot of personality to them. 
While looking through the collections I did notice a handful of designers used the conservative pencil skirt. I have always been a fan of the pencil skirt when it is worn in the right way (the tight short pencil skirt isn't so attractive for work ladies). With the length hitting below the knee, it is perfect for colder weather when approaching fall/winter. Also you can see in the Prabal Gurung, the high waist to shin length skirt really elongates the figure. I'd have to say the conservative skirt suit has never looked so appealing till now.
 Tory Burch 
 J. Mendel 
Bottega Veneta 
 Gucci
 Prabal Gurung (One of my favorite pre-fall 13 collections!)
Dsquared2

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Rihanna Inspired November Outfit

Where I live its not too cold and not too hot. So this always leaves me with the same question when I step inside my closet to get dressed; what the hell do I wear? Whether its going out to dinner or going out for a couple drinks I want to be appropriately dressed for the weather.  I put this outfit together based on one of my favorite fashion idols, the one and only Rihanna. I love her sexy, edgy look and I think it's a perfect for a fall look. Bustier tops have been in for a while but adding a good pair of leather trousers makes the outfit all the more trendy. A covered heel with a peep toe add to the edgy style and give into the weather. When it comes to accessories add some fun colors; you can never go wrong with a playful lip and nail color. 
1. Roccoco Lace Bralet from Topshop - $50
2. High Rise Leather Pants By Malene Birger (can be found on net-a-porter.com) - $895
3. Studded Suede Clutch from Topshop - $76
4. Cleopatra in New York by Deborah Lippmann (limited editon) - $18
5. Yves Saint Laurent 31 Rose Fusian - $32
6. GRAPHITE Peep Toe Heel from Topshop - $130

Monday, November 5, 2012

Nicolas Ghesquiere Departing Balenciaga

In 1997 Nicolas Ghesquiere was hired as Balenciaga's creative director after predecessor Josephus Thimister was fired after a highly unsuccessful show. Ghesquiere took the company by storm and made Balenciaga once again a top fashion house. The first collection for spring/summer 1998 Ghesquiere took it back to Cristobal Balenciaga's legacy with gorgeous silhouettes and elegance. However, it wasn't till February 2001 where people really took notice of his collection for autumn/winter 2001. The Paris flagship store was unable to meet the demands of the customers that gathered daily for his collection. In 2001 he won the Womenswear Designer of the Year by the CFDA only after 4 years of being the creative director.
With his well-known pencil thin trouser cut and his signature blouson jacket Balenciaga's legacy was brought to a whole new level. I still can't wait for the day when I can own one of his motorcycle-inspired purses! To celebrate his departure come November 30th, here is a look through the runways of Nicolas Ghesquiere's growth through Balenciaga's name.

Ghesquiere's first collection: Spring/Summer 1998
Autumn/Winter collection 2001
Spring/Summer 2003
Fall/Winter 04-05
LOVE! Spring/Summer 2006
This collection was one of my favorites; Fall/Winter 07-08
Spring/Summer 2008 Collection
Spring/Summer 2009 Collection
Spring/Summer 2011 Collection
Fall/Winter 2011-2012 Collection
Spring/Summer 2012 Collection
Fall/Winter 2012-2012 Collection
A great last collection! S/S 2013

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Valentino Spring RTW 2013

If you visit my blog often, you've probably realized Valentino is one of my favorite designers to follow. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli sprung their inspiration from none other than Rome. Valentino has become known for their elegant A-line silhouettes and they did it again for Spring. With a color palette of reds, blacks, whites, and pops of snake skin and crystal embroideries this collection was nothing short of perfection. I love the jackets and short trenches they threw into the collection to add an updated look. Not to mention the last two looks are absolutely breathtaking and I can't wait to see who will wear these on the red carpets. It's sad to see Paris Fashion Week come to a close tomorrow but it's fair to say that they had their share of stunning clothes this week.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Paris Fashion Week Spring 2013 RTW

Three reviews of my favorite shows so far at Paris Fashion Week:
Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2013 RTW
The inspiration for this collection was brilliant and easy to grasp. He simply used his favorite singers from his era and translated them into different styles of clothing. From Annie Lennox's man-tailored pants to Karlie Kloss playing the role of Boy George. All in all, this is one of the best RTW collections I have seen from Jean Paul in a while. The well structured jackets and the amazing cuts made the collection one to be remembered for a while.
Haider Ackermann Spring 2013 RTW
Although the Ackermann didn't stray from his usual silhouettes, the show still showed off his talent in all the right ways. You saw a lot of great tailored jackets, AMAZING skinny cropped pants, and all with a flair of Asian inspiration. The slip dresses of satin and chiffon added just enough sex appeal for Haider Ackermann. Even though Vogue's review seemed more negative than positive, I agree with Women's Wear Daily in that the clothes were impressive and a delight to see.
Christian Dior Spring 2013
As one of the most awaited shows of the month, all eyes were on Raf Simons on the Friday of Paris Fashion Week. Throughout the shows surprises kept coming; from unexpected color blocking to short layered chiffon dresses Simons presented a collection that will be unforgettable. Simons brought in many new aspects to Dior but also made many references to past Dior collections. The bell-shaped, peplum jackets were in reference to the 1947 debut collection. After many long months of Dior struggling to find a creative director, it is now officially safe to say the brand is in good hands.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Mulberry RTW Spring 2013

Ever since I left London this summer I couldn't wait to see London Fashion Week. I can honestly say I see London as the top fashion city in the world right now. With the Olympics, Kate Middleton, and all the pop culture coming out of England it is hard to ignore what they are bringing to the surface. 
Mulberry is one of my many favorite London shows to always watch. The brand has always had such a fun, youthful side and this season was nothing but that. Inspired by "ice lollies" the Emma Hill's color palette consisted of light mints, tangerines, and marigolds; along with classic black and white pieces placed towards the end. The style was 60's inspired with flower prints and findings. 
Here are my favorite moments on and off the catwalk:
 Alexa Chung with her "Alexa" bag and wearing a Mulberry shirt from S/S 13
 Lana Del Rey carrying the Mulberry bag named after her
Olivia Palermo carrying the Mulberry Alexa bag
Lana Del Rey, Kate Moss, Alexa Chung, and Rebecca Hall sitting together in the front row at Mulberry.