Favourite look from a gorgeous collection by Prabal Gurung at NYFW 2013.
(Source: style.com)
love Max Azria’s take on Herve Leger’s bandage dress this season.
Love this winter turban on Wang Xiao!
Actually, it’s not just the turban. It’s also her bare face (although I have noted the lovely rusty dust on her lids) and denim shirt that complement the two bigger pieces beautifully.
With a little bit of help from Grace
Early one Saturday morning, my dear friend Sam and I took a day trip to catch Grace Kelly: Style Icon at the Bendigo Art Gallery on its last days. We boarded the VLine, nestled into the velvet plush and prepared to yap away for the two-hour journey ahead.
Yap we did (as we do) and before we knew it, we’d arrived.
Bendigo is an idyllic town that possesses many of the qualities I miss from living in the city. Quaint retailers line the main street that stretches far and wide. People move slowly and they’re all smiles. That day, the air was crisp and skies were blue as is typical in the early days of winter; everything - the trees, the buildings, the cathedrals - sparkled in the sun.
We arrived at the Gallery and as expected, a horde of women clustered before us, eagerly leaning in to get a better look at it all. Despite how we all would have preferred a more peaceful stroll through, it didn’t take away from what we saw. Moments of history in the form of clothing, words, pictures and film. With each exquisite piece came a heartwarming tale of how Grace Kelly became an eternal star. How someone could be the icon for casual American style at the same time as she was the Princess of Monaco.
I was feeling a little awestruck to say the least - from the moment I stepped into the first room to see that blue Edith Head dress and as I turned each corner to see more. Grace was radiant. Although she dressed beautifully, her clothes never overwhelmed her. She epitomises what is meant when they say someone ‘wore it well’ or ‘pulled it off’. Fundamentally, it’s about confidence - the genuine, unwavering, capitivating kind.
The buzz stayed with us well after we hopped across the street for a post-Gallery wine. There we were, yapping again, reflecting on our favourites. So grateful to have the opportunity to get inspired by such a wonderful exhibition, while also wishing that more people could do the same.
Yapping turned into conversation for the train ride home. Sam described a recent experience on a weekend away with friends, and friends of friends - a group of loud fashion lovers. As she watched them collectively gush over a mustard Prada tote with a car embossed on one side, she quietly asked herself, why do they love it so much? To her, it was aesthetically unappealing; was there something she had missed?
I quickly reassured her that there was indeed nothing she missed; agree as I do that the bag itself is not so pretty to look at, I nevertheless appreciate the concept behind the Spring 2012 collection from which that bag came from. It was one of Miuccia’s persistent reminders about the contradictions of being female; the strength yet fragility of a woman, this time via references to 1960s America and the emergence of the hot rod (more here).
Whether the gushers knew this or not, we’re not too sure but it certainly sparked some interesting discussion – what it is that makes an article of clothing fashionable, and how often do people react to something because they are told to? It’s not just a bag, it’s a PRADA bag. Rarely do many of us stop and think about why we like or appreciate something, or whether we even like it at all. That thoughtless knee-jerk can spiral into wearing (or doing) something that we’re not so sure about and inevitably losing ourselves – the anti-Grace, you might say.
Sure, the big wigs at Prada won’t care too much if we make a PRADA purchase; after all, they’ve got to make a buck. But there’s more to it than the dollar - at least, for those of us who want to get through the day feeling genuinely good. Appreciating a little something beyond the superficial - whatever it may be - might be the icing on the cake; it might just be that little bit of Grace we need to get by.
Sydney Fashion week
It’s hard to go past Taylor Tomasi Hill for combinations of colour, texture and silhouettes. Enviably when it comes to drama, she manages to get it just right.
I think I’ve figured out her way with hues starts with that beautiful red hair. Once you’ve figured out how to make the most of that - usually with accessories in her case, of course - the rest must just slot into place, no?
Inside Taylor Tomasi-Hill’s dreamy apartment in Chelsea, NYC…
Chanel Resort 2013
Harajuku girls, dressed like Marie Antoinette, dancing to MIA at a garden party…too many to post here, but here are some favourites.
Gucci AW 2012
(Source: Vogue)
Jil Sander Fall 2012
I just adore Raf Simons. As we all attempt to clash prints, colours and patterns, he reminds us how much beauty there is in simplicity.
This is his last collection for Jil Sander and I don’t think this coat will ever leave my memory. In inimitable Raf Pink, also known as the new Valentino Red. Okay, maybe not to some, but that’s what it is to me! A new signature colour.
You can bet your bottom dollar that Raf Pink will follow him out of Jil Sander and into Dior. I cannot wait to see what he comes up with!
Love these shots of Don and Megan’s apartment from Mad Men Season 5, episode 7
Derek Lam AW 2012
For his latest collection, Derek Lam appeared to have taken notes from the cream of last winter’s crop - hints of Prada, Bottega Veneta, Celine and YSL were evident throughout - and added his own brand of finesse. He made each and every item not only covetable but extremely wearable by crafting luxurious fabrics with extraordinary attention to detail.
There were some cosy knits, some silky dresses. Perfectly slouched man-style pants were teamed with girly blouses for that polished, modern silhouette. One minute, a pretty and printed sports luxe jacket stole the show - the next, a tailored college style pea coat. You name your winter wardrobe staple and there it was, flittering down the runway. Needless to say, many women will be looking to add multiple pieces from this collection to their future ensemble.
The show itself was also flawlessly edited - it sparkled and swished in all the right places. It wasn’t dull, it wasn’t overdone. But if like me, you are looking for someone who really pushes the envelope, you should probably be looking elsewhere…
Street style highlights from NYFW, Winter 2012
(Source: style.com)
Altuzarra AW 2012
Some of the most memorable shows are produced by rising designers like Joseph Altuzarra - a director willing to continue putting his creativity to the test in order to produce a darn good collection. Risks should always of course, be balanced with wearability, as was certainly the case this winter.
The starting point for Altuzarra was obscure but altogether appropriate - the 1970s Italian comic book character, Corto Maltese. Known for his roving adventures to exotic lands, Maltese could be seen as the lesser known (and far more complex) European predecessor to America’s Carmen Sandiego.
The inspirations were carefully considered and the collection brilliantly executed through seemingly endless layers of detail. Tailored pieces that represented Maltese as a sea captain were quite discernible, but equally prominent were the references that got a little deeper into his psyche - Maltese the vagabond, who travelled to Morocco and India. His father was an English sailor; his mother, a Spanish gypsy.
These two identities converged throughout the collection. Broad shoulders and straight lines were balanced with eccentric embellishments and jersey to create powerful looks that still accentuated the female form - aided by the occasional high split skirt and deep v neck. Knitted jumpers featuring equine heads over jodphurs were completed with over the knee, fringed boots; rug motifs on wrap skirts and dresses glistened with sunlit gold; and knits popped with tiny bobbles and fringes of colour from military wool suits of navy and grey. Medallions of gold, silver and bronze jangled everywhere, covering entire sections of pants, armour panels and belts. Suffice to say that you could go on comparing and contrasting details between Maltese and the collection forever. This was indeed, fashion fusion at its finest.
Flashback to the 90s - supermodels, turtleneck sweaters, mini skirts and Gianni Versace.
Yes, this is more than slightly reminiscent of the Spice Girls, but admittedly not so far away from the pastels, iridescent fabrics and midriffs that were seen throughout 2011 either. In fact, those loafers look remarkably like those seen in Alexander Wang’s last winter collection.
It is clear that grunge has slowly but surely crept back into street style - we see Doc Martens and denim everywhere, the resurgence of MTV’s Daria as a cult fashion icon and runway models like Abbey Lee do it so enviably well. Is it possible that runway will follow suit and stage a full-fledged 90s comeback at the winter 2012 shows? Not long until we find out!
