Milan etc;

FERRE--WELL LETS SAY THAT THESE BOYS HAVE AN EYE FOR THE TEXTURAL AND THEN THERE'S THE HEAVY HANDED ---BADLY SHOD ---AND LOST FROM THE WAIST DOWN COLLECTION WHICH BARES LITTLE OR NO RELATION TO WHAT ONE MAN SPENT A LIFE BUILDING
JIL SANDER--slick --architectural---hard edge ---BRAVO !!!-JIL moves gracefully forward
D&G--sometimes a collection just screams too loudly --"look at me!"
ALBERTA FERRETTI -black be damned --roll out that color ---something for everyone
BURBERRY PRORSUM-keep making that plaid--the balance is highly questionable

MILAN AT ON EOF ITS BEST

ARMANI--Slick --cool --lean--"waistful"--jacket heaven ----this is the way it's done --no need for words --this is a visual feast for watching how a master conducts his business
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/F2009RTW-GARMANI/

FIRST OF MILAN

One has to wonder how the Italians can do what they do ....first glance tells me ...no black leg fever ..HOORAY!!!!....How can they do collections in the dark fall pallettes and still not come off looking odious ..heavy
If i have to wager a guess for trend I would have to say ruffles,waists and as always ..if it's fall there must be velvet and yet not heavy looking

LAST OF LONDON

One might want to have a look at Julien Macdonald where you can see what the Rodarte girls already know ----and then yopu have to peruse the collections of Josh Groot and Mark Fast --let me know

LONDON

LONDON----Have a look at ERDUM--there is somethign about this collection that makes me want to see more ---ecach season he presents some beautiful , exceptional pieces ---always great prints --always colorful and tasteful-------http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2009RTW-ERDEM

LONDON

FIRST GLANCE OF LONDON----Black leg fever has crossed the Atlantic so have large necklaces and ankle boots--AGAIN-----there's somethiing to be found in the collection of Graeme Black--something fun --chic--fabulous and maybe outrageous in an adult way ---then theres Richard Nicoll who is a Courreges structure and geometry crossed with a bad boy Gaultier----London is always an enigma to me but I know theres a lot of talent there

OSCAR NIGHT ----HOLLYWOOD

Well , so much for toned down ,----the Oscars proved that there is such a thing as good taste and that low key does not mean boring ........................I mean there were spectacular jewels --Haute Couture dresses---and even some display of new designers like Rodarte-----all in all I believe it to have a been a visual feast for all of us who needed a little distraction with the ever pervasive recession hanging over our heads

PHOTOS

OK Here's the deal---you guys have to read the BLOG to know what the photos mean --I used the photos to illustrate the points made in the blog

MARC JACOBS

OSCAR DE LA RENTA

CHADO RALPH RUCCI

OSCAR DE LA RENTA

DONNA KARAN

ISSAC MIZRAHI

BRIAN REYES

RALPH LAUREN

FASHION PUBLICATIONS CRITICS ADVICE

HAVING JUST READ AN ARTICLE IN THE WSJ WHERE AN EXEC FROM SAKS IS PROMINENTLY QUOTED --I ASK MYSELF WHEN DO THE WORDS MATCH THE PICTURES ----IN THIS ARTICLE THIS EXEC SAYS ONE MUST CREATE CLOTHES FOR THE WHERE AND WHY--I SAY LOOK AT YOUR FASHION SPREAD FOR SPRING IN VOGUE AND I ASK YOU --WHERE AND WHY ----THE SAME MIGHT BE SAID ABOUT READING SHOW REVIEWS IN OUR ONLY "DEVOTED TO FASHION" DAILY PUBLICATION ----THE DESCRIPTIONS OF "GROUNDBREAKING" --"NEW"---"MODERN" --"ORIGINAL "----I SAY WHERE ---CERTAINLY NOT WHAT I AM SEEING ---THEY MUST BE SPEAKING OF A DIFFERENT COLLECTION THAN WHAT IS FEATURED---THEN WE COME TO THE "NEW EDITORIAL" SECTIONS OF OUR MOST FAMOUUS MAGAZINES--WE HAVE DESCRIPTIONS OF CLOTHES THAT ONE CANNOT EVEN DISCERN FROM THE PHOTOS ---THE EDITORIAL SELECTIONS ARE BUT A HINT (IF THAT MUCH) OF WHAT THOSE CLOTHES MIGHT REALLY LOOK LIKE ---WHAT HAPPENED TO SEEING THE CLOTHES THAT ARE FEEATURED IN THE EDITORIAL SECTION RATHER THAN SEEING THE STRAP OR THE SLEEVE OR JUST THE FACE OF A MODEL WEARING A $5000 DRESS--SOME ONE ENLIGHTEN ME ---------------PLEASE

SO THE SHOWS ARE NOW DONE AND NOW IS THE TIME TO SAY WHO I THOUGHT DELIVERED REAL CLOTHES FOR REAL PEOPLE AND DESPITE TOUGH TIMES GAVE US SOMETHING TO ASPIRE TO ----SO ---THANKS TO MRC JACOBS--MATTHEW WILLIAMSON---DONNA KARAN --OSCAR--BRIAN REYES--AND THE RALPHS - WITH HONORABLE MENTION TO ISSAC FOR HIS SENSE OF HUMOR AND HIS SENSE OF COLOR .......THE SUGGESTIONS I MIGHT DARE TO MAKE ARE THAT DESIGNERS , IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO STYLE THEIR OWN SHOWS, THEY NEED TO FIND STYLISTS WHO DON'T TURN THESE SHOWS INTO COOKIE CUTTER LOOKS WITH THE SAME ACCESSORIES THE SAME LOOKS--MORE AND MORE OF THE SAME -----POUNDING A LOOK WILL NOT MAKE IT RIGHT ---LIKE OPAQUE HOSE WITH COCKTAIL DRESSES AND ANKLE BOOTS WITH GOWNS----NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES U SHOW IT --THAT WILL NOT MAKE IT RIGHT ----PERHAPS IT TAKES A VERY SKILLED TASTEFUL AND SAVVY STYLIST TO MAKE THAT WORK BUT THAT PERSON OF TALENT WAS NOT EVIDENT DURING THIS WEEKS PERFORMANCES ......ALL OF THIS MIGHT SOUND A BIT OLD FASHIONED OR BEHIND THE TIMES BUT ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT THE DESIGNER CUSTOMER JUST REGENERATES WITH ONLY SMALL ADJUSTMENTS BEING MADE ---SO I THINK WHAT WOULD BABE PALEY WEAR FROM THIS WEEK ---FOR THAT MATTER WHAT WOULD BLAINE TRUMP WEAR -----I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY BUY THE CLOTHES WOULD WEAR.....

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK HAD ALWAYS BROUGHT OUT THE BEST OF WHAT WE USED TO CALL "SOCIETY" BUT SOMEHOW FASHION HAS BEEN DEMOCRATIZED INTO 20 SOMETHINGS WHO EITHER HAPPEN TO BE TRUST FUND BABIES--CHILDREN OF ENTERTAINERS OR JUST FAMOUS FOLK OR APPARENTLY SOME WHO ARE JUST FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS AND HAVING FAMOUSLY BED TASTE----WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE LIKES OF BABE PALEY--GLORIA GUINESS--NAN KEMPNER--SAO SCHLUMBERGER--THESE WERE WOMEN WHO EITHER MARRIED WELL AND CAME FROM SUBSTANCE AND THEY KNEW HOW TO SPEND AND WHAT TO BUY AND THEY DIDNT NEED STYLISTS----THEY IN FACT HAD STYLE AND TASTE ---THEY KNEW WHAT TO WEAR WHAT JEWELRY TO BUY WHERE TO GO ---WHAT DO WE HAVE NOW ???NOTHING LIKE THAT MORE WANNABES THAN REAL McCOYS ----THE PROBLEM IS THAT FASHION WANTS TO BE YOUNGER AND THEY TRY BUT THE FACT IS THAT THERE ARE TOO FEW YOUNG WOMEN WHO CAN AFFORS TO BUY THE CLOTHES THAT COPME CAREENING DOWN THE RUNWAY ---IN TIMES GONE BY THOSE LADIES BOUGHT IT-- WORE IT-- SOLD IT BETTER THAN ANY STORE --NOW KIDS TRY TO LOOK GROWN UP WHEN FEW MANAGE TO SHED THEIR YOUTH

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

AFTER A WEEK OF LOOKING AT CLOTHES (SAVE TODAY--THE LAST DAY ) I HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE RULES OF FASHION HAVE CHANGED---IT USED TO BE SIMPLE --YOU WENT TO A SHOW AND EVERY SHOW FOLLOWED A TIME PROVEN FORMULA OF SORTS ----FIRST DAY WEAR --THEN COCK TAIL THEN EVENING --SIMPLE AND IT WORKED ---OTHER RULES INCLUDED FALL MEANT LONG SLEEVES OR MORE COVERED AND SPRING THE REVERSE---WELL ALL THE RULES ARE EITHER BLURRED OR DO NOT EXIST ---NOW WE HAVE SLAM IT UP THERE IN ANY ORDER --ANY SLEEVE LENGTH IS OK FOR ANY SEASON AND ANY SHOE 2WORKS WITH ANY OUT FITS-----THE NEWS IT THAT THE OLD RULES WERE BETTER AND MADE SENSE !!!
BUT NOW FOR FALL 2009 WE HAVE BELTS-LEOPARD--BLACK ---PLATFORMS--DRAPING--ONE SHOULDERS---TIGHTS/LEGGINGS AND MORE BLACK AND MORE ANKLE BOOTS WITH EVERYTHING ---AND MOST OF IT NOT TOO PRETTY SO FAR