DIOR pre fall 2022

Every season I am amazed at how this woman interprets what she finds in the Dior archive; the extrapolation of product vs. her words is inconceivable. Okay, so I get the uniform thing, so then explain to me where galoshes and louis heeled high tops come into play with Greek sandal wrappings!

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We went from Olympians to waitresses to parochial school uniforms to bra tops and puffers. You read her inspirations and you look at the clothes and undoubtedly you shake your head and think WTF is she talking about!

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Mediocre, repetitive and joyless clothes, at best, with a story that makes no sense at stratospheric prices...it’s an oxymoron!

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So, an almost 70 look collection boiled down to maybe here and there are some wearable pieces but why would anyone need to buy them from Dior. I can’t even say it’s an H&M collection or a Zara as its basically boring and a nonsensical pile of basics from a storied house that was once known for originality, fantasy and glamour. Where is that .... not here!!

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If   I really had to explain it, maybe I’d call it fetish wear... the school girl experience ala Jeffrey Epstein and certainly not the what I think of when I think of   the pillars of feminism in the form of Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan.

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... and so that concludes still one more episode of The Emperor’s New Clothes by Signora Chiuri!

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PS...  now the logo tote looks like The Big Brown Bag from Bloomingdales!

Oscar de la Renta pre-fall 2022

Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia served up this season by reminding us all this is no longer your mother’s idea of the brand. I actually found quite a bit of it pretty and wearable albeit it is most definitely not aimed at our preconceived notion of who wears and buys this brand.

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What intrigued me most was that sort of degradé cum tie dye segment which I thought was beautiful and then here and there sprinkled with some stunners like the silver pieces and in particular one black suit with a slashed skirt and yes, the over-the-top ball gownish pieces. No, I don’t understand the square cut shorts paired with jackets or the crotch grazing lengths used on some of the dresses but as a whole I found the collection visually appealing on many levels.

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Let it be said that this duo did not totally eradicate the brand’s DNA; They have evolved and massaged it to appeal to a whole new generation of Oscar devotées. For whatever reason, I sense that these 2 designers actually understand and respect the namesake designer so much more than more who helm other marquee brands and present clothes that bear not one thread of mitochondrial DNA.

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Lastly, maybe I’m late to the party by saying that pre-fall which deliver at the start of summer season is no longer fallish in any way ... it has become a sort of bridge between spring summer and actual fall and given how shopping habits have so drastically changed, maybe that’s the logical way to go.

Balmain pre fall 2022

After just having looked at the slides for both Balmain and Balenciaga and having read both reviews, I realized, albeit maybe I wasn’t quick witted enough previously, to realize that these designers have nothing in common with the brands that they helm. It is strictly about them; they fool themselves and I’m sure many stupid followers who believe that they take into consideration the true DNA of the legendary brands they design under.

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Then it occurred to me that if the 2 collections would just be under their names and not the heritage names but then no one would have paid attention at the start. They speak of their output as in I want, I see I I I .... no mention of actual heritage that made these names forces of fashion.

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In other words, any pretense of the past is obliterated except for possibly a logo so if that what you really want then you got it. Rousteing is talented, there is no question about it but he now just designs clothes that suit his whim ...clothes for label whores and influencers and Kardashians... whoopee! Who dresses like this and where are they going in these clothes? My mind keeps going to that shoe with the heel that is pitched at the top of the arch which in my estimation will throw one’s body off balance and probably make you ache head to toe after wearing!

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These looks, if picked apart, there are jackets and skirts and even some dresses but he never of speaks to PIERRE BALMAIN, the reason he has a job, in any way ... and maybe that’s the point. One more time I will say designers talk too much these days as who cares about your personal journeys... this is a business of selling clothes and if not clothes then it is a business of accessories, scent, cosmetics, shoes and anything they hang the label on. It’s a waste of talent and waste of brand.

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As for Demna he just so full of himself and of hubris that it’s appalling in every way ... it is all about him and the almighty dollar... that’s it! It’s repellant and repulsive! No photos needed as there is nothing to see.

Chanel... métiers d'art PRE-FALL 2022

Let it be said I   don’t deal well with change but Virginie might have presented her best collection to date with her Chanel métiers d'art show for pre-fall. No, it does not smart of the glories of Karl but it is a polished and pared down modern take on the brand without focusing solely on the famous cardigan jacket.

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There are jackets galore, some close to the body, some short, some cabans and even some ankle length all in a variety of rigidly to soft tailoring. There were moments of Karl/Ines   flashbacks and yet there were also pieces that spoke to a more contemporary Chanel rather than what we were trained to expect from the master. There was polish there, the shoes, the jewelry, the handbags, the camelia and yes takes on that famous cardigan jacket.

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What didn’t work, in my opinion were the bulky knits, the bare midriffs and of course the denims but then again even Karl used denim but I must say that the coats in the short denim sequence looked pretty incredible. The logo pieces were mostly unnecessary as they were too forced and mostly on the thick side, there was one dress toward the end where the logo appeared under layers of tulle which looked modern and young and well thought out.

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Color palette was refreshing since it veered away from a strictly black and white color theme but of course the most effective were the black and white pieces or combinations thereof save for a few crimson pieces. I’m not big on pegged pants but for some unknown reason it is possible they didn’t disturb me due to the fact that my attention was drawn to everything else in each outfit.

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I suggest you see you it in motion and hope that Viard will continue on this path rather than the divergent path she had chosen in her previous unappealing collections.

meet Giorgio Torelli .. a man with more than just good looks

Once again let me sing the glories and wonders of the internet... this time of Instagram! That is where I “met” Giorgio and I would be lying if I said that my immediate attention wasn’t because of his beauty! As I have said so many times, you just never know who is really behind the image that you see and again I was so pleasantly surprised to find that this exquisite man has more to say than just posting images of his own perfection.

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As I have aged, I feel a compulsion and an admiration for those who are either expanding their careers, reinventing themselves or simply taking a divergent path... I have a weakness for them as I have certainly reinvented myself so many times during my varied careers. I’m endlessly amazed with the reception I receive from, basically strangers, who respond and will open up about their aspirations, inspirations and personal preferences .... simply said there is a real genuine human behind the photos I have seen. Once again, I remind you, I am a reader so hashtags tell me a story and that is why I struck up a “relationship” of sorts with Giorgio.

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His premier collection of jewelry is a total mix of what is and what was in terms of design .... from lavaliers to lapel pins and from diamonds to topaz. All the pieces are made in the USA and all from sustainable materials and ethically mined stones. He makes as much of a statement with his jewels as he does with his looks!

Well now it is his turn to share with us what lurks behind his incredible images... so in his own words (with very little editing from me) ... allow me to introduce to you Giorgio Torelli:

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Jeffrey Felner: Let’s talk about how you became “Giorgio Torelli” 2021... in other words a brief history of your personal and professional trajectory.

Giorgio Torelli: I use to play soccer semi professional in Italy and I finished my degree like dietician and nutrition.

All of this teaches me that work can make your dream came true. After I decide to move to Australia and here my love for photography born. I started modelling after I had been a scout from one agency. I worked for many brand and learnt a lot of new things. Then I decide that I wanted something more so I started my brand.

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 JF: What is your dream job and what would be your dream collaboration?

GT: Probably I don’t have a dream job, I just live to create and feeling free

I want to keep create things I love, discover new places and grow everyday like a person. I love dsquared so If I can chose my dream collaboration, it will be this...I wish one day I can model for them

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 JF: If you could invite any 5 people to dinner, who would they be and why?

GT: 5 people to spend dinner 

1-Megan fox : I think she is perfect  2-David Bechkam as he was my idol since I was a kid, 3:Stephen King I love his history, 4:  Steve Jobs because  I would like to learn from him and  Gandhi because I read a lot about him and want to know more.

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 JF: What inspires you to do what you do?  any mentors that you have followed or use a “road map” for your life?

GT: I love one jewellery brand NIALAYA by Janie Oleander 

He inspire me a lot with his brand and I follow Johnny Edling I met him in Bali and he is really good. 

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JF:Let’s not speak of Giorgio in the present but in the next 5 years... where do you hope to see yourself and how will get you there and why?

GT: I don’t know where I will be in 5 years but I’m sure that I’ ll live as much as I can torealise my dream, probably I will be in one island

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 follow Giorgio on Instagram under his name and torellijewelry for more...

www.torelli-jewelry.com/