Valentino.. Emilio Pucci .. pre-fall 2015

Okay mission accomplished: Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli signed up Celia Birtwell to do a series of prints for the fabled brand. If you don’t know who that is then Google was made for this purpose. They also employed the talents of a lesser known artist by the name of Giosetta Fioroni. The collaborations resulted in this mammoth collection of clothes that reflect the esthetic of the brand as well as the 2 artists… I think!

Personally, yes it is an amazingly exquisitely rendered collection of clothes, the details and workmanship are above and beyond what can be expected from any ready  to wear collection but the design and styling leaves me flummoxed. Firstly because the clothes are wildly, if not, stratospherically expensive in some cases and then there is this “sissy missy” design stance which leaves me cold. When it is not that prissy look then it is this monastic virginal look that evades me totally. To the designers’ credit, the girls are wearing makeup this season rather than looking like death is imminent but one has to question Bo Derek corn rows!

Some of the prints are indeed incredible and how they have been interpreted into apparel is surely astounding but then there is the odd retro mood which one supposes has to relate to Birtwell’s place in the fashion continuum and with her husband’s (Ossie Clarke) body of work. Are there pretty pieces... absolutely ... are there odd and perhaps ugly pieces ... well my instinct says yes especially when it comes to the Valentino idea of denim.

My perception of the brand is similar to many others and that is the contiguous elements of the collection are what make the brand hum.

Then there is Emilio Pucci or better know just as Pucci. Peter Dundas delivered a fabulous collection of rockem sockem clothes that scream of the Pucci DNA ... both old and new! Prints... check... sexy... check... tailoring... check... leathers … check... beading... check... knits... check... Color … check!!! Well what more can you ask for? This is a collection that might have stood on its own as a full blown seasonal collection rather than just one of those fill in seasons that keep stocks fresh in retail stores. It is very refreshing to see a designer who delivers more than one can expect and there is not doubt that his sales ...oops said it... will reflect accordingly. What is really amazing is that Dundas has really found his footing here after sort of bouncing around in search of his ideal home.

Ralph Lauren pre-fall 2015

As with anything, when it appears to be simple, everyone thinks they can do it too. Such is obviously not the case when you look at the huge amounts of bad fashion that are offered for this simple non-season. Only WWD and Style.com have hyped this into a season of note but no matter as Ralph is unfazed!

The first thing that came to mind is that the collection reminded me of Michael Kors … oh wait!!! Meaning the Michael Kors that once was and not the present tense of his collections; the one who was all about chic and American sportswear. Ralph does what most don’t and cannot ... He perseveres, he insists and he emphatically reminds us that good design and great styling can win out over all the bells and whistles and trends that destroy so many designers and their collections.

The design team of Ralph Lauren is a well-oiled machine that works as a unit. They consistently pump out collections that promote their DNA and they constantly massage and enlarge their vocabulary. One cannot exactly say that fringe is “stop the presses” moment in fashion  but look at it !!!!. Pairing a beaded cashmere with a suede or  box pleated georgette skirt is about as au courant as you can get but if you are savvy enough you realize it was  done almost 50 years ago by pioneer  7^th Avenue designers of that era. Ralph makes women want what their mothers wore and they don’t even know it!

Every season, my reviews discuss the consistency and the simplicity and just the amazing chic that is evoked by assembling the pieces of the puzzle in a new way to result in a new seasonal mood! To my mind, if you cannot see the value in a collection like this then you really have no understanding of fashion!

Lanvin .. Mugler.. Moschino .. pre-fall 2015

Alber, Alber Alber... what has happened? Yes the rumors that the company is for sale and the conversation of how bad the quality should not get in the way of designing collections. What has happened to the wildly chic sex infused clothes of Lanvin days gone by? Some will say there is a louche quality to the collection but this reviewer prefers to say “Quel Mess!” True the styling is not helping but the clothes are now a Celine. Chloe, The Row and Eileen Fischer all rolled into one or shall I say folded and mangled? Say what you will, this viewer sees a lot of unflattering clothes that re far afield from where Monsieur Elbaz had started and that aint good.

David Koma has done what hasn’t been done since the namesake designer left the building and that is he has captured the essence of the brand and shown the world what a 21^st century Thierry Mugler collection should look like. The collection is tailored, sharp, occasionally harsh, body conscious, bold and sexually charged. Is it over the top ... no way! It is a commercial but not boring rendition of Thierry Mugler. No question that there is a “kissing cousin” sort of attitude as in Versace, Vaccarello or maybe even a bit of Vauthier but yet it still stands on its own. Love it?? Not really, but it much more than just like!

Okay time for Jeremy Scott and how he sees Moschino for pre fall 2105. Apparently amidst all the so called humor and referencing that goes on here, there are wearable clothes here  just as there were when Franco was still designing. Mr. Scott has wisely toned down the kitsch factor but still allowed it to seep in albeit with much less frequency and a lot less head shaking. There are so many very obvious Moschino sight gags but at least they remain humorous and not a horribly bad joke. It is possible that Mr. Scott is hitting his stride but then again that can change in the blink of an eye as we well know but for now this is a collection aimed at the Moschino girls of the 21^st century.

Versace pre-fall 2015

What can one say? If one can say nothing else, one can surely say that Donatellamommamia is persistent and if one wanted to take it a step further you might say erratic! It would appear that when she doesn’t seem to be trying that hard she shines and shows herself and her brand off to their greatest advantages.

Pre-fall is full of clothes that can actually be worn outside of  eastern Europe or the orient and that in of itself is a great accomplishment for the brand as well as the designer. Apparently the requisites of pre-fall are strictly adhered to this season  as these are clothes that can sell provided of course that they appeal to you. Ms. Versace has decided to reference the iconic safety pin dress through various incarnations and interpretations of lashing and “staples” or rather a flat connector bar of sorts.  In some cases it is quite effective and in others not so much which holds true for her color blocking and knits.

Her ode to houndstooth is okay but nothing to yell about as it gets a bit confusing especially in the knits and the patchwork type patterning. Where she is much more successful is with the leather work and the use of the silver studs and lashing on the all black pieces. Even the silhouettes prove greatly appealing in those pieces especially the slimmer top paired with the full skirted bottom. Rarely does Ms. Versace deviate from her come and get it shapes but this season she surely takes a path toward reality based clothes and that includes shoes and hemlines.