Pre-Fall 2013.. Giorgio Armani .. Bottega Veneta

To say that Giorgio Armani goes his own way, when it comes to his business, would be a gross understatement of facts. To say that Mr. Armani follows no trends and can be somewhat quirky when it comes to his collections, would also be a bit of understatement, but what is abundantly clear is that Giorgio Armani might be the Italian Ralph Lauren. Please think about this and digest the words.

 

Mr. Armani is a master of reconfiguring and reimagining his fashion vocabulary and DNA each and every season. That is to say he has his own particular way of expressing his sentiments about each season without regard to the rest of the flock; is this sounding like one of America’s own homegrown talent? He massages his iconography to suit his seasonal needs.

 

Pre-Fall 2014 offers no real surprises except that the consistency of the collection is staggering and yet he still manages to toss a few curve balls that result in a broadening of the Armani perception of fashion and his view on what constitutes good taste. The collection is slick, clean, chic, modern, a bit more  casual/relaxed than usual and yet so so Armani and that’s about all that one can ask for. No doubt about it, this is more for his ladies and maybe even a reason to gain a larger footprint in the world of fashion retailing as well as new clientele who want less gimmicks and more true timeless and perfectly pitched fashion.

 

Then there is Tomas Maier for Bottega Veneta with who I have a sort of love hate thing going on; there are seasons that I am crazy about the clothes and then there these where I couldn’t even begin to try and figure out what he has  done. This Pre-Fall is collection is definitely leaning on the love side mainly because his theme or inspirations didn’t overpower the clothes. Simply said, there are seasons where he is too much of a “blah blah blah” designer and not enough of a merchant oriented designer.

 

What is noticeable here is that Mr. Maier is a man who knows his way around a dress as well as well as any architect knows his way around a skyscraper. It is interesting that there are pieces that might be a bit “over built” but it doesn’t take away from the slick lines and beautifully made collection. Bottega Veneta is a brand steeped in the legacy of workmanship and Mr., Maier has found a way to continually integrate that legacy into the fashion/apparel segments of the brand. He is technician, innovator and almost mad scientist when it comes to fabrications and applications.

 

One would be an idiot to ignore the amazing shoe of the season as it will no doubt grace the feet of so many on a worldwide stage and the fact that the handbags are fabulous certainly will not hurt the bottom line. Speaking of bottom lines, there is plenty here to satisfy the artisan slant or the cosmopolitan slant of his clientele which all translates to money in the bank for the brand. As its long forgotten logo phrase was “when your own initials are enough” these are the clothes that need nothing more than a slightly esoteric and certainly self-confident woman

Pre-fall 2014 .. Oscar de la Renta

Hey!! You fledgling, young and new to fashion … designers, you need to take a lesson here and see how it’s done. Yes... You,  I am talking to you!! Some would argue that Mr. de la Renta is from the old school and those who do observe that stance need to step back  and see why Oscar has out lived so many in the fashion  continuum.

 

Pre fall chez de la Renta is everything his clients can possibly want; he doles out color, silhouettes, classics, modern, dresses, suits and, of course, knock out gowns and evening wear. The concept of pre-fall is to withstand the test of time on the retail floor and give the client a little bit of wear it now, wear it soon and save it till the weather turns and yes it is all here.

 

The tweeds span from reminiscent to totally modern, the black and whites from sexy to a bit on the matronly side, the colors are inviting and tempting as well as tried and true. This is the kind of collection that as we once said “rings registers.” My biggest gripes are the below the knee leaning to mid-calf length and the bootie like shoes which offend my eye and upset the balance of the looks, but it is all overlooked when you separate the pros and cons of the collection.

 

The overview is simple here, the clothes reflect the brand and the clientele, the collection does not pull out all the stops but it is inviting, somewhat familiar and yet has just enough newness to tempt both the dyes in the wool Oscar lady as well as the uninitiated. For some, this may seem odd as there are no tricks and no gimmicks which leave you with pitch perfectly designed clothes for women who want to look fashionable and chic without looking like a victim of some designer’s momentary seasonal whim!

 

Pre-fall 2014 .. Chanel Metiers d'Arts

Is it too corny to say that there is a new sheriff in town? The metaphor of the Wild West, Chanel and Ralph Lauren is the combination that comes to mind and might I say “Whoa Nellie!”

This is the Chanel show that puts every other show to shame every year as this is the show that shows off the unimaginable talents of the ateliers that make up the Maison Chanel. The company has wisely acquired every one of these small shops who have mastered an art that is an essential ingredient to the world of Haute Couture.

Karl Lagerfeld enjoys the luxury of the world most astounding artisans and this season he has sent them to Texas, the Lone Star state, and in the process he has reinvented what we once thought of as American classics. Karl shows us lariats of pearls not rope and guns of gold not carbon and serapes, Indian blankets and ponchos of cashmere not coarse wool. This is, of course, all compounded by miles of fringe and just about every feather that could be found in the world all tied into embellishments that have never even ever been dreamed of before.

There really is no point in trying to dissect this as a collection of clothes that reach the customer as here is where the customer comes to the clothes and that makes this flight of fancy an amazing spectacle of what is possible when one has imagination and the means to turn fantasy into reality. Prairie skirts and chaps and knee high “quasi” boots and stenciled “Frye” cowboy boots and men’s clothes are only small part of what can only be called a fashion spectacle as well as a newly imagined Wild West. It is Chanel flexing its muscles and Karl showing the world that he is indeed still the Kaiser. One might even go so far as to say...Hubris! But then again, that’s not very shocking is it?

P.S. please take note of a new meaning for “saddle shoulder” as well as new definition for American Indian jewelry, 21^st century denim, couture Frye boots and fur mukluks!!!!!

Pre-Fall 2014 ..pt.1 .. an overview

Rather than try to assess the collections for the never ending season we call pre fall, a novel approach might be to have a more overall summary type of examination of the collections being shown now through March... as I said the never ending season.

 

Today’s overview includes Gucci, Proenza Schouler, Calvin Klein, Akris, Alexander Wang, Belstaff, Altuzarra and Reed Krakoff. One would think that with designers such as these, you could come up with a stellar collection but alas that assumption is like all other assumptions... just that! A fallacious thought process.

 

What is apparent here is that these collections are a bit of this and a bit of that and a lot of not much to talk about unless you want to discuss who or what they borrowed from and why or who would buy these clothes. The issue at hand here is that the season is supposed to be about selling clothes and the more basic parts of each collection but what is so severely absent as there is not any single personal signature attached to any one collection.

 

Here goes … Gucci is wildly reminiscent of Hedi Slimaine’s take on Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein shows us how to look like the Birkenstock, earth mother for 2014, Altazurra does Chloe, Celine and Phoebe and whomever, Proenza Schouler looks like Ghesquiere’s Balenciaga, Alexander Wang shows another collection for the mystery customer, Belstaff is still searching for an identity other than motorcycle leathers, Reed Krakoff shows us odd parings, odd proportions and clunky shoes and the shining star is Akris who displays clothes for women; women who are chic, woman who are stylish, women who want fabulously made timeless clothes and women who appreciate the meaning of modern.

 

All you need do is look at the slide show and hopefully you can draw the same conclusions. The thing that must not be overlooked here is that there ARE clothes that ARE wearable and appealing; you would just have a hard time pairing a look with a designer. The collections have become more generic than anything else and the designers seem to be searching for an antidote to lackluster business.

Opinions?? Let me know …..

Harbingers of Design .. meet Michelle Boor

This series will spotlight global innovators who are original, known, lesser known and some perchance even already highly regarded and respected within their areas of expertise.  The common thread is style and fashion; whether it takes its form in interiors, apparel, accessories, retail, photography or any of the related professions that surround fashion and style.  Please note that some of my “cast members” have chosen to follow a path than includes utilizing the “tools” of the past thereby rendering a new and modern vision for today’s climate of fashion and style. These “createurs” are at the vanguard of design and style … in my opinion … and so I will introduce them to you on an international stage starting today.

 

 

There was an article very recently about a “lady” who would indulge a “gentleman” by making all his wishes come true when it came to shoes; he did it to satisfy his “needs” and she did it to satisfy her growing need for the newest and the latest and the highest of heels.

That being said, the power of shoes has become a juggernaut for the retail business in the 21^st century. Shoes have become the preferred retail aphrodisiac of choice for many women and it is shoes that have bolstered the overall international retail sales figures.

So in keeping with the ever growing need, today we meet Michelle Boor who has struck out on her own and is meeting the needs of this ever burgeoning audience who “need” their shoes to be sexy, chic and excuse the dirty word, comfortable without losing any of the panache.

Ms. Boor is her target customer and believe me when I tell you that she could be the envy of so many. She is mother, entrepreneur, independent and even a style icon who is recently featured in the book You’re So French by Isabelle Thomas and Frederique Veysett.

 

With her namesake brand she hopes to give women shoes that span their lifestyles and serve a purpose no matter what the assigned task might be. The shoes exude just the right amount of sex appeal and yet they are never over the top or tasteless. In other words, these are the shoes that men find tantalizing and other women find covetous.

 

Before leaving you with images of the latest collection, keep in mind that the MICHELLE BOOR, the brand, has yet to arrive stateside so a trip to Paris is in order tout de suite mesdame and mademoiselles!

Harbingers of Design .. Spinelli Kilcollin

 

This series will spotlight global innovators who are original, known, lesser known and some perchance even already highly regarded and respected within their areas of expertise.  The common thread is style and fashion; whether it takes its form in interiors, apparel, accessories, retail, photography or any of the related professions that surround fashion and style.  Please note that some of my “cast members” have chosen to follow a path than includes utilizing the “tools” of the past thereby rendering a new and modern vision for today’s climate of fashion and style. These “createurs” are at the vanguard of design and style … in my opinion … and so I will introduce them to you on an international stage starting today.

 

 

Today it is all about jewelry; jewelry for men and women and jewelry that would be termed both bridge and fine. The team of Yves Spinelli and Dwyer Kilcollin deliver jewelry for the 21^st century that is both modern and time treasured which will become the heirlooms of the next generation. The materials of choice here are sterling silver, 18k gold and pearls which add up to a recipe from the classics and yet their pieces are unquestionably thoroughly modern.

 

They began in 2009 with pearls and beads and worked them in tandem with leather/fabric wrapping which slowly evolved into the sterling stage and has now taken them in the precious world of 18k gold and diamonds. What is so intriguing about the jewelry is that their signature piece, which I will call the stackable collapsible ring, can be for the man or woman in your life. Depending on how it is rendered, with diamonds or in sterling or in sterling with 18k, the ring is asexual. By the way, this piece is a personal favorite! One more variable is depending on the amount of “rings.” It might also convert to a bracelet.

 

Be on the lookout for more diamonds, South Sea pearls, precious stones and an expansion of their signatures including a much larger selection of earrings and a greater variety in the colors/finishes of gold and diamonds. Within the last month or so they have been featured in ELLE and VOGUE, they are indeed on the ascent!

 

Special thanks to the designers of LOYD+FORD for introducing me to these latest additions to world of fine jewelry.

Could this new a new trilogy or trinity ring? Just saying.

www.spinellikilcollin.com