Givenchy prefall 2019

Clare Waight Keller … what are you smoking girl? It’s just a lot of  very unappealing clothes, many of them poorly proportioned to make up this hodgepodge of a collection. Trench coats mini boleros and oh  yes what can say Givenchy more  than quilted elastic waist pants, gestapo trench coats, night shirts, nurse’s uniforms or hefty bag raincoats! ( and a nod to Vaccarello and Slimane)

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The time has come to STFU about “your” inspirations and actually design  clothes that reflect the stature of the brand. I can’t even say it holds together as a collection. I can only say they are clothes and Ms. Keller must need an adjustment of her meds if she thinks that this pile has anything to say to anyone let alone speak to the DNA of the house.

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As was pointed out to me earlier in this week I heard… “we’re old “ but I say  it’s not the age it’s the level of taste and knowledge that allows us to say go design  anything with your own label since this is laughable in the extreme if it is to be associated with  a heritage brand such as Givenchy.

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Versace prefall 2019

Aptly or purposely shown on what would have been Gianni's 72^nd birthday, Donatellamamamia has surely taken a good long look at the archive. In doing so, the collection comes off as a rift of Gianni’s greatest hits with a few of Donatella’s more memorable moments. Whether prints or safety pins or shapes and silhouettes it’s more Gianni and less the schvester; perhaps some of it a little over amped up but still very much Versace in its truest vein.

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Apparently or hopefully now that Donatellamamamia has a boss to answer to as well as a board, it is possible that the edict came down to tamp down on the wacko and bring  back the women , not the kids, but the ladies who can afford to own and wear Versace, the time is right, women are more gym conscious  than ever and the clothes certainly reflect that mood. Well all things being equal of course there were some super clunkers like the patent dresses but there sure was a lot of other pieces to choose from that might  in fact restore the luster of the brand when it was in Gianni’s hands and Donatellamamamia was the sidekick. .. and no she didn’t go all Brooks Brothers … she went to heart of the brand to possibly recapture the audience and the attention that it once had … no question it has been tweaked for a newer generation that never saw or knew that Gianni existed.

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Don’t get me wrong, the collection is plenty sexy and occasionally overtly so but even if it is print centric, the clothes work and speak much more to the DNA of the brand than they have in recent seasons other than the spectacular greatest hits collection. Whether this is a trend or just getting off on the right foot remains to be seen but to me .....

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I’ll take this over 70% of the collections that signora has shown since Gianni's demise. Tailoring is key here along with hard lines ... it’s Gianni tough sexy hot fashion. Take note even the styling for the most part has been greatly toned down.

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DIOR HOMME 2019

Kim Jones on his freshman outing has reminded us that the name Dior demands clothing that equate to the brand. Yes, I have purposely left out the clunkers for the wannabe thugs and the hip hop set as well as those who need to be the latest and greatest fashion victim of any brand.

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So as a sort of palette cleanser to the fate of pre fall for women I present to you the slick chic razor sharp tailoring of Dior Homme. I am not inferring that Kris van Assche was a bad designer or didn’t do the house justice but at the end he sort of fell under the spell of mamamiamaria meatball and out went the low key minimal fashion that he had instilled in connection with the brand.

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 Oh to be 30 years younger and rich enough to be able to own and wear these exquisite pieces. These are fashion for men of a certain sensibility not hedgies and not stock brokers but slicked out hot men who need to show they are cut from a different cloth than bankers and politicians; clothes filled with nuance and subtleties and bold silhouettes.

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 There are the clothes targeted for a discerning fashionphile and not the clothes of fashion victims until you find the pieces I omitted from my presentation. Jones is at his best with the almst Savil Row tailored pieces what just push that envelope far enough to be called designed and not just hum drum clothes or clothes that double for Halloween costumes or retreads found from a local thrift shop.

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 If I was forced to make  some sort of comparison I might go so far as to say there is a nod to McQueen’s menswear.

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Michael Kors Collection prefall 2019

In his own words, MK wrote to me when I asked ….Who or what is your inspiration/style icon?

“My personal style icon is Steve McQueen. My design style icon is a mix of everyone from Jackie O. to Lauren Hutton to my mother.” 

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Well I guess that ship has sailed just have a look at this. .. For one who hailed Babe Paley and her ilk as unmatched style queens and Babe as the high priestess of chic, this thinking certainly does belie that sentiment.

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This looks much more like a trip down memory lane via Second Time Around or Housing Works or maybe think the Pointer Sisters. The clothes are forgettable as well as regrettable for someone who really did classic clean slick American sportswear and was held up an icon of American fashion.

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Droopy 70s mini florals accessorized with long haired dirty looking mongolian lamb is so appealing not to mention the overly matchy matchy styling displayed here. Wouldn’t it be great if he actually went back to what his original intention and modus operandi  was instead of trying to forge  new path with been there done that looking clothes.

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PS.. did you ever notice that the print ads send a different message than the clothes ?