Saturday, March 6, 2010

so many fashion weeks too many fashion weeks

I don't even know which fashion weeks these collections come from anymore. Does it matter? Do you care dear readers? I truly do not give a damn, dear readers, so let's just talk about these shall we?

These collections were my favorites (so far, OH YES there is more.) but I'm not going to ramble for there is too little time!

PRADA


Everyone is talking about the collection as a whole and how Prada took the most agreed upon not chic materials and made them work so incredibly well. I agree, I even almost like the pleathery material. However, what really got me were the knits. I am a knitter and knits are something I didn't have a lot of or pay a lot of attention to a.) coming from Florida b.) before I started knitting. Now that I do knit, and have to dress for the winter without sacrificing style I really appreciate knits and how versatile, tactile and overall amazing they are. This collection makes me do that even more, I love the chunky but not heavy feel to the fabric, the texture of the chunk, and the cable on the stockings? (not pictured) AMAZING. AMAZING. AMAZING. I feel a knitting project coming on.


SYKES







Mostly I love this some of this collection was model by awesome older ladies, who are lookin' SUPER snazzy. However I do love the easy going preppiness and THOSE SHOES. The construction of that white top and black dress are also pretty exciting to me, like seaweed? or a car accident? wow, those two things are very different.

ALBERTA FERRETTI





umm, pretty. I think this is all I need to say. An updated version of Alberta Ferretti's pretty which is continuously awesome and I need a green fur cape instantaneously.


ALBINO





UGH fulfilling my every wish to be a Loli-girl without the pedo factor. Darkish sweetness with those geometric/art deco-y details. That last skirt? I think I'm in love. The dress with matching/attached (can't tell hope it's attached) cape? perfection. The collection as a whole maybe got a little repetitive, but I was so unconcerned because I was just thinking "yes... yes... more... I need more so that I may wear one every day of my life..." switch creepy voice off now.

BURBERRY PORSUM



Burberry was as per usual excellently wearable and so not just re-statements. Loved the color, loved the texture, those shoes are KILLER and the fitting and proportions were impeccable. Be prepared to be jealous of Emma Watson.


ETRO



I really loved this collection for the story it told me. The more I look at it the more I'm convinced that this collection is based off an eccentric retiring general whose never actually been in a war but has been moved all over the world and has collected things and lives in luxury. Kind of reminds me of what my Grandfather might have been were it not for a string of incidents that prevented him from continuing to be a general. Otherwise though I like the mix of colors most of all I think, and the fabrics used.


ERDEM






I REALLY really loved this collection. This is one of those collections where I just instantly love it because I would wear everything, not because of the artistry or admiration for the craft, although I'm sure those things are also well done (If I could see these clothes up close) But just looking at photos I just love the silhouette and the dressing down of the looks with sweaters and the color and the all over patterning and texture.


KAREN WALKER








I kind of feel the same way about this collection although I think it was better styled. The colors remind me of Nanette Lepore's collection because of the deep hue and probably the velvet. (A VELVET SUIT HOLY SHIT) Anyway I'm a huge fan of blue and orange and this blue was taken away from the cobalt that everyone's using into the neighborhood of rich and sumptuous rather than popping and the orange was taken more in the direction of rust rather than these more eighties inspired oranges we're seeing around, so I'm a fan. I'm also loving the different weights of the fabrics in conjunction with each other and the different textures of fabrics together. Love the polka dot pants, love clashing stripes, love Norwegian-y sweaters, what's not to love really?


FENDI





This collection was so wonderfully modern and feminine and utilitarian and the same time. I kind of love those sneaker boots, which I've read are pretty flat. I think they're a nice play on comfortable sports wear versus what they're showing. I also love that stupid little detail of the laces at the top, it's pretty cheeky if you ask me. Anyway I think those kinds of details bring this collection into the realm of elegant sportswear, because these looks while harkening back to the 50's and 60's in the idea of elegance and the silhouette looks incredibly comfortable and easy. That's where you can begin to see 1920's influence in the freedom of the female form and it's ability to move freely and comfortably while still being elegant. I think that long lithe feel, especially in the black velvet dress really comes through nicely.


LOUISE GOLDIN





just, you know, STRUCTURE. PADDING. SPACE. MECHANICS. SPACE MECHANICS. UNIFORMS IF YOU WORKED ON BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, BUT NOT COSTUME LIKE AT ALL JUST REAL CLOTHING FOR (sprakles) THE FUTURE (sparkles). OK glad I got that out of my system. Basically yes that is how I feel but also on a more serious (battlestar galactica IS serious!) level I really love how well the structure and geometry (I'm talking about the skirts here mostly) don't AT ALL interfere with the human form, but somehow add to it even though you don't really know how. The structure and the ribbed padding on the jackets works in the same way, even though I think that's easier to accomplish, but I think Goldin struck a fabulous balance between making her clothes stand by themselves and be impacting and glorious and their own entities of awesome while still fitting and being made for the human form rather than changing the human form into something else, or overtaking it with a geometric vision. That's why these clothes are still wearable for a large audience rather than Lady GaGa and a few friends, which is a hard place to get to and she did a great job positioning herself right on that line.

JEN KAO





Did I talk about how much I love knits? Innovative knitwear is THE BEST. I think Kao's execution of what she wants is still a little rough around the edges, that dress is not as elegant as I think it was supposed to be, and the knitwear is really the focus of the collection in that it seems the most thought out and considered as opposed to the rest of the collection which feels like it might be new territory for Kao. New territory is scary and hard so I commend her for experimenting with other things when she probably could've popped out a great collection centered around knits. YOU GO GLEN COCO. I'm interested to see what comes next.


PRINGLE OF SCOTLAND







I really wanted to save Pringle of Scotland for last because I'm pretty sure it was my favorite collection, but that last one really didn't fit in anywhere else! (don't look ahead, you'll see it in a second!) Anyway I just wanted to give this collection honorary caboose status. Now, I love the collection as a collection and I love the fabrics and the colors and the textures and the patterning and all that jazz but there's something I loved over all those things. Clare Waight Keller wove cashmere with a soluble yarn that dissolved when the material was washed, leaving a mesh of perfect little cashmere squares. What I love is that this new way of working with fabric became as much a feature of the collection as the slouchy pants with deep pop out pockets. According to Style.com, "Waight Keller based the trousers on fishermen's waders..." which goes so nicely with the mesh or "fish net" of the fabric she created. The silhouettes with the pleated skirts really felt like celtic warriors with chain mail or like Roman armor, this all comes to mind of course because of the house's obvious connection with Scotland. Without that connection I'd probably be talking about drop waist skirts and looser silhouettes. Anyway what I really loved about this collection was its consideration of fabric, they way we make it, the way it can still be innovative, they way it handles and is held together to make a plane and how that should relate deeply to fashion and what we put on our bodies. Innovation should come not only in the form of patterns, silhouettes, skirt lengths, and structures but also in what the clothing is made of and the materials that are used to clothe our bodies. Clothing is kind of like architecture for your body, it's the closest thing to your skin everyday and the fabrics you use and how they feel and move are important to human beings as well as to how they drape or how beautiful they are to highlight the clothing. I loved that this collection moved the making of fabric forward as much as it moved fashion forward.



LOUISE GRAY







what can I say really. really. I would like to be that crazy old eccentric lady when I'm an old artist with too many animals. Louise Gray has made that path a little easier and I thank her for it.

Much more fashion week to come, BUCKLE UP KIDS.

2 comments:

  1. too many to comment on, but all amazing and i agree with your aesthetic judgments!


    follow back mon amie

    discardedjunk.blogspot.com

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  2. I just looked at your blog yesterday! CRAZY. I know, way too many. What can I say, I'm indecisive and apparently incapable of narrowing things down?

    ReplyDelete