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Filed under: Apparel, Timepieces / Watches, The Fashion Statement
Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.
Runway
Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.
The Fashion Statement: Paris Couture Pares Back
Filed under: The Fashion Statement
The haute couture shows in Paris are in full swing, but rather than enjoy the spectacle, fashion watchers have the nagging suspicion they are witnessing the end of an era.
Sure, clothing that can cost as much as a house, have little relevance in today's world-only a handful of women in the world can afford the custom-made pieces. And fashion houses like Jean Paul Gaultier, pictured above, create the looks mostly for press and to promote brand awareness and maintain an image. (Dita Von Teese guest strutted in black wire and stockings.) But the Great Recession has sped up the decline of an institution of fashion, the highest level a designer can achieve, the crème de la crème of the biz. It's sad!
Signs of decline are all there. Shows have been reduced to six spanning three days. Sets have been pared back. Givenchy eschewed a show altogether to stage "presentations," or museum like display on dress forms-a sure sign of financial conservatism.
"Why not just hang a sign on the door that says, 'Shut?'" wrote Cathy Horyn yesterday in The New York Times.
Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2010 Runway Shoes
Filed under: Shoes
Runways typically show off a designer's crazier and more fanciful designs, and these shoes from Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2010 collection are certainly fun. Featuring colorful metallics, tufts of fur, tassels galore, and several heels that are decidedly not sky-high, they're all very 'earth-meets-modern.' The Daisy Closed-Toe Mule shown here has pony-styled calf leather in mocha with a greenish tuft of goat's wool, a wooden sole, and contrasting metal accents in the form of highly shined rosy pink hardware and a 1" gunmetal gray heel. It's priced at $1400.
Other shoes in the group feature monogrammed denim, sheep's wool, and rivets. Talk about fun, I love them all!
New York Fashion Meets North African Dreams - Rachel Roy
Filed under: Apparel
Rachel Roy's Fall/Winter 2010 presentation this Valentine's Day was a glamorous affair, with chocolates by Godiva, champagne by Moët & Chandon and a lush collection of fabulous, womanly garments inspired by Cleopatra. Roy's statement about the collection was rich with promising descriptives: "This fall, we unveil a desert-tomb palette infused with saturated blossom, moody elixir, onyx and deep river hues. It is a season of strength, mystery and allure -- an exploration in texture and luminosity."In keeping with many of the other shows, the clothes were less focused on color and heavy on neutral metallics from silver through beige to gold. The collection also included fur and cashmere, adding softness without detracting from the opulence. There were several pieces in the extremely wearable presentation we'd love to have taken straight to our closets, but perhaps we can find enough gold and silver in there to create similar looks without mugging a model.
One thing you won't be able to fake: The shapes. Roy's artistry with draping and understanding of female body was well showcased, from interesting sweaters to immaculately tailored dresses and mini jackets with scarab-esque lines. The look is form-fitting, yet modest -- well, except for the see-through, cobweb like pieces (that must be her nod to the desert tomb).
Though we won't see these pieces again until next season, keep in mind that this spring's metallics will layer well with what's coming up for fall. One thing we know we need immediately: long gloves (the ones featured in the Rachel Roy show are by Portolano). Now, picture yourself in these:
Michael Kors Runway Clutch, Handbag of the Day
Filed under: Handbags
Woo! I love this pink. How can you not? Hot pink has been popular for ages and here it is done up nice and classy by Michael Kors in sleek patent leather and contemporary silver hardware. The top is framed and opens on a hinge, with nothing more than a tiny logo embossed on the top closure. And if neon isn't your thing (although you might want to take a look at the "Day Glo Orange" and "Acid Yellow" options before you decide) there's also more subdued "Espresso" and even a python skin option. Runway Clutch: $595.
Scenes From The Barbie Fashion Show
Filed under: Apparel
The 50th anniversary of the Barbie doll was celebrated today with a runway show at Bryant Park in New York City attended by young girls and all sorts of Barbie fans. The show included pink decor and designs from some top designers. Models were turned out Barbie-style with manes of high hair, heavy glossy make-up and four-inch pink heels. While, as the AFP reports, Barbie sales have fallen in recent years the doll still has a tremendous fan following. Rachel Roy, Betsey Johnson and Bob Mackie were among the designers showcased in the flouncy, sparkling show. Check out some highlights in the gallery below.
American Express "By Invitation Only" at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2008
Filed under: Apparel, Services, Celebrity Shopping
A few days ago I had the privilege of being a guest of American Express at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2008 in NYC. Aside from agonizing over what to wear (and realizing that of course no one was looking at me), it was a fun experience, and one I'd likely never get to have without this invite. As an AmEx guest, I got to go to a special "Skybox" to view the DKNY Spring 2009 show along with about 20 AmEx Platinum Card members, who were there (at the cool price of $700 each) to enjoy the day's events and luxuriate in special amenities as part of AmEx's "By Invitation Only" program. Also on hand were staffers from various companies associated with AmEx, who made sure the guests were comfortable and enjoying themselves. I chatted with one guest, who took advantage of the complimentary hair and makeup services that morning. She did have excellent hair. The room was too dim for me to see her makeup, but I'm sure it was lovely.
AmEx, a major Fashion Week sponsor for the second consecutive year, has long associated itself with fashion icons. On display in the tent's main lobby, front and center, was an AmEx booth that featured three iconic photos, used as part of AmEx's "I'm a Card Member" ads: Sammy Davis Jr., Diane Von Furstenburg and Venus Williams. Word is the photos changed throughout the show. Other sponsors also had booths in the main lobby, from the usual suspects, such as Judith Ripka and the Italian Trade Commission, to unexpected companies, such as Office Max and M&M's.
The Google Private Jet Gets to Park on NASA's Runway
Filed under: Wings
Google is getting more and more famous for spoiling and splurging on its employees every day it seems. A couple of years ago the two founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, made headlines when they purchased a used Boeing 767 which they converted to a large customized private jet. Now they're making headlines again as they have negotiated a $1.3 million deal to with NASA to both use the Moffett Field runway and to have parking spaces for Google's over-sized private Boeing jet and 2 other smaller jets. The Google execs get an exclusive parking spot within mere minutes of headquarters, and NASA gets both the annual income and the chance to put scientists on board Google flights for research purposes.
All the other high rollers in the area are just drooling with envy.
The Real Cost of an NYC Runway Show
Filed under: Events
For a designer, being a part of NYC's Fashion Week means a lot more than just coming up with two dozen "looks" and hoping that they turn into hits. It means planning everything from invitations to lighting, music to publicity. It means money. A 15-minute long runway show costs more to put on than you might think. The tents at Bryant Park alone cost up to $50,000, and more luxurious locations can cost two or three times that. Lighting runs up to $64,000 and music, assuming that a DJ is the one spinning the tracks, adds another $10,000 to the final bill. Models, makeup and celebrity attendees can push the total up as high as the designer can afford to go. Rock N Republic's show this year cost nearly $2.5 million
And is it worth it? The producers who put on the shows certainly think so - but they would, wouldn't they?
$100,000 Balenciaga Leggings
Filed under: Apparel
As a trend, leggings aren't going out of style just yet. Instead, they're getting more sophisticated. Balenciaga featured this particular pair in their S/S 2007 runway collection. They look metallic, but it is more likely that they are made of some sort of metallic fabric than actual gold. Then again, they are made only at request and cost roughly $100,000 per pair, which is pretty steep for what amounts to what is little more than long underwear.Landry wears Lhuillier at Wedding
Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping
While the waists for summer sundresses are
coming up to the bust line, the waists of wedding dresses are dropping. Ali Landry, at her wedding to Alejandro Monteverde in
Mexico on Saturday, wore a strapless Monique Lhuillier gown with a low, drop-waist. The ivory gown had a full skirt
with hand-sewn layers of organza, tulle and chiffon, similar to this one from the Spring 2006 runway collection. Drop-waisted dresses are not for everyone, as
their curve-skimming lines are not flattering on every figure. They are perfect for curvy silhouettes and the slim,
curvaceous Landry would have looked stunning in one. Wedding gowns by Lhuillier retail for upwards of $3,500, but the
runway and custom models can go for much more.
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