Balenciaga F/W 2004
This was the first fashion show that I ever remember watching. I don't know what drew me to watch it, or how I managed to stumble across Balenciaga, but it happened and I know my life has never been the same since. At the time I didn't know how popular this collection would become, I was just a teenager dipping my feet into the pond of fashion. Now, the aviator jackets shown are a cult item and highly collectable. I was really intrigued by the way that Nicolas plays with classic Balenciaga shapes, and found them to be horribly futuristic. This of course was before I studied Balenciaga to realize that many of the cuts used have been around since the 50's and 60's, which just goes to show how ahead of his time Cristobal Balenciaga was.
Louis Vuitton S/S 2005
When this collection had came out, I had just traveled to California and visited the Hollywood Louis Vuitton store, and purchased my first Vuitton item; a small cell phone key chain with the Louis Vuitton logo in sterling silver. I was kicked out of the store for taking a picture, kicking off my hatred for the sales associates at all Louis Vuitton stores. Who was I to know that luxury stores don't let you take a picture of yourself inside the store? Anyways, after I made my purchase, and before I was escorted out (It still seems a bit drastic) I grabbed one of their look books. On the flight back I fell in love with this outfit, along with Gemma Ward, who was on the cover of American Vogue at the time. I love that the model has a teddy bear pin on, and that even though this is spring, he has on a huge scarf! In contrast to the Vuitton woman, I think the Vuitton man has such a clear image of what he wants to be. Each season he remains casual and sporty, without being too over the top which happens so often in mens fashion.
Christian Dior Haute Couture F/W 2005
Ah, the Christian Dior 100 year anniversary Couture collection. John Galliano always puts on a good show, and this collection was no exception. I will always remember my awe when a carriage came up on stage, and out of the smoke and crazy scenery came wildly crazy outfits that were everything one would want to see in a fashion show. Each piece was dramatic to the max, and you could really feel the spirit of Dior in every outfit. You never really understand why a haute couture garment is so special until you see one under the House of Dior.
Alexander McQueen F/W 2006
This collection marked my introduction to Alexander McQueen, and what a good impression it left. I love the whole English countryside feel with a hint of Gothic Victorian. Apart from the hologram Kate Moss at the end of the show, I distinctly remember this wedding dress complete with deer antlers. I love the theatricality to the whole thing, but most of all, I can't imagine this dress any other way! For some reason, it feels completely wearable just the way it is. I can only hope someday to have a bride that can pull off such a dress.
Trovata F/W 2006
Maybe it was because Trovata just snagged the CFDA New Designer Award, but I can't understand why I would have watched a show by an relative unknown, at a time when I still knew so little about fashion. I'm still a sucker for a good California preppy look, and no one does it better than Trovata. For the longest time I dreamed about owning some of their pieces, and now I have quite a few. The quality of their clothes is amazing, and you can mix and match any item and still look put together and effortlessly cool. While they don't follow the trends like many brands, they stick to what they do best, and that is why they still remain as one of my favorite American brands.
Balenciaga S/S 2007
It's a given that Balenciaga is going to be on my list of favorite moments more than once, and if I could I would simply call this my favorite Balenciaga moments of the decade, and just do images of Nicolas Ghesquiere's amazing work. This collection, in my opinion, was the furthest he pushed the idea of dressing for the future. He introduced so many different materials as fabric for me with this show. Never would I have consider dresses and leggings made of metal, or using neoprene and pvc for jackets. While this wasn't his most critically acclaimed collection, It remains to be my favorite. I love every look from start to finish, right down to the neo-saftey goggle sunglasses. I would have killed to wear those during a High School shop class, and probably still would!
Balenciaga F/W 2007
I don't know why, but the Balenciaga I love the most is the Balenciaga that is the least well received. Many call these shoes ugly and childish, dubbing them the "Lego" shoe, but I think they are one of the best things to happen to footwear. I think any woman walking down the streets in these would instantly get my total respect. On a separate note, Balenciaga filed copyright infringement against Steve Madden on December 18th for making a cheap knockoff of these.
Dior Homme F/W 2007
When talking about menswear during the decade, you can't help but mention Hedi Slimane. He is one of the greatest influences on my design aesthetic and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for him. If I could, I would wear this outfit every day of they year, and I wouldn't mind looking like Cole Mohr either. I don't even know where to begin when talking about this (it's just that amazing!), so we will just move on to the next image...
Givenchy F/W 2008
I wouldn't call myself a very religious person, but If there was one that invloved Ricardo Tisci's interpretation of Givenchy gone South American Catholic then sign me up! More than the clothes, I loved the accessories in this collection. The heaps of chains and crosses that made the necklaces were just too amazing. It was the first time I ever tried a D.I.Y. project based on collection because I just loved the necklaces so much.
Rodarte F/W 2008
Sometimes I am truly amazed by some designer that come out of California. Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte are right up there with Rick Owens in my book. They feel more like a European brand than an American one. I only have good things to say about their knitted nets and their exert mixing of different materials. I had been following their work from the start, but this collection made them one of my favorite brands, along with Nicholas Kirkwood who made some really fierce shoes for this show. It probably helped that they used one of my favorite shades of green on this dress.
Gareth Pugh S/S 2009
Another designer that I have followed since their start is Gareth Pugh, another fellow from London. Like a good wine, his designs get better with age, and each collection is exponentially better than the previous one. S/S 2009 marked his first show in Paris, and what a show it was. Each look was white on the front, black on the back, symbolizing stepping out of the darkness of winter and into the light of summer. Vents were cut into many of the outfits as a way of cooling off the body, cuz you know that a pvc suit is going to get hot. Like many from London, there was that throwback to historical references, but he does it in a way that feels totally modern.
Prada S/S 2009
This has been my favorite Prada collection to date. At first, I hated it, but each time I watched the video I fell more and more in love with it. I'm a sucker for technological fabrics, and a lot of the garments were made with coated metal thread to retain the crinkle effect. I think this show also goes down as one of the most dangerous for models. The shoes were on a staggering platform and the models had to wear ankle socks, not to mention the slick concrete surface. By the end of the show many models had fallen, some more than once. You can't help but feel bad for these girls who's careers rely on their walking ability, a sprained ankle can be devastating. I read a recent article about the S/S 2010 Alexander McQueen collection, where top models like Sasha Pivovarova refused to walk in the show because of the footwear. Back to the clothes, Muccia Prada referenced hospital gowns, and each garment was held together with ties. I thought the look was so casual and chic, and the outfits in metallic gold were simply stunning.
Nina Ricci F/W 2009
This was the first time I was literally left speechless by a show. literally speechless. I watched it over and over again in a state of trance by what I had saw. Everything felt so otherworldly and eerily beautiful. The platform shoes were a full 11 inches, and were lacking a heel, making the models have legs that never ended. Just to mention, no one fell. The elongated form of the bodies were so elegant that I was at a loss for words. It was like Olivier Theyskens had taken a croquis (fashion sketch, 9 heads high, the human body is 8) and made it a reality. This happened to be Olivier's last collection at Nina Ricci and he sure went out with a bang, and left 2009 at a high point.
Nina Ricci F/W 2009
The 2000's seemed to be the decade of the platform shoe, but this Nina Ricci show seems to have kicked off an extreme footwear trend for the 2010's.
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