Halloween...

Surprise, surprise, the French don't like Halloween. This meant that I had to find something else to do than dress up and eat candy all day, and since it was Sunday and nothing was open, it was the perfect time to get out of the city again. Well, that's a partial truth; technically I was outside of Paris proper, but I was still within the metro system and not even a mile outside of the Boulevard Périphérique, hardly a trip at all. 

Château de Vincennes

La Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes

Sign for the Parc Floral de Paris

Hôtel d'insecte, the insect equivalent of a bird house. 

One of the things I can't get over about Paris is that they have a wild peacock population. 

There was a huge Dahlia garden, but the cold nights we have been having recently destroyed most of the plants. I think there is still something really beautiful about them, and I'm using it as my inspiration for my final draping project this semester.  

Mondial de l'Automobile...

BMW Vision Concept. Can we just stop and appreciate those beautiful lines for a while?

BMW X5 and the cool moving wall behind it. 

Hyundai is clearly trying for a new clientele with the Equus. With the champagne glasses and reclining seats you almost had me fooled for Maybach.

Who knew something so cute could come out of KIA? 

The new Lamborghini Setso Elemental, or as I call it, the future Bat Mobile. 

Matte blue, the color of the season.

Forget my dreams of a Vespa, just check out all the details on this Mini Scooter. Pink tail lights on a green body? Contrast stitching on the seat? Yes, and yes. 

SEAT Ibe, in what I think is a poster worthy photograph. 

Fashion Week Favorites S/S 2011...

Narciso Rodriguez

It was the 1990's done for the 2010's; minimalistic and provocative. Perhaps the appeal for this collection came from the nostalgic feeling they gave me. The 90's were the first decade that I can clearly remember, and revisiting that time through such an influential person for the period was certainly special. The spaghetti straps were an especially fresh and thoughtful touch for gowns that flowed around the body. 

Bottega Veneta

Tomas Maier's simple formula of pairing comfortable clothes with the most luxurious fabrics is still a winner in my books. The clothes are appealing on their own simply for their easy to wear shapes, but the fine details in fabric choices make the pieces so desirable; case and point the beautifully cut vest done in an inky black crocodile, or the double breasted linen jacket. 

Jil Sander

There was a wonderfully strange juxtaposition going on at Jil Sander this season; Couture shapes and minimalism. The two ideas are near polar opposites, but Raf Simons merged the two perfectly. The opening looks of white t-shirts and floor length skirts done with couture volumes were done so well I was sold right then and there. Raf picked up on the winning color palette of his recent menswear collection, based on the bright bold colors of a garden, which was a much needed burst of color in what will certainly be a summer of white.  

Haider Ackermann

Love Me Tender started blaring on the speakers as the show started. I knew right there and then what would come out of Haider Ackermann's spring outing would be an emotional and powerful tour de force for the designer. The twists and curls of his signature leather and satin gracefully wrapped around the clothes, some of which seemed to be held in place by the magic of the moment; fashion tape would certainly be needed in real life situations to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions... you could ask Janet Jackson about those... she was in the front row. While black is usually the prominent color of an Ackermann collection, the splashes of bold color were what stole this show. It was poetic, exotic, sensual, and by far one of the best Haider Ackermann shows to date. 

Lanvin

A more minimal Lanvin, could you ask for anything more? I love how everyone is talking about the flats at the show. Evening gowns with flats, workwear with flats, swimwear with flats, Alber is a genius who clearly knows a woman! Oh how wrong you are fashion folk, Alber sent them all down in the worlds highest stilettos that the girls tore off in the rehearsals and refused to walk in. Less of a styling choice, and more as a safety one. 

Rick Owens

What made this Rick Owens collection so amazing was the wearability of the garments. Most Rick Owens collections are strong in Rick's singular, and often very harsh, vision. Here, he moved beyond that, and provided clothes that could be seen on anybody. They were short, long, strapless, or with full sleeves. He provided endless options to be worn for any occasion. You could envision these clothes on a red carpet as easily as on the street. He opened up his world not only to his usual dark customer, but to everyone. Be ready to see a lot more Rick come spring, as this is a collection to be remembered and talked about for some time. 

Donations Welcome...

There will be a Raf Simons secret sale next weekend, October 23-34, in Brussels. Those who know me well, know I would potentially kill (ok, maybe not kill, I'm not a violent person [I would do a whole lot of other things though]) to get himself certain Raf Simons pieces. Need I remind you of the S/S 2009 patent leather sandals, or countless other pieces I constantly talk about? There will be over 2,000 pieces from 2001-Present, all priced between $5 and $125. At this time, I would like to extend an invitation to potential patrons willing to provide financial support to send a well deserving boy to Brussels. People say money cannot buy happiness. What it can buy though, is a trip to a secret sale of one of my favorite designers, which is equal too, if not greater than, happiness. 

Fontainebleau...

At Gare de Lyon. I was excited to finally be in one of the grand train stations and actually boarding a real train. 

The steps leading up to the château. 

If one thing stands out about the inside of the château, it is the amazing woodwork seen all throughout.  

Napoleon's library. 

The château through the foggy haze. 

Parents teaching their daughter to ride a bike through the château grounds. 

The warm sunlight was a perfect compliment to the fall colors just starting to show on some of the trees. 

The château from across the pond. 

The carp pond. 

The château and formal gardens. 

The flowers in the garden were especially colorful and lush. 

C'est moi! 

The fountain with lots of swans. 

The perfect end to a perfect day... a pistache macaroon the size of a tennis ball. 

I convinced some friends to hold off Versailles for another month when it finally is off season and not as crowded. They were still anxious to get out of the city and see some of the grand château's outside of Paris. I suggested Fontainebleau since I had heard so much about it. So, early Sunday morning we gathered at the train station and headed out of town. After being within Paris for the past month, it was amazing to get out of the city and suburbs, and into the countryside. Fresh air, less cars, and the lack of hustle and bustle that comes from inner city living were all a welcomed change for the day. Inside the château was unlike anything else I have seen in France so far. They style was of the Northern Mannerists, and shares many of the same qualities of the same style of painting. Rich woods, heavy with decoration, were coated in gold and deep jewel tone paint. Every surface was covered in some type of pattern. The rooms, while very large, still felt very claustrophobic. It was a strange contrast to the predominately rococo design seen throughout Paris. Quickly the interior became visually too much to handle, so we left for the gardens. A light fog had descended upon the grounds, which just added to the aura of the château. As soon as we approached the formal gardens though, the fog and clouds lifted, leaving us with bright sunshine. The château had come to life, filled with families casually strolling through the grounds, enjoying their Sunday afternoon. The bright flowers and striking exterior of the château felt like a scene from movie. It was easy to imagine Beauty and the Beast taking place at Fontainebleau. When it was time to head home we stopped at a boulangerie, only to find the biggest macaroons I have ever seen. Not only were they big, but they were some of the best I have ever had. Easily rivaling the famous Laduree ones. 

Kate The Great...

Kate Lanphear in all her accessorized glory. 

Splash of Color...

Balenciaga Ligne Papier A3 Tote. 

My Future BFF...

Anna Wintour is smiling because she knows it is true.

Ice Age...

Chanel F/W 2010 boots in the tuilleries. 

Mademoiselle Agnes...

Best Day Ever...

Melissa Tammerijn, one of the top 10 new models, was running from Dior to Lanvin with me on the metro! We talked the whole way there.

I got to Lanvin really early so I went backstage to check on hair and makeup. Melissa thought it was funny that I got in with no ticket or credentials. How that was achieved is my little secret! Later it was time for dress rehearsal, so out came the girls. The heels were killing each one of them, some were yelling at the runway people, others just took them off while walking down the catwalk. When it came time for the actual show, half the models were wearing flats instead. 

They ran through the entire show three times before they started letting people in. By the time the show started I was already familiar with the entire thing. Each time I saw it though, I was in complete awe. It was the most inspiring show I have seen in a long time, and was really Alber at his best. I've been critical of Alber's more recent collections becoming repetitive with all the draping and heavy embellishment. It was as if he heard my wishes, and sent down a more minimalistic collection by Lanvin standards, without all the jewelry and swaths of organza. 

A little video I took of the opening rehearsal. It was funny to hear the runway coach screaming his advice over the speakers while the music was blaring and the models walking. "Come on Jac! Flirt with the garment!" 

The finale walkthrough was such an emotional moment. Done to Dionne Warwick's "Always Something There to Remind Me". During the actual show people were clapping to the music and swaying along. The joy of the collection was really summed up perfectly in that moment. 

After Lanvin, I made my way to Yohji Yamamoto. Even though I'm not the biggest fan, being there and seeing the show is so much different than seeing pictures on Style.com. You get the  excitement of the people around you, the mood from the music, and a full 360 of the clothes in motion. More cerebral collections like Yamamoto make a lot more sense when viewed in person as opposed to a computer screen or magazine. I can honestly say I enjoy his work a lot more after tonight.