Thoughts On McQueen...

There was an emptiness within me while looking at the images from the last McQueen collection, mostly because I know the man behind these clothes is no longer with us. You know just by looking at these clothes that no other person would be able to create something as spectacular, so steeped in history while charging head first into the future. Even the mightly Nicolas Ghesquiere at the helms of Balenciaga cannot look back into fashions archives, find something of interest, and create clothes that feel so in the now as Lee could. Everything about this show was eerily serene and filled with emotion. 


You could see the care and thought put into every garment, be it the angel wings positioned on the backs of dresses, or the way difficult fabric was manipulated to be effortlessly draped. Like so many British designers before him, his clothes had a romanticism with the past, befitting then, that his final collection would focus so much on it. Excerpts from the painting The Garden of Earthly Delights, one of my personal favorites, were digitally printed onto the fabric in a way that only a true master could do it. The shapes of the clothes echoed back to medieval times with fitted bodices, full skirts with curtain pleats, and high neck lines. Of course, all of these attributes have become a signature to McQueen, along with fantastical footwear and his love of feathers. 


There was the clear reference to his Icarus collection at Givenchy, and perhaps much like the story, McQueen reached too high with Plato's Atlantis, falling into a deep emotional spiral that has resulted in his untimely end. Lee himself had meant for this show to contrast his spring show, stripping away the future and technology that helped make Plato's Atlantis so spectacular. The feathers also acted as such a poignant Icarus metaphor, not only in this show, but many of the others that came before it. Through them, McQueen took so many people on a flight into new heights of fashion, sparking our collective imagination of what fashion can achieve. I would hope that those feathers and angel wings have taken him to a much better place where he can finally be at peace. 


You couldn't help but feel that maybe he intended this to be his final collection. Each look perfectly encapsulated what he was about, and you could feel his heart and soul poured into every fold of the fabric. Cathy Horyn said that "Someday there will be a retrospective of the fashion of Alexander McQueen, and if it ends with the 15 pieces shown here in a small salon the survey will indeed feel complete." Her words are certainly true. You felt it looking at the clothes, mentally comparing them to his work at Givenchy and his own label, seeing how they were a perfect ending to such a sad story. 

Alexander McQueen F/W 2010

And The Oscar Goes To...

Usually I could care less about celebrity fashion. And usually, my favorite gown from the recent Haute Couture shows goes unworn, or worn by the wrong person. Today, it was the right person, and the right dress. 

Zoe Saldana in Givenchy Haute Couture. You may remember me oowing and awwing over this dress when it was first shown, and tonight it looked even better. This gets my vote as best dressed at the Oscars, as well as the entire award season. I'm sure sources like E! and People Magazine will disagree, but who are they to judge fashion? I've already found multiple sites calling this the worst dress, MTV being one of them. Oh well, I find it stunning. 

Don't Mess With Balenciaga...

So, looks like we have a little fashion mystery on our hands. Carine Roitfeld and all the French Voguettes have been banned from Balenciaga. This means no advertising space, no clothes being lent, and no tickets to the show.  But why? Could it have to do with Marie Amelie Sauve's (left) departure from Paris Vogue, she is the stylist at Balenciaga and a best friend of Nicolas Ghesquiere (center) after all. I'll be interested in seeing how this plays out because I can't pick between my bff's Carine and Nick* without knowing what exactly went down. Maybe I will dawn my gumshoe hat and do some imaginary detective work when I arrive in Paris this week. Conde Nast offices and Balenciaga flagship here I come!

*I like to think I'm on a first name basis with Carine Roitfeld and Nicolas Ghesquiere... Don't judge.

Balenciaga F/W 2010...

I've come to the conclusion that Balenciaga will always get its own post. Seriously, there has never been a season (past or present) that I haven't loved. I'm like the unofficial president of the Balenciaga fan club, Minnesota branch. A Balenciaga show would only take up room on my Paris top 4 list and to group it with any other designers would just make them look bad in comparison. Like Prada, you must analyze Balenciaga. What sets Balenciaga apart though is that you must not only analyze the conceptual aspect, but also the construction and use of material. So here we go...

What amazes me about this look is not the fur, but the fact that the fabric floats around the body. It seems to just hang off the shoulders and just hover around everything else. The metallic fabric could easily come across as cold and futuristic, but instead feels inviting, rich, luxurious, and perfectly of its time. As for the fur, it is almost an anti-waist. What is normally the thinnest part of a woman's body, suddenly gets enveloped in volume, echoing classic Balenciaga shapes. 

This was the best of springs color pallet, tweaked just a little to keep it fresh. Normally something so close to a previous collection would leave me board, but here it almost brings more relevance to the spring show. Consumers are looking to get more longevity out of their clothing and by following so closely to spring with a select few looks, means you can transfer the looks between seasons. As for that pastel pink chain bracelet, my name has already been written all over it.

Ummmm.... yeah, that material, that shape, that pattern. It is just stunning how the fabric folds and waves underneath the belt. You just want to reach into the screen and feel the fabric to know what it is (Double faced silk? Thick lycra? Neoprene?) The tone on tone pattern adds enough dimensionality to keep the color blocking from becoming too mundane. Nicolas' trouser looks as good as ever in this wonderful shade of cranberry red. 

From a distance I thought that the sweater had been cut or knitted with holes in it to reveal a shirt underneath, but much to my surprise, it was actually sewn on. What an effective way to give shape and structure to a knit. 

Questions! Where do the pants end and the jacket begin? Can it be zipped up into a continuous jumpsuit? Perhaps it can be separated into jacket, trousers, and shirt? This is a feat of technical wonder. I look to Balenciaga and Nicolas Ghesquiere to push my thoughts and make me think what design is capable of. This was the thought provoker of the collection and why I enjoy Balenciaga shows so much. 

And because you can't talk about Balenciaga without talking about the shoes... I've said before that a pair of Balenciaga shoes are deserving of their hefty price tag because of the exceptional quality and design. Have you honestly seen such a shoe, let alone one that is constructed of crocodile, wood veneer, and precious stones? Counterfeiters beware, you cannot even attempt to copy these, everything will fall short.  These are literally works of art, I would want a pair just to display them in my house somehow. J'adore. 

For those of you who made it to the end of this, you get Erik brownie point. What these points get you, I don't know, but you have some.

Barbie Goes Safari... YSL Style...

Round 2 of 3 in the Christian Louboutin for Barbie collaboration finally came out. I've gradually become addicted to miniature things in general, and can't get over how amazing the little dust bags are. While fun to look at, I can't imagine spending $150.00 on some Louboutins you can never wear. If you feel compelled to though, you can purchase the Dolly Forever, and Cat-burglar Barbie on Net-a-Porter.

Oh Natalia...

Suddenly I'm looking much more forward to the 2014 Winter Olympics. Thank you Russia for seeing what Natalia Vodianova really is...

PERFECTION!

Maybe I will put together a photomontage of her in the spare time that I don't have. Then we can all bask in her glory.