The Clothes: Where to begin? There was a Marie Antoinette/courtesan vibe here–Meadham Kirchhoff always does costume-y shows and this one was a doozy. The show, titled “A Cautionary Tale,” featured corsets, full skirts, lots of bows, and kitschy anachronistic elements like a Minnie Mouse t-shrit and denim jackets. The jewels were big and the hats Read more →
The designers of London fashion week sent out whimsical invitations that really appeal to the child in us: There were pop-up books from Burberry and Meadham Kirchhoff, a paint set (complete with a sketchbook) from Mulberry, and a credit card from Mark Fast (for the adult shopaholic in us).
Click through to see our favorites.
We spend most of our time covering womenswear so we delight in the menswear shows because designers tend to take much bigger risks on the runway. Pink lace up bikini briefs? Intricate bondage? Quirky colorful top hats? Koosh-ball-like head coverings? It was all there on the runways of London, Milan and Paris.
So we had to know: What do “real” men think about these outrageous ensembles?
To find out, we reached out to our friends in the media who aren’t fashion-affiliated–like Daniel Edward Rose of The Observer, Jo Piazza of Current TV, who, while a lady it’s true, admits she has the mindset of a 13-year-old boy, and Elie Mystal of our brother site Above the Law. But we didn’t stop there: we hit the streets of NYC to poll all the men we could find about these crazy looks.
Magic Mike opens today. Maybe you’ve heard of this male stripper flick starring the gleaming pecs and chiseled abs of Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer, Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello that every media outlet–us included–can’t get enough of? And, maybe, you are, like us, unabashedly excited to go see it, ASAP?
Hopefully you are. Because to whet your whistle, we’ve rounded up fashion’s own ‘Magic Mikes’–the nearly naked male models strutting the runways right now in Paris. And while the Paris men’s shows are only halfway done, these specimens of male perfection have already graced the runways of London and Milan, oftentimes wearing very little. The beginning of Versace’s spring show and maybe all of Frankie Morello’s are essentially strip-club ready. Have a look. Happy Friday and you’re welcome.
London just wrapped its first-ever stand-alone menswear shows; menswear had previously been relegated to a single day after the women’s RTW shows finished–and editors, who needed to get to Milan for the next round of shows, rarely stuck around. London did itself proud with its inaugural “London Collections: Men.” While there were plenty of natty Read more →
We’ve scoured the Fall 2012 collections for the most amazing shoes, and it was easy, because there were plenty. The best part? Footwear options for Fall 2012 are a lot more reasonable than their Spring 2012 counterparts. (Remember those 6 inch Versace lucite wedges?)
Fall 2012 saw lots of wide heels and mary-janes on the runway, and sometimes both simultaneously–like at Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Marni. Knee-high black boots ruled at Alexander Wang, Altuzarra, Givenchy, and Rick Owens, and ladylike pumps could be found at Lanvin, Nina Ricci, and Jil Sander. Of course, if you’re looking for something crazy, look no further than Alexander McQueen’s heel-less fur shoes. Impractical, but so lovely.
Take a look at all the amazing shoes from Fall 2012 and just try to pick a favorite. It’s near impossible.
Fashion shows aren’t just about fashion anymore. Or more accurately, fashion isn’t just about the clothes anymore. Every season, runway shows get more elaborate, as designers and brands try to cram a lot of drama into the 15 minutes that they have everyone’s attention. And it works–it makes a show pretty memorable. (Whether or not it helps the image of a brand or helps the clothes be memorable remains to be seen, as our contributor Long Nguyen speculated in his review of Dior’s show.)
Karl Lagerfeld and his Chanel extravaganzas are the notable exception. Lagerfeld always wows us with a spectacle of grand proportions–and clothes to match. The Chanel show, which walks tomorrow in Paris, is undoubtedly the highlight of fashion month every seasaon. But those who have come before it this month weren’t too shabby, either. Pyrotechnics, a fruit stand, and an escalator all helped designers tell their stories for their fall 2012 collections.
Click through to see all the most outrageous runway shows from this season.
LONDON–The crowd at Meadham Kirchhoff looks a lot different than at your average fashion show. You see very few Chanel bags–and quite a few plastic dresses, rainbow hair, and thrifted shoes. This show was a great, ridiculous way to end London fashion week on a happy high note. Upon walking into the space, it wasn’t Read more →
Parsons Alums to Design for Christian Louboutin: For the never-ending celebration of the brand’s 20th anniversary, Christian Louboutin is enlisting the talents of Parsons alums to design garments to fit the Loubi aesthetic. Five 2010-2011 graduates were chosen, and their designs will be on display at the Louboutin 20th anniversary event at Bergdorf Goodman in early February. Congratulations to the winners, we can’t wait to see what they’ve come up with! {WWD (Subscription required)}
Topshop and the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN is Teaming Up Once Again: for a collection of t-shirts designed by some of its most noted alums including Mary Katrantzou, Christopher Kane, and Meadham Kirchhoff. The collaboration is in celebration of Topshop’s ten-year affiliation with the NEWGN designer sponsorship, and will be available during London Fashion Week in stores and online at Topshop, as well as in the retailer’s LFW pop-up shop in Selfridges. {Vogue UK}
Rihanna is Having The Best Vacation Ever: The bleater singer has been snapping twitpics of herself in various bikinis all week, but last night Ms. Fenty let loose on Twitter sharing several shots of her island frolicks. At one point she tweeted @KhloeKardashian a picture of her on an elliptical machine in a bikini, “Come tap this.” If she won’t, we will. {Rihanna Twitter}
London fashion week was a whirlwind of shows, and we had a great time covering them. Besides being an incubator for original fashion, London designers are also not afraid to work a LOOK on their models, making for the best beauty-ogling of all the fashion weeks. From Vivienne Westwood (at left), who is not afraid of, well, anything, to more subtle yet never boring looks, we loved the beauty in London.
This is all about the drama. You need a certain amount of self-confidence to pull many of these off, but we encourage you to try!
Click through for our 10 favorite looks from London.
We had a great time in London, thanks to the parties, the food, and of course the clothes. Here are our picks for the top 10 collections, in no particular order. (PS, check out Fashionista’s London Fashion Week page to access our extensive coverage.)
LONDON–In a fury of skirts and schoolyard angst, the show was over.
Meadham Kirchhoff sent 24 looks flying down the catwalk en masse in a sharply choreographed show with real intensity.
The corps of models amassed in the venue’s backlit arches before powering down the runway. On reaching the end, individuals peeled off and stepped in a crisp-cornered formation around the sets.
The result was a visual feast that felt more akin to performance art or a major Broadway production than a typical fashion show. But the convention-breaking format did make it difficult to really take anything in.
