Phoebe Philo's strict, assured Fall 2010 outing at Celine
We've been whining about a need for cleaner, more sobering elements in fashion, and while we fell for Pheobe Philo's recent efforts at Celine, there's come a point to looking at the Fall 2010 collections where one must consider this: how will you be able tell many of these collections apart since everyone's jumped on the minimalist bandwagon and the camel coat brigade? Yes, Philo was on-the-money with her straight-forward, easy pieces after a decade overcome by aggressive "fierceness" & urbania, but with daily sound bites from every editor touching upon a "need for serenity" after they were calling out for "a need for uniqueness" last season, you've got to think that this minimal movement will be as ephemeral as the nature of fashion is itself.
Another thought that came to mind when surveying last season(or really the next, Spring 2010) and Fall 2010 is how three of today's strongest female designers , Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo at Celine and Hannah MacGibbon at Chloe, seemed to have similar trains of thought. Sure they are English, have worked for Chloe, and truly did deliver. However, it seems uncanny that while all three do have varied approaches, they are in the end delivering the same message. That's not to say that each of their past & recent collections are not stand-outs, because they were & are, but it does seem to hit at fashion's bigger problem. That being that fashion moves so fast, and that there are so many designers & labels to turn to throughout the world, that after a while, everything homogenizes into one fleeting message, and that too on a very shaky foundation.
Different Messages on the Same Ground:
Stella McCartney Fall 2010
Looking at Stella McCartney we understand that it takes confidence for a designer to send out a pair of black leggings topped with a slim sweatshirt amidst a mainly minimal outing, but we have to wonder where the cool & quirky factor McCartney is known for injecting alongside her love of lace & tailoring went? What the hell is Alexa Chung gonna wear? It felt devoid of that irresistible insouciance we've admired for so long.
Chloe Fall 2010
While Hannah MacGibbon's been on a roll during her brief time at Chloe, and while she scored again with an acute take on classic & lush 70's preppyness that strikes a chord with next season's "serenity now" cry for minimalism, we have to ask again, where's the coolness? Philo was successful at repositioning the house as if a naive girl was rummaging through her mother's old YSL collections, not her father's Brooks Brothers cache. The ease here felt a bit too basic, but then again, that's not to say that it didn't look good, because it did.
Celine Fall 2010
And while Phoebe Philo has started out with a big bang of wearable separates geared for the working girls of today, grabbing the attention of scores of copyists high & low, her Fall 2010 outing, while beautiful, failed to deliver an entirely new message and a new set of ideas. Take the mix of navy & black or the look we've posted above, which in one of our minds seems to be more an ode to Yohji Yamamoto signatures than a fresh, sensational message. And while the Forever 21's out there will never be able to replicate the beautiful fabrics and precise tailoring of the collection, it's lack of personality and overwhelming strictness made this attempt feel a bit flat and vague.
And that's the problem with the way the fashion winds seem to be blowing for next fall, with so many re-thought basics and no frills fun, how can one stand-out, where is the filler? We aren't all gallerina's, and when you make the sex in severity so subversive you leave little behind to play with and drones of girls around the world in mumsy wool shifts. It's not really going to work, and until then, we feel a little unfulfilled by it all.
Our latest Smart Buy, these slim-cut fluid black crepe 80's era overalls, may be a little more casual & playful than our previous selections, but their versatility is unquestionable for year-round wear. Think about wearing them in the day over a sheer chiffon blouse with voluminous sleeves, or let them stand as a smart layering foundation and pile on the chunky knits and cashmere cloaks. The options are virtually endless...
We've not only marked down some of our favorite vintage pieces this week, we've also added some major new favorites as well!
We are all about this sculptural mid 90's Helmut Lang beauty.
The movement and pattern of this early 80's Gianfranco Ferre sweater suggest a more playful side to the designer's strict house codes.
This 90's Callaghan velvet top made a great companion to our 70's leather wrap shorts.
After seeing the velvet overalls from Chloe we've been on a hunt for classic bibs and this sleek number channels that Parisian style perfectly.
Leather shorts have been on our must-have lists ever since Chloe's Fall 2009 outing and these red 70's era wrap shorts are sure to become a closet constant for season's to come.
A beautiful peach topper from the Victorian era quietly channels fashion's recent love affair with grunge, lace and triangle points.
We've had a thing for 70's era girlieness and this lush ivory chiffon top with it's voluminous sleeves and rows of ruffles hits all of our top notes.
Minimalism is thankfully back this season & the next, making now a better time than ever to look back at the considerable trademarks of Helmut Lang. This mid 90's skirt with it's sheer sculptural composition makes a winning case for clean yet inventive dressing.
With digital prints making a splash over the past few season's comes this graphic 70's era knife-pleated shirt-dress in a prim, ladylike cut.
Our 80's Claude Montana leather gauchos happen to hit upon several of Fall 2010's biggest statements thanks to their sleek leather fabrication, over-all clean look and culotte shape. Yes, culottes did make a splash on runways as varied as Chloe & Marc Jacobs as a nice alternative to the Bermuda shorts and wide-leg pants seen elsewhere.
Marc Jacobs Fall 2010
Chloe Fall 2010
We randomly stumbled upon this sweet little craft project on Hermes.com that shows you how to make your own Collier De Chien cuff out of paper step-by-step. Click here to get started!
Our latest Smart Buy, this 80's era green wool tulip shaped dress from Bergdorf babe Carolyne Roehm, happens to channel Hannah MacGibbon's knack for vintage-inspired minimal separates at Chloe that virtually everyone hit on for Fall 2010. It's clean, unadorned surface, warm green tone and contrasting edging combined with a manner that's both posh and somewhat masculine happen to lend it a limitless versatility & restrained cool. Dress it up, dress it down, it's one of those items that'll never let you down.
It took a while but we are proud to report that one of our favorite pieces, this timeless updated take on the cargo vest in tunic-length from 80's era Stephen Sprouse, finally found a home!
Our latest Accessory of the Week, this 20's inspired sequined tulle neckpiece, is an easy way to add dramatic flair to even the simplest of looks.
While one of us has a strong aversion towards hats in general, the other half of VagaBlog can't wait to get our hands on Behnaz Sarafpour's modified flat-top boaters for Fall 2010.
Another blockbuster collection from Phoebe Philo at Celine that was centered around precise, pragmatic sportswear in a very strict, urbane manner. Wherever the fashion winds blow Philo, we will follow.
After quite a few tricky collections Marc Jacobs was back on track with a collection that looked back at his own signatures, and we were happy to see his original quiet, bookish, almost nerdy girl make a comeback.
Chris Kane's inventive mix of graphic traditional floral embroideries, black matte leather & lace made a compelling argument against today's cry for straight-forward minimalism. It was anything but sobering but still oh-so-cool.
In a time when minimalism is on everyone's radar, Raf Simon's used the strict codes of Jil Sander(the queen of minimalism) to full advantage producing a right-on-the-money line of clean, cool and impeccably tailored sportswear.
Hannah MacGibbon has been on a roll at Chloe, brilliantly updating the house's codes with collections that are refined studies on 70's basics. We adore her uses of camels and rich caramels, chunky knit separates and sumptuous velvet. In other words, we'd basically be happy to sport every piece from the range.
Phoebe Philo is back! And she's taken Celine and the fashion world by storm with modern, assured collections centered around easy, functional pieces with just the right amount of restrained cool.
Inventive uses of traditional menswear fabrics and artful padding made Rei Kawakubo's latest outing a provocative & mesmerizing effort. And while that puzzling padding makes a bold statement, you've got to think of how much warmer all of the above will keep you next fall.
Dries offered a quirky take on classic cool with military references & a thoughtful mix of traditional fabrics in army green, camel, gray and muted gem tones. He may be considered the king of color, but we tend to also consider him the king of modern sportswear.
Vagabondnyc.com is happy to announce the launch of a very special range of early 80's avant-garde pioneers from the personal collection of singer/songwriter & New Wave icon Aimee Mann. Looking through her collection, the bulk of which come from Comme Des Garcons, Jean Paul Gaultier, Katherine Hamnett & Yohji Yamamoto, we were floored by these groundbreaking early designs and how relevant they were for today. While they channel the era's strong hyper-androgynous sensibilities, we like that they also exude a calm sense of assured sexuality and are reduced to simple shapes and clean unfussy lines. These aren't clothes for the sake of being avant-garde, instead they are clothes for the wearing.
Aimee Mann happened to wear this genius modified brocade Yohji Yamamoto sarong to the 1985 MTV Music Awards.
Mid 80's Yohji Yamamoto Relaxed-Fit Grey Shirt & Skinny Pants-$798, and Mrs. Mann wearing the shirt below in Til Tuesday's "Voices Carry" video:
Mid 80's Jean Paul Gaultier Pour Gibo Purple Modified Zoot-Suit-$418, and Mrs. Mann wearing our suit in an iconic press image for Til Tuesday below:
Mid 80's Katherine Hamnett White Relaxed-Fit Suit-$498, and Mrs. Mann performing in the mid-80's wearing our suit below:
Click here to check out or entire selection of Mrs. Mann's personal favorites!
Stella McCartney Fall 2010
Chloe Fall 2010
Celine Fall 2010
