Just as fall's Indian Summer has hit NYC comes our latest Smart Buy, this chunky A.F Vandevorst pullover that boasts a modified cowl neckline, making it a perfect layering essential for the season's transitional weather.
There was this, the 3rd summer of love issue of the Face (July 1990), then the go-to mag for me and my friends for what was next. Corinne Day shot 16 year old Kate Moss in this seminal spread that really honestly changed the way I felt about fashion then, disarmed me in a way that felt off and good and human. It also represented the way my friends and I were already dressing. It was accessible and real, messy, plain and anti-glamour.
Helmut Lang 1998 w Robert Mapplethorpe's American Flag, 1977
Spring 1992 Advert, photographer unknown
Spring 1995 photographed by David Sims
"Inspired by brocade on military uniforms and incorporated with wreaths, ferns and a serpent, the ‘Military Brocade’ is a 200-knot wool and raised silk rug. The complexity and fine detail can only be achieved by hand-carving the finest silk yarn."
Too many collections in too short an amount of time, boy oh boy does fashion move fast! Seeing as we ourselves have already forgotten many of fall's key collections, here's a look at favorites from Fall 2010 that are destined to make an impact on all of our future buys.
Celine
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.
Marc Jacobs
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.
Christopher Kane
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.
Jil Sander
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.
Araks bodysuit ($1,025, available at Saks.com); Miu Miu skirt ($730, available at select Miu Miu boutiques); Vagabondnyc Vintage Christian Lacroix brooch (similar styles available at Vagabondnyc Vintage)
e can't help but smile every time we see Simen Johan's arresting sculptures for Comme Des Garcons Shirt's Fall 2010 campaign featuring pieces from his Until The Kingdom Comes series.
Just as we're all trying to get our hands on Phoebe Philo's ladylike "Classic" for Celine, one of the quietest "it" bags ever, comes our latest Accessory of the Week, this forever-chic navy Celine turn lock side purse. A must-have classic indeed.*
70's Celine Navy Turn Lock Purse-$228
Our latest Smart Buy, this 70's era Sonia Rykiel Atlantic blue wool midi wrap skirt, comes just in time for fall's breezier days while it's midi length happens to hit on one of Fall 2011's subtlest micro-trends. Let its cool, muted tone work as a neutral canvas for the season's rich prints & textures.
70's Sonia Rykiel Midi Wrap Skirt-$202
Here's a round-up of our favorite Spring/Summer 2011 collections, ones that are destined to inspire our future buys.
The lighter hand that Sarah Burton has brought to McQueen is destined to bring the house new devotees now that the wearability factor has expanded. Besides the expected craftsmanship, digital prints and Edwardian drama, Burton's take on ra-ra skirts, the high-low dress and the shoulder, now slashed, were winners in our books.
So many things come to mind when looking at Raf Simon's blockbuster collection for Jil Sander Spring 2011. For one, he is the right man for the job(in case you hadn't noticed before), for another, this may have been his best collection at the house ever. Why? Because it's clear that after five years, Simons is confident enough to take the house codes in a new direction while continuing to cater to it's most ardent fans. Now he can make both sides of the fashion world happy with a collection that took what Isaac Mizrahi did with evening wear in the early 90's(juxtaposing old-world couture notions with uniform pieces such as a denim jacket), mixing it with a hyper color palette that could rival Yves Saint Laurent's and his own knack for what you could call intense techno-couture. He opened with a passage of vivid variations on maxi skirts with attached white tee's that made a strong case for minimalism having the ability to make a big impact. He moved on to maxi parachute dresses, some in optical contrasting stripes, followed by a series of origami folded pieces(ones that could make Helmut Lang proud), and layered jackets, three at a time, all contrasting, all ultra-thin, over today's ubiquitous skinny pant. While the pieces retain the house's requisite codes for clean, cool sportswear, Simons may have just upped Jil Sander's status quo exponentially.
What can we say, we like many of you, can't get enough of what Phoebe Philo is doing at Celine and Spring's effort was once again, right on the money. Her focus on the confident woman is still there, but it was the collections take on the yetti coat's free-spirited rawness that felt fresh this time around. And while her covetable leather separates and crisp takes on the white button down made an appearance, we're especially keen on her new fluid pant.
The quirky Mulleavy sisters behind Rodarte have built a considerable following with breathtaking sci-fi couture quality options that place them in an entirely different arena stateside. They do what they want with such conviction and stand apart with such indifference, we for one, can't look at the craftsmanship and ethereal wizardry of each past collection without thinking that at this point, it's a no-brainer that they are gifted designers and have moved well past the "young" detractor. Problem is, while they do what they do obviously well, many of the pieces have had such a one-of-a-kind heirloom appeal to them that they seemed almost unapproachable. Well, the sisters delivered on that memo for Spring 2011 with a collection that was supposedly inspired by the interiors of the house they grew up in. This concept gave the duo a treasure trove of endearing prints to showcase, from a selection of wood-paneling prints to frothy ming vase inspired embroideries. Yet its genius factor came from its pieces patterns and silhouettes, making it their most wearable ever. Dotted high-waisted pants, layered skirts, cut-outs galore, are sure to lift the appeal of the label without overshadowing the distinct level of execution & the viewpoint these designers have made their own.
You can always expect an appropriate amount of femininity packaged in an Erdem collection mixed into contemporary shapes for a look that's as easy on the eye as it is on the wear. Spring's notes included a bold palette of painterly botanical hues, lace, digital prints, maxi lengths and Peter Pan collars for looks that could look just as good on royalty as they could on a 20-something.
