Le Fantastique Emmanuelle Alt

I believe style is something that should be individual to who you are. Therefore, it would come as no surprise that I am not a keen follower of fashion trends and have no fashion icon. However, I can spot natural style a mile off and so if I were to have an icon it would most definitely be Emmanuelle Alt of Vogue Paris. The Fashion Director is not the conventional icon (her grungy look a far cry from the likes of Audrey Hepburn) but she does have the ability to effortlessly transform whatever she wears into an über -stylish must have. As a result, I see Alt as the personification of what a fashion Icon should; someone that that turns their back on the pack and says I am who I am. An individual. A real Fashion Icon.

Visionaire + Coco Rocha = Freakishly Fun Fashion

Slick, stylish and sexy. Most definitely not the words you would use to describe a selection of large Lacoste T-shirt but this crazy video starring Coco Rocha as the dancing mannequin seems to scream exactly that. This is definitely a testament to the fact that anything can be fashionable (excluding-Comme des Garçon Winter 08/09) and so all I can say is well done Visionaire, if this ad did not make magazines fly off the shelves I will be in absolute shock.

A Case of The Emperor's New Clothes

News just in Comme des Garçon has done the amazing, the unthinkable, the unimaginable it has completely changed an institution. Yes thanks to Comme des Garçon ‘Outrageous just got Boring’. Frankly, I think the Comme des Garçon Fall/ Winter 08/09 collection was over-indulgent and a master class in bad taste. Although, according to designer Rei Kawakubo this dip into bad taste was intentional as she wanted to highlight that, "there's value in bad taste, too.”

There is no doubt that CdG has become a spectacle with many people intrigued by the crazy creations. However, there’s only so much a person can take before lace (dripping from almost every ensemble), cutout lips, polka dot, net and love-hearts become quite tedious. I was amazed however by the fact that Rei Kawakubo has managed to skirt under the radar and become exempt from the scrutiny many designers receive by simply giving weightless explanations for her collections.

This season the intention was to show “Comme des Garcons bad taste”. So working with that line of thought, if a designer decides to do a collection not including clothing as a social commentary on how materialistic society is today that is okay? The answer should be no, but it seems giving reasoning for being absurd is a simple way to get approval and respect in fashion.

Fashion Journalists in their masses give this approval and whilst, I respect that for business purposes Fashion Magazines must not offend Designers, there is a point when pure profit must be put aside and your reputation must come first. If for one second people were to look at this collection with objective eyes, instead of under the haze of fashion mumbo-jumbo telling you it’s an attempt to ‘confound the tyranny of "good" taste’ someone would see that this collection is simply bad.

Perhaps I am the only one that sees this and this really is a case of the Emperors New Clothes or there are more of us out there who can see through the fanciful descriptions and fluffy explanations. All I can say is that I hope the next collection for Comme des Garçon will give me nothing to complain about but something great to write about.

Bruna Bops to the Top

Yesterday, I realised something was terribly wrong with this blog. I decided to make a blog about fashion and forgot to include the quintessential part of the fashion world... The models! As a results I began going through the no-name catwalks looking for a model that actually stands out (easier said then done, believe me) and I found Bruna.

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At only 19 Bruna Tenório has already walked for Armani Privé, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Valentino Couture shows, been on the cover of Vogue Brazil and most recently Brazilian L’Officiel. With her flawless complexion and 'crazy-bop' walk Bruna certainly stands out from the crowd and brings a little flavour to fashion. However, is that a good thing?

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With unique models becoming a thing of the past at fashion shows today, perhaps individuality is now career suicide for a model. Time will see but for now Bruna Tenório is rocking the catwalks in her own special way!

Street Style: Paris

Paris is a fashion capital as we all know but it is not just the catwalks that warrant this title. it is because of the extrêmement chic people. So I have created a collage of photos that just highlight some of the great looks of the summer, in Paris.

Cover of the Month!!!

I have to say that this is by far my favourite cover for August. It’s a controversial cover because you will either love it or hate it, but Fashion Focus loves it. Admittedly, I have a slight obsession with black and white photos (and anything with a dash of contrast) but that is not what makes this so great. What is so refreshing is how intense and artistic this cover is. I like many have become tired of fashion magazines using celebrities as a get out clause for actually having to create unique front cover. So what intrigued me is how this cover has a celebrity on it, but it hasn't sat down to take a rest and let the pretty face sell the magazine. Instead, it is working for its sales by standing out from the crowd. All in all I love it. Eva Mendes looks 'hot' and it is a slight improvement on her previous cover for Italian Vogue. Tell me what you think...

Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall Winter 2008/2009

This was such an amazing show, John Galliano seems to be on a winning streak with the Haute Couture Collections. This is a great video just to catch the stand out pieces and hear from the designer himself. If you can though watch the full show.

How High do they Go?

Fall/Winter 08/09 has been a time of discovery for me. I have discovered that I do actually care about shoes and I am willing to fight to get my hands on a pair of the new Thigh High Boots, even if wearing them may come with a health warning.

Tights, je t'aime!!

I have already started saving. These two tone tights were part of the extravagant Fall/Winter 08/09 show by the wonderful Karl Lagerfeld and already fashionistas everywhere are going crazy for them. Why, I here you ask? Well, there's something quite playful yet mature about these tights and so they give a new element to the inescapable LBD that we’ll be pulling out for those winter parties. Although, perhaps the biggest selling point is that for those of us without the perfect streamline legs of a model they seem to magically narrow your legs (seriously watch the show they do). I want them already, but considering the buzz that these little-old-tights have already got somehow I think I may be signing up to a very long waiting list.

ANTM Transgender Model

I made a personal promise to myself when deciding to make this blog not to be a follower of Perez Hilton and become a gossip-monger. Unfortunately, every so often the time comes when vows must be broken and the time is now. I am unashamedly a lover of all things ANTM (Americas Next Top Model) and this season they truly have thrown a curve ball into the mix. For the first time on the series there will be a Transgender contestant. Isis who comes from George's County, Maryland, describes herself as "a woman born physically male." So far Tyra Banks has been applauded for making this "historic visibility of transgender people possible" by Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) president Neil Giuliano. I personally am all for diversifying the catwalks so good luck to her and bring on Cycle 11.

Miu Miu Mixes Art and Sport

Mui Mui was a world of opposites this season, while the clothes were inspired by sportswear the shoes seemingly took their inspiration from the fashionable Art Deco movement. These shoes exemplify the blatant artistic influence: The heels are shaped like a traditional Art Deco vase and are just the right size to stop the shoes form looking too heavy but still respect the voluminous elaborate nature of the Art Deco style. All in all these shoes are a great reference to a dying style... bring back Art Deco!

Balenciaga Fall/Winter 08/09

This season Robots evolved and they got sexy. Nicolas Ghesquière the designer for Balenciaga constantly shocks and amazes the fashion world with his talent for human architecture but this season, I believe he has outdone himself.

Over past few seasons Ghesquière has been stretching Balenciaga’s signature structured look by coupling it with the unthinkable. Spring/Summer 08 being the perfect example; Ghesquière created strong-structured (armour like) mini-dresses with an overlay of vibrant patterns. Nature clashed with Urban Architecture, but it worked. So the question was could he do it again?

This season, sent down the runway was an army of cold detached robots, with just a touch of enticing but austere sex-appeal. The dresses framed the body with their heavy almost inflexible fabrics, while high slits showed just enough skin to accentuate the models long lean legs. This automatically gave the “robots” a new flirtatious dimension.

Another side to this collection was the use of draped velvet that created a decadent and majestic undertone. This heavy draping was at times excessive and almost overpowered the models small frames. However, the black and white combination stuck the perfect balance and will no doubt be a big seller during the winter.

This collection I think can be summed up in one sentence: “it is the recreation of traditional garment/ideas seen through the eyes of an architect.” The answer to the question I first posed is most definitely a yes.