Posts for September 30th 2008

Serenity Now at Yohji Yamamoto
Sunglasses

Serenity Now at Yohji Yamamoto

It has been a hustling and bustling few weeks for the fashion flock as they make their biannual global Hajj to circle the style capitals of the world and much of that frenetic pace has been exacerbated by the heightened sense of drama with retirements, replacements, and anniversaries, thus it was something of a relief to finally have serenity at Yohji Yamamoto.
by coutorture

It has been a hustling and bustling few weeks for the fashion flock as they make their biannual global Hajj to circle the style capitals of the world and much of that frenetic pace has been exacerbated by the heightened sense of drama with retirements, replacements, and anniversaries, thus it was something of a relief to finally have serenity at Yohji Yamamoto.

It was quiet, calm, reverential clothing that will allow true lovers of Yamamoto's keen sense of clean design to pray at the alter of Spring 2009.  Wonderful tailoring with hints of his classic asymmetry, it was a collection of middle proportions and balanced clothing options with both separates and dresses on offer. And for those that following merchandising and licencing deal each look had a brand new pair of sunglasses. If this is what it takes to pay the bills for a collection so collected we promise to pick up two pairs.

Net-A-Porter and Alexander McQueen Pre-Spring 2009 Collection
Net-A-Porter

Net-A-Porter and Alexander McQueen Pre-Spring 2009 Collection

You want the ultimate front row Alexander McQueen experience, well too bad because Net-a-Porter isn't going to give it to you, but damned if they haven't produced an impressive shop a fake front row runway experience for Alexander McQueen's Pre-Spring 2009 collection.
by coutorture
Net-A-Porter and Alexander McQueen Pre-Spring 2009 Collection

You want the ultimate front row Alexander McQueen experience, well too bad because Net-a-Porter isn't going to give it to you, but damned if they haven't produced an impressive shop a fake front row runway experience for Alexander McQueen's Pre-Spring 2009 collection. Its the best commercial McQueen experience on either side of the pond. Not exactly the democracy now Spring 2009 Alexander McQueen experience they had almost promised but still an impressive effort. Just please chill on the internet revolution rhetoric OK?

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The Queen of Punk Goes Pastoral
Vivienne Westwood

The Queen of Punk Goes Pastoral

Some designers seem unable to transcend their own self made idioms whereas others are always striving to if not create new ideals then at least expand the old ones, Vivienne Westwood's Spring 2009 Gold Label show in Paris yesterday is certainly of the latter category.
by coutorture

Some designers seem unable to transcend their own self made idioms whereas others are always striving to if not create new ideals then at least expand the old ones, Vivienne Westwood's Spring 2009 Gold Label show in Paris yesterday is certainly of the latter category. Gone were her harshest of harsh urban warriors. The destitute dawdlers of a burned out and dropped out generation have lost their emotional resonance even for the woman that commercialized them.

Instead we saw creamy emperor goes to the countryside gowns, pink and print striped picnicking outfits complete with sun hat and basket, and even a few viable seaside outfits. We only jest a little when we say that the collection did has a kind of rustic romance to it. Sure the feminine was twisted a little with extreme lipstick choices, but in the end the tenor of the collection was one of sweetness and light. Just because it was a little perverted doesn't mean it wasn't there. It was Westwood with a little bit of flippancy.

In Lieu of All Else Red Lipstick
Lipstick

In Lieu of All Else Red Lipstick

The Parisians have always had a unique take on makeup, never quite natural but certainly not done up, and that neither too much nor too little aesthetic has manifested itself in the strong presence of very red lips on the Spring 2009 catwalks as dare we say the sole focal point of the season's beauty.
by coutorture

The Parisians have always had a unique take on makeup, never quite natural but certainly not done up, and that neither too much nor too little aesthetic has manifested itself in the strong presence of very red lips on the Spring 2009 catwalks as dare we say the sole focal point of the season's beauty. Maison Martin Margiela's anonymous model with its red lips however brings up a more interesting point for us, in that what we view as feminine in an increasingly gender conflicted world can so often come down to cultural signifiers or simplistic markers. Paris would seem to be telling us that in lieu of all else look to the red lips.

Fashion in 50 Seconds 9/30 with Balenciaga, Lanvin, and H&M
Balenciaga

Fashion in 50 Seconds 9/30 with Balenciaga, Lanvin, and H&M

The record drop in the DOW after the collapse of the bailout plan in Washington was particularly harmful to apparel and retail stocks as fears over the economic turmoil turned to concern over how dramatic drops in consumer confidence will impact holiday spending.
by coutorture

The record drop in the DOW after the collapse of the bailout plan in Washington was particularly harmful to apparel and retail stocks as fears over the economic turmoil turned to concern over how dramatic drops in consumer confidence will impact holiday spending. On the bright side  “It definitely will impact the spending habits of an aspirational consumer, and by that I mean someone who will buy at an opening price point of a luxury brand to be in it” says Jeffry Aronsson. Though its clearly already impacting the cheap chic shoppers as H&M had a disappointing 3rd quarter. But so far the truly expensive is still doing quite well as Balenciaga is having a banner year with nearly every runway garment they have sold out in pre-sales. Let's hope that Balenciaga CEO Isabelle Guichot doesn't get caught up on Gucci Group's notorious politics shall we? And if worse comes to worse there is still plenty of money in the Middle East, just ask Lanvin who is in talks with a Qatar based investor. This must be our addiction to romance that is making all this happen right?

Christie's has unveiled the highlights of the forthcoming Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge art sale which has some 700 pieces on offer estimated to fetch up to $440 million.

Someone started a shoe only channel called Shoetube.tv. Really we aren't lying.

And the one piece of good news we could find this morning? Our beloved Adam Lippes is opening a pop up store in our favorite underated American city of Buffalo.