fashionologie

Gareth Pugh's Surprise Spring 2011 Video Presentation Left Many Wishing They Could Have Seen the Clothes Better

fashionologie — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 10:14:50 PDT

>> Yesterday, just like he did for Fall 2009, Gareth Pugh surprised press and retailers with a film in place of a runway show. Pugh, who collaborated again with Ruth Hogben on the 11-minute film featuring Kristen McMenamy, said that he was searching for a runway alternative because: “With a show, a lot rides on that very small amount of time and the whole thing comes down to image. If a model trips or has a problem with shoes, that is the thing that endures. It is liberating for a designer not to have to worry about a show. You can get the models to be even more expressive and do it all in a more concise way.”

Suzy Menkes notes that "the feeling persists that backing off from a runway show is a cop-out or a sign of weakness." Pugh says he is aware of "the perception . . . that people aren’t willing to accept something else [besides a runway show],” and distributed a lookbook of the clothes at the end of the presentation as “a way not to scare people off."

The lack in ability to see the clothes at the presentation was a complaint from a number of attendees, however. WWD wrote: "The film wasn’t really a presentation of Pugh’s clothes, but a presentation of his presentation . . . The imagery was heavily manipulated, so judgment on the clothes was withheld until the classic runway shots arrived, showing what looked like a great collection with a lot to offer commercially." The Los Angeles Times's Booth Moore Tweeted: "Why do we watch runway shows live? Because you can't see the clothes on film. Sorry Gareth, that didn't cut it." The International Herald Tribune's Jessica Michault Tweeted: "Is it just me or did that Gareth Pugh video look just like the last one he did a year ago?" And the Wall Street Journal's Christina Binkley Tweeted: Gareth pugh is a film. Beyond art house. Can't see much of the clothes, but it's sterile and dark."

Style.com's Tim Blanks didn't seem to mind the format, however: "What Hogben's film highlighted was the fluidity and movement inherent in Pugh's clothing. A runway could never have done that-nor could the lookbook images that were circulated after the screening."

Jil Sander: The Collection of Spring 2011, Thus Far

fashionologie — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:16:25 PDT

>> Raf Simons seems to hold the honor of electrifying the fashion audience the most thus far this Spring 2011 season. Suzy Menkes wrote of his Jil Sander collection: "This was a show that projected fashion into this new decade." Vogue UK lauded: "And in the space of 15 minutes, Raf Simons stole the show. The Jil Sander collection this afternoon did just what he does so well: make everybody forget everything they’ve seen before by giving them brilliantly conceived, complete distraction."

Joe Zee Tweeted: "I think Raf Simons has officially made me a color convert with his Jil Sander collection. So incredibly major! With a capital M," later replying "COSIGN" to Kelly Cutrone's Tweet: "Fashion Prediction: Raf for Jill Sander - show stopper - Takes the season." The Los Angeles Times's Booth Moore agreed: "At Jil Sander, designer Raf Simons' extreme color story packed more of a punch than almost anything else we'd seen so far this season."

WWD called the collection "extraordinary" and "fantastic," and Cathy Horyn wrote: "Mr. Simons has shown some exceptional collections at Jil in the past five years, but in this one he dealt more assuredly with the fundamentals of fashion - shape, volume, proportion, new materials - and pushed past the old frontiers to create a new example of minimalist dressing . . . Reaction to the show seemed very enthusiastic, with an immediate burst of applause at the end."

Peter Copping's First Nina Ricci Collection for Spring 2010: The Reviews Are In

fashionologie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:30:26 PDT

>> To an audience of only 75, Peter Copping sent out his first runway show at Nina Ricci in the salon above the brand's Paris store. Copping, who spent the past twelve years at Louis Vuitton, took Ricci to a much more feminine, commercial place than previous Ricci designer Olivier Theyskens. “I like wearable clothes,” he told WWD. “I’m not necessarily into being too avant-garde . . . whenever we did more feminine-based collections [at Vuitton], the sales were always incredible in the stores as opposed to the more austere or hard-edged things."

The Spring 2010 show was about all about the house’s “signature codes” - bows, lingerie, lace - Copping said, and he's keen to add capsule lines of lingerie and wedding dresses soon. So what's his verdict? Hilary Alexander called the collection "charming," T staffers were fans - Anne Christensen deemed it "very pretty" and Armand Limnander "lovely" - and Elle's Joe Zee, too, was won over: "I'm not usually a fan of romance (clothes that is) but Peter Copping's Ricci debut was a slamdunk in romance. Sweet but not saccharin."

Some, however, seemed more hung up on the switch to commerciality: Los Angeles Times's Booth Moore noted, "Olivier Theyskens' Nina Ricci was all vision; Peter Copping's is all saleable product." Suzy Menkes commented: "[It] is not necessarily a bad thing for a house [to be very commercial] . . . but Mr. Copping, having staked out his pretty girl territory, needs to take her to a newer place." And Style.com's Sarah Mower is holding judgment: "At first sight Ricci is now in a safe pair of hands but the jury's still out till next season."

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Gareth Pugh Goes Gray, Even a Little Soft for Spring 2010

fashionologie — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:04:30 PDT

>> For his second major runway show in Paris - last time around he surprised everyone with a video presentation instead - Gareth Pugh, went softer, androgynous, and gray. None of his until-now trademark hard-edged black and white palette to be seen - gray covered the model's faces, hairs, nails, bodies, and even blocked out their eyebrows. Toni Garrn walked for the first time this season.

Showstopping plumed mohawk headdresses are an editorial shoe-in, and will perhaps soon be seen on front row guest Rihanna, dressed in Pugh, who marked the designer's first major celebrity front row guest (Adrian Grenier and Michael Stipe also attended). Both menswear and womenswear were combined into one show this season, which ended with the Cranberries' "Zombie" playing - perhaps symbolic of the season's "gender-bending zombie look," as the Los Angeles Times's Booth Moore put it. More details from the show here.

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A Softer Side of Jonathan Saunders for Spring 2010

fashionologie — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:56:21 PDT

>> Pastel seems to be the palette of choice for Spring 2010 in London, and London returner Jonathan Saunders is no exception. With the help of Katie Grand's styling know-how, plus Christian Louboutin gladiators that had spectators in a tizzy, Saunders's models worked the runway in sheer flouncy pink and lavender pieces and rope-trimmed dresses. To break the mold, highlighter yellow also appeared in the large, sparse, and uncomfortably hot room Saunders showed in.

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Peter Pilotto Earns Raves for Spring 2010 Signature Watercolor Prints

fashionologie — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:27:28 PDT

>> In the space behind a record store in London this morning, Anna Wintour stopped by for a preview, and Peter Pilotto and design partner Christopher De Vos sent out their trademark watercolor prints atop sculptured and draped minidresses. The collection inspired quite the impulse gushing from Another Magazine ("Peter Pilotto - show of the week so far."), Vogue UK ("The Pilotto show has been one of our FAVOURITE shows yet") and Los Angeles Times's Booth Moore ("Peter Pilotto is next big thing out of London."). Wintour's bouncers were so energized by the show, they apparently almost knocked Suzy Menkes over as they rushed Anna out.

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Valentino: Still Lacking Direction for Fall 2009

fashionologie — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:33:38 PDT

>> While Valentino Garavani is preparing to tape an episode of The Martha Stewart Show to promote Valentino: The Last Emperor next week, his proteges Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli sent out their second try at his legacy this morning. Their first collection for the brand in January was deemed too close to the designer's own style - perhaps done out of fear of having the same fate as Alessandra Facchinetti - so for this second collection, they needed to move the brand forward.

Unfortunately, they seem to have earned more rave reviews for their choice of venue - the Galerie des Moulages, with open windows to the Eiffel Tower - than for the clothes. Los Angeles Times's Booth Moore deemed the collection the "same coat with fur trim a dozen different ways, yawn." Hilary Alexander thought "the clothes were just too much of a blast from the past," and Suzy Menkes was left wishing for Alessandra Facchinetti. Curiously, with all the archival inspiration, there was not a single "Valentino red" dress in the bunch.
*image: source

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Frida Giannini's Gucci Approach Still Polarizing Fashion, Earning Bebe Comparisons

fashionologie — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:40:14 PST

>> Frida Giannini's runway-clothes-as-merchandise concept for Gucci may be selling well, but it's still not sitting well with critics. Last season, her collection was likened to Zara, and this season her Fall 2009 collection earned another mall-brand comparison: Bebe.

Cathy Horyn and Suzy Menkes, neither of whom are afraid to be blunt, seemed indifferent to criticizing the collection - both just focused on Frida's decision to channel sex. But Christina Binkley of The Wall Street Journal got more pointed, going so far to ask "Who is the Gucci woman?": "[Frida] seems to develop a startling new personality each season, leaving last season’s clothes lost in relation to the new collection. Last season, she was globetrotting with flower children. This season, she’s shaking it in sequined leggings and a sparkling tunic at Studio 54."

"Gucci continues to look like Bebe with a bigger budget" »

Jason Wu: Oscar de la Renta Heir Apparent?

fashionologie — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:58:20 PST

>> If Alexander Wang is becoming the heir apparent to Marc Jacobs's downtown cool, on the polar opposite spectrum, Jason Wu is drawing comparisons to Oscar de la Renta - logical, since he seems to have taken over from de la Renta as dresser of the First Lady.

Commenting on the subject after Wu showed his Fall 2009 collection, both Los Angeles Times - "It's easy to see why Wu has been compared to Oscar de la Renta. The superb workmanship on his clothes is evident, which is wise in this economy"; and Cathy Horyn of the New York Times - "Without exactly duplicating the look of Oscar de la Renta, his clothes make you think of that style. This is not a negative quality; Mr. Wu’s designs seem reality-tested." [LA Times, NY Times]
*image: source

The Word on Gareth Pugh Spring 2010

fashionologie — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:38:17 PDT

>> Paris Fashion Week kicked off today, and guests are currently filtering into the Palais de Tokyo for Gareth Pugh's second outing at Paris Fashion Week - and his second major runway show in the city (last time around, he only did a video presentation). Sounds like he's foraying into hosting celebrities in his front row for the first time - Rihanna already arrived, wearing one of his striped LBDs, with Ellen von Unwerth, and Adrian Grenier and Michael Stipe have also been spotted. Daphne Guinness, Pugh's backer Michele Lamy and her husband Rick Owens, and Mario Testino all also in attendance.

Word from backstage is hair is being over to block the eyebrows, more details to come as the show starts momentarily.

Update 1: Karlie Kloss opens. [Next Models NYC Twitter]

Verdicts from Mario Testino, Daphne Guinness, and the general reaction »