February 2009 Archives

FINAL NEW YORK FASHION WEEK POST! Wow! I don't know how all the other fabulous bloggers do it. As you know, many of us work full time and blog in our spare time. I just don't know how everyone finds the time. Nevertheless here it is !! Japan pics to come soon!

This is one of the best runways seen throughout New York Fashion Week! While many designers are cutting back and using mannequins, Philip Lim seemed to spare no expense with his runway show. Look at the lighting and set up! WOW! Many of the looks included maroon tights and fabulous furs. The were also some great prints. The collection was detail conscious and full of fabulous separates that could be mixed and matched for any occasion!

Alexandre Herkovitch did florals like we have never seen this season. There were floral sequined dresses, jackets and blouses paired with shimmery tights, all under bright pink lighting. While many of us shy away from stripes of any kind, these were body flattering and vertical! Hurrah! Models also wore some fabulous head bands and little black gloves. I must find some of those sequined tights. OO la la!

There was just something about this Alice and Olivia collection. The clothes were presented in images! The models were all featured in fabulous and creative poses and the clothes were inspiring and cool. Don't you just drool over these photos? I love the photo of the model in the big baggy blue sweater (featured below).

Anna Sui surely shut up the critics who called her collections too bohemian and similar this season! This collection was inspired by the paintings of 19th Century artist Toulouse-Lautrec. There were fabulous feathered head pieces, glamorous necklaces and tasseled booties. Anna Sui is not to be underestimated!

BETSEY! What happened? Where is the fun runway? ACK! The pieces she presented were great nonetheless but just didn't have the Betsey feel. She held the fashion show at her studio in a fifties inspired malt shop setting. Her pieces are always, and will always be fabulous regardless of where she presents them. I wonder if she still did a cart wheel after she presented her collection?

Carlos Miele presented a more formal collection consisting of formal gowns and dresses. I loved how he paired the fancy dresses with a more casual basic black jacket. The gown (below) is just a peek at some of the beautiful pieces he presented! I love the effect of the black and white intertwining throughout the dress. What a treat!

Carolina Herrera! For some reason I have been drawn to the dressier and more sophisticated looks this season. This collection was marvelous. It was full of color and life and refreshing elegance. WWD thought that the shiny fabrics were a little overdone and took away from the collection, but I thought they were vibrant and exciting! There were some magnificent figure hugging gowns and a great deal of volume and ruffling at the bottom. It didn't look overdone or out of proportion in any way. There were also some great day wear coats and dresses. The quality and tailoring of the fabrics was top notch!

I have always been a fan of the gorgeous gowns created by Gilles Mendel for J. Mendel. The fur vests and impeccably tailored cropped leather jackets were a great contrast to the elegant evening gowns he showed. This collection was wide ranging and full of possibilities. Look at the two gowns here (left and right). He definitely proved his versatility with this collection. Hope some of these gowns get picked up for red carpet events, they would surely make the best dressed list!

Jill Stuart sure featured some fabulous footwear and head gear for fall! Many of the shoes had peek-a-boo cut outs and sky high heels or knee high laced up leather boots. These were contrasted with feminine, ruffled and bowed dresses. I loved the satin dress paired with purple jacket (below).

Derek Lam presented yet another elegant collection. The thick beautiful coats were lined with fur and featured complimenting and contrasting linings. There were shimmery dresses and skirts, as well as lots of leather, strappy heels and black ankle booties. Tweeds and draping were also prominent in this collection.

What a fun and playful collection Marc put together for this season's Marc by Marc Jacobs Collection. I always enjoy his collections but oftentimes I find that many of the looks would be better off alone. This season the pieces just seemed to mesh well together. There were tweed coats, baggy dresses paired with funky boots and colorful tights! These will surely fly off the racks!

I gasped when I saw the gowns that were created by Georgina Chapman for Machessa! The silhouettes were stunning and featured many layers and shapes. Most of the pieces were in charcoals and greys but the shapes were breathtaking. In an interview with WWD she said that she "wanted to make [the collection] all about fairy tails."

All I have to say about this collection is OO LA LA! Max and Lubov Azria sent a futuristic and hard edged collection down the runway this season. There were a lot of leather pieces and uniquely draped dresses. WWD thought that this collection was unappealing and too Gothic and unflattering but I thought the pieces were well fitting and eye catching! Look at the draping of the two looks featured here!

Read this entry on Clothes Line Finds.

Read this entry on Tjarda | MODEL MANAGEMENT.

Bravery, Respect, Honor, Loyalty, Wisdom-This is the code of the warrior.These are the five disciplines that we live by.The Tokyo Five signature look is a mix of Asian graphics, European detailing and vintage American nostalgia. Denim is treated with premium washes and effects, and enhanced with contemporary details for a rugged and inspired look.

The soft,weathered tees incorporate daring Japanese influnenced artwork that sets Tokyo Five apart.

Brand new for Fall'09,The Tokyo Five men's and women's collections respond to a void in the US market, bringing the sophicated edginess typical of European brands to an easy, uncomplicated style which is 100% American.

I have been shooting in the beautiful, but hot Maldive islands with ELLE magazine. I am really a stickler for natural looking skin. So, rather than dusting powder all over to alleviate shine: I utilize one of the many anti-shine and mattifier products now on the market. These products counteract the oily-look invisibly so that you don't see any residue. My favorite is made by Peter Thomas Roth.

PHEW! Almost there, I guess many of you are focusing on London Fashion Week now but I started to make these posts and I am determined to finish them! This is part one and I hope to finish the last part soon. I also must feature the magnificent photos of the Clematis-No-Oka garden we went to over the weekend. Magnificent. Please visit the fabulous Leah's blog to read about our adventure before I have a chance to post about it! It's really great, check it out and drop her a comment!

Talk about some crazy hairstyles going down the runway for Marc Jacobs! When interviewed by WWD he asked “What? Is all black going to help the economy?” Love it. This collection was fun and playful full of color and life in a time of gloom and doom. There were some magnificent cape like coats in vibrant yellows and reds. Again, you are probably tired of hearing me say this, but am not a huge fan of those wild shoulder pads! What is your take on the shoulder pad craze this season?

I am not completely sold on Michael Kors yet but how can I not feature the fabulous Project Runway Judge? It's too bad the show is facing so many legal woes and may not air this season. Nevertheless, his collection featured a lot of great timeless staple pieces. There were a few bright colors incorporated into the black based collection (left). The coat on the right looks magnificent with the black silhouette doesn't it?

Last year my sister and I bought Narciso Rodriguez perfume for my Mom and she was a changed women. She only uses it on special occassions but she says it makes her feel special and fantastic when she puts it on. This is how I felt when I looked at his magnifcent collection. It was full of body hugging pieces that were fabulously tailored and caused my jaw to drop! Not eveyone can make camaflouge look cool but there were some great jackets and dresses that would make any woman swoon. I was not a huge fan of the bizarre cut out hats but nevertheless I was wowed by this collection!

Zac Posen presented an interesting and very glamourous collection this season. I was not a huge fan of many of the large shoulders but I thought it was definitely worth highlighting. There were some amazing gowns and interesting cuts as well. There were also a few great pant and skirt suits. These were my two favorite pieces from the collection (left and right).



The collection put together by Jack McCollough and
Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler was a stunner! There were some great tweed looks (see below) as well as some stunning evening wear dresses. I loved the gold sparkly dress (featured left) and the fabulous layered dress (featured right). Shorts with tights were also another key element in this collection. This trend is huge in Japan. Many women wear cool capris and shorts with leggings and big chunky boots. Thre were also a variety of casual, yet chic jackets gracing the runway this season.

Ralph Lauren included three large chandeliers above his runway! Many of the pieces were in earth toned colors of blacks, greys and browns. I wasn't too keen on all of the velvet-like materials but there were many great pieces. Look at this dress on the left, doesn't it look like a flower? The collection also featured some magnificent hats (see below).

I have always been a fan of the collections presented by the Rodarte women (Kate and Laura Mulleavy). There was a whole lot of leather presented this season. There were leather pants in a variety of colors and hard mini dresses with long sleeves. They might be a hard sell during these times but it sure was a fabulous show! Their collection was inspired by architect Gordon Matta-Clark. In the seventies, He created a series entitled "Building Cuts" where he took apart buildings that had been abandoned. They captured the collage idea brilliantly!

Many designers have been using mannequins this season. The clothes have to be dramatic and styled fabulously for them to stand out from the masses of houses presenting collections. Temperly London was one of the few houses that pulled the effect of effortlessly. I loved the way the clothes were displayed. They looked chic, wearable and fun! The cropped leather jacket (left) was different than any of the jackets coming down the runway this season. Don't you love the hats and poses of the models on the right?

This season Tory Burch included a lot of casual street style pieces intermingled with rough leather and biker boots. There was just something about this collection that grabbed my attention. The cardigans, vests and blouses all seemed to fit into the hard look. The pieces are simple, yet have a playfulness to them.

Read this entry on Clothes Line Finds.

photographer Peter Miszuk
petermiszuk.com