Tim Hamilton Menswear Fall 2010/2011

Very few American designers show their collections in Paris.  The list becomes even more narrow when speaking about menswear designers.  Tim Hamilton is one of those designers, and with good reason.  His design asthetic does not fall into what we traditionally consider American.  He embraced the apocalyptic trend before any other American designer.  His collections carry a European sense of tailoring.  There is also a sense of dark romanticism to his collections, which is also very much a trend that is represented in the Paris collections.  But no matter how "European" Tim Hamilton's collections are, he is still very American.  The emphasis in casual separates vs. tailored pieces is a very American quality.  This season, his collection has some of the best knitwear shown anywhere.   The blend of texture, pattern and cut are on a whole new plane.  He also showed the most unique jackets of the season, whether it be through cut or through pattern.  Many of the blazers had a Mugler quality to them, which felt very appropriate.  I was really impressed with this collection this season and can't wait to see Tim Hamilton's future collections!

YSL Menswear Fall 2010/2011

Stefano Pilati has been playing with proportion on the male side for some time now.  It all came to fruition in his latest collection for YSL.  IT was much dressier than many of the casual sportswear collections that have been presented this season.  I don't think I've wanted a pair of pleated trousers more in my life!  OK - so the new version of the overall is a bit difficult, I'll give you that, but I think what he was really trying to emphasize was the higher inseam in many of his trousers, many of which had a drop crotch quality to them.  There was a nice mix of short vs. long and oversized vs. fitted for the tops in the collection.  The update to suiting was provided by a pleated lining that was hanging out of many of the jackets.  Some jackets also seemed very traditional in the front, but had pleating done to the back on top of the pleated lining.  I also really liked the exaggerated pitch on many of the jackets, which caused them to kick forward.  I also covet the black shearling jacket in this collection more than any other shearling jacket presented for Fall 2010!  Overall, the collection was an evolution of the futuristic elements that Stefano has been toying with for the past 5 seasons and really fell into many of the major trends that have emerged for this upcoming fall/winter season.

Givenchy Menswear Fall 2010/2011

Givenchy has been at the forefront of the dark romantic goth trend that has been a major trend over the past couple of seasons.  Riccardo Tisci did not sway far from his comfort zone for this collection.  The major shift is that tailoring is back at Givenchy.  The Spring collection was heavily influenced by streetwear and a touch of grundge and embellishment was added to spice things up.  This season, the embellishment was stripped away and the tailoring was cleaned up.  The suits were really beautiful and if I had to wear a suit for fall, it would definitely come from Givenchy.  Everything was black and white.  The outerwear at Givenchy was razor sharp and followed the protective trend with the inclusion of a wonderful hood that surrounded the faces of the models.  I did find the addition of sandals a bit strange, but Givenchy doesn't follow the rules, so I give them a free parking pass on that one.  I'm definitely going to need to get my hands on one of those necklaces!!!

Lanvin Menswear Fall 2010/2011

Wow, quite a change from the romanticism that Lanvin has been showing for the past couple of seasons in menswear.  This collection was much darker and showed many of the military/protective elements that have been the major trend for the season.  It was also much more casual than Lanvin's previous collections.  Outerwear has also been a major trend this season, and Lanvin had some really beautiful pieces.  The sweaters were also phenomenal in this collection!  I felt that this was a nice way for Lanvin to cover the season's major trends while still keeping the identity of what they are known for.

VCR

New video for VCR - by the xx

Burberry Prorsum Fall/Winter 2010/2011

I know it's late!  I was in D.C. this weekend and didn't have time to post, but did watch the live stream!  This collection is Heaven!!!  Play on proportion, military influence(moved on from 19th century to 20th century take), and the skinny jean tucked into the military boot.  And don't forget the shearling!  These trends have popped up in several shows so far, so get ready!

There's Space For All Dat I See

I am completely infatuated with M.I.A.  She is such an innovative artist, working with producers to create a true global mash up of sound, but also layering some of the most socially conscious lyrics written in the 2000's over those lyrics.  She really is genius and can't do any wrong in my book. 


There's been LOTS of rumors in the blogosphere about M.I.A. working on a new album.  She did confirm in an interview with Rolling Stone that a new album is in the works, and by the looks of it, it's a lot farther along that many had thought!  I'm guessing it's definitely going to be a 2010 release!  Also, it looks like Diplo's description of "Gucci Mane meets Animal Collective" is pretty accurate!  She posted a video on Twitter of a new song, which I'm assuming is a track for the new album.  2010 is going to be a good year!

Vintage Chanel Ads

Don't forget where we came from, fashion minions...

R.I.P. Phi

I know this news is late, as it was announced on December 21st, 2009, but I have an excuse.  It was the beginning of the holidays for me and I needed to shift my priorities from the latest news to hit the fashion and art world to focus on my family.  No matter how late, this news did hit me like a ton of bricks.  Phi is closing up shop.  Their pre-spring 2010 delivery will be the last to hit the racks and their flagship will close at the end of this month.  Phi was an early adopter of the 80's body-con trend, having this trend represented in their runway collections 4 seasons before Christopher Kane presented his eponymous Spring 2007 collection that launched body-con bandage dressing to one of the top trends of the second half of the decade(it was still going strong in the Spring 2010 collections!).  Phi was also responsible for creating the most desirable shoe of the Fall 2009/2010 season - the platform high-heel creeper bootie.  Too bad girls won't get a chance to pick up that amazing platform combat bootie for Spring 2010! 

This news really breaks my heart!  The U.S. needs to start realizing that fashion is really an artform and needs to have proper funding if we want it to continue in this country.  If not, we are going to lose all of our best talent to European fashion houses.  I know, I'm saying this in a time where money is spread really thin and when we are fighting two wars, but the reality is, we need to get our priorities straight.  We are constantly trying to understand what the fundamental issues in our country are, and I think that the biggest issue is our lack of education in this country.  We underfund our educational system and the first thing to get cut from schools are art programs.  This same mentality goes all the way up the ranks.  The arts are important and the statistics proving this point are staggering, so if we want to help solve the issues in this country, why don't we start from the ground up?  OK - I'll get off my soapbox now...

So, after my rant, I leave you with the final Spring 2010 show from Phi, which will never be seen on store floors, regardless of the fact that the trend that they helped create is at its pinacle.

La Roux

In looking back at the things I posted as my favorite things of 2009, I realize that I missed a band that I really loved this year.  La Roux is a british group made up of singer Eleanor Jackson and synth player and co-writer Ben Langmaid.  They are heavily influenced by 80's synthpop, but have much quicker paced music than most of the bands that I remember from 80's synthpop, bringing a dance/electronic quality to their music.  This is probably my favorite song from their sef titled debut - Bulletproof.

Yes - she is wearing a Mondrian inspired look, along with a look from the House of Holland Fall 2009/2010 collection in the video.

Guido-itis

Be careful kids, it's a pandemic that's taking over the nation.  Somehow, isolated to the U.S. only.  Even Michael Cera has it.

Brother Sport

It's been a year since the release of Merriweather Post Pavillion, which happens to be my pick as the best album of 2009.  It's nice to see that Animal Collective is still releasing videos for songs from this album.  "Brother Sport" is one of my favorite songs off of this album, so it's nice to see that they've decided to have a video for this song.  It's pretty crazy, but it's really no different than the rest of the videos for the other singles off the album.  Enjoy!

One Life Stand

I've been listening to this song for sometime now, but didn't realize there was a music video for it already!  Gotta love Hot Chip!  Can't wait for the new album!


Hot Chip - One Life Stand (MySpace Exclusive)

Hot Chip | MySpace Music Videos

California English

I love that I'm staring the new decade out with anticipation for a new album!  It's one of my favorite feelings!  There's nothing like hearing new music come from a band that you appreciate and thinking that the music is great.  You just want it all given to you!  The band that has begun 2010 with that feeling for me is Vampire Weekend.  It's funny - I still remember the first time that I heard Vampire Weekend back in early 2007 and thinking, "This band is awesome!"  I actually wrote their name down on a plan that I reviewed on a weekly basis at work and having my coworkers make fun of me over this band's name.  They are the ones laughing now.  Vampire Weekend was obviously a huge indie success in 2007.  I think they had a lot of well deserved hype.  They had a really fresh sound that just felt right for the time.  So far, all of the singles for Contra just make me smile!  They are really great, upbeat tunes.  Their album comes out next week!  Get ready, kids!  Here's a single from the album, "California English".  Enjoy!

Gianni Versace

Just thought I would remind you of how far we've come.  This was what made all of our hearts beat a little faster 18 years ago though...

as I type this, I realize how much I actually love this ad and I totally think this look will come back sooner than later...

Possible Look for 2010

I'm thinking Couture Dominican.  I'm sure I can pull it off!

Chuncho

No recording wizardry here - Yma Sumac is the real deal.  This was recorded in 1950!

YSL Fall 2008

I was out with one of my really good friends tonight and she was wearing this gorgeous handkerchief hem wool jacket, when "Someone Great" by LCD Soundsystem started playing.  I was immediately flashed to memories of the Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2008 collection, designed by Stefano Pilati.  This is one of those collections that has forever been engrained in my memory.  It really embodies the techno-futuristic trend that has been a part of fashion for the past couple of seasons, but what I find the most interesting about this collection in particular is that the sense of the future is all driven through cut and not through fabric innovation.  I also think that there is a sense of nostalgia in this collection, as if the thought process used in the collection was, "if I was in 1980, what would I think people would be wearing in the year 2000?"  I really feel a Blade Runner vibe throughout, yet every piece in the collection does maintain the integrity of the brand itself, each feeling as if Yves himself saw every piece before it went down the runway.  The styling was fantastic, from the sunglasses to the severe bob wigs(which has now become a trademark of model Ranya Mordanova). Also, "Someone Great" was one of my favorite songs of 2008!

Rochas Spring 2010

Being the bitter, grudge holding bitch that I am, I wasn't going to give Rochas a second chance.  After Procter and Gamble had announced that they were shutting down the fashion division in July of 2006 and kicked Olivier Theyskens to the curb, I had written the brand off and expected nothing good to come from the name ever again.  Out of nowhere, in 2008, Procter and Gamble named someone else to the helm of the brand.  I was determined that I would not give Marco Zanini a chance.  I took a look at the collection for Fall/Winter 2009 with a bitter taste in my mouth and was left uninspired.  There was none of that new life in the collection that Olivier so successfully brought to a house that was virtually unknown for decades.  I had my mind set that I would not give the Spring 2010 collection a single glance.  I would turn my face away from my computer screen at the sight of Rochas.  For 2010, I decided to drop my grudges and give everyone an equal opportunity to impress me.  I can't say that this collection swept me away to fantasy land the same way that Olivier's work did, but I also can't deny the fact that there was some nice work presented in the collection for Spring 2010.  The collection is infused with romanticism, which I believe was one of the strongest attributes that Olivier was able to bring to the house, but there is also a wonderful(and MUCH needed!) sense of optimism in this collection.  There is vintage appeal to almost every piece that walked down the runway - a nostalgic quality that has emerged from the most influential runway collections of the season.(It's funny,we always look back in history for inspiration in times where the future seems so dim.)  There was also an ease and wearability to every piece in the collection, which felt refreshing.  The color palette and prints in the collection are also fantastic!  I'm now starting to see promise in the future of Rochas, which makes me very happy!  I also love that the soundtrack to this runway show is "Sea Within a Sea", by The Horrors - a wonderful song by a band who I really loved in 2009. 

Here's to a New Year and giving things a second chance!

Happy New Year!

Hi Guys!

So sorry I haven't been keeping up with the blog as much I was would like to.  Times have been rough - and busy!  Cheers to all, and here's to a great 2010!!!!

Let's be honest here, it has to be better than 2009!!!

Sending you all my love and the best of wishes for the New Year!