Ultra-Luxe

I know that Versace and Cavalli have their detractors, and they are often accused of being overly glitzy clothes for Eurotrash or worse. (By the way, the Fashionable Kiffen thinks there is nothing wrong with being Eurotrash - you know you have those moments where you want to wear bling,shine, and major sunglasses.) However, Donatella and Roberto both created absolutely amazing collections this season. Yes, there was major ornamentation, big furs, and bright colors, but there was also just enough restraint and luxury - the clothes were elegantly sexy instead of well, trashy.

Versace's sleek and futuristic show featured glamorous fur coats and satin gowns that we will definitely see on the red carpet. Other standouts included curvy little pencil skirts and a plum-colored metallic leather jacket with a cinched waist. There were even a few silver goddess gowns that were surprisingly demure, for Versace.

In terms of hair and makeup, the focus was on the eyes, which matched the clothes in shades of blue, violet, and silvers. The hair was straight and sleek and the lips were neutral - when you have that much shine on the clothes, you want to keep the face matte. The accessories also rocked - tough black strappy shoes, patent boots, bags made of croc and astrakhan (why use one expensively luxurious material when you can use two?), and huge dark sunglasses. After all, it wouldn't be Versace without them.

Cavalli is known for his excellent ability with prints, and this season he outdid himself with a sumptous collection with hints of Poiret and orientalism. Tons of plush fur and brocades were embellished with intricately embroidered peacocks, fans and dragons. His silhouettes had echoes of the twenties and thirties, with that body conscious cut Cavalli fans love.
The coats were the highlight of the collection - they could be worn with the grandest evening gown or with jeans (that would be the height of luxury - embroidered brocade and mink with denim). The dresses were fantastic as well - very detailed with gorgeous shapes - many were high-necked with open backs.

The hair was loose and flowing and faces were kept unadorned, which was perfect for such extravagant clothes. The shoes were high heeled and sexy, with gold ankle strap and leopard print pumps sure to be popular. Thick gold cuffs, clutches and a few necklaces completed the look - you don't need a ton of extras with these outfits.

So this fall, don't be afraid to try a little Euro-glam. Even if it is just some bold jewelry and big shades. You know you want to.

Paris Fashion Week!

Some places are just magic, and nowhere is more magical than Paris. Other cities have fashion shows, but Paris invented fashion. The city itself exudes chic - probably from the generations upon generations of stylish individuals who called Paris home (note: you don't need to be born there, or even French, to have that Parisian je ne sais quoi).

Paris is the city of Chanel, the city of Balenciaga and Givenchy and Lanvin, but it is also the city of artists, writers, and intellectuals. This mix of the bourgeois and the bohemian is what gives Paris its interesting spirit - forward-thinking yet rooted in the past. It also makes the fashion scene incredibly vibrant - from the avant garde to the most classic of labels, there is something for everyone in the City of Light.

But enough of that. Everyone knows that Paris is fabulous, and that its fashion week is the one that even Anna Wintour gets excited over. I'm really looking forward to seeing how Nicholas Ghesquiere will top his last show at Balenciaga, and what Alber Elbaz's Lanvin and Olivier Theyskens's Rochas will look like this season. There is something amazing about how these designers (they are not the only ones, just some of the best) reference the past while still being completely modern.

That is true Parisian style right there - the French have a lot of history to work with, after all, and the world's view of Paris as the capital of chic has been the same for centuries, but its denizens are always ahead of the fashion pack. Check out Parisian street style - they are wearing everything you didn't even know you needed.

All this week: reviews of the Fashionable Kiffen's favorite looks from Paris Fashion Week!

Carnivale of Couture - The Super-Fantastic Dinner Party

The brilliant Verbal Croquis is hosting the next Carnivale, and she asks:

"You are throwing a little dinner party in your apartment featuring fashion glitterati, past or present, dead or alive. You are only allowed to invite 5 people, so be careful in your selections. Feel free to include designers, style icons, journalists, models, moguls, intellectuals, you name it. Make your invite list, please share your reasons why you invited each person. Remember, every good hostess takes into consideration how their guests will mingle, so tell us about that too. For brownie points, tell us what they're wearing, what you'll wear and what you'll serve, etc."

Well, with all the fabulous members of the fashion community past and present, deciding who to invite to was no easy task. I wanted a good representation of different eras and styles, and like any good hostess, I wanted all my guests to enjoy each other's company. So, in no particular order:
1. John Galliano: He's one of the most interesting and talented designers working today, and his perspective on the current state of the industry and unique ideas would definitely earn him an invitation. Also, he would definitely be wearing something memorable.

2. Elsa Schiaperelli: Another talented designer, her views on fashion and art (she collaborated with a number of artists in her time, including Salvador Dali) would make her a fascinating dinner guest. I would imagine that she would wear one of her own surrealism-influenced designs to dinner.

3. Madame de Pompadour: We owe a lot to Madame Pompadour - a hairstyle and various styles of furniture and architecture are only the beginning. This brilliant woman rose above her status as mistress and influenced affairs of state and captured the imagination of many artists - all while being the premiere fashion icon of her time. Always impeccably dressed, at this dinner party I think she would be wearing something by Lanvin or Rochas (classic French houses that reference the past in an ultra-modern way).

4. Helen Gurley Brown: Not really a fashion figure, but a revolutionary who changed the lives of women forever, she was stylish and witty - in fashion, it is important to remember that "beauty can't amuse you, but brainwork - reading, writing, thinking - can." The former Cosmopolitan editor and ultimate Cosmo girl would be wearing a classic Chanel suit or little black dress; something simple, sleek, and revolutionary in its own way.

5. Catherine de'Medici: She essentially invented high heels (by commissioning a pair from her cobbler in order to counteract her short stature) - that's enough fashionista credibility right there, but she was also one of the most intriguing women of her time. A clever courtier with a passion for luxury, she would be a fabulous dinner guest in something vivid and opulent from Gucci or Versace.

My guests would sit down to a feast that included everything from classic Italian dishes to sushi - there is something for everyone chez Kiffen. I think my guests would get along famously - they all have stories to share and distinct styles of their own. It would definitely be a super-fantastic party to remember!

Pucci without the prints?

Matthew Williamson showed his first collection for the venerable house of Emilio Pucci a few days and...it looked like a Matthew Williamson collection. Any designer working for an iconic house like Pucci has a tough job to do - they have uphold the reputation and aesthetic of that house, but they can't just send out retreads of their predecessor's work either. However, Williamson took this collection so far away from Pucci's Italian luxury heritage that it was unrecognizable. Where are all the gorgeous psychedelic prints?

When I think of Pucci, I think of ultra-chic resorts on the Mediterranean, and vibrantly colored caftans, bikinis, and little dresses. Of course, a girl can't spend her whole life on Capri, but a whole collection using mostly solids and only one print? Emilio, we have a problem.

It's not that Matthew's debut collection was bad; it was actually quite good, it just wasn't Pucci. Case in point:

Beautiful work, but one does not look to Pucci for a little black dress. Although I admire Williamson for trying to step out outside of the brilliantly patterned box, I think that he missed the mark . I did like the color palette (blacks and grays accented with vibrant blues and purples) and the print he did use (which was the cupola pattern from the archives), however, so hopefully his next collection will be better. Hey, we can't all go to the Italian Riviera for the winter, so we need a little Pucci to take us there, if only in spirit.

London Fashion Week in Review

London fashion week is over, and there were some amazing looks, and some that were amazingly...bad. Known for its avant-garde shows and clever young designers, London has always been the place to go for something new and exciting. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly from this fashion week.

The Good: Preen and Aquascutum showed some gorgeous coats and some interesting mimimal looks. Preen's origami coats and dresses were reminiscent of Helmut Lang or Jil Sander, Aquascutum continued its long tradition of creating perfect coats with black and white detailed knee-length number and what is shaping up to be the coat of the season, a chartreuse babydoll style (this shape can be difficult for non-models to wear, however). Basso and Brooke created a dramatic, mostly black collection that was feminine and eighties-inspired in the best possible way.












The Bad: Giles Deacon's highly anticipated collection had some beautifully cut dresses and coats along with some that were spectacularly bad (note to Giles: keep the cartoon characters off of your dresses), and even the good dresses were often paired with some "interesting" hats. Also, Paul Smith, a master tailor if there ever was one, did some excellent pieces but the overall styling was just too geek-chic to work.

The Ugly: Gareth Pugh's overly conceptual and dramatic collection was interesting from an artistic point of view, but it was so far from anything that could be considered wearable clothing that it's relegated to the "ugly" category.

Starting tomorrow, check out the Fashionable Kiffen for reviews of the Milan shows!

Carnivale of Couture: If I had 10 million dollars...

It is once again time for that wonderful whirlwind of fashion fun, the Carnivale of Couture, and this time it is hosted by the fabulous Harrods Girl and Barneys Girl at I am Fashion. Their question for the fashion blogosphere :

"Surprise darling! You have just won the lottery! How will you, the super fabulous fashionable blogger, spend your US$10m winnings? Tell us all about your money-spending plan!"

Well, that is more money than even the most determined shopper can hope to spend, but I'll do my best to try; it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it. First, I would invite all my stylish family members and friends to join me for a spree to end all sprees - in oh-so-chic City of Light. First stop, Balenciaga. Ever since I first laid eyes on the Spring '06 collection, I knew that it all belonged in my closet (however, I'll have to settle for high street knockoffs unless I actually do win the lottery). Who else but Nicholas Ghesquière could mix rock'n'roll, Baroque, and archival Balenciaga shapes and have it actually work (incredibly well)?

Next stop Dior, for some more wearable versions of Galliano's latest couture collection (despite the sometimes gruesome French Revolution references, I was amazed by the sheer creativity and dark beauty of this collection - echoes of Marquis de Sade combined with Marie Antoinette's bittersweet beauty made this a directional show that was gothic and romantic in the best possible sense).

After all the craziness, it will be time to return to this century and head to Italy and Armani, where we will shop for gorgeously grown-up clothes. Now, my mother can rock a pantsuit like nobody's business, and it's only fitting for her to go to the master himself for the ultimate in Italian chic. And lottery winnings must be shared - that is most of the fun!
After all that big city glossiness, it is time to rock the Casbah in the exotic bazaars of Marrakesh (this leg is especially for the Kiffen's fashionable aunt, whose style is far too original to be captured by any designer). Of course, this stylish caravan will stop any and everywhere that suits our fancy along the way (including Cartier - for the Panthère collection, and Christian Louboutin, for shoes to coordinate with all our new finery).

After we have had our frivolous fun, it will be time to start doing some serious good. First, I would set up several fashion scholarships at schools like Parsons and St. Martins, along with funds to sponser fledgling designers - after all, even Coco Chanel was a beginner once. Finally, some major dollars would go the Humane Society and various endangered species foundations (to borrow from the fabulous Manolo, the Fashionable Kiffen, she loves the animals). And that, my fashionista readers, is all - now what would you do with 10 million dollars?

NY Fashion Week in Review

Another fashion week has come and gone, and the trend reports are in - here's the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Fashionable Kiffen.

The Good: Temperley London's feminine embroidered dresses, Tuleh's forties style suits and coats, Derek Lam's minimal cool, Anna Sui's mix of bohemian and ladylike styles, Michael Kors' collegiate chic, and Vena Cava's Parisian elegance.

The Bad: Karl Lagerfield's collection was highly anticipated - and pretty boring, although the clothes were impeccably constructed. Lots of layers of black, gray and brown; we expected better from Karl. DKNY was also pretty dull (although Donna's signature collection was amazing) - lots of black in uninteresting shapes, highlighted with traffic cone yellow.

The Ugly: Marc Jacobs referenced his own 1992 collection with a revival to grunge - layer upon of layer of dusty neutral knits topped off with fur or knit hats. However, in typical MJ form, the accessories were great. Vera Wang, despite her usual talent for creating feminine, flattering dresses, showed some egg-shaped and tulip shaped dresses that definitely accentuated the negative.

The Best Dressed: The sublime Carine Roitfield, editor of Vogue France - always in fur and always fabulous.

The Trends: Here's the big ones - dark opaque tights wore with everything (even for evening), platform shoes or wedges, large structured bags, and a color palette dark neutrals accented with deep red or forest green. In terms of print, plaids are also important - Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera, and Ralph Lauren had some great plaid pieces. Playing with volume is also important, whether you go for poet sleeves or puffball skirts. There is something for everyone this fall, so have fun with your look!

Another NY fashion week is over...

...and we've seen some amazing collections (and some not so amazing ones as well). Today was the day that Karl Lagerfield showed his much-anticipated, much hyped collection - and I am sorry to say that I found it unspectacular. A lot of elegantly cut gowns and layered knits in somber palette - the overall look reminded me of Marc Jacobs, or a very refined, European version of grunge. The dresses, especially this black and white number, were quite beautiful, but the rest of the show did not have that grace Karl is known for (not even he can get away with showing ruched leather pants and arm warmers).

Donna Karan outdid herself this season with brightly colored luxurious coats and slinky dresses that were reminiscent of Azzedine Alaia. The bright red, purple, black, and butterscotch palette was refreshing after all the blacks and neutrals of the other shows. Like the others, however, she did style many looks with black opaques - these were definitely a fall favorite in New York. Besides being beautiful on the runway, these clothes are ultra-flattering; once again, Donna knows what woman want to wear.

Vera Wang is probably the top bridal designer working right now, but her runway show didn't reflect her abilities - the dresses were unflattering and the detailing looked unfinished, and her somber palette of black, gray, and violet (with a bit of red thrown in there) was more funereal than urban. All of the egg-shaped silhouettes and puffball skirts obscured the model's figures - and if a gown makes these girls look hippy, what would it do an average woman? I would like to see one of Vera's brides wear her crimson ruffled dress, however - it would be daring and completely fabulous.

One of my favorite collections was Temperley London. Sure, the colors were really better suited to a spring collection, but everything was so feminine and wonderfully embellished - I want it all in my closet. Each dress was lovelier than the next, especially the chic little white sweaterdress and the ones with the black rose detailing.
These gowns evoked a goddess feel, yet stayed ladylike and true to the Temperley look. In fact, the only possible complaint about this show is that was too typical, or too similar to her previous collections. However, if ain't broke, don't fix it - and this season Alice added just the right amount of Parisian chic to her trademark style.

Temperley, Tuleh and Michael Kors were the Fashionable Kiffen's favorite collections of this NY fashion week - let's see what the other cities hold, and check out what the rest of the blogosphere has to say at Fashion Tribes!