It can be difficult to enjoy oneself in these troubled times but the Paris Bureau figured out that the best way of forgetting our problems is by attending a fashion show. Not just any show... but one made all out of chocolate at the 14th annual Salon du Chocolat organized at the Porte de Versailles in Paris. There were 27 delightful outfits made out of every flavor of chocolate from white to 100% black. Jean Paul Jitrois, usually known for his leather creations was one of the participating designers. It was a mouthwateringly fabulous show; we especially liked the chocolate bodice!
POSTED BY MADELEINE CZIGLER
PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH PANTALEO
My love for shoes - high-heeled shoes - has been well-documented in this blog, along with their magical ability to make a girl feel like Cinderella and S&M vixen simultaneously (in a good way). So imagine my excitement this morning when fellow Producer Luke alerted me to an article in the Guardian by apparent kindred spirit Hannah Betts, wherein she not only articulates a similar lust for good shoes, but also gives me cultural references to back it up. My only moment of reservation came from the quotes from several 'feminists' who called my beloveds 'misogynistic' and 'denigrating to women'. They also likened them to corsets in the damage they do to a woman's body. Well, a) I'm not entirely against corsets (case to be made some other time), and b) they evidently don't understand how it's possible to be girly and powerful at the same time. Poor things. Might I suggest a few days in my personal picks for the season to show them the way...
Recapping the week with some friends over brunch I scrolled through what I missed at my day in the office. Namely Carlie Wong's "gangster meets glamour" collection! A great stable of soft, glam separates that were cut
down to 'there', featuring a lot of strategic draping and flowing Grecian dresses. Beautiful, wearable and saleable; she was in buying meetings all day today - I hope they went well Carlie!
*Morales* was definitely a HIGHLIGHT of MY week. I went to the show with high expectations having seen her previous collections - and Renata Morales sure did not disappoint! Her collection was unabashedly feminine and
beautiful. I walked into the show with anticipation, which soon turned to
admiration and left the tent in love - which will unfortunately remain unrequited until I get my hands on some of it! What girl wouldn't love to wear this - with slick opaque tights and sky high booties, or foiled against
the hardness of a biker jacket! I'll let the photos speak for themselves:
I personally found the wreaths (as beautiful as they were in their own
right, to be distracting from the collection - as much as I loved it, it wasn't a couture show right?).
*Lucian Matis* showed a beautiful collection for Spring 2009 - I especially loved the burned out, pixelated prints used on his maxi dresses. It looked like some inspiration came from the east (or Prada SS 2007 - at least for
the turbans) - featuring floating, sari like dresses and turbans on every girl that walked.
Andre Leon Talley is a fan - having worn turbans out to the CFDA's, and while co-hosting Vogue's fundraiser for Michelle Obama this past June.
*Denis Gagnon's* leather-clad geisha girls closed out the shows for Spring 2009. Gliding down the runway in sky high platforms, these girls must have felt more tightrope walkers than runway models.
No demure turn of the wrists here - all his models wore intense tribal jewellery; with horns, leaves and spikes featuring prominently in necklaces and cuffs. The show opened with a heavy emphasis on black - showing off his
ability to manipulate shape, working with volume and cinching in all the right places.
There were four distinct colour stories in Denis' show. He began with black, then lightened to cream and white, with magenta and red following, and finally ending in metallic gold. The magenta was a moment for bold colour
and dramatic shapes - whereas the gold featured great tailoring and an emphasis on the shoulders (which appeared at Nina Ricci, Balmain, and in most SS 2009 collections in Milan, Paris and London).
The main message I'm taking away from this week is toughening up my look for SS 2009, it's not all about ruffles and lace (a little bit of leather can go a long way!).
If you're reading this blog, you're probs into fashion. And if you're into fashion, you likely become giddy every time there's an excuse to get dressed up. Unless...you don't have an outfit for a major night like, say, Hallowe'en, in which case, you start getting the cold sweats as the event nears. Okay, maybe I'm projecting my emotions on to you, but whatevs.
We at FF are here to hook you up right this Hallowe'en. Forget that old nurse's uniform or cowboy costume you were about to dust off once more. You're better than that. Instead, consider some of these little numbers:
Looking Fierce
If you want to be the sex-bomb at the party, look to R&B's reigning queens. Beyonce's getup for her Single Ladies video could be put together with some heels, and a leotard from American Apparel (smokin' body not included).
For a slightly more tormented look, you could try to piece together Rihanna's ensemble for her Disturbia video, although you'll have a hard time finding those $7000 Balenciaga sandals at AA, or anywhere else. Props to all the do-it-yourselfers out there who actually get it done!
All you need is a bathing suit, some gold-coloured cellophane, and...oh forget it. Who are you kidding? You can't pull that off. Better to stick with the cowboy duds.
Fashion Hardcores
If you live and breathe fashion, I have two words for you: Karl and Anna.
Get a white wig, a black suit, a pair of shades, and a leather glove, and you'll look more Lagerfeld than the man himself. Note: a strict diet of iceburg lettuce and Diet Coke for the week is advised if you really want to go all the way.
Or...get yourself a bob wig, a big pair of shades, some faux pearls, and maybe a Chanel-style jacket, and you could roll as La Wintour. Plus, it'll give you license to be the biggest bitch in the room, all night long. What fun!
Forget the Joker. That'll be done to...it'll be overdone. But it's not the only game in town. You couldn't be more current than a conservative flapper. Angie's new film, The Changeling, comes out on Halloween night, and in it, she's rocking the best that the 1920s had to offer.
Which is even timelier because the biggest hits of New York's Spring/Summer 09 collections were Marc Jacobs' Mary Poppins/suffragette looks:
If you want to look slick, and current, go with the television hits du jour.
A quick trip to your local vintage store, and you should be able to pull together all that you need to create your favourite Don Draper or Joan Holloway outfit from Mad Men.
Or you could reach into the back of your closet, and pull out that old prep school uniform you have on moth balls, and recreate a look from Gossip Girl. Just cause it's Halloween, doesn't mean you're not allowed to look stylish.
And let's just assume it's Halloween night, and much to your dismay, you still don't have a costume to wear! Before you reach for that old bed sheet to pull together a miserable ghost costume, consider this:
Being the shoe freaks that we are here at Fashion File, I thought it would be more interesting to post photos of interesting footwear rather than full outfits from TFW. Taking inspiration from the AMAZING shoe feature from one of my favourite blogs, jakandjil.com, here are some of the best from Toronto Fashion Week...
As seen on the chick from the group Fritz Helder and the Phantoms
The lady wearing these interesting boots told me she painted them herself
snakeskin sneakers?!
Fellow intern Jacquie and I guessed these to be Marni's. Can anyone confirm?
Chloe boots on the feet of model Amanda Laine
On the feet of Taryn Davidson
Model Stacy Mackenzie's fierce booties
And finally, after all the running around I did, these are the shoes I wish I was wearing!
In the midst of scoping out everyone's feet, I had to include the few people who stood out because of what they were wearing on the opposite end...
Handmade with stuff he found lying around at home. When asked how he managed to keep this on, he replied "you don't want to know!"
This TFW volunteer was turning heads with her beautiful creation
Another handmade headpiece made from stuff they picked up at a grocery store
The crowd at the Evan Biddell Show during Toronto Fashion Week was a mixed bag, and the best dressed were the on air media, interns and the ladies who lunch (Restylane is one of the sponsors after all). All the industry pros (models, photographers, buyers, editors and producers) were mainly in a uniform of chic monochrome (i.e. Black).
Spotted were:
- Elmer Olsen's holy trinity of the night: Amanda Laine, Taryn Davidson and Tara Gill (the winner of last season's bootcamp 2 bigtime! ) all in for Joe Fresh
- MTV Canada's Dan Levy and Jessi Cruickshank
- With Miss Congeniality going to Mr. Kurt Browning (I cannot say enough about now nice he was, a charmer for sure)
Amanda Laine - who was just in for the night for Joe Fresh, and leaving the next morning for New York.
Taryn Davidson and Kate Somers - a quick snapshot while they were catching up.
Tara Gill - flawless. Definitely one of those girls that does not need makeup (jealous!).
Dan Levy of MTV Canada coming in for Joe Fresh.
Kurt Browning - jazz hands...Razzle dazzle (trying to distract from his clothes...?) - do you think we're all that superficial? Genuinely the nicest person of the week. For sure. Evan Biddell showed to a PACKED house, and he definitely knows how to throw a good party!
">The Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control. The music all had a solid beat, dovetailing perfectly with his choice in models to complete his whimsical, edgy image. If I had to describe his show in one word, it would be theatre (an amazing production is the only way to describe it) - kicked off the night with some great energy! Some standout themes were:
- some MAJOR dropped crotch (from denim to draped jersey) - no discrimination here, for boys and girls both
- prints, Prints, PRINTS:
-he had stripes as a running thread; on collars and layered as tanks or swimsuits under sheer bolero shrugs
- the stripes were then cross-hatched into a gingham that was moulded into an extreme balloon silhouette in the form of halter dresses
- and finally a sprinkling of comics (the illustrated kind) on a little bit of everything - a great visual palette cleanser sitting in an audience of greyscale.
- all the looks were styled with banded leather around their knuckles, his girls are always ready to throw down
For those of you who are all grown up, but still reminisce about the days of the Gotta Get a Gund Bear - have I got the accessory for you! It does triple duty - comfort object, objet d'art and general carryall/clutch. Soooo au courant, you can carry the little money you have left after the closing bell rings in Rick Owens' mink monster - it can be yours for a cool $700 (it comes pre-worn, with a missing eye and snaggle tooth)... Does that mean I can bring out my vintage Gund and call it a tote?
In addition to the big names that walked this show (Lisa Cant who opened the show and the lovely Amanda Laine), lots of wearable, trendy pieces (your usual Mango fare) made their way down the runway. On a bit of a sidenote, Toronto Fashion week takes place after the buying season for Spring 2009, not to mention Mango is a retailer and not a fashion house (duh) so I thought it might be important to mention that the looks that came down the Mango runway are part of their Fall 2008 season which means that all of this stuff is currently available at your nearest Mango store. This is great news for me because you can bet I'll be picking up the boots!
If ever there was a collection made especially for a contemporary June Cleaver, this one was it. On the first day of TFW, Kimberly Newport-Mimran, the creative director of Pink Tartan, presented her Spring 2009 season with a range of looks channeling 50's glamour with plenty of "Mad Men" references to boot. The small collection took off with plenty of pin-up girl-approved bathers which later in the show were presented in longer versions worn as tops. A staple 50's silhouette, the floral print A-line skirt, made several appearances on this runway. A bright coral high-waist bubble skirt paired with a simple white turtleneck tank added a much-needed modern-twist to this collection (afterall, there were some of us in the audience under the age of 40). Though a bit cliche for a 50's inspired show, the girls were styled in headscarves and large round sunnies, some carrying what looked to be Hermes Kelly and/or Birkin bags.
A new book documenting the vision of Paris based designer Andre Courreges, known for revolutionizing the 60's with his clean, simple and architectural fashion designs is about to be released on October 27th. In order to understand the beauty of the book, we went to his studios to first experience the Universe of Courreges. Located on rue Francois 1er in one of Paris' chicest districts, this unique and colorful world takes on a timeless yet futuristic feeling, from the clothing, to the layout of the boutique, to the offices and the design studio. Keeping up the same style and design they had 40 years ago, you find yourself in a world of lacquered white floors, plexiglass tables, and mirrored walls. We learned that this is the true Courreges style; it is the perfect way to showcase the innovative clothing which is known for its red, white, and pastel color palettes (we were sorely out of place in our all black ensembles).
The book itself is a little slice of Courreges design. It is presented in plexiglass showcasing the metallic cover and unique binding and is truly a work of art. Featuring photographs of his unique designs and translucent material swatches, it shows the reader just how innovative Courreges has been since the house was established in 1961. Instead of merely presenting a history of the man and his vision, the book is a celebration of his many influences, which vary from architecture to sports, as well as his significant influence on the rest of the fashion world.
For everyone out there who wants to add a dash of Courreges to their coffee table the book can be purchased in their boutiques and online. Purchase quickly because only 6000 have been printed and the 300 euro price tag will rise to 400 after the 1st of January.
POSTED BY LINSEY BALLAS AND ELIZABETH PANTALEO, Paris Bureau
PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH PANTALEO
PHOTOS COURTESY OF COURREGES
L'Oreal Fashion Week is known for showcasing up and coming Canadian designers, but for Spring 2009 the FDCC went for a veteran's approach to kick-off the week. The granddaddy in an industry of fresh faces out of design school - Alfred Sung has been in Canadian fashion for over 35 years and was proclaimed the "New King of Fashion" by MacLean's in 1983. Showing his bridal collection at Nathan Phillips Square, just down the street from his home - he really has come full circle.
The White Collection by: Alfred Sung
Something for everyone - Mr. Sung began the show with ethereal gowns and empire waistlines, definitely a modern interpretation of a timeless classic. As the show continued, strapless and more body conscious dresses emerged. All of the silhouettes were less voluminous than expected (a nice surprise) - adding to the weightless aesthetic. His expertise was evident in the details: the placement of buttons, to the use of beadwork and lace in the bodice and trains of his gowns. As the models were walking I could imagine Alfred working - selecting bolts of transparent chiffons and georgettes to create that final, perfect dress. Yet still, a small part of me wanted someone to streak down the runway, having participated in one too many perfect weddings; was it wrong that I was thinking half of all marriages end in divorce?
Mr. Sung doing some post show interviews/congratulatory kisses from well-wishers and business partners (Joe Mimran has worked with Alfred since 1979 and founded Club Monaco together in 1985).
Desperately Different by: Katya Revenko
The opener for the new Studio Runway at L'Oreal Fashion Week - Katya Revenko definitely created a collection that is accessible, wearable and still luxurious. A relaxed sportswear collection with lots of draping, transparency and spot on trends for Spring 2009 - perfect for a 20something running around downtown Toronto (it doesn't hurt none of the prices were over $250CAD either!). Natural and easy with a bit of edge, her collection was a little bit Derek Lam and a little bit Ferragamo (the lame for after dark). The key looks had shout-outs to some 2009's biggest upcoming trends, giving a little bit of love to each - makeup colours, dhoti pants, transparency, jumpsuits and an organic approach (inspired by the documentary film Water).
Beyonce has got a new single out and the video is simple, but kinda great. Yes, she is only wearing a bodysuit and a robocop-esque glove whilst dancing around a white studio somewhat manically - but the song is super catchy and Beyonce is an icon. Period. The song is off her new release which is a double disc. Disc one is entitled 'I am...Beyonce'. Disc two? 'I am...Sasha Fierce'. Well, I am...confused. I get that Sasha Fierce is Beyonce's stage persona, and that the 'Sasha' disc features more dance-y stuff and the 'Beyonce' disc is more ballad-y. But what's the story for this video then? Three dancers that at first glance ALL look like Beyonce? She's the one in the middle, and I don't care which persona she is channeling in this video - B knows how to work it out.
The moment after I finished watching the video for Britney Spears' new single Womanizer was one of the most important of my life. Britney Spears is back. Gone are the vacant eyes and buzzed head of Britney's bygone days -and in their place is a fit, engaged and damn-ass sexy Spears. This is vintage Britney, the way she is supposed to be. From the opening 'sauna scene' where Brit flaunts a body presumably free of painkillers (or whatever they had her on) to the office scene where she is rocking a Louise Brooks-esque bob and photocopying her unmentionables, this is the Britney comeback fans have been waiting for.
Now that the Spring/Summer 09 collections have come and gone, we've finally been able to catch our breath here at FF, and reflect on what we liked most about the season's offerings.
While many amazing creations made their way down the runways of New York, Milan and Paris (sorry London, better luck next year), I'll leave it to another Fashion File producer to deconstruct the best collections of the season.
But hold up a second; this is far from a cop out blog post.
Instead, I'm going to share what I thought to be the best musical accompaniments to the struts (and tumbles) of our planet's leggiest over the past 4 weeks:
Lykke Li - Tonight (at John Galiano)
It need not be said that John Galliano is the man. No one does over-the-top better than he. And I'm all for it. But I was pleasantly surprised when he chose one of the most subdued tracks of the season to accent his show. Lykke Li was all over the runways this year, but her song "Tonight" only appeared during Galliano's collection.
Ladyhawke - Paris Is Burning (at Chanel, among others)
A popular track in all of the fashion capitals, I can't help but associate Ladyhawke's "Paris Is Burning" with the Chanel show, mostly because, well, the show was staged in Paris. And Paris has burned recently. (So I'm literal. Shoot me.)
The Pipettes - Because It's Not Love (at Charlotte Ronson)
When your sister is a world-class DJ, and your brother produced Amy Winehouse's breakout album, you had better have some killer tunes to compliment your collection. And Charlotte Ronson didn't disappoint. Well, her brother didn't, more accurately, since he served as house DJ. And what goes best with C-Ron's cute clothes? The Pipettes, obvie. Their track "Because It's Not Love" was very on point.
Gerswhin - Rhapsody in Blue (at Marc Jacobs)
Marc Jacobs played it old school. And by that I mean one-room-school-house old school, for his Marc Jacobs show in New York. The suffragettes that dominated his collection sauntered down the catwalk to George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." Not everyone's tip, but honestly, it's one of my favourite songs of all time. So, a special kudos goes out to MJ. Keep 'em guessing, bro.
Proving she's clearly the hippest mom on the block, Stella McCartney rocked some of the phattest jams of the season. And in an effort to stem the tide of economic despair, she opened her show with Natalia Cappuccini's "Shopaholic" - a decidedly hot track encouraging us all to spend, spend, spend!
Martin Solveig - Everybody (at Christian Dior)
Parisian DJ Martin Solveig is the shit. And his song "Everybody" brought some real street cred to the Christian Dior show. Respect.
Joy Division - Transmission (at Rag and Bone)
We're big fans of Rag and Bone here at Fashion File. And they certainly didn't do themselves a disservice when they chose Joy Division's "Transmission" for their collection. An oldie, but definitely a goodie.
Santogold - You'll Find A Way (at Alexander Wang)
And then there was Alex Wang - New York's fashion darling. He kept it real, with some hip-hop flavour courtesy of Jay-Z and N.E.R.D., but also tapped into another big fave amongst the fashion set, Santogold.
So, if you're like me, and about to be spending hours in the kitchen trying to recreate Nana's stuffing recipe this weekend, rock some of these tunes and you'll feel like you're cooking on a catwalk. Work that apron, girl!
I'm feeling very badly for Alessandra Facchinetti. For the second time, she has replaced an outgoing design icon, only to get the boot after two collections. Not the kind of track record you brag about. Actually, it's the kind of track record that justifies a weekend of binge drinking. But I digress. No, the worst part of having this pattern on her resume is that - in my opinion - it is undeserved.
Now, I was never a big fan of what she did at Gucci - overwrought dresses with three necklines battling for supremacy were a hard sell - but I think she has been on the right track at Valentino. Her clothes have looked feminine, wearable, expensive and modern - exactly what Valentino should be going forward. And for that, she doesn't deserve to go. The word on the street in Paris is that she doesn't play well with others but I'm not
buying it. I mean, I can't imagine that life in Val's atelier was all peaches and puppies.
So, time will tell what the incoming duo from the accessories department will do with the Valentino archives and all that red fabric. In the meantime, I'm on Team Facchinetti.
Grace Jones on the cover of Dazed and Confused, November 2008
Photography by Chris Cunningham
Styling Nicola Formichetti
Image from Nicola Formichetti's Blog
The biggest bash of fashion week was Sonia Rykiel's 40th anniversary celebration last night. The creme de la creme of Parisian fashion was there including Lacroix, Gaultier, Martine Sitbon, Jeremy Scott, Olivier Theyskens, and Ann Demeulemeester. Celebs included Milla Jovovich, Dita Von Teese, and Emma Watson. As a surprise to Rykiel, there was a spectacular runway show in which 30 of her designer friends created outfits to honor and celebrate her style. These friends included Diane Von Furstenburg, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Christian Lacroix, Karl Lagerfeld, and Jean Paul Gaultier, and Martin Margiela, Jean Charles de Castelbajac, Sophia Kokosalaki, and Rodarte. The evening celebrations went until the wee hours of the night with fashionistas dancing on the runway and sipping champagne!
Sonia Rykiel's daughter, Nathalie
Posted by Madeleine Czigler
Photographs by Jillian Babbitt, Paris Bureau
I woke up yesterday to the pitter-patter of raindrops on my apartment's rooftop and thought to myself, Luke, brother, it just got real.
Real awesome!
Most people lament the passing of Summer, but for stylistas like myself, it marks the seasonal debut of the best that one's closet has to offer.
I picked up / my parents bought me a pretty stellar trench from New Man in Paris a few years ago, and I still delight in slipping into it every time the heavens open up.
But...
I moved apartments last month, and in the process, lost my umbrella. Quel desastre! I mean, what's a boy to do?
Well, faithful FF readers (hi Mom!), the silver lining to the nimbus clouds overhead is that I get to go shopping for a new one. And, on the off chance that you, too, find yourself stuck in a downpour with nowhere to hide, I thought I'd share with you the best that Google shopping has to offer:
Lets begin with the obvious:
The puppeteers behind our beloved Rihanna decided to capitalize on the success of her hit single, and came out with a not-half-bad line of brollies for FW08:
But for yours truly, it's gotta be Burberry. They've been the lions of designer rain wear since poor saps suffered in the soggy Flanders trenches of WW1.
