Ediblepulse

“It’s contemporary Chinese, in shape and detail,” said Husiang Zhang. ”And I want to reintroduce classic and elegant clothing.” 

Topshop celebrates ten years of sponsoring the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN in a Tshirt collection by Christopher Kane, Richard Nicoll, Erdem, Peter Pilotto, Ashish, Meadham Kirchhoff, Jonathan Saunders, Gareth Pugh, Mary Katrantzou, House of Jazz, Roksanda Ilincic, Marios Schwab, Louise Gray, Nasir Mazhar, JW Anderson, Emma Cook, Peter Jensen, Holly Fulton, Craig Lawrence and Michael van der Ham

  

By Ria de Borja (The Philippine Star) Updated February 17, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (0) 

Doma arigato: Damir Doma, with its slouchy lines and insouciant silhouettes, was one of the highlights of Paris Men’s Fashion Week.

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MANILA, Philippines - It was a departure from past seasons’ more minimalist, cleaner creations but no less fashion-worthy. Furs and fabrics looked like they were found in thecloset of a very stylish Genghis Khan and his troops; the mix referenced all parts of the globe and created a singular collection. The fabrics were cut in the brand’s signature proportions that teeter on the line of just right and too much, with hems that end or go on where you wouldn’t have expected; the details — thin leather trim, an unexpected panel — added that feel of uniqueness. It was like couture for men.

Damir Doma

It was a departure from past seasons’ more minimalist, cleaner creations but no less fashion-worthy. Furs and fabrics looked like they were found in the closet of a very stylish Genghis Khan and his troops; the mix referenced all parts of the globe and created a singular collection. The fabrics were cut in the brand’s signature proportions that teeter on the line of just right and too much, with hems that end or go on where you wouldn’t have expected; the details — thin leather trim, an unexpected panel — added that feel of uniqueness. It was like couture for men.

Acne

The collection looked slightly more grown up than previous’ seasons. For one, models’ makeup emphasized their cheekbones and gave them a tough square-jawed look. For another, colors were mostly dark; there were no bright blues and greens (of two seasons ago) nor faded rusts and fades mauves (of last season). Proportions remained cropped and thinner on the bottom but fabrics were harder than previous seasons; there was little room for slightly soft bounces and hangs. This collection emphasized sharp tailored shoulders. Each season Acne gives its audience a new and wonderful surprise.

Jean Paul Gaultier

The feeling of frolic was in the air. This playful atmosphere, hinting at raunchiness, was made apparent through the clothes: tops and pants with prints of bricks (topped with a camel coat), maroon corduroys styled with a fold at the bottom to expose its striped lining, pants with buttons going up where the side seam should be, a suit made of burnt velvet, tattoo-printed shirts. And then there were the hats: fedoras, which, due to Hollywood, are often associated with gangsters, or detectives. Matched with a long, shiny orange ‘‘dress,’’ however, the look was almost comic — entertaining — and with a gray wool skirt, not very macho, nor gangster-ish. That was, in any case, beside the point: the brand is not made for the truly conventional, what with the boys stripping on the ramp above and a chesty ‘‘macho’’ type showing off his pectorals.

Maison Martin Margiela

Garbage bags recycled into jackets were one of the looks in the Margiela show. Were we to take this literally? If we were to look at the brand’s other lines and what it has done in the past, then yes. But this is not to say that one should overlook the other qualities that have made Maison Martin Margiela a global name — not just the off-kilter details that by standards of other men’s ready-to-wear collections would be deemed bizaare, like its hair wig coats of the past, the tabi popularized, and so forth. There is still that quiet luxury we’ve come to expect, something that does not want to be very popular but inevitably makes it so, a kind of comforting, enveloping feeling of seemingly understated clothing with a DNA of being one-of-a-kind, that only you know when you wear it is part of some larger concept that seems invented just for you. This season, it’s in the faux fur and leather.

Songzio

All in a row at Rynshu Photo by Saara Vanhanen

The Korean designer has been showing in Paris since 2007 and holds the title as one of Korea’s best-known designers. His show had definite Asian influences: Mandarin collars, finished jackets and coats. Loose flowing robes were reminiscent of Eastern-influenced robes; the color purple added a royal touch to the collection. But what one saw in the end was loose, comfortable-looking pieces.

Rynshu

Masatomo Yamaji is a Japanese fashion designer who shows in Paris under the brand name Rynshu. The brand’s ethic is inspired by several things Japanese that we have come to know through history: samurai, emperors, shoguns. For the autumn-winter 2012/2013, these inspirations were offered in a mix of looks that, according to the brand’s website, aim to be modern and elegant. Black and white stripes, and gold ensembles, dominated the runway.

Paul Smith

The fluorescent accents might have been meant to represent a buoy in this show, which was supposed to be inspired by sailing and the sea. The looks were fairly straightforward, awash in sea greens and navys. One might have expected more protective gear-diffused wear or other things that remind us of the ocean. There were sea-inspired prints on sweaters and one of a lobster, at least, gave us more of the promised context.

Juun J

These could only be characters in a movie with superheroes and villains. The padded jackets with rounded shoulders hinted at spies, detectives and drama in a futuristic world (or some other planet, depending on how you looked at things). Black and brown jackets withpatches of leather could have been made for protectors or guardians of some evil (and stylish) empire. There was a print of a new human breed, perhaps a deity of some sort, or an alien, on the sweaters. Even the cable knitted gray and ivory turtlenecks, in the context of the show, could have been part of this movie costume wardrobe. Just about every jacket in the show would look fashionable with a pair of jeans, and every pair of pants with a simple T.

Here are some photos from the Pamela Rolland show from our New York correspondent, Fashion + Decor’s editor-in-chief Gretchen Aubuchon

Our New York correspondent Gretchen Aubuchon, editor-in-chief of Fashion + Decor, sent us some photos from the Jason Wu show and Porter Grey presentation

By Ria De Borja (The Philippine Star) Updated February 10, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (0) 

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Dries Van Noten

PARIS - The setting was, firstly, a work in progress where artists were painting on the wall. It was a very large canvas with words, mandalas and trees in soothing colors. One listened to music and poetry that had a psychedelic feel, meant to enhance the atmosphere: light, pretty, trippy. The clothes, on the other hand, were grounded in reality, with the kind of tailoring and proportions that could make any man look very today, even two years from now. A gray coat with a repetitive black print complemented the background; an olive coat that would look perfect inside the Dries Van Noten shop on Quai Malaquais — decorated like the study of a cultured, stylish individual who likes his things just so — in both its single-breasted and double-breasted versions, would work well in any setting, artificially-induced or not. A panel in a white shirt opening to reveal a necktie and a nubby dark moss sweater added character to this wardrobe that felt like luxury reined in. 

Henrik Vibskov

Wool sweaters and printed knits were the main attractions on Henrik Vibskov’s runway. The sweaters had more than one color — white flecks woven into green, white with black, and dizzying patterns if one stared too long. Paired with Vibskov’s pant shapes — leggings for men, a bit of a tighter fit at the shin — the look suggested the wardrobe of an almost-but not-quite-artist, down to boots that looked like slip-on sandals from afar. Ponchos, button-down and belted, or swingy and single breasted, had an experimental devil-may-care attitude.
Kriss Van Assche

Working men: Van Assche redefines the office dress code with tweaked cuts and proportions.

The dossier de presse said “Work.” This, apparently, was a collection that was inspired by blue-collar and white-collar workers, where “the protective elements that are characteristic of each uniform must strengthen other urban outfits, assaulted by economic violence.” One then, was given the designer’s interpretations of what this blend could mean.
Buckles are used to tighten suits; carpenters’ overalls “protect” a buttondown shirt-jacket. The blue collar workers’ blue is brightened, shortened, and styled with a jacket more traditionally used in the office — cut, of course, to Van Assche proportions. A quilted jacket with a Mandarin-inspired collar and dark blue sleeves could cover a suit, or overalls, or nothing: it was a modern blend.

Cocooned: Sporty yet cozy at the same time, Bidjan Saberi’s jackets work well when layered.

Boris Bidjan Saberi

Boris Bidjan Saberi’s presentation this season included an army green motif and sporty-looking parkas. Its tight-fitting leather version in a faded purplish-brown would fit in a woman’s wardrobe, as did the cozy-lookingknits for layering. A beige version looked like it had been worn for decades, giving it a well-loved aspect. The collection was all about the jacket — in a gray curved-front version, it literally wrapped the body.
Julius

The collection was entirely in black, but there was a fluidity seen throughout. The first few looks had small waists, with hips and shoulders flaring out slightly. Remaining coats had a slight A-line cut, giving a soft swing and softening the blacks and grays. His collection for the spring, out in stores now, feels young, while the season before felt like a darker persona. It’s a mature change for the coming fall.

Blackout: Nipped silhouettes and fluid fabrics meet at the Julius Fall 2012 collection.

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By Ria De Borja (The Philippine Star) Updated February 03, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (0) 

Versace couture masters the art of kick-ass glamour.

PARIS — YStyle was invited to several shows this season and got a glimpse of haute couture — at least, the ones on the official list of the Fédération Française de la Couture. What does it take to be on the official list? Besides having a workshop in Paris that employs at least 15 people, one has to be agreed upon by the members of the Fédération to be exemplary in other ways. The French Ministry of Industry grants the official title and the list is reviewed annually.
Atelier Versace

It was a rather unusual set-up in the first Versace couture show in Paris last week. The invitation read 10:45 a.m. At 10:30, journalists were told to wait as the photographers had first dibs on the collection — they were already inside, photographing the collection. When it was time to enter, editors of Vogue whizzed past the velvet rope to go backstage; some promptly emerged with Cameron Diaz and Diane Kruger. All made their way to the front of the stage to watch as the show began. The show, devoid of chairs, was quick and to the point.

Pragmatic and clean lines at Adeline André Images from nowfashion.com

There were shoulders with metal, jutting slightly out of what looked like a lasercut light gold version. The shoulders accentuated gowns, as did metallic highlights that emphasized those key areas: the breasts, the torso, the hem of succulent Vercase-esque boyshorts for the daring and long-legged. The body-clinging silhouettes, fully beaded to a shimmery glamour, included winged hips, slits up to there, and the most modern roses on the bodice. On a white leather biker jacket, the effect clearly summed up the House’s codes — in your face, the kind of look that can only be Versace: both glamorous and kick-ass. The embroidery and emblems on the byzantinesque golds, bright yellow, orange and green added to the visual impact.
Adeline André

There was a very simple, almost pragmatic air in the Adeline André couturecollection. The designer, who has been a member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture for over a decade, has never been one for the kind of glamour we have come to expect with couture shows. Over the years she has consistently shown a collection of almost minimalist looks. This collection, mostly devoid of color, was also absent of overt trends and straightforward era-inspired looks.

Sea creatures were all over Iris Van Herpen.

Coats and coatdresses were almost like uniforms — the only detail slight slashes that imitated pockets. Her signature three-hole sleeve was evident in sober longsleeved white dresses. Draped jerseys with open backs added that stylish appeal in a very lucid collection.
Iris Van Herpen

It was a wow-worthy collection utilizing plastic and leather, of what looked like jellyfish, a manta, and giant sharp fishbones that you wouldn’t want caught in your gums. The designer clearly expressed her creative sea-vision in minidresses with a fluid texture and long stone-green skirt that might have been made of shagreen. Shoes had intriguing sharp Jaws-fangs at the sole, and what might have been a monstrous Gothic church dress was a creature that dwells in the bottomless ocean floor. An olive-gray leather dress, strung and corded together, could be the starting point of a cult-following-type ready-to-wear collection. In fact, each unique piece could.

Yiqing Yin

In the Philippine STAR’s exclusive interview with Yiqing Yin a few months back, she told us in detail about her process and techniques. This season’s couture collection showed us again the ways she transforms a piece of fabric: elaborate folds with encrusted with crystals, heavy draping, and ruching and pleats inserted with precision. Strategically-placed cutouts were complicated and modern, while a dress of fur looked resolute in its craftsmanship, even for just the designer’s second couture collection.
Julien Fournié

The first inspiration was the orchid. It was reinterpreted to form a bustle, or sprung out from the shoulder or collar. Its petals were sheared and deconstructed on a dress; on occassion it was the print on a bodice. The next were lines which lengthened the torso or created a sporty feel in cutout shapes. Beads might have been drops of dew, or perhaps pollen, and we missed seeing more of them. There was a decidedly part-tropical, part-Brazilian feel, not least due to the melange of colour and amount of exposed skin.

Stephane Rolland

The collection was apparently inspired by the works of artist Michel Deverne, and this was apparent in the collection’s shapes and embellishments. First shown were layered silk collars peeking out of jackets and dresses, accordion-pleats rose out to form dramatic waves. On the left edge of a long white dress, blending into the skirt, the effect was a surreal 3D. More angular on red and then petal-like in ecru on a long black dress, the looks had a slightly ‘70s feel. This collection was not for the timid, particularly in the dresses with their sharp, dramatic shoulders.

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