Thursday, February 12, 2009
“Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.”
Coco Chanel quotes (French Fashion designer who ruled over Parisian haute couture for almost six decades, 1883-1971)
Fashion Quotes this month
Spring Fashion A to Z
U is for Underneat It All
- What lies beneath? Delicate eyelet, dainty frills, and playful patches.
- V is for Virtual Style
- Bored with celeb best-dressed lists? Street-chic sites connect you with the most fashionable people from every walk of life.
Some sites to check out:
garancedore.fr
facehunter.blogspot.com
altamiranyc.blogspot.com
jakandjil.com
streetpeeper.com
stylesightings.com
superfantasticpicturetime.com
thesartorialist.com
- Marc Jacobs has his day at the beach with a debut line of swimsuits, featuring flirty prints and cool charms.
Marc by Marc Jacobs nylon and spandex swim top and bottom, about $80 each.
- QUESTION: How can I pull off spring's transparent looks without showing too much skin? —Lizzie, 16
ANSWER: Just because designers played peekaboo on the runways doesn't mean you should. Take the season's see-through looks from fantasy to reality with artful layering and a few glam accessories. Done right, they can be a sheer delight. Model Constance shows how.
- A protégé of Calvin Klein's Francisco Costa, Julian Louie is charming industry insiders with his edgy-chic minidresses.
The designer in his Manhattan studio with model Dierdre in a minidress from his Spring collection.
- Forget celebrity-design collaborations.Forward thinkers want to join forces with this boundary-pushing star of the architecture world.
Melissa + Zaha Hadid melflex plastic shoes, about $350 per pair. Opening Ceremony, L.A. AND NYC.
Spring Fashion A to Z
P is for Playlist
* Elvis Presley's "Crawfish" at Prada
* Toni Basil's "Mickey" at Chloé
* Grace Jones's "La Vie en Rose" (Tom Moulton mix) at Dolce & Gabbana
* Madness's "Our House" at Chanel
* Ladyhawke's "Dusk Til Dawn" at House of Holland
* The Ting Tings' "Shut Up and Let Me Go" at Rag & Bone
* Beck's "Chemtrails" at Lacoste
* Santogold's "You'll Find a Way" at Alexander Wang
* M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" at Marc by Marc Jacobs
* Serge Gainsbourg (samples of music and voice) at Dries Van Noten
* Cabaret Voltaire's "Blue Heat" at Proenza Schouler
* Edith Piaf's "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" at Louis Vuitton
- q is for Quiz
- Consider yourself a fashion insider? Test your know-how with our style-savvy challenge.
1. At which spring presentation were models asked to eat large amounts of cake?
A. Wren
B. Lorick
C. Tory Burch
2. Which top model is working on getting her pilot's license?
A. Daria Werbowy
B. Jessica Stam
C. Iekeliene Stange
3. Which of the following designers has yet to turn 25?
A. Alexander Wang
B. Jason Wu
C. Esteban Cortazar- q is for Quiz
- Are you a fashion insider?
ANSWERS
1. At which spring presentation were models asked to eat large amounts of cake?
A. Wren
B. Lorick
C. Tory Burch
2. Which top model is working on getting her pilot's license?
A. Daria Werbowy
B. Jessica Stam
C. Iekeliene Stange
3. Which of the following designers has yet to turn 25?
A. Alexander Wang
B. Jason Wu
C. Esteban Cortazar
R is for Rock 'N' Roll- Take a cue from Balmain and march to the beat of sharp-shouldered Sgt. Pepper jackets, tie-dyed jeans, and superstudded sandals.
The inspiration at Balmain.
S is for Stage Sets- From artists Jake and Dinos Chapman's childlike mural at Stella McCartney to Rodarte's futuristic rubble, these so-called backdrops took center stage at the shows.
Stella McCartney
- CFDA-winner Alexander Wang goes back to basics with a new line of perfectly slinky second-skin T-shirts.
Alexander Wang takes a bow at his Spring show.
Spring Fashion A to Z
K is for Kid Stuff
- Designers had fun with fashion this season, taking inspiration from cartoon characters.
The Flintstones played muse on the runway for spring.
- England's trademark garden-party florals found fertile ground on the spring runways—from Cacharel to Marc by Marc Jacobs.
Cacharel Liberty collection dress, about $300, and belt, about $45.
- The renegade Brit designer puts his punk-rock spin on a collection for Target.
A look from the Alexander McQueen spring runway.
- The decade defined by Vanilla Ice and the original Beverly Hills is making a fashion comeback. Break out the baggy jeans, neon biker shorts, and oversize blazers.
The new 90210
- Comfortable and chic, the jumpsuit won over this season.
Coco Rocha gets into the groove backstage at DKNY.
Spring Fashion A to Z
F is for Fresh Face
- In under a year, Arlenis Sosa has scored a major cosmetics contract and been taken under Oscar de la Renta's wing.
Backstage at Bottega Veneta.
- With a reputation for provocative ad campaigns and trendsetting denim, Guess has stayed ahead of the curve for three decades strong.
A model sports a Guess bikini top.
- Why pare down what you carry? These eco-friendly bags let you haul it all—at no cost to Mother Nature.
From top: Olivier Lalanne for L.E.N.Y. tote to support the climate project, about $320. Kidrobot cotton tote, about $148, Nordstrom.
- Get to know the next generation of English fashion darlings who are giving Kate Moss a run for her money.
From left: Model Daisy Lowe, Alice Dellal, Pixie Geldof, Socialite Poppy Delevigne, and Mick Jagger's daughter Georgia.
- Let's go, Tokyo! With kitschy collaborations and cool underground labels, the Far East fashion hot spot cements its status on the style map.
Edifice striped hoodie sold at Opening Ceremony in New York City.
Spring Fashion A to Z
A is for America
- Designers got into the spirit of the election, celebrating fashion's glory days and the changing of the guard.
Rodarte for Sonia Rykiel
- Run with the guys in slouchy-cool, baggy blues.
Model Darya Kurovska works the trend with a bright tee on the Marc by Marc Jacobs runway.
- C is for CoCo Chanel
- The Mademoiselle of Chanel lives on in superstylish homages on the silver screen.
Audrey Tautou in the upcoming film Coco Avant Chanel.
- Get in line! Charlotte Ronson's debut collection for JCPenney is as chic as it is cheap.
Charlotte Ronson (left) with her sister and muse, Annabelle, both wearing C. Ronson, the inspiration for Charlotte's new JCPenney line.
- Upgrade your wardrobe without dropping a dime by throwing a clothes-swapping bash.
(From left) Liz, Paige, Lenora, Sofia Juarez, and Arielle Ergas get down to the business of trading their closet castoffs.
Spring Fashion A to Z
- Fashion gets real with mold-breaking muses (from first ladies to self-styled girls on the street), Earth-conscious It bags, and wallet-friendly designer collaborations. Scope out our runway roundup for more of the season's brightest ideas.
