Paris FW: Commes des Garcons

It's an understatement, really-- but Rei Kawakubo blows you out of your mind. A familiar batallion of black-on-black on skin and bones, and here again, with multiple textures with fuzzy fabric, patterned and crisp leather, equipped with Marie Antoinette hair and ball-texture resemblance. Mmm..

Rei, I love you.

[source, WWD]

Paris FW: Balenciaga

It is textbook for futurist Ghesquiere, with low lights, tights over shoes (aha!)-- he sends out architectured pieces, dresses with a partial heart-shaped bodice, sequined numbers in flame cores, slim pants with criss-cross detailing.. ever intricate and light.

(Picture of the lads in dark suits later.)

[source, Style]

Let Them Eat Kate

[source, Jak&Jil]

Boys at Balenciaga

Nicholas Ghesqueire bringing them boys back? Ooh.. I see Cole Mohr! (Edit: There WERE boys..)

[source, Jak&Jil]

Paris FW: Maison Martin Margiela

It was a bit of everything, wasn't it-- at Margiela? Perhaps we're all fidgeting on our chairs on the circling rumor that he's retiring, after 20 faithful years in the fashion industry as the Invisible Man, inventing shapes and silhouettes of envy for every a man. It was reminiscent of what he was throughout the years-- the wig, the circular-cut leather, exaggerated shoulders.. ever the futurist. At the end of the show, a silk white cake on two legs was sent out, instead of Margiela himself. No surprise. But will it be his last show? (insert Psycho scream)

(And who's going to replace him? Raf Simons inked his contract extension at Jil Sander!)

WWD quote:
"...on the hit parade: plastic bags, disco balls, catsuits, Barbie clothes, AIDS T-shirts and the house obsession with anonymity — all of the models were faceless. Instead of exact replicas, Margiela rewrote his own language, and the crowd ate it up with ample applause."

Enough said, non?

[source, WWD]

Paris FW: Yohji Yamamoto

A solid, no-nonsense Yohji show-- calm permeating within the monotonous palette, otherworldly deconstructed jackets, unbalanced hems flirting with jagged edges of raw fabrics, with cheeky art-deco strapless number slipping in between the black-on-black concoctions.

[source, WWD]

Shoe Porn: Paris FW

Christian Louboutin for Rodarte
Nicholas Kirkwood for Belstaff
Givenchy lace-up peeptoe boots
Miu Miu platforms

[source, Jak&Jil]

Paris FW: Balmain

Christophe Decarnin, at his best-- avant-garde rock chick aesthetics, a dangerous/intoxicating mix nonetheless, sending down pieces of preternatural sexiness: jackets with slim-cut sleeves that evolves into a tough shoulder, over slouchy bleached jeans; sequin-heavy frocks and crazy mish-mash detailing.

Or-gas-mic.

[source, Style]

Paris FW: Rick Owens

Capsuled with nun caps, black sacks as footwear-- the clothes were more refined, with twisted knots at the ribcage for permanent haggard sexiness, silk capes, sliced fabrics and the overwhelming slouch he sent down truly was a winning one.

[source, Style]

Paris FW: Nina Ricci

For the sake of Olivier Theyskens' perpetuate romance ethics, it was what it was-- carefully draped, sashaying palette of dusty pink, a soft sense afleet, along with intricately detailed numbers that launched a thousand gasps. Theyskens did exclaim he was inspired by dance and movement, so there.. Beautiful.

[source, WWD]

Paris FW: Kris Van Assche

Kris van Assche does menswear with perfection to the maximum. What's on for the lasses: noir palette, shiny boxer's shorts, immaculately-cut boxy blazers and sheer tanks that transcended into trained, wispy, billowy dresses.

[source, Style]

Paris FW: Gareth Pugh

ODMIOFJIOAWU5934CFJJIW! Dropped jaws are appropriate. Claps, standing ovations.. The whole collection was a cohesion, in a monochromatic palette with architectural works that perhaps might give Rem Koolhaas a run for his money. It's a bit more wearable than before, so he's got that tilted brain straightened up a bit [read: the slightest bit..]. But atleast there were no bunny costumes. Thank you, Pugh!

[source, Getty/tFS]

Milan FW: Iceberg

An echoed take on the 80's: voluminous shoulders, beautiful palette of wine, black, nudes, comes with a couple of knock-out dresses at the end with wrap-around crazy/sexy shoes that caged the calves. Iceberg nabbed veteran Amber Valletta for F/W 08 ad campaign.

[source, Style]

Milan FW: Alessandro Dell'Acqua

On-going semi-hippie credentials, semi-couture as quoted and echoed fringe use. Never better than Raf Simon's creations, but still.. the draped dresses, short sheaths, high-cut collars are bound to decline ignorance.

[source, Style]

Femmes du Moment

Kate Lanphear Stylist, Elle Magazine
Geraldine Saglio Assistant Stylist, Vogue Paris
Emmanuelle Alt Stylist, Vogue Paris
Melanie Huynh Junior Editor, Vogue Paris
Ludivine Poiblanc Stylist, Vogue Paris

[source, Sartorialist]

Milan FW: Jil Sander

The best thing about Raf Simons for Jil Sander is that, he is intelligently capable of mixing his ideas and the house's signature minimalism into an immaculate cohesion-- and never make it into a "Raf Simons" line. It's enticingly-cut numbers, with fringe draping on the flattering bodice is the epitome of calculated elegance.

And-- Jil Sander is the best show in Milan, hands down.

[source, Style]

Milan FW: Gianfranco Ferre

In the most honest manner: I'm a new Ferre fan. Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi hit home run with multifaceted avant-garde aesthetics stamped over the voluminous shapes and silhouettes within a nude palette. Anyone will tell you, that perhaps, the late Ferre have never outdone himself-- but thank the duo for a timely stint.

[source, Style]

London FW: Richard Nicoll

Perhaps, one of the best Spring showcase in London so far-- mainly because it's a tad bit reminiscing Jil Sander Menswear Spring '09. The dip-pallete blazer, femme hues colorblock, breezy silhouettes and the cheeky brocade display in the subtlest teals at the end of the show will garner high points on the scoresheet.

Mm, strong love..

[source, Style]

London FW: Christopher Kane

What a crazy bloke. You have to admit-- the circular-cut fabric glossary, achingly whimsy leopard print, ethereal sheer pops and offbeat gorilla t-shirts do leave you intrigued. Intensely intrigued. I mean-- who can make Animal Planet look sexy?!

If Christopher Kane don't amuse you, really.. who will?

[source, WWD/Style]

London FW: Topshop Unique

Topshop Unique comes with a time machine, a retroflex into the 90's-- case in point: Bananarama(!) influence, acid wash jumpsuits, oversized athletic gear in a girly palette. Now if I could only take the calf-length boots home..

P/S: Does this mean listening to Roxanne is cool?

[source, Style]

London FW: Luella Bartley

Nobody does it quite like Luella Bartley-- she comes, wows with Spring in-your-face style, echoing previous season's love for florals, psychedelic color pops, perfectly-placed perky ruffles (my, that's a lot of Ps..) and boxy jackets. Hold back your metallic coin purses--

Expect Topshop's Spring line for carbon copies.

[source, Style]

London FW: Giles Deacon

If you could [ever] distract yourself from the Pacman headgear-- the threads that follow are the epitome of London streetstyle/graphic-influenced, only dealt with an overwhelming amount of craftsmanship of the higher hierarchy. It's basic Giles Deacon mathematics, really..

How elegant was the last Pacman lady!

[source, WWD/Style]

London FW: Modernist

I am not a cult follower-- but it takes little to get one to commit. The exposed bras under delicately proposed sheer whites, volume-inclusive tulip skirts and a color palette so honestly pretty it hurts does the former MaxMara duo good. I'll be frank. I love it because it looks like cake. There.

[source, Style]

New York FW: Preen

One of the best slices of New York-- echoed zipper love(!), cut-out mish/mash sheer fabric pops, solemnly cool palette and the relaxed slouch of the many two-piece sent down the runway are just.. sent down from the Heavens.

[source, Style]

New York FW: Proenza Schouler

Proenza Schouler kicks arse. I swear on my Chanel 2.55 savings account that I've never, ever [lie] wanted to have everything sent down the runway plank-- zippered jumpsuits, sculptural jackets [read: although, never quite matched Ghesquiere's], deathly amount of leather use and.. sequins(?).

ME WANT NOW.

[source, Style]

New York FW: Rag & Bone

Albeit androgyny is old news-- it does look like what Hedi Slimane would wear if he were to mutate into his counterpart sex. Ankle-grazing slim pants, oversized slouch blazers, zipper affair and the sleeveless leather jacket [read: Alexander Wang F/W 08] rules the season, no less.

[source, Style]

New York FW: Alexander Wang

Thou can't not love the pint-sized former Teen Vogue intern running around in immaculately disheveled self-customized t-shirts, but that's every bit of Alexander Wang and his shows ceases to drop more jaws along the way. Thank you, God, for blessing Alex into the world. Crop tops, Spring-hued boxy blazer, sweatshirt dressing: mmm...

I am going to revive all my sweatshirts with zippers now.

[source, Style]

Remember.

How do you properly convey in words what happened seven years ago today? How many words can you use to express your feelings over what you felt that morning of September 11, 2001? Shock, horror, terror, sadness, grief. And yet none of those words seem to encompass what the true feelings of the day were. I am sure every single one of us remember where exactly we were when we heard the news. I was driving to work. And I remember thinking how sad that a plane crashed into the first tower of the World Trade Center. At the moment it was just the one plane and, of course, it was thought to be an accident. Then the second plane crashed and I remember the shock as I got out of my car and went rushing through the warehouse to get to my desk so I could turn the radio on, telling people as I went what was going on. All day we listened to that radio at work, all night I numbly watched the reports over and over again on the news reports. I watched and I cried. I had to physically force myself to turn the television off so I would quit watching the horror unfold in front of me. For the following six years this day has never been easy to remember. It instantly takes you back to that moment and you think about it all over again.

After a touching tribute on the radio today, someone called the station and said while it was horrific what happened, do we really need to relive this situation every year? I think the answer is yes. Over 2,000 innocent people died that day in our country. Citizens of this country, visitors, people going to work, people working to save those that were injured and trapped. We need to remember. We need to remember that something this terrifying can happen again. We need to remember the days immediately following the act where you embraced the people in your life. Because it shouldn't take such a senseless act of terrorism to make you honor the people you have in your life and tell them you love them.

There are really no words to offer for today that haven't been said a million times by hundreds of people that can put it more eloquently than me. Just take a moment to remember and pay respect to those that lost their lives.

Spoiled.

The arrogance of the cat is just astounding. He stares at me, knowing he is in trouble with that little "ha" look of his. Meet Tyson.