Fantasy Matchmaking What If…

Raf Simmons left Dior to focus on his own label but where will Alber Elbaz go? Or why can’t he just take a break and gradually build his own brand? It is unfortunate that these two great designers had to leave the brand but I believe this is a strategy by management to boost PR […]

Well that was a bore! Givenchy Spring’16

“Keep your expectations low and everything will look fabulous!” said no one but me. What was I expecting? No but really how many people thought the same thing after viewing Givenchy Spring’16 presented on the runway? Let’s applaud to the PR team who put the most effort with front row faces, the crew who built […]

“ctrl+alt+delete”

New York Fashion Week has kicked off for SS’16. I’ve been “away” from the industry for a season but always checking from the corner of my eye any big moves, product mix in retail stores, styling in fashion magazines. When you’re not part of fashion you tend to forget which season the stores currently carry, […]

“meh” Schiaparelli Spring15

I have been on a bit of hiatus from this blog because I had re-think my purpose of writing. Although I stand by my observation toward fashion my voice will probably not be heard by many. I’m just a lone-wolf. My cries are heard from the distant and ignored. Sometimes I get lucky when predictions […]

★★☆☆☆ Valentino – Fall’14 Couture

Two out of five stars. The duo behind Valentino do not take any risks and continue to show the same dresses they have been showing for I don’t even know how long. If a different brand shows a medieval period inspired dress critics now credit Valentino for it. I call the Valentino dresses as princess […]

☆☆☆☆☆ Schiapparelli – Fall’14 Couture

Is Haute Couture still relevant in the 21st century? Clothes that will be revealed on the runway and never to be seen in public unless on the red carpet. Couture isn’t about trend consciousness but rather about craftsmanship and quality. Unfortunately only a few people in the world will have the opportunity to own these […]

★★☆☆☆ Charles James: Beyond Fashion

Two out of five stars. The same day the 2014 Met Gala took place an exhibition of the ball gowns created by Charles James were revealed at the Metropolitan Museum. The closest an average girl wearing a ball gown is either at prom or at her own wedding. Other than that the 21st century limits […]

☆☆☆☆☆ 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall’14

Zero out of five stars. Out of 42 looks presented for 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall’14 collection there wasn’t a single item that grabbed my attention. All the pieces were mediocre and I have a feeling the “design director” below Phillip Lim changed. It was hard to decipher what the collection’s theme was other than the […]

★★★★☆ Proenza Schouler Fall’14

Four out of five stars. Finally! A great Fall’14 collection with an interesting theme. Rather than referencing inspiration from archival clothing Proenza Schouler used fabrics inspired by home materials such as insulation blankets, recycled foam, wood flooring, and kitchen counter tiles. This was immediately recognizable because the collection had a narrative and gradually introduced a […]

★★☆☆☆ Alexander Wang Fall’14

Two out of five stars for Alexander Wang Fall’14 collection. 47 looks divided into 4 themes: utility pockets, leather woven cricket vests and boots, raw edge leather coats, neoprene and laser cut paisley. The Bermuda shorts pieces with the laser cut paisley reminisce the Marc Jacobs Spring’14 collection but the rest of the collection was […]

★★☆☆☆ Prabal Gurung Fall’14

Two out of five stars. I had very mixed feelings about Prabal Gurung’s Fall’14 collection. It was a love/hate relation ship between great styling and the question of appropriateness for the season. The collection was top heavy with chunky sweaters and large scarves while below the waist was almost bare with satin silk skirts and […]

☆☆☆☆☆ New York Fashion Week: Jason Wu Fall’14

Zero out of five stars for Jason Wu. Just as Couture Spring’14 show closed it’s curtains, New York Fashion Week for Fall’14 opened up. Before anyone can absorb anything fashion moves onto the next. There is no time to pause, no time to applaud, we are all running to the exit to make it to […]

★☆☆☆☆ Maison Martin Margiela Spring’14 Couture

One out of five stars. I wonder when will Maison Martin Margiela will run out of ideas since the brand is based on “arte povera” and there is only so much that can be done. This is both a concern and a curiosity of mine for this brand. For Spring’14 couture 5 themes within 23 […]

Jean-Paul Gaultier Exhibit at Brooklyn Museum

The other day I made a trip to go see “The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk” exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. I rarely go to fashion exhibits because the mannequins are eerie and the clothes are so dead. When you have a model wear the clothes they come […]

★★☆☆☆ Chanel Spring’14 Couture

Two out of five stars. The models were all smiles in the Chanel couture show because they wore sneakers instead of uncomfortable platform shoes. A few season’s ago Karl introduced jeans in Chanel couture and this time it was sneakers. These are not ordinary sneakers but I have seen Chanel sneakers at their stores in […]

★☆☆☆☆ Christian Dior Spring’14 Couture

One out of five stars. The collection was very consistent with square toe shoes, garters, and perforated fabric. The perforation of the fabric gave the collection a couture version of the “sporty” and making everything feel airy. The problem with some of the white perforated fabric is that it looks like kitchen curtain drapery. And […]

☆☆☆☆☆ Schiaparelli Spring’14 Couture

Zero out of five stars. Two couture collections done by two different designers: for Fall’13 couture of Schiaparelli it was Christian Lacroix and for Spring ’14 Marco Zanini. Neither really grasped the true essence of Schiaparelli which was a great disappointment, I believe the most appropriate designer for the Schiaparelli brand was Martin Margiela himself […]

☆☆☆☆☆ Spring’14 Couture- Atelier Versace

Zero out of five stars for Atelier Versace. Spring’14 couture is finally and one more month till Fall’14 collections will be presented to the public. Although couture is the highest of fashion and probably takes the most time in creating the pieces I just realized that it is the last one to show in the […]

★★★☆☆ Paris Fashoin Week: Chanel SS14

Three out of five stars. For the first brand review from Paris Fashion Week I have purposely chosen to write about Chanel because just like Fendi the designer is Karl Lagerfeld. Unlike Fendi where there is a little more of design freedom from choice of fabrics and design, Karl Lagerfeld must continuously revisit iconic Chanel […]

Good bye Ann Demeulemeester

I could never pronounce her last name but I love her handwritten farewell letter. Especially this part: “As a young girl I dreamed of having a voice in fashion. I worked hard to realize this dream and now I feel that I accomplished this mission”. I hope everyone out there who has given up on […]

★★★★☆ Fendi SS14

A good collection doesn’t get inspiration from archival clothing but from surrounding objects: this was my impression of Fendi SS’14. Interior design used on the exterior of the body. The architecture-oriented collection with laser cut geometric shapes, gradation of primary and secondary colors, and a computer circuit board makes the clothes not only season appropriate […]

★★★☆☆ Dolce & Gabbana SS14

Three out of five stars. Dolce & Gabbanna’s designs haven’t changed since Spring ’11. Before that the brand offered more variety in their design but for the past three years they have been playing it safe. The same lace dresses, the same braided hairs with large earrings, the same bustier, and etc. I am begging […]

So predictable! Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton

Can there be anything more predictable than Nicolas Ghesquiere filling the empty spot that Marc Jacobs left at Louis Vuitton? No other designer was available on the market. I believe this to be a strategic plan (a conspiracy) from Nicolas Ghesquiere’s side and Bernard Arnault’s side. Whatever the reason of the new designer’s announcement I […]

☆☆☆☆☆ Gucci SS14

Zero out of five stars. Gucci’s SS’14 collection only improved a tiny bit from it’s pre-spring collection: inspired by the 80’s with metallic sets and the Miami sunset backdrop. Although the collection did show season appropriate clothes the collection from beginning to end showed a body-wrap mesh bra which was the key piece. I was […]

★★★☆☆ Prada SS14

Three out of five stars. I would of given this collection four out of five stars if it was for Fall. Why couldn’t they rest this collection until season and show something more Spring appropriate? As seen in New York with the Marc Jacob’s collection many designers are showing clothes that can be worn “all-season” […]

★☆☆☆☆ Jil Sander SS14

One out of five stars. Since I am currently reviewing Milan Fashion Week for SS’14 and Jil Sander just announced her departure, yet again, from her label I thought it perfect to write up about her “last” collection. No one will know the true reason for her departure but I am guessing that her collections […]

★★☆☆☆ Trussardi

Two out of five stars for Trussardi “by Acne”. I have been keeping my left eye on Trussardi for quite sometime but never paid attention to it fully. Popular creative directors, in this case Umit Benan, get hired to old maison with all the hype and buzz and leaves after working for a few seasons. […]

☆☆☆☆☆ Versace SS14 (Milan Fashion Week)

Zero out of five stars. When a collection is as bad as Versace SS14 maybe it’s better not to show it. When you subtract the Medusa emblem, the gold chain, and the risqué body-con dresses it no longer is Versace. Or that is how we become to identify Versace. While I personally preferred the Resort ’14 […]

☆☆☆☆☆ J.W. Anderson SS’14

Zero out of five stars. What is the big deal with this “young” designer. His collection for Versus was terrible and now LVMH has invested in his name brand and also offered him the head design position at Loewe. First of all many mature designers say you can’t handle everything. Especially when you have 8 […]

★★☆☆☆ Emilia Wickstead SS’14

Two out of five stars. Ever since Valentino began showing 15th century inspired kirtle dresses all the other designers have begun jumping onto to the bandwagon as well. Emilia Wickstead is one of those designers. Her long dresses with the mullet hem in blue short sleeves (look 6) and the orange and blue sleeveless […]

★★☆☆☆ Mary Katranzou SS14

Two out of five stars. While Mary Katranzou had a spectacular Fall ’13 collection this SS14 was just so so. The collection was divided into two with the first being close-ups of shoes prints and the second being floral prints. When the very first look came out the hint of the shoe laces gave way […]

★★★☆☆ Christopher Kane SS14

Three out of five stars. Christopher Kane is one designer who puts a lot of effort into innovative textiles unlike other designers who rather play it safe. Last season’s textiles were amazing compared to this season but there were metallic heat pressed felt-like fabric which was truly unique (see above image). Many Spring collections show […]

★★★☆☆ KTZ SS14

Three out of five stars. KTZ has a defined style and color palette every season. It is good to see a new brand have consistency for brand identity and simultaneously tweaking the designs to show something new every season. The collection was divided into three themes with the first one showing shapes inspired by lattice […]

★☆☆☆☆Tom Ford SS’14

One out of five stars. Although the first few looks, up to look 6, were the strongest they were the furthest from Spring clothes. I do not understand why such a talented man did so well at Gucci and YSL and do terrible at his own brand. Hi collections are very similar to Roberto Cavalli […]

London Fashion Week SS14

Milan Fashion Week is ending and Paris Fashion Week is starting soon. I haven’t written anything from London Fashion Week which happened before Milan. Fashion keeps moving forward and what collection we saw yesterday is old and what see today is new.

★★★★☆ Proenza Schouler SS14

Four out of five stars. Proenza Shouler showed a very mature collection with a good mix of rtw and knits. The first couple of looks from the collection had an oriental feel with narrow shoulder double-breasted structured tops and cropped sailor pants, then the looks progressed into painted effect two-piece suits which was an archive […]

☆☆☆☆☆ Marc Jacobs SS14

Zero out of five stars. I had high expectations for New York fashion week but many of the collections ended up being mediocre. Marc Jacob’s main collection was also one of them. The collection showed pieces that even models couldn’t pull off. Some of the looks included Victorian-style jackets with leg of mutton sleeves with […]

★☆☆☆☆ Thom Browne SS14

One out of five stars. Thom Browne Horror Story is what I would call this collection. If you wanted to know what Victorian era of Spring clothes would look like with the futuristic touch this is it. For some reason when I first looked as though it came from the Word Fair (exposition) of the […]

☆☆☆☆☆ Rodarte SS14

Zero out of five stars. Rodarte always has a strong theme that they work around and develop their designs from. For this season I felt as though the theme was too strong that the collection showed predictable cookie-cutter designs from beginning to end. The collection’s theme was 80’s west coast gangster. The collection had all […]

★★☆☆☆ Ohne Titel SS14

Two out of five stars. If Alaïa had a sister sporty line it would be Ohne Titel. Although not all the pieces were knits it was quite obvious that knits is more their forte. They knitted perspective into the clothes which gave the pieces another dimension rather than being a flat fabric. My favorite was […]

★★★☆☆ Victoria Beckham SS14

Three out of five stars. Victoria Beckham continues to show very minimal designs. This aesthetic has turned into her signature style and while sometimes that is a little too boring it’s very commercial and does well on sales floor. Compared to the other designer’s collections that I have written about this will do well on […]

☆☆☆☆☆ Altuzarra SS14

Zero out of five stars. Joseph Altuzarra sure has the courage to show the same skirt from look 1 to look 35 even though there was nothing special about it: a high-waisted shin length skirt with a slit going up to the thigh and cords dangling. I hope Kering’s investment in this brand will make […]

★☆☆☆☆ Alexander Wang SS14

One out of five stars. This collection was bad. Can somebody please tell me what happened to the once great Alexander Wang back when he was still new? And the shoes! They were COPIES from Prada Fall ’12! The collection was heavily influenced by men’s underwear boxers, shirts, and fabrics and knits with the “Alexander […]

★★☆☆☆ Christian Sirianao SS14

Two out of five stars. I must say that Christian Siriano does have talent but due to his debut “roots” via Project Runway it’s ruining his career. The collection showed a variety of mini themes but my favorite piece was look 17 which is shown above. If the collection was more focused on the strong […]

★★☆☆☆ Prabal Gurung SS14

Two out of five stars. I just wasn’t wasn’t as impressed for this collection as Prabal’s Fall ’13 collection. The off-shoulder, shin length dresses were similar to Prada Fall ’13 collection and the overall the bulk of the Prabal’s collection was archival pieces from either Prada or Miu Miu. I was disappointed in the design […]