blendnewyork…Fashion.Art.Style.Inspiration.Love

“Fall is all about sensuality,” Monique Lhuillier said a few days before her show, explaining the dark, sultry tone of her newest collection. “And besides, women feel beautiful in black.” So black it was for most of the first 22 looks, until—voilà!—a silk organza blouse in ecru, bedecked in ribbons, made an appearance. There had been a few instances of cheetah up to that point, but the print was so blurred and abstract it read almost like a dark, textured solid. A strapless chiffon A-line cocktail dress in bloodred followed apace—and there was your palette.

Lhuillier used the absence of color to play with texture, most notably employing lace to conceal and reveal. For day it was embroidered over seemingly nude sleeves on a black blouse or on the bodice of a wool crepe cocktail dress. Elsewhere, a short black jacket in taffeta jacquard was frayed along the edges of its tiered, triangular hem; it added an edge of unexpected toughness to a collection that could quite easily rest on the strength of its gala gowns. And those gowns? They were stunners. A Chantilly lace corset number had a naughty bondage detail: lacquer braided belts that looped under and around the bodice to form a crisscrossing halter in the back. But that was tame in terms of sheer drama. The skirt of one red-carpet contender was made of gathered tulle and about a thousand ostrich feathers. It elicited more than a few front-row gasps.

(by Alison Baenen style.com)

“I’m not a cool designer, and Lanvin is not a cool brand,” Alber Elbaz insisted with his typical self-deprecation at the end of yet another standout show. Yeah sure, Alber, and the sun won’t rise tomorrow morning. But if he insisted on questioning his own coolness, there was at least no way Elbaz could challenge the clarity and intelligence of a collection that proposed a soup-to-nuts wardrobe (there were even nylon raincoats, for God’s sake) of unimpeachably modern, urban chic. Exhibit 1: the girl-on-the-go athleticism of second-skin dresses and suits paired with flats. Exhibit 2: the ludicrous amounts of glamour with which Elbaz managed to swathe that prosaic proposition.

The skin thing was a big deal. As a designer, Elbaz is feeling put out by the way women can buy themselves a new body these days, courtesy of their local cosmetic surgeon. He loves a wrinkle. So he created a collection that was a hymn to skin: wrinkled in Fortuny-like pleating, stretched in all those sheaths. It was a spectacular foundation on which he could lavish increasingly heady colors. From its elegantly taupe-y beginnings, the show spiraled through acid yellow, hot pink, and aqua. Karlie Kloss looked like a great big Georgia O’Keeffe flower as she sashayed down the runway in an opulent orange skirt. And it wasn’t only color Elbaz toyed with. He layered on the embellishment with pagan metalwork, climaxing in a gladiator skirt. There’s always been that hard edge with him—here, it was apparent in the metal bracelet that cuffed the shoe to the ankle, the leather harness, and the zippers that ran up and down his dresses, back, front, and sides. Arch fan Janet Jackson nailed it backstage when she pinned down her Lanvin persona: “I’m the baddest bitch on the block.”

In fact, she had some competition from the models who stalked the catwalk for a finale that brought to mind Yves Saint Laurent’s epochal heyday. And, with his hot-wire to the way women feel like dressing now, Alber Elbaz could be the most natural heir to that particular throne. (by Tim Blanks – style.com)

If there was something particularly youthful about Vanessa Seward’s Azzaro collection, you can blame her 5-month-old baby, Jacqueline. “They’re like little girl’s dresses, but more grown-up,” she said of a group of short frocks in cotton dot with ruffles at the shoulders, hem, and neckline. A micro-floral print—discovered in the archives of Abraham, a fabric supplier to Paris couture houses, and used here on a shirtdress and a blouson minidress—kept the theme going.

Then out came a thigh-skimming navy shift with a plunging V-shaped tulle inset lined in crystals. Maybe the Azzaro woman isn’t so innocent after all. The bare back of a halterneck dress seemed to say as much, as did the side cutouts on the collection’s best look, which featured a crystal-smothered bodice and tiered white silk skirt connected by a big black bow.

Seward shows her collection in the Faubourg Saint-Honoré store’s intimate second-floor salon, with the models making fast changes in a pair of dressing rooms, and her assistants showing off alternate versions of each dress on hangers. There were a few floor-length lookers it would’ve been nice to see on the girls, not only because long is such a big story for Spring, but also because it would’ve added some grown-up variety. Still, this show was long on charm. (by Nicole Phelps – style.com)

Having shown his new contemporary collection, Z Spoke, at home in New York, Zac Posen decided to present his signature line in Paris. Gutsy move. The competition here is nothing if not formidable; then again, Posen has never been a shy guy. Today, he not only chose a venue where Yves Saint Laurent famously used to show, but—further upping the ante from his Fall collection, which had a focus on daywear—he turned his attention almost exclusively to evening.

After opening with some smart tweed jackets with puffed shoulders and stand-up collars, the designer wasted no time getting to cocktail hour, and that’s when all the black lace, and feathers kicked in. The vibe: showgirl boudoir. Posen’s signature silhouette hasn’t changed; it’s still nipped and paneled at the waist, but cutouts are part of the sexy mix for Spring—and that meant there was a lot going on. The pieces that will make it into the closets of his party-set fans—and onto the red carpet—were the least fussy, like a vibrant red silk dress with a swirling, draped bodice, or a black ombré silk gown with a spray of feathers on each shoulder. Subtlety has never been Posen’s MO, nor are we suggesting it should be, but it wouldn’t have hurt if he’d picked up a few pointers on chic simplicity from Monsieur Saint Laurent.

(by Nicole Phelps – style.com)

Massimiliano Giornetti said his second women’s collection for Salvatore Ferragamo was inspired by Jacques Deray’s late-sixties movie La Piscine. “But I didn’t want nostalgia,” he said, “just the vibration of that moment. I want to go back to that free-spirit, bohemian, gypsy attitude.” If that sounds like dangerous territory for a label best known for its loafers and bow-topped ballet flats, it wasn’t. Giornetti inherently gets the Ferragamo DNA, after working on the men’s side of things for ten years. The show he put on for Spring offered a measured, sophisticated take on of-the-moment trends—peasant dresses, macramé and crochet, transparency, and YSL-isms like safari jackets included. Giornetti is also making the case for Ferragamo as a suit resource. Narrow jackets and cuffed, slightly flared trousers in spicy shades of cotton canvas had a chic durability. That was the charm of this collection—how good he made real clothes for real life look. (by Nicole Phelps – style.com)

Dundas’ seventies-inflected Spring collection has his sultry signatures all over it. He’s building a house on a Greek island, and the show had an unmistakable Mediterranean vibe, all sea blues and spice colors—the Cyclades by way of the subcontinent. “Bohemian beachcomber done luxe” is how the designer rather aptly described it beforehand. The first few dresses were souped-up riffs on the traditional Greek shirt, with a scrolling blue design on ruffled and flounced white cotton, washed for a lived-in feel. Clingy jersey T-shirt gowns in archival Pucci prints went to India and back for the tie-dyeing that gave them their sun-faded look. Alongside those and other frocks in guipure lace and broderie anglaise embroidered with tiny mirrors and pompoms—India, again—was more of the strong tailoring Dundas showed for Fall. Schoolboy blazers and low-slung flares mixed it up with whipstitched leathers and an aged python safari shirt with leather lacing that was reminiscent of Yves Saint Laurent. This collection won’t necessarily score Dundas any points for trailblazing; the seventies are everywhere this season, after all. But no one has evoked them with more conviction, or a more exuberant touch for handcrafted details.
(by Nicole Phelps – style.com)

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana looked to the garden for inspiration. The trellis behind their runway was strewn with real roses, peonies, hydrangeas, ferns, and ivy—their florist must be ecstatic. But if the duo’s vision was Edenic, it was also poised at the moment when Eve was starting to get a little frisky. D&G is aimed at their youngest customers, so the cabbage rose-print tanks unbuttoned to reveal a hint of bra, and the mismatched bubble shorts and gingham head scarves looked sweet, but not that innocent. D&G’s teenage fans might take banishment to the woods by their evil stepmothers before they slipped into one of the designers’ red and white picnic blanket-check dresses—they were just too literal an interpretation of the theme. But other pieces would score Mom points on a spring shopping trip, especially the sky-high wedge espadrilles and the flowing boho dresses strewn with blossoms and cinched with raffia belts that closed the show. Those qualified as the freshest, prettiest takes on the long trend we’ve seen
so far this season. (by Nicole Phelps – style.com)

Once upon a time, in the Edenic innocence of the pre-digital age, little girls dreamed of being beautiful princesses. Alberta Ferretti got back to the garden with her new collection of floating floral chiffons. It was a departure from the luxe lady look she’s been offering for the past few seasons, but “women want to change,” Ferretti insisted backstage.
“Fantasy is so important.”

Here, that fantasy was cast as a vision of fairy-tale femininity. The organic, relaxed mood was sustained by the designer’s use of lace and crochet, sometimes all at once, like the lace smock with the crochet midriff. There was a hint of eccentricity in this uncompromising commitment to romance and fantasy. Though Ferretti sought balance in the more “urban” pieces—a white trench, a Bermuda shorts suit —the scales couldn’t help but tip toward those long, diaphanous gowns. And while she was quick to point out that her new designs were about “a normal woman, not a star,” it wasn’t hard to imagine the fantasy sweeping away Ferretti fans like Sarah Jessica Parker and January Jones.
(by Tim Blanks – style.com)

“Who’s Leonard Peltier?” a front-rower at the Vivienne Westwood Red Label show asked… The question was apropos of the assertion, printed at the bottom of the Westwood credit sheet, that the long-jailed American Indian activist is innocent. Elsewhere in the front row, as a clutch of Westwood’s old-school punk pals took their seats, editors flipped through brochures for the legal organization Reprieve, which works on behalf of prisoners at Guantánamo and on death row.

Clothing-wise, there were smart ideas here, like a sporty stripe of stretch leather running down the side of pencil skirts and lean suit trousers. There were curve-complementing pencil dresses with ruffled necklines, executed with pop in an orange and white check, and ageless, universally flattering draped silk dresses and tops. There were a plethora of great jackets and pants and the occasional outstanding accessory, like an oversize bag in Navajo-print felt and color-blocked patent-leather brogues and high-tops. Perhaps the large, heart-shaped necklaces Westwood designed for Reprieve, which accessorized nearly every look, were meant not only to raise funds for the organization but to send a message to the restlessly idle Westwood woman on the runway. Good God, girl, there’s plenty to do—so do something. (by Maya Singer – style.com)

Nicole Miller found herself bang on trend for Spring. Playing with sheers? Check. Edgy nineties minimalism? Check. Neutral and moody hues? Check and check. As it happens, Miller has actually been exploring a harder-edged look for a few seasons now, and this collection was a logical, more elegant next step. The look today was attenuated and lean, with long chiffon skirts topped by long blazers and vests. Most of these tailored pieces came in technical twill or linen (on the front and sleeves) with a back panel in georgette to expose slightly bondage-y ribbon harnesses and pretty racerback tops layered underneath. At times all these moving, deconstructed parts devolved into confusion. Still, there were more than a few fresh moments. Among them: a white trapeze tank dress with zigzagging tucks; a cool, slouchy charcoal suit worn not with actual S&M straps but a smart knit that echoed them; and a simple yet modern black draped crepe dress with a lovely cowl back. Kudos to Miller for hitting on something that feels grown-up, but not boringly mature.
(by Meenal Mistry – style.com)

September 14

11am

Vera Wang

A native New Yorker, Vera Wang has spent her lifetime at the forefront of fashion. Drawing her earliest inspiration from her mother and their annual trips to the Paris couture shows, Vera Wang went on to become the youngest ever Vogue fashion editor at the age of 23, allowing her the opportunity to collaborate with the most accomplished personalities in the world of fashion.

Founding her own company in 1990, Vera Wang is known for her nonchalant approach to style and luxury. Her design vocabulary resonates with signature layering, intricate draping and exquisite attention to detail.

In addition to ready-to-wear, she also designs bridal, maids, footwear, eyewear, fragrance, china and crystal, silver and gifts, flowers, fine papers, home fragrance and mattresses. All of her products are sold in the most exclusive department stores and boutiques around the world, including her own flagship stores on Madison Avenue and Mercer Street in New York City and Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.

From the red carpet to the runway, the world’s most influential and fashionable women look to Vera Wang when dressing for their most important events and public appearances. The Vera Wang style has become a fixture on the world stage lauded in both the domestic and international press. In 2005, the Council of Fashion Designers of America honored Vera Wang’s innovation and dedication to her craft by naming her “Womenswear Designer of the Year.” The CFDA nominated Vera Wang for accessory designer of the year for her 2009 collections.

Vera Wang currently resides in New York City with her husband and two daughters.

September 13

3pm

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier designs capture the essence of sophisticated luxury by provoking femininity, allure and glamour that have made her renowned in the world of design. Monique’s innate sense of style and understanding of a woman’s desire to look and feel beautiful are prevalent throughout her bridal and ready-to-wear collections.

Monique’s love for fashion is a lifelong passion. Growing up in the Philippines, Monique’s first experiences of fashion were with her mother whose own sense of personal style and elegance were major influences for the designer. Her mother, also a designer, ran a successful custom high-end collection of children’s clothing. At the young age of 11, Monique would sketch and pick out fabrics and customize her dresses with local couturiers in her hometown. Encouraged to pursue her dream of becoming a designer, Monique moved to Los Angeles to attend the Fashion Institute for Design and Merchandising.

While studying at FIDM, a natural inclination towards bridal and evening gowns led Monique to her niche. The pure fantasy of special occasions, especially weddings, inspires Monique Lhuillier designs.

It was during her time at FIDM that Monique also met her now-husband, Tom Bugbee. While searching for a gown for her wedding in 1995, Monique was surprised by the lack of fashion infused bridal options. This void in the market reignited her passion for bridal gowns and the desire to offer women modern, inspired couture designs. Monique set out to create pieces that transcended the options available to women searching for their dream dress.

In 1996, Monique debuted her first bridal collection to acclaim from retailers and magazine editors. The following year, Tom joined the company as CEO to turn Monique’s vision to establish a couture design house in to a reality. Their partnership has grown the business into one of the most successful brands internationally which now includes a ready-to-wear collection shown seasonally in NY as well as a tabletop collection for Royal Doulton, stationary and fine paper, and a bed, bath and home collection. In 2003, Monique Lhuillier was inducted as a new member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

What started as a young girl’s interest in sketching and sewing has become a cultural phenomenon, bringing whimsical, ethereal creations inspired by a passion for celebrating life’s greatest moments and accentuating the female form with each new collection.

Monique and Tom now live in Los Angeles with their two children, Jack and Sophia. Monique’s role as mother is her priority while she continues to lead design for her collections. She also devotes time to philanthropic efforts and is very active within her community.

September 12

4pm

Diane von Furstenberg

Diane von Furstenberg first arrived in the fashion world in 1972 with her iconic wrap dress, the seed of what is today a full fashion house. By 1976, Diane had sold millions of her dresses, coming to symbolize female power and freedom to an entire generation. In 1997, after a hiatus from fashion, Diane reemerged on the New York fashion scene with the re-launch of the dress that had started it all and began building her company into a global luxury lifestyle brand. Today, the DVF collection includes ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, accessories, eyewear, swim, DVF by H. Stern fine jewelry and watches, rugs, home and luggage.

In 2005, Diane was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for her impact on fashion, and one year later, was elected the CFDA’s new president, an office she continues to hold. A firm believer in the infinite power of women, Diane sits on the board of Vital Voices, a women’s leadership organization that empowers emerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs around the world. In 2010 she established The DVF Awards with The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation to honor women who have displayed leadership, strength, and courage in their commitment to their causes. The annual event aims to provide the honorees with exposure and support. As a longtime resident of New York’s Meatpacking District, Diane is a vocal member of the local community and was actively involved in the campaign to save the historical High Line railway. Through her company and her family foundation, she supports a variety of women’s and environmental causes.