Top 10 Fashion Moments Of 2012

10. NY Times fashion critic, Cathy Horyn and designer, Oscar de la Renta bitch slap each other with words.

9.  Marc Jacobs brings Dr. Seuss and fantasy to the runway for Fall 2012. 

Photo: Style.com

 

8.  Comme des Garcons' Rei Kawakubo is praised for her Fall 2012 two-dimensional "paper dolls" collection.

Photo: Style.com

7.  Marc Jacobs wears a black lace Comme des Garcons dress with visible "tighty whities" to the Met gala in May.

Photo: Getty

6.  Lagerfeld shows Chanel's annual Metiers d'Arts collection in a Scottish castle where Mary Queen of Scots was born and uses all Scottish fabrics/fibers.

5.  The Olsen twins win the CFDA Award for womenswear.

4.  Raf Simons makes an exit from Jil Sander and an entrance as creative director at Dior.  Jil Sander returns to her eponymous label.

3.  Stefano Pilati says goodbye to YSL to head up men's label Ermenegildo Zegna.  Is he CRAZY?  Former Dior Homme designer, Hedi Slimane fills Pilati's shoes in a big way as his first collection (Spring '13) for the label, now called, Saint Laurent is critically acclaimed.

Photo: Style.com

2.  Nicolas Ghesquiere drops a bomb announcing that after fifteen years, he's leaving the label he helped to reinvigorate.  Youngster (and American), Alexander Wang replaces Ghesquiere as creative director at Balenciaga.

1. Brilliant jewelry designer and my bestie, Wendy Brandes wins Fashion Group International's 2012 Rising Star Award for Fine Jewelry (and wears a Stacy Lomman dress to accept her award)!!

Met Costume Institute Gala 2012 - The Best And The Worst

Monday evening, I was lucky enough to cover the 2012 Met Gala for the fashion web site, Lookonline.  Yep, it was pretty cool to get a VIP press pass and hang out in the holding room with other writers, photographers and news reporters.  They rounded up the writers first and brought us out in groups of twenty-five.  I was lucky number twenty, therefore I got to pick a really great spot to position myself for the two hours of red carpet arrivals.

 

Vogue editor Anna Wintour was the first to arrive

Photo credit: Stacy Lomman

And what a spot!  I have always liked Hugh Jackman, but after seeing him ten inches from my face, I can say with certainty that he is one of the most handsome men on the planet.  And Marc Jacobs is in great shape -- I could see everything through that lace dress he was wearing.  The "tighty whities" killed me though!

Marc Jacobs in a sheer Commes de Garcon shirt dress

Photo Credit: Stacy Lomman

From my vantage point I could see more than a few starlets trip up the last step before the entrance.  What a shame... they came so far just to fall at the very end!  LOL.  And then there was gorgeous Rene Zelwegger who, despite her sausage casing dress, didn't trip at all.  She kind of hobbled up each stair in a funny and very vertical fashion placing one foot and then the other onto the same step before moving on -- kind of like we all did when we were small children.  Brooke Shields managed to conquer the giant staircase with a cane due to a recent injury and actress Leslie Bibb, who was wearing a voluminous "Gone with The Wind" gown, navigated the menacing stairs all by herself.

Actress Leslie Bibb in Zac Posen

Photo Credit: Stacy Lomman

So, let's talk fashion.  Since the event was honoring the innovative designer and pioneer of "ugly chic" Miuccia Prada, we saw lots of ladies outfitted in Prada dresses.  I've selected my top three below...

Top to Bottom: Carey Mulligan, Milla Jovovich, Diane Kruger

Photos: my pal Randy Brooke

Moving on to the top three hottest dames of the evening.  Say what you will about model Anja Rubik's hip bone or her attempt to outdo Angelina -- she was breathtaking.  

Anja Rubik in Anthony Vaccarello

Photo Credit: Style.com

Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada

Photo Credit: Style.com

The Clarins sisters -- all in Thierry Mugler

Photo Credit: Style.com

My top five disappointments because I couldn't limit it to three...

Actress Elizabeth Banks in Mary Katrantzou //  the dress worked great on the runway, it just didn't work on Elizabeth.

Photo Credit: Style.com

Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte //  It might work in a Bonnie & Clyde film, but this outfit makes Kirsten ten years older -- very dowdy.

Photo Credit: Style.com 

Kristen Stewart wearing (and posing with) Nicolas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga //  I don't know what happened here, Balenciaga is usually spot on, but I don't think this is working for Kristen.

Photo Credit: Style.com 

Actress Christina Ricci wearing and posing with designer Thakoon // This was just too much dress for the petite Ricci.  The bow covered her completely from the back.  And I'm not thrilled with the placement of the front bodice detail -- it is placed too low and makes the dress look like it's falling off.

Photo Credit: Style.com

I am hesitant to criticize the president of the CFDA, but I'm really "puzzled" by this DVF dress.  Von Furstenberg must have had a better option after four decades as a designer.

Photo Credit: Style.com

Funky and fun.  These outfits may not have been traditionally beautiful, but I wish that more people would have pushed the envelope a bit at this event.  After all, it's the Met Costume Gala so if there is a time to take a fashion risk, this would be it.

Singer Florence Welch wearing McQueen

Model Coco Rocha wearing vintage Givenchy

Actress/designer Chloe Sevigny wearing Miu Miu (Miuccia Prada's other label)

Photo Credit: Style.com

The most noticeable trend of the night was gold and silver.  Sequins, shimmer and sparkle were all over the place!  Here are my top three picks...

Carey Mulligan in Prada

Actress Camilla Belle in Ralph Lauren

Model Karolina Kurkova in Rachel Zoe

Photos: Style.com

And finally, here are my overall favs...

Actress/model China Chow in Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture

Rene Zelwegger in custom Pucci

 Carey Mulligan in Prada

Photos: Style.com

What's Old Is New - Third Installment

A while back I wrote about Cristobal Balenciaga and how the label sat fairly dormant for quite some time after the great designers’ passing, but came back strong in the 21st century, thanks to Nicolas Ghesquiere. Then, I posted about Pierre Balmain and the struggle the brand had after the designer died in 1982. Finally, in 2005, Christophe Decarnin rescued the brand. To complete the trilogy, I wanted to add Jean Dessés to the group although nobody has revived the label, it is making headlines again today.

Kristin Davis in Jean Dessés

Photo: Getty Images

Hopefully, most of you read my recent post about the Sex in the City 2 premiere in NYC on Monday evening. Kristin Davis (aka Charlotte) wore a marvelous, pink chiffon dress by the late Jean Dessés. I thought she looked flawless, although I would like to have seen some larger earrings since she kept her neck bare. Wendy Brandes’ Cleopatra earrings would have been PERFECT -- Kim Cattrall wears these amazing 18K yellow gold and diamond, 4 ½” dangles in the film.

click here to see Wendy's post about her fabulous earrings

Anyway, back to Jean. I knew that I had some information on the great designer somewhere at home so I pulled out my old book, Couture by Caroline Rennolds Milbank. There he was in the glossary hiding below the “Three Jacques” as I refer to them (or Trois Jacques); Jacques Heim, Jacques Fath and Jacques Griffe. Good grief! Jean, Jacques and Pierre. Is there anything else to name a French designer? Yes, of course there’s Yves, Hubert, Gabrielle, Christian… Somehow, this all reminds me of a scene in one of my all-time favorite slapstick films, Top Secret! Watch as Val Kilmer is introduced to the French Resistance...

This is hilarious!  And Val was so cute back then...

So, back to Mr. Dessés! Sorry, I am easily side tracked. You know my motto, “I’d have an obsessive personality if I didn’t get bored so quickly.” Jean Dessés is actually of Greek descent (born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1904). He moved to Paris to study law, but found a passion for design instead. Dessés started sketching dresses in his notebooks during class (like another great designer, Geoffrey Beene) and by 1925, he started selling his drawings.

Dessés black crepe dress, 1952

Photo: courtesy of Roger-Viollet from the book, Couture

Dessés worked as a designer from 1925 – 1937 at the Maison Jane in Paris and upon leaving, he opened his own house. Mr. Dessés worked in chiffon quite frequently and he fancied ombré fabrics. His elegant gowns were draped, twisted, gathered works of art often showcasing uneven hems. The designer was also fond of kimono sleeves, asymmetry and architectural manipulation.

the great designer in 1960

Photo: Willy Maywald from the book, Couture

In 1963, Dessés closed his business and retired to Greece where he ran the boutique he had opened there in 1955. He died in 1970. Occasionally, his pieces can be found in select vintage shops, one of them being Decades, where Ms. Davis apparently picked up her perfect pink frock.

Get Some Courrèges

Continuing my theme from the other day, Fashion Repeats, I thought I would head back to the 60's -- not on some psychedelic acid trip or anything, but back to the fashion archives. Fashion trends usually repeat every 25 years or so, which is why we have seen the resurgence of the 1980's over the past few seasons. Since I'm a child of this decade, I don't find what I see in magazines, stores and on the runways lately to be as tragic as others do!

 a very modern looking Courrèges leather jacket from the 1960's

Claude Montana, circa 1988 (left) & Balenciaga, Spring 2010 (right)

Considering the cyclical tendencies of fashion tends, it is also logical that I find the styles of the 1960's to be visually appealing. I've always been drawn to strong shapes and geometric styling and this has manifested into my personal design aesthetic. As a young, budding designer, I was not only influenced by the innovators of the 1980's (i.e. Montana, Mugler, Ferré), but also of the 1960's.

Some of my favorite 1960's fashions are the creations of André Courrèges. Courrèges was a French designer known for his ultra-modern style. Born March 9, 1923 in the Pyrenees, Courrèges traveled to Paris at age 25 and worked briefly at a fashion design house (Geanne Lafaurie) before going to work with Spanish designer, Cristobal Balenciaga.

Courrèges, 1965 (Left)

(Right) Me in 1988 in my pathetic attempt to make a similar jacket style (I didn't even know how to sew back then!)  I'm subjecting myself to this embarrassing photo for the good of this post!

Courrèges eventually started his own collection, introducing space-age clothes. His designs were angular and he used shapes such as the square, trapezoid and triangle to create strong, futuristic and minimalistic pieces. The designer said that he built his dresses rather than designed them. Bright colors, plastic materials, synthetic fabrics and bold black and white patterns were rigidly constructed into unique styles that became Andre’s signature look.

Courrèges collage

Old Is New

Balenciaga, 1952

Photo Credit: My book, Couture by Caroline Rennolds Milbank

Cristobal Balenciaga was born in 1895 in Spain’s Basque country – that very cool region just over the French border where the Gipsy Kings hail. Balenciaga immigrated to Paris in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War and opened a shop on avenue George V where he sold very clean and refined tailored suits and day dresses.

Balenciaga sketch, 1939

Photo Credit: My book, Couture by Caroline Rennolds Milbank

 By the early 50’s, he completely transformed the silhouette by broadening the shoulders and removing the waist. Tunics, cocoon coats, balloon skirts and Empire dresses were sculpted with heavier fabrics, like duchess satin, with a lot of body and stiffness.

Balenciaga, 1951

Photo Credit: My book, Couture by Caroline Rennolds Milbank

 Balenciaga passed in 1972 and the label was rather dormant for quite some time thereafter. In the mid-eighties and early nineties, two different designers tried to revive the Balenciaga name, but failed. When young designer, Nicolas Ghesquiere took over in 1997, people started talking about Balenciaga again and in 2001 when Gucci group assumed ownership, the label was back on the map.

Balenciaga - Spring 2007 magazine ad

I went absolutely crazy for Ghesquiere’s Spring 2007 collection for Balenciaga. I saved some pictures in a giant file that I so cleverly call, “stuff I like.” I pulled them out and scanned them to share. If you look closely, you can still see the holes from being tacked to my bulletin board!

Spring 2007 magazine ad

Spring 2007 from Collezioni magazine

I used to work with some very innovative Italian fabric companies and in 2005, I ordered some metallic fabric (Cotton/Nylon/Steel) from one of my favorite mills in Italy, Caverni Gramigni. I made a corset-like dress with nailhead detail --- imagine how ahead of the curve I felt when I saw the metal-like fabric two years later in Balenciaga’s Spring 2007 collection. I’m certainly not comparing myself to Ghesquiere, I am neither that delusional nor arrogant!

2005- My dress, modeled by Sylvia Williams in '08

This season, Ghesquiere brought us his usual mix of uber cool, body-conscious, geometric pieces mixed with super skinny pants. He introduced some knitwear this time through fabulous color block sweaters that somehow manage to maintain a dimensional shape. Incredible.

Balenciaga - Fall 2010 Collection

Photo Credits: Firstview