AB FAB

Britain’s Absolutely Fabulous is probably one of my all-time favorite TV sitcoms. Jennifer Saunders is not only the show’s creator, but she stars as the main character Edina who runs a fashion PR company. The scattered and undisciplined Edina (aka Eddie), is rarely seen at work. Instead, she is usually running around wreaking havoc with her chain smoking, skin tight dress wearing pal, Patsy (played by Joanna Lumley). “I haven’t had a thing to eat since 1975,” Pats mutters when a piece of food falls out of her mouth because she can’t seem to remember the mechanics of chewing and swallowing. The two co-dependent and dysfunctional BFF’s indulge in embarrassing Eddie’s uptight scholarly daughter, Saffron (Saffy) with their scandalous lifestyle and outrageous behavior. Eddie adores Parisian designer, Christian Lacroix and is usually wearing his pieces in very poor taste. In one episode, Patsy and Edina meet the famous designer in a shopping center and, of course, Eddie proceeds to make a fool of herself.

Enjoy this little “Ab Fab” video sweetie, darlings… sweetie… darlings………….sweetie.

London Calling!

Because I can’t be at London Fashion Week (so bummed!), I thought it might be fun to pay homage to a few of the early British designers who helped to establish London as a wildly creative fashion mecca!


Pam Hogg got her Masters of Art at the Royal College of Art in London. Later, she pushed her way into the London fashion and music scenes with her outrageous creations. Kylie Minogue and Siouxsie Sioux are loyal fans and have worn Pam’s cat suits on tour and in music videos. Hogg still has a very successful shop in London’s Soho.

Zandra Rhodes has designed for a range of famous clients including Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury. She studied printed textile design at the Royal College of Art in London. Her early textile fashion designs were considered extravagant by the traditional British manufacturers. In 2001, the San Diego Opera commissioned her to design the costumes for the opera, The Magic Flute. Rhodes is the founder of the Fashion and Textile Museum in London which was opened in May 2003.

Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, the manager of the The Sex Pistols , lived together and had a son. In 1971, Malcolm decided to open a shop - Let It Rock (also known as Sex, Too Fast To Live Too Young To Die, Seditionaries) where Westwood began to sell her brazen designs. Today, Westwood still owns this shop, which is now known as World's End. Her son Joseph (with McLaren), is the founder of lingerie brand Agent Provocateur.  Dame Vivienne Westwood is currently married to her former fashion student, Austrian-born Andreas Kronthaler. You go girl!!!

London Remembers McQueen

London Fashion Week started off with a tribute to the late British designer, Alexander McQueen who committed suicide last week shortly after the death of his mother. British coroners confirmed this week that McQueen had hanged himself. McQueen is being honored during London Fashion Week with a wall of remembrance set up in the same tent in which the shows are being held. Hundreds of messages were posted and after fashion week is over, the notes will be collected in a book and given to McQueen's family. A minute of silence was also observed before the first show commenced.

PPR chairman, Francois-Henri Pinault confirmed that the McQueen label will carry on. His final collection will be finished by his assistants and is expected to be shown early next month in Paris.

Camel's Back

Well, it went down just as I thought. Neutrals continued to dominate the runways during the last half of New York Fashion Week. During the first several days, beige, taupe, toast and grey made in strong showing, indicating the direction of Fall 2010's color (or non-color) palette.

Fall 2010 - Michael Kors (left), Phillip Lim (right)

Photo Credits: Coutorture.com

Classic camel is definitely back in vogue -- not that it was ever really out, which is why it is classic! But, it is the "must have" color for next fall. Carolina Herrera showed beautiful outerwear pieces and other designers such as Phillip Lim, Michael Kors, Tahari and Yeohlee featured camel color as well.

Carolina Herrera - Fall 2010

Photo Credits: Coutorture.com

Fall 2010 - Tahari (left), Yeohlee (right)

Photo Credits: Coutorture.com

I decided to wear my Ralph Lauren camel color, camel hair pants to Ralph's show yesterday. Lauren chose subtle combinations of taupes and cinnamon and mink, while camel appeared in his pretty prints -- perfect to throw a chunky wool sweater or classic Pea Coat over. In camel color, of course!

Ralph Lauren - Fall 2010

Photo Credits: Style.com

A Rising Star

Peter Hidalgo - Fall 2010

This year’s winner of the Fashion Group International’s coveted Rising Star Award for womenswear, Peter Hidalgo, showed his Fall 2010 collection at FGI’s venue yesterday. The presentation was a chic and concise display of body conscious silhouettes and clever draping that portrayed a distinct point of view. Hidalgo’s dimensional creations are intricate, but not overdesigned.

The Dominican born designer apprenticed under the famous fashion illustrator, Antonio Lopez. “I was more of an illustrator before, but now I drape everything. I need to see how the fabric is going to fall, how it reacts,” Hidalgo said. When I asked him about the technique behind his black strapless “heart” dress Hidalgo explained, “I started with a v-neck and the pieces just fell down that way and created the shape.” The heart concept was manipulated in different ways throughout the collection showing up in neckline shape, draped folds and as a beaded appliqué.

The underappreciated designer has endured for nearly two decades in this difficult industry -- perhaps the heart shape was a symbol of the dedicated Hildalgo’s passion for design.

Marc Gets Pretty

Marc Jacobs presented a sophisticated and feminine collection on Monday evening at one of Fashion Week’s most anticipated shows. Apart from a few shots of buttery yellow, Jacobs stuck to mainly grey and black, therefore, enforcing the ongoing theme of colorless clothes for Fall 2010.

Silhouettes were simple, uncomplicated and modest, but Jacobs managed to keep his girls looking modern and interesting through the details. Texture played an important role in the collection and we saw plush velvet, extravagant fur, chunky knits, embroidered eyelet and sequins.

Fabrics ranged from soft and sheer to nubby wools, to crosshatch menswear suiting, but the overall feeling was feminine. The mixtures of fabrics were, at times, unconventional, but that is exactly what we’ve come to expect from Jacobs. His ability to pair a Fair Isle sweater with a patterned skirt and make it work is only something a true artist can command.

Shoulders remained strong, but were brought in considerably from Jacobs’ Fall 2009 proportion and crisp tailored menswear jackets still looked soft and pretty. Jacobs showed some mitered stripes, a ditsy floral dress and a muted water color gown, but other than that, the collection was relatively free of print and pattern which helped to maintain the thread of simplicity.

Dresses and skirts dominated the runway with lengths falling from below the knee to the ground. Trousers were generously wide -- a nice departure from all of the skinny pants we’ve seen for the last several seasons. While most pieces did not reveal a lot of skin, Jacobs sprinkled in a few dresses with plunging necklines that would otherwise have been quite serious.

Overall, Jacobs presented a refreshingly safe and refined collection in terms of what we may have come to expect from him. The clothes are wearable, understandable and pretty. Now, if they were only affordable!

Photo Credits: Style.com

Mucho Gusto Custo

The Custo Barcelona show at the tents last Sunday evening was, as usual, a huge draw.  It's one of the most popular shows and Spanish designer, Custo Dalmau never fails to please the crowd.  The label is known for color, wild prints and mixing unexpected fabrics.  The fall 2010 collection added some much needed vibrancy to the sea neutrals flooding the runways this past week.

Below is the press release I just received from the Custo team.  I couldn't have written a better commentary!

Custo Invite

A metal bath of vibrant contrasts dazzled New York, courtesy of Custo Barcelona. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York was once again the setting for the presentation of the designer's new autumn-winter 2010-11 collection.

Sparkling metals melted into pure lines to form new volumes that contrast with the warmth of fur. Bryant Park tent provided the backdrop and an attentive audience of more than 800 people from all over the world, including actresses like Gossip Girl's Connor Paola, One Life to Live's Tika Sumper or Miss USA Kristen Dalton and Miss Universe Stefania Fernandez, attended the show.

Under the name 'Hairy Metal', Custo Barcelona presented a collection where the indisputable protagonists were metallic sparkles. New York saw a strong, energetic and contemporary collection, in keeping with a new era. Bronze, steel, gold, black and rust comprise a new colour palette which is mixed with graphics inspired by mercury, melted silver, red hot iron and tin.

The cold of metal is contrasted with fake fur, which has been developed in every imaginable form. Hairs of different lengths and colours have been mixed together to create new graphic effects that are sinuous, geometric or crossed. Different types of furs have also been mixed with wools to match the colour graphics and produce volumes that create new depth.

A primitive looking collection that brings cold and warmth face-to-face. Of contrasting looks. Of melting metals. A veritable ode to the periodic table of elements. An invitation to experiment. A mysterious and spectacular show courtesy of Custo Barcelona, who has managed to surprise us once again.

All photos courtesy of Custo Barcelona Press Office