Vivrant Thing

Balenciaga FW07 really got some mixed reactions, mainly because the collection itself was so mixed. Gorgeous silk tribal prints, combined with nautical pants, sporty-tech plastic shoes, and white eyebrows? I dub it "haute hipster," or possibly "scene-chic." And I think it works. The ethnic-print dresses in themselves were amazingly beautiful, with their vibrant colors and louche-yet-intricate draping. The pants were great in a preppy-dandy sort of way, and the blazers were just, for lack of a better word, neat. The shoes were show-stopping works of art, not quite pretty, but always attention-commanding. Although this collection isn't quite up to par with some of Nic's other collections, it's still unique, fresh, beautiful, and cool. And with all the variety, there's a lot to love. And when you think about it, it's just like Nicolas to completely switch up his inspirations, from the future and robots one season, to hipsters and random city-types this season. That motion and modernity, combined with impeccable workmanship and beautiful clothes, is completely Balenciaga.

Missus B Missus E Missus A-U-T Missus I Missus F-U-L

Dior FW07 is not for the weak. This collection is for strong, powerful, memorable, glamorous women who know how to make an entrance, and pull off embellished satin dresses without looking like Beyonce. This is statement dressing, old-school glamour with an avant garde twist. This is magic.







John has been such a good boy lately.

Is It So Wrong...?

Balmain: As beautiful as most of these clothes are, and even despite the fact that I'm willing to overlook the flared pants, there's still something wrong with this show. I saw the first two outfits (On Daria and Racquel, above), and I thought "This is gorgeous and of-the-moment." But then as the show went on, I realized that no matter how luxurious and ethereal but still powerful these pieces are, they seem dated. The 80s silhouettes and the metallics just seem so out of touch after all the '40s and '20s influences seen on other runways. I know it's just the trend whore in me saying this, but it all feels a little old. None the less, there were some amazing pieces, and as a whole, the show was beautiful.

Me Plus One

Viktor & Rolf: My boys are back! After a strange and sometimes-tacky SS07 show, they really went all-out for their presentation. With lighting rigs and steel beams connected to the clothing, which in itself was cute and often nondescript and said to be inspired by traditional Dutch garments, they beautifully juxtaposed the old and the new, the weak and the strong, the modest and the self-important. Cool.

Final Fantasy

Marc Jacobs-designed clothes that are full of ruffles and whimsy are the perfect accompaniment to Willy Vanderperre's new ed in the New York Times style magazine.

Technologic

Hussein, Nicolas, Francisco, and Miuccia are all feelin' the futurism. Click to enlarge.

Kiss You Better

I wuv...

The fact that Darla opened Luisa Beccaria


This Missoni clutch


That Marina wears the Balenciaga boots while chillin' backstage


The fact that Daria did a show this season (despite her horrid fake tan and the hideous Versace clothes she's sporting)


When Behati colors her friend's Converses


The makeup at Versace

Nature and the Wreck

Fendi FW07 was...interesting. Underneath all the silky waves of supermodel hair and sky-high heels, there was pure animalistic fury. However, most of the time, that natural bent was covered up by odd shapes and tacky logos. There were some points where Karl really got it right, when he brought out the nature without completely suffocating it with patchwork leather and Sasquatch-like sleeves, and it was glamorous and attention-grabbing. There were some amazing furs, and the workmanship was undeniably good. Overall, it felt like the drunken, overly-botoxed, but sometimes fabulous stepmother to Giles FW07's young and crazy-cool socialite on peyote.