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Mary Katrantzou

I do love my prints…

The emergence of statement trousers on the runway a few seasons back has completely transformed the way people dress on the streets today – it’s made it more fun! As seen above, they can make the ultimate statement (especially when paired with an equally eye-popping print!).

Legs are set to take the centre stage again this coming spring, with statement trousers coming in a range of cuts – from the sleek & straight  from Balmain, Sportmax and Balmain, to the breezy & voluminous seen at Farragamo and Fendi.

There were an array of different prints as well – florals bloomed at Katrantzou, Giambattista Valli and Moschino whilst paisley prints were spotted at Jil Sander and Stella McCartney. My absolute favourites were those seen at Diane von Furstenberg – so feminine and an easier way to wear the trend, yet with the same impact.

From left to right I’m wearing a subtle printed silk trouser from Club Monaco, structured florals from Top Shop, and a tribal print from H&M

Runway photos: Style.com

Photos by GoRunway.com

Miraculous craftsmanship was seen on the last day of Paris Couture Week as Mario Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Picciolo of Valentino took the catwalk.

“We really wanted to create a dream, something really fantastic, magic, fairy tale. Couture is a dream, and we love to dream. Why not?” – I couldn’t agree more with Chiuri, describing the thoughts behind the collection.

The duo-designers were looking at the idea of formal and secret gardens (an ongoing theme throughout the couture collections this season, as seen from the likes of Chanel and Dior), with mazes, ancient mosaics and romantic flower paintings.

Another ongoing theme was the idea of the bird, which was clearly displayed right from the very first look, through caged gowns and lace.

As I looked through the stills of the collection, every single piece was different from the next, yet all had a sense of togetherness, bound by the garden themes and Picciolo’s take on the essence of the collection itself: “contained in labyrinths” – where nature meets architecture and science meets spiritual rebirth.

So this is how magic is seen in reality!

I mean the technicality and craftsmanship these ateliers put into the gowns is utterly amazing when you really think about it. According to the notes, the piping on just one of the dresses took 500 hours of hand-rolling to produce, and the breathtaking gowns seen later in the show were made up of over 450 metres of tulle — I think that just says it all.

The padded rouleaux (raised patterns on the surface of the fabric) were inspired to suggest the elaborate wrought iron gates hiding what was stored within – creating a sense of allure, mystery and femininity at the same time – portrayed perfectly by the models. This iron-work was seen constantly throughout the collection: black on tulle capes overtop of ball gowns and ivory on little dresses.

Keeping with Chiuri and Picciolo’s Victorian vision, the floral motifs often found in beautifully kept gardens were evident in the patterns of some of the most exquisite pieces (as seen above) and many different laces were re-embroidered to create a shimmering collage-like effect.

I absolutely loved the high Victorian necks and long-sleeves creating a feminine romance and the white pieces looked perfect – almost like icing atop a wedding cake. The silver threading and lattice ribbon-work on the final piece just literally left me in awe (as Valentino shows often do) and I could only imagine what it would have been like to see it in person.

Even Valentino himself, quite emotional I might add, rose to greet and congratulate Chiuri and Picciolo as they took to the catwalk for the finale. If this isn’t praise for such an awe-inspiring and romantic collection then I don’t know what is!

The multi-coloured flowers & butterflies and coloured organza adorning the pieces created a spectacular fairytail show to end the week, leaving everyone speechless.

Photos: GoRunway.com

Photos: Marcus Tondo/ InDigitalTeam | Go Runway

It’s been a whole season since my last post and coincidentally I decided to return with another Dior Haute Couture review, the second of Raf Simon’s continuously impeccable designs for the house  (I’ve literally watched it multiple times and cannot stop thinking about it!). True to the spirit of Mr Dior himself, who actually named his first collection “La Ligne Corolle” after a flower’s inner petals, Raf was inspired by Dior’s love of the countryside, the gardens he would escape to and the flowers he grew there. Reading through Dior’s biography evoking these images, Simons said there was “such purity in that story“, and used these in his spring collection, the traditional metaphor for re-birth.

In line with what Alexandra Schulman of British Vogue described as a “very beautiful, modern and relevant take on couture” you could see Simons evolving from the archives he delved into last season, yet without straying too far from the traditions of the house itself — the peplums, jacket shapes, crops, and voluminous skirts were all present & accounted for. In fact, Simons talked about wanting to “let go” from the archival approach he took in the autumn/winter collection; this is seen in the asymmetry and clear aspects of déconstrué within the outfits. The flowers embroidered upon the looks were the kind used by Dior himself, yet Simons took them a step further with special effects of almost invisible beading, neon-pop colours and a cocoon of appliquéd blooms, something Tim Blanks described as “utterly intense about the couture handiwork that it can still the noise in a room” — which i’m sure it did.

Moving on to the show itself, the fashion season was “literalised” with Simons’ evolution from the sky blue shades of early spring evenings and dark grey night skies (seen in the opening ball gowns and pant suits) to a full on celebration of the coming season (seen in the bright colours and spring bridal-wear at the end). The growth of spring and actual bloom of the flowers could be seen in every outfit, each even more beautiful and brighter than the last. It wouldn’t be a Raf for Dior couture show without his signature bustiers & cigarette pants, and the every voluminous skirts with pockets. There were also exciting unconventional colour combinations of yellow, rose-pink, black satin, mint, and neon orange – which all seemed to compliment each other in the right ways and pop perfectly.

I couldn’t help but fall in love with the amount of detail in the embroidery: the 3-D effect flowers on the evening gowns and bold additions to the bustiers, dressing up the cigarette pants they were paired with, evoking textures and utter luxury. My absolute favourite looks included pretty much every gilet/bustier/trouser/skirt combination which, Simons evidently decided to layer upon one another – showcasing his ingenious architectural skill. The bright tangerine coloured coat paired with black trousers and a white floral bustier, and that baby pink peplum with almost invisible spaghetti straps — I could just dream about them all day. The two bubble dresses at the end were effortlessly beautiful and I would loooove to see Marion Cotillard walk down the Oscar red carpet this season wearing one of them, looking effortlessly chic as always. 

I can’t fail to mention the hair and makeup as well: Pat McGrath’s sequinned red lips – reminiscent of Dorothy’s red slippers in Oz – and Guido Palau’s pixie crop wigs, inspired by one of Mr Dior’s favourite models, completed the overall look of the collection and added a sense of glamour, youth, and even more femininity (as if you could add anymore amongst the blooms!).

It’s always hard to follow up the initial public offering of divine couture designs, especially with the amount of accolade he received with his first couture collection (as well as his RTW.. i’m already counting down to his next collection this coming March!), but with this showcase he really is building on what he presented before. He’s keeping true to what he loves, with the exquisite tailoring, creativity and feminine beauty that couldn’t possibly be lost in a collection such as this, and yet seems to keep pushing the boundaries, exploring every permutation possible.

A collection of  “a woman who dares to be different…” – words from the designer himself.

Photos: Marcus Tondo/  InDigitalTeam | Go Runway

photos courtesy of style.com

“A shift is happening” – words spoken by the man himself, Raf Simons, making his debut as new creative director at the most anticipated fashion show, well…ever?!

I mean just take a look at the list of designer attendees: Marc, Donatalla, Ricardo Tisci, van Assche, von Furstenburg (to name a very small few!). Ana Wintour was overheard speaking to Grace Coddington before the show about how amazing it all is – regarding the flowers a classic Dior obsession (and rumoured to have numbered in the millions) – covering the walls of the 5 private salons  in which the collection was shown: delphiniums in the blue room, mimosas in the yellow, and orchids in the white…you get the idea.

Looking at the photos, it really was a sight to be seen. Simons went straight back to ultra-feminine Dior roots, analysing the codes interpreted by Dior in his time, yet mixed in his own signature minimalism (would you expect anything less?) – a strong and promising start for the iconic brand.

Look No 1 set the tone of tradition with a black wool tuxedo jacket and matching cigarette pants.. repeatedly used throughout the show with bustiers, series of cut-out dresses, and ballooning evening gowns – big stand out favourites.

The archived research was clearly evident in the Dior Red cashmere “Bar” coat with a Dior basque on the hips and a black tulle bustier evening dress with beautiful blue velvet embroidery – inspired by the “Esther” dress from a/w 1952 Haute Couture (both shown above).

There was also classic Dior tweed reworked in a grey Prince of Wales checked wool jacket and skirt and (of course) the stand out white organza dress – intricately embroidered with Pointillists degradé chiffon, hundreds of tiny confetti reproducing the flowers inspired by the original Miss Dior dress.

The selection of furs in astrakhan and mink in electric colours showed the decadence of the couture creations and were definitely among the other noted favourites on my fantasy couture wish-list! Joining the striking blues and bright crimsons were pale pinks and pastels, some injected through the embroidered feathers on the evening dresses – another traditional aspect to add to the rest!

Finally, ending the amazing display of mastery, was a long organza and tulle dress with a pink embroidered front and blue floral embroidered back – a remake of the historical Dior designs paired with futuristic interpretations by Simons.

Just absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and classic Dior. Some of the pieces did remind me of Raf’s last collection for Jill Sander, especially the long draped evening gowns (although they lacked the ability to bring a tear to my eye like the Sander show.. it really was amazing!) and maybe I was expecting something a little more shocking, what with all the hype and anticipation around the show. Nonetheless, it was a strong and promising start to Simons’ career at the eponymous label: unmistakably beautiful, feminine and soft – and I just cannot get over those trousers!

Raf Simons’ showcase of Dior’s New Look (pun intended!) really was exquisite and definitely does embody the definition of the day, described as “a blueprint” by the creative director himself.