Since everyone is enchanted and amused by Inès de la Fressange’s presense at the Gaultier Paris couture show (IMO, the best among all), let’s do a flashback to catch a glimpse of her beauty.
Flashback! Inès de la Fressange
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Monthly Archives: January 2009
Rendez-Vous | NYC
POV headlines | All about shows!
- Dior, YSL and Givenchy. Prefall 09 continues.
- Now the mens’ are over, let’s check out this professional recap, shall we?
- Is he at Givenchy still? Anthony Vaccarello stood out at Maria Luisa during 26Jan-4Feb, when de la Fressange was the real winner?
- Suzy talks to Gaultier and Lacroix about their couture when Felipe Oliveira Baptista enchanted me.
- Behind the scene at des ateliers with petites mains; plus a handful of off runway looks through the European lens.
- Cathy Horyn’s view on Valentino couture speaks my heart. As for Alessandra Facchinetti, maybe Tod’s Diego Della Valle can take her for Elsa Schiaparelli. Not only her work fits, also since she doesn’t like to do interviews, that would go well with co.’s low key designer manner.
1st Dunhill collection by Kim Jones
Kim Jones
Anticipation was there, high expectation grew. Kim Jones’ 1st collection design for Dunhill has been unveiled. The idea of traveling and voyage was obvious, from casual Friday (sans tie) to Sunday brunch. As if the fine gent in white driving gloves was about to get into a car and drive away from city to country manor house for a long weekend. Some might think long for Jones’ whims or strong fashion statements, other expected to see his buff sporty street lads and repeat his archive here. Then also, there are people expecting him to do sartorial suiting that Dunhill’s known for, or even to challenge the rigid galore of Savile Row tailoring like Richard James, Ozwald Boateng et al; i.e. turning the house upside down. No, he’s not doing those mickey take cliché either.
Without turning his back to the existing concrete clientele, Jones cleverly focused on leisure gear and casualwear, he understood that Dunhill men should and will never scream ‘fashion’ loud, it’s the subtle elegance and little details that counted, innovative ideas were there, seemingly so: 2-button jacket was pull together by a zipper, pocket watch was placed delicately at nipped shirt hem which has the cummerbund effect, when round collared grey shirt jacket was teamed with same colour pants channeling an engineer jumpsuit back then. Jones gently flirted with the in-house sporty heritage, outdoor ambience and mobile elements, emphasize that Dunhill really is an innovative house which carries over 100 year’s of inventive concepts and designs. After speaking to their PR, this line designed by Kim Jones will not be named or treated differently, and will be available at all standalone Dunhill stores in the world. Apparently, other than RTW, bags and accessories design, he’s really involved as creative director at all levels, from the image of advertising champaign, marketing strategies down to direct mailing materials etc… he works hands-on.
Hereunder are the highlighted focus. Though was described as ‘pointless thing done to clothes, with the formality of a boutique hotel uniform’ (ouch!) by Cathy Horyn of NY Times; IMO, he’s produced some exits of luxurious British menswear, do you sense a bit of Hermès-in-the-making here, it’s a compliment and will uplift Dunhill’s luxury image. If Jones meant to stay, he could be another Veronique Nichanian, could be, and why not?
POV Headlines | Prefall 09 et al
- Prefall 09 update: As it has been, menswear and WRTW’s prefall go hand-in-hand, recent updated includes: Emanual Ungaro, Nina Ricci, Christian Lacroix, Balenciaga, Lanvin, Sonia Rykiel, and Proenza Schouler and more, but it was Hannah MacGibbon at Chloé impressed me a lot.
- Dolce & Gabbana talked at Interview Magazine. “Women are more even on fashion and style, 50-50. For men, it’s 80-20 style and fashion.” said Domenico Dolce.
- Before Dunhill hits the store, do you wanna shop from Kim Jones’ archive?
- Wallet without stitching from Brooklyn, NYC.
- Balenciaga Homme FW09 preview.
- Why not start the year of ox with M/M Paris’ 2009 poster?
DSM SS09 updates
Dover Street Market has been London’s world class design showcase for the lucky one and selected few since opened. Recession or not, fashion life goes on. Recently, they’ve received SS09 Azzedine Alaïa (above) and will get more throughout the season, both Lanvin and Loewe have been updated, the latter loaned some vintage trunks from Madrid HQ’s archive. Also, DSM let out a corner to welcome the new arrival of Undercover and Charles Anastase. Watch out for wallets, accessories, bits n bobs at their eshop in February too. (*source: DSM)
Thomsen shirts
She is blonde but not dumb. Alix Thomsen decided early on to be independent: a life of 23 yo young girl who was just a little left out when young, now she’s as hot as can be. The girl works at Lacoste studio with Christophe Lemaire during the day and at Baron or Regine’s after dark, where she accompanies her boyfriend, Lionel, owner of the trendy night scene of the capital. With Lionel and another friend, former France director of American Apparel, Alix decided to create a collection of shirts at affordable price, with forms and volumes which stick to simple desires for day, but could also carry on till night without changing! Thomsen’s creations are for both boys and girls, be it Liberty floral or plain checks, they are made to live in and well worn. Alix wants the cut to mix with volume but different from dresses and tunics. Natural fabrics or denim were applied. The result is handsomely casual, relax and lounging. For the first look-book, Alix invited friends to become the face-of, Melvil Poupaud among others shown shirts in the most possible nonchalant way. Make way, Kitsuné.
Balmain FW09
Warm up? What a nice way to put it. (*source: WWD)
Yves Saint Laurent Homme FW09
more about “Yves Saint Laurent Homme FW09“, posted with vodpod
The mood is somber yet what we have upon us are 23 looks seducing. What has been so great about Stefano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent is his courage to take insane risks, to dare the taboo, to push the boundaries, to break the rules – his love to be different without ridiculing his customers. In a sea of black- the colour that haunted Monsieur Saint Laurent’s earlier phase, all basic garments are no longer quiet, they whisper in silence. Cashmere tunic, crêpe de chine shirt and flannel pashmina trousers composed looks with their luxurious dignity and hid under some tailoring outerwear like lambskin jacket, flannel blouson or one button coat. Lapels are made bigger to echo Saint Laurent’s traditional Le smoking. Trousers’ hem that are cropped at new high with a layer of charcoal underneath. Silhouettes are forgivingly roomy and parallel, when focusing on gently rounder shoulder and waist slightly cinched, they shape the wearers without pushing too far; as if we could simply call it an ‘H’ (line), or as the clip described ‘vertical allure’.
And then there’s the short film. Shot by Pilati’s old chums, partner photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, featuring a head shot close-up on actor Michael Pitt à la Warhol’s screen test. A female talked about her desire when his skin against hers. This whispering seamstress purrs on behalf of men and as the voice of fabric, or was it Séverine who entangled with Marcel in Belle du Jour, played by Catherine Deneuve? All without him revealing any. Her erotic narration reached orgasm as she fondled the flannel and the pure line clinged to his shoulder. ‘…cross and uncross, tension of release. You take pleasure from me and I delight.’ she said. A very clever way to sell in details and totally channeling how the couture presentation used to announced exits ‘numero x’ followed by descriptions, usually took place at the grand salon of the house in the 1950s-60s.
“The most beautiful clothes that can dress a woman are the arms of the man she loves, but for those who haven’t had the good fortune of finding this happiness, I am there.” said Saint Laurent who made clothes that he himself wore and people followed, a connection that Pilati is also introducing with his vision for YSL. For fall 2009 he gives us a sharper, darker man that’s svelte with volume, proving Stefano Pilati will evolve the brand as he sees fit but deeply respects it’s legacy. His ability in boiling intense impulse blossomed in such dark collection which fumed with the most seduction, elegance and allure, and proved himself the ultimate agent provocateur of fashion today, as Yves once was.
Many doubted Pitt’s screen test has got anything to do with the collection, physically, it’s just a narrative clip, but mentally, as they used to sell- ‘Opium, for those who engage in Yves Saint Laurent‘, they are playing the power of words as stimuli to your wish of becoming him/her the image, liberating in the late 1960s-1970s sense, the glorious era of the house, for today. And to support the fact that this is Pilati’s most sensual and the darkest men’s collection so far. This new ‘he’ could be the modern Marcel at the brothel.
Lou Doillon for Vanessa Bruno S/S09
Lou Doillon for Vanessa Bruno S/S09
