I don’t post much runway fashion on my blog, and when I do it’s usually connected to a street-style photograph to highlight a burgeoning trend. However, I’m done making arbitrary rules for myself to follow about what I “can” and “can’t” post on my blog. Street style photography limits me to showcasing the creativity of others. It’s a valuable service, but it’s just that; a service. Obviously I’m in control of the lighting, the angle, the background, etc. but as far as fashion is concerned I’m limited to what I find on the street. That is why I’ve gradually become more of a personal blog with rare glimpses into my own style as well as what I think about fashion. It’s frustrating to be constantly restraining myself to only covering one tiny segment of the industry. No more!
Via Harpers Bazaar
When I saw the Peter Pilotto Fall 2012 collection I couldn’t resist posting the photos. My god, the architecture! The fit! The sublime use of print and texture! Although the jagged sawtooth print has become a signature for Peter Pilotto and his partner Christopher DeVos, the duo continues to experiment with silhouettes for a modern approach to ladylike dressing. That is, if you’re a lady who enjoys science fiction, which I immediately saw referenced despite fashion journalists reporting that the partners were inspired by Asian culture. There’s an astrophysical element permeating this collection, and not in the Haider Ackermann alien goddess sort of way. The Ackermann woman is a Tilda Swinton-esque female with predatory undertones and a penchant for loose silk; the Pilotto woman is no less intimidating, but she has table manners and a more conventional pin-up glamour, although she too is twinged with the space age. I’m making vast over-generalizations, obviously, but those are the two different vibes I get from each brand.
UV Lights
From the black bondage dress (center), which could have been sliced by laser beams, to the long evening gown that reminded me of UV wavelengths on the right, I saw a very precise interpretation of the 21st century woman. In today’s era of the Hadron collider, the human genome project, and electric cars, scientific discovery surrounds and defines us as a species. The exploding florals brought to mind the Amazon, whose bio-pharmaceutical discoveries still await us. The square jackets, emblazoned with fractal-like emanations, strangely resembled the shape of crystallized bismuth.
Via Harpers Bazaar
Bismuth
This is why I prefer to write about collections without reading reviews; they cloud the mind. I couldn’t believe it when I heard the designers were inspired by Asian culture because I saw so much science. The sole exception being the floral dress above on the left; it reminded me of Prabal Gurung’s Spring 2012 Nobuyoshi Araki references, which reminded me of the violet print that defined Givenchy Fall 2011… funny how fashion works that way.
That’s the really beautiful thing about fashion, really any sort of creative expression; we’re free to see whatever we want in the final product. Perhaps the famous statement about beauty should be revised for our brave new world: Concept is in the eye of the beholder, no?
Kate Lanphear, Elle’s Senior Style Director, looking killer as always. I’m not a huge fan of Christian Louboutins anymore but these knee-high boots are fantastic. I had a conversation with a friend of mine the other day about the “hookerish-ness” of Louboutins… the ridiculous platforms and the general lack of taste in his trendy designs. A searing indictment, I know, especially considering the first pair of designer shoes I ever bought for myself were his Simple 85 pumps during college. The red lacquer sole combined with the showgirl vibe of many Louboutins is just too much for me although I still adore the classic round-toe pumps. The older I get the more I find myself lusting after classic heels with a quirky touch. Tabitha Simmons’ more understated shoes are at the top of my wish list these days.
But goddammit these might be the finest pair of femme fatale heels to hit the sidewalks since the Nicholas Kirkwood bondage boots for Rodarte a few seasons ago.
I have such a huge girl-crush on Shala Monroque. She’s always well put together without looking overdone. I love that she wears such a small amount of make-up, if any at all. Nothing she does is ever cliche, she adds her own twist to even the most classic looks, whether it’s an evening gown or a suit. This is all well and good, of course, but it’s her intelligence that really hooked me. A brilliant woman who’s madly in love with fashion! Who’d have thunk it?! I feel like contemporary American culture demeans fashion, as it’s constantly portrayed as being the realm of ditzy girls and superficial bitches in the mainstream media and Hollywood movies. Fashion fanatics are rarely depicted as strong, intelligent woman; which is a shame, because that’s who they really are. The movers and shakers who are leading the world in a variety of fields, from finance to art, are fashion’s real luminaries. I’m ecstatic to see these women being recognized more, whether it’s in publications like Gentlewoman or by retailers like NET-A-PORTER.
