MY TOP 10 LOOKS FROM NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

Posted by Fashion editor at Large

Its the return of our photo-shopped big-heads! Doing this is so much fun. Its amusing to see your own head on top of a models body in order to do a bit of "trying-on". To be honest New York Fashion Week never blows my mind. To my eye there are relatively few actual NY shows that have relevance in the European market; Marc Jacobs, DVF, Proenza Schouler, Jason Wu and Rodarte are the exceptions. Whereas non-catwalk labels like J Brand, Helmut Lang, Theory (though Theyskens by Theory does have a runway show) really make an impact over here. It took a while to wheedle out these 10 looks from the crowds of images, but I like them a lot, and am dreaming of these looks for my Autumn/Winter 2011 wardrobe.  Thought I'd better get these posted before London Fashion Week coverage takes over the blog, which it will in about an hours time with the Fashion Junior's report on Orla Kiely's fabulous installation over at Somerset House....

 This Marc by Marc Jacobs fake fur coat manages to look cool and street, and can be worn with boyish footwear. This therefore makes it a shoo-in for my winter coat.

Marc Jacobs focused mainly on a pencil skirt silhouette, which I liked and it will be very commercial. However, I loved these button up sailor pants, they are so flattering and god knows its hard to find the perfect trousers, I'm still looking for my SS11 perfect pant.

The Ohne Titel girls trained with Helmut Lang, not the label - the man himself (one of my all time favourite designers and a lovely guy) and their work has shades of his urban elegance attitude along with excellent knitwear skills. I've noticed a trend for jackets to have arms of a different fabric to the body of the jacket. In many instances in NY the jacket has what I'm calling "Gorilla arms". As does this one, and I'm fairly sure the curly hair is sheep, not mink, fox or rabbit.

Proenza Schouler - just LOVE

Rodarte's take on Mid-Western prairie style was nostalgic and in some instances - like this one - truly beautiful and uplifting. This party dress is sensational.

I really liked Jason Wu's American West inspired collection, this jacket/dress and shirt combo would be my perfect Milan fashion week look. It being sexy and a bit fierce all at once

Daryl K has that urban elegance thing down; this is pretty much how I dress most days

Jason Wu - in my dreams I turn up to the events looking like this

 

Diane von Furstenburg's new designer Yvan Mispelaere is doing a good job. This Seventies inspired ensemble is very of the moment. This outfit would be perfect for a high powered fashion meeting

At times Alexander Wang's show and collection looked too busy and complex, but this - one of the final exits - was elegant, modern, simple and can walk straight off the runway and into my life.

MY OPENING CEREMONY LET-DOWN

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Exterior of Opening Ceremony NYC/Howard Street

While in New York the number one store on my must-visit agenda was Opening Ceremony.  I've long been an admirer of the stores philosophy to promote emerging American talent, the collaborations it does with American brands such as Pendletons as well as Robert Clergerie for shoes and even Hakaan for one dress. I especially like the way it offers a creative retail platform to designer/retailers from key global fashion cities. Chloe Sevigny's collection is gorgeous too.  Humberto Leon the owner/co-founder plays an active part in the NYC fashion scene and is someone I have a lot of time and respect for. 

Here's the BUT, though. (You knew that was coming, didn't you?) For all my enjoyment of its website - window shopping, reading the blog, the great Fashion's Night Out video interview with Anna Wintour - when I actually got to the shop itself, the experience was a huge disappointment.

Without meaning to sound like a princess, I expected a lot more from the stock and store environment. It just does not match the reputation. There was also a certain arrogance to the prices. The first price tag I saw upon walking in was a pair of cream silk crochet ankle socks that were more thin air than sock. Imagine large scale fishnet tights to get the picture. They were by Rodarte - American!! so no duty extras - and costs over $400.

ARE THEY JOKING??? I've interviewed the Rodarte girls and know why their work is special  (though who would pay $400 + bucks for socks from them?). But most people - like those I was with in New York - took one look at the socks draped over a bar, saw the price tag, laughed and promptly left the shop to sit outside, leaving me agitated.

When you make grand claims about your fashion philosophy online, and have a stellar media reputation it really matters that your bricks and mortar shop rewards those who have made the effort to get there.

Hakaan collaboration with Opening Ceremony

 MY GRIPES

1. The connoisseur knowledge the business claims to have is not evident in the shop in the way it is online. The space is not curated, the rails are as packed as a thrift store that does not know how to merchandise. How am I supposed to know where things are, and why they are special if they are crammed on a rail?

2. If you are going to charge those premium prices, give me the background to the pieces. Give me the story. Give me the staff who are not just standing there posing.

3. Think Dover Street Market, not flea market.

I still love you though. And these.

Pendleton's meets Opening Ceremony.

http://www.openingceremony.us/

MOVE OVER DAPHNE??

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

We all know true fashion eccentric’s are few and far between. But surely there can only be room for one woman in the world who wears her edgy Haute Couture with millions of pounds worth of diamonds, outrageous Philip Treacy hats and who is slim enough to slip down a drain when turned sideways? Last week this theory was turned on its head when I saw two of these women in a room at the SAME TIME. I was attending the Istancool arts festival in Istanbul when the seemingly impossible happened. “Daphne Guinness is over there, look!” whispered my neighbour at a lunch in Istanbul Modern art gallery. Everyone’s head swivelled towards a pencil slim woman wearing a giant black and white Philip Treacy hat which was obscuring her face.

Who's that veeeery skinny girl in the Philip Treacy hat?

 “That isn’t Daphne Guinness, THAT IS DAPHNE GUINNESS. We all looked towards the doorway as the in cantered the real Daphne on heel-less silver platform heels, an undulating Tracy concoction floating above her brow.

Daphne took off her Treacy hat to have a quick chat with Gore Vidal

So WHO was this pretender? Let me introduce you to Stacy Engman. Stacy, 32, is the chief curator of Contemporary Art at the National Arts Club in New York. Stacy was typically vague when it came to her family, except to say “my dad is in finance and insurance”. She was more forthcoming about her style, however. “I am wearing Philip Treacy, of course. My shoes are McQueen; my leggings by NY label “3 as 4” and my bag is Chanel. When our eye was drawn to a massively blinging diamond ring, what we were told next made our eyes water. “This is my personal mark,” she said, deadpan. “I was looking for a monogram for my clothes and luggage and I wasn’t happy with anything the graphic company created for me. So I looked for a symbol instead. This is inspired by the “Sheela na Gig” a pagan symbol of a female gargoyle who uses her vagina to scare away evil spirits.” That was me told, then. The ring totals 13 carats and took “my family jeweller ages to create.”

Stacy's "personal mark" inspired by the symbolic vagina of the gargoyle "Sheela na Gig"

Stacy also told us she wears “the world’s most expensive fragrance by Clive Christian.” I adore Daphne Guinness, but have also rather warmed to Stacy Engman. Anyone who is as dedicated to the cause of fashion and personal style as these two women are very welcome to the Fashion Editor at Large world. Let the rivalry commence!!

The feet of from left, Daphne Guinness (you should see Daphne when she flips down to flat position in those shoes; its so cute, and she says she does it to keep her calf muscles flexed and stretched) , Pablo Ganguli, Philip Treacy

Daphne chatting to Liberatum founder Pablo Ganguli, the 27 year old responsible for the Istancool festival.

Photos: Fashion Editor at Large

Daphne Guiness fashion shot was lifted from meccacosmetica.com.au, no credit shown.