The Gift Of Style

My Two F's: Football & Fashion At Alexander Wang

I have have mentioned my obsession with American Football before...I am one of those strange women who will actually watch the games on Sunday/Monday night and now even Thursday night without a man forcing me.  I have been a huge fan since I am a little girl, so any time I can combine my love of sports with my deep passion for fashion, I am in heaven...thank you to Alexander Wang for giving me a big dose of both!!!

Alexander Wang's Spring 2010 collection was genius on so many levels. First, it was quite a departure from 2009...I love it when you see a brand's evolution.  He could have easily continued down his rocker inspired path and everyone would have still cheered, yet he chose to take us on another journey and for that I commend him.  That said AW has always played with sport references in his collections (bike riding shorts in Fall 2009), so although he chose a fresh direction, the overall effect was still pure AW perfection...not many designers can recreate the wheel every season!!!

Next, the collection played with overt sexuality...part innocent school girl/part Bend It Like Beckham  (yes I know this is a film about soccer), the AW girl has that fresh, sporty American sensibility that makes men swoon.  Of course, I am not suggesting we all go out and buy tube knee socks next season, I am just applauding the confident, coquette, cool girls that AW sent down the runway.

Finally, Alexander Wang simply makes innovative clothes we all covet. He plays with shape, with proportion, with texture, with drape and the overall effect always pushes us a bit further into the fashion's future.  I thought the show styling was fab, but when you actually break down the collection and look at each lust worthy piece on its own, AW's sheer intellect is oh so apparent.

One last note...I absolutely adore the shoes!!!

~Nancy

The Rodarte Effect

So with Fashion Week about half way over, I am going to start to predict some early trends.  Of course, I will review my absolute favorite collections as well, but today I want to discuss Rodarte's powerful effect on some of today's best brands.  We all agree that the Mulleavy sisters have a passionate and powerful view of fashion...romantic, futuristic and not always 100% user friendly.  That said, I am going to argue that their indelible mark on the industry has started to truly permeate/influence the collective design aesthetic.  They haven't even had their show yet, so this is by no means a review....only a testament to how they have started to shape global style.

So lets start by making note of some of the designers that I feel are absolutely nodding to Rodarte this season.  Preen, one of my absolute favorite brands and a trend setter in its own right is definitely cut from a Rodarte-esque cloth.  Their Spring 2010 is one of my loves to date.  I want pretty much every piece in the line.   It was feminine, somewhat ethereal and beyond modern.  The color palette was absolutely sublime...I am coveting the pink dresses!!!  Preen played with texture mix more than ever this season and created magical armor-like creations (Rodarte's signature).  Their fabrics of choice were lace and chiffon...diaphanous and tastefully sexy!!!!

 

 

Next on my list is Yigal Azrouel.  I saw a definite shift in his aesthetic towards a Rodarte view of women.  Again, it is only subtle influence that can be detected, as his salute is more about shape and construction and less about texture plays.  He explores bondage and the wrapping of the female form (something Rodarte does with excellence) and thus creates a vision of the power female, the dominatrix or warrior (another Rodarte reference) that is alluring and quite a departure from his draped creations of season's past.  His view of American sportswear marries the best of casual ease with modern design, thus making Yigal Azrouel a collection to lust after!!!

 

 

There is a major trend towards this experimentation with piecing and cutting and wrapping that is clearly here to stay well into 2010 and I for one am thrilled.  It is seductive and tactile and passionate...just what fashion should be.  Lets call the trend DECOUPAGE...the melding of texture and concept mixed in with almost a haphazard play on shape.  Rodarte is where this all started and the Mulleavy sisters' effect has obviously brought on monumental shift in fashion!!!!

~Nancy