Chanel Knows How to Have Fun

A review from Chanel, Valentino, and Alexander McQueen Spring 2014 Collections.

Give Karl Lagerfeld a paintbrush and he’ll probably laugh at you. He doesn’t take art as serious as other designers are doing in their collections. In fact, he injects irony like he did at his Chanel spring 2014 collection; he took modern art and developed it into a chic fashion statement. The setting of the show – an art gallery - consisted of 75 fake art pieces Mr. Lagerfeld proudly stated he did them over the summer. Well, those oversized art pieces weren’t made by him, but you get the idea – he specifically instructed how he wanted it to be done. He must have been the only designer who had fun over the break, because these clothes were nothing but fun pieces of art that were wearable or fit for your salon.

Color was more than enough to satisfy any woman. He began with a series of iconic Chanel tweeds or vibrant lightweight bouclé in pink, navy, gray, and white. There were gorgeous knits, sleeveless and short dresses with insets of lace and cropped tops, relaxed leather-thin pants and t-shirts, and much more. He basically offered women all the trends that we’ve been seen from other designers in one whole show; punk, classic, or chic – you decide how you want to look.

The highlights of this presentation though were his finale of multicolor print dresses composed of pleated strips sewn together. You had to see these pieces up close to understand why Mr. Lagerfeld is such a genius. They weren’t just a rainbow of color strips splattered on them or taken into a heating device for pleats to come out perfect…………….they were done with superb intelligence (creativity) and sophistication as the Chanel lady implies. 

 Accessories – graffiti backpacks, creative canvas handbags, oversized pearls that resembled some cool headphones and bracelets, metallic chain phone cases, trompe de l’oeil shoes, and appearances of Lego purses – took the entire collection to a wonderful irony of masterpiece without letting go the Chanel essence. 

Only Karl can make an 89 piece collection look so non-boring and youthful than ever with a vast amount of amazing unique variety, color, and texture. We’d just wish we were part of the Karl/Chanel world; as a guy, I’d love to be the artist model, Marlon Texeira, ported down the art gallery. 

A male model wearing a multi-color printed shirt and washed pants at the Chanel Spring 2014 show.

At Valentino, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, were inspired by the world of theatre and opera that led to creating a modern day luxury collection. More descriptive would be the renaissance couture and romantic luxury that runs through the DNA of the house.
 Honestly, if you ever seen their previous collections, you’d find out they do just about the same types of dresses, but etched with different ideas. It gets boring besides their hot mini-dresses that are a hit every season, which next spring will come beautifully embroidered with prints and flirty peekaboo details; all the front row women looked sexy in the duo’s fall collection. 

I was intrigued this season though with their long-sleeved dresses – although always bell shaped – that looked more youthful and extremely luxurious with great amounts of Valentino’s signature renaissance prints and lace and tulle. They looked even more enticing for young conservative ladies when worn with sandals; it’ll work for the South. 

Pleasing were their knitwear or crochet sweatshirts, embroidered jackets, bow-tie shirts spliced semi-halfway and tailored shorts. It showed the designers are bringing more variety to the brand, or maybe it was just a pretty collection of prints that helped out. 

Alexander McQueen still keeps the beautiful couturier details stamped on its clothes with Sara Burton at the house. I find it hard to describe this collection, because you really have to dive deeply into these pieces to praise their glorious craftsmanship. 

Behind those accessories – helmets, gold and silver harnesses, and chokers – there were surprisingly a great amount of wearable clothes the average customer could wear this time: intricate printed, embroidered, and crocodile bra tops; perforated printed coats; fascinating laser-cut tops and kilts over pants (like a burgundy one pictured above); a white laser-cut dress that was invigorating to watch with diminutive red splashes of couture; and sumptuous flared skirts. 

While her finale of feather and fringed numbers may not have been ones to wear in real life for most of us, they did make a triumphant statement of the real work the McQueen label is so famous for. There is an intense amount of luxury and hours of work that goes into making one single piece of art come to life so magically.

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Details:

From Left: Valentino, a black lace and embroidered mini-dress; Alexander McQueen, a colorful embroidered and laser-cut sleeveless dress; Chanel, a multi-color dress created with layers of pleats and strips sewn in.

Part 2 of 2: A Continuation of Commercial Paris Collections

Part 2 of 2: A review of Stella McCartney, Elie Saab, and Saint Laurent Spring 2014 Collections

A close-up of a Saint Laurent SS14 red zebra and bow-tie sequined dress; a Stella McCartney patchwork lace dress; a red embroidered Elie Saab dress.

A continuation of Part 1 of 2: Paris Fashion Week is Full of Excitement. 

I respect how Stella McCartney has developed her own niche that works so well for the label. Her clothes are always chic, sexy, and comfortable looking with the sportiness she injects into them. Although lately, I believe she may be having too much of a commercial or resort thing stuck in her mind. We were all dying for her edgy relaxed silhouettes that worked for all women when she started, but with so many new designers and high competition today she's staying behind compared to other designers who have developed much more intense creativity. 

She hasn’t lost it all though. Some that were noteworthy here were her interpretations of slimming track suits that came in feminine colors - burgundy, blue, and rose - that focused on the daily needs that have attracted her customers. And those final splendid dresses – colorful patchworks of lace that looked beautiful in the front and the back – will have her women very content for another season.

Elie Saab also appears to be mixing in commercial and his signature lace and embroidery in his ready-to-wear collections. All there is to say is that they make a beautiful collection his loyal customers and young girls will be pleased with in delicate pink, white, green, red, and black. Floral prints and appliqué statements were a plus. 

I’ve already talked about Hedi Slimane as new creative director for Saint Laurent. While on the runway this collection may look trashy and horrible on some of those skinny models, these clothes look superbly different on real people – Kate Upton, Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson – and even normal on his menswear counterpart. There is power to these looks and if Slimane wants to shock the fashion world again, it’s hard to now, because most of us feel comfortable with what he offers. It’s just a matter of imagining someone perhaps like Johansson in them (minus those kitsch sock heels). 

He presented again his grungy leather pieces – skirts, pants, biker jackets, dresses, suits – and emphasized still on chiffon button-down shirts, slim fitted tuxedo cigarette pants paired with borrowed men’s suits. What felt new was a sequined dress, like one he sent out the runway at the beginning of the show and another red zebra stripped dress with a sequin bow-tie wrapped around the waist. There were also cropped jackets, a red sequined striped top, sequined silver-y suits and miniskirt combo, and his final half-sleeve with a puffed up shoulder embroidered with sequined red lips that stated luxury.

He also included color like a deep-cut green mini and asymmetrical blue dress, and a pink strapless one over a black blazer. I personally found a gold metallic wrapped dress he showed would make a great statement for those girls with special attitude. Overall, this wasn't a bad collection if you first learn to see it from a different perspective. As long as that cash registers keeps ringing, nobody else gives a damn what haters have to say. He's just doing his job now, making this label return to everyone's mouth. And trust me, these clothes do look much more inviting on the floor (retail store) then what saw Monday night.

Part 1 of 2: Paris Fashion Week is Full of Excitement

PART 1: A Review of Kenzo, Chloé, Céline, and Givenchy Spring 2014 Collections.

From Left: A wine embroidered draped dress from Givenchy SS14; an olive pleated dress from Chloe; and the back of Celine blue pleated top

Paris Fashion Week is about to end, but that hasn’t stop Paris from showcasing some of the top labels from the fashion industry. Some made a very surprising presentation like at Celine with its giant strokes of art tailoring and Givenchy in its number of intense draped jersey dresses, while others kept their lines luxe commercial like at Chloe’s modern fabrics , Stella McCartney’s intriguing sporty silhouettes, and Elie Saab’s injection of lace that would look great from daywear to evening. Saint Laurent also infused its bias grunge aesthetics into metallics, deep v-cut colored dresses, and of course black leather looks. And all this happened in only two days that explains why Paris is still the center of Fashion. 

Kenzo has turned its logomania items – tiger sweatshirts, blankets, hats – and prints into iconic items anyone can afford to wear and look cool. If it weren’t for those sweatshirts, I believe I probably wouldn’t have been intrigued to seeing their progress or writing about this label. Or it’s probably ever since designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim were appointed creative directors to the house that have turned Kenzo into a pocket friendly and desirable brand among teenagers. You won’t leave a Kenzo show without being submerged into an overwhelming amount of prints that while it may not work for critics it sure does turn the switch for its younger audience. Humberto and Carl know their marketing skills very well, because if an eye design can sell pretty well, I bet their new series of melting-fish and scribbled waves – in blue, pink, and red – will be swept away and turned into the next street style moment. New were few outfits designed with patches of thick contrasting strips.

Chloé may have also demonstrated to be one of the most effortless and chic girls when it came to true casualwear at its spring 2014 collection Sunday morning. We already know Chloé is one of the labels girls trust when on a busy daywear schedule. You don’t want to look overly dressed, but neither too casual. And over the time, the lovely balance between a boyish rigor and feminine fabric that has become the signature of the brand seems to be shifting around into only relaxed feminine appeal with the exception of its cool cropped trousers. Creative director, Clare Waight Keller, was thinking about modernity – giving clothes and effortless look with more movement through lighter fabrics.

She played around with fabric and proportional details that added a mighty brisk to the new collection – lightweight chiffon dresses that were made to wear for any woman (no ultra-revealing transparency that would require someone to add another slip-dress underneath); super-chic georgette tops and jacquard looks; rough lace dresses; and edgy pleated designs that gave a great amount of texture and attitude to the clothes. Ms. Keller exceled at introducing her vision of a new Chloé without forgetting the boyish swirl Chloé has been so fond of in very thoughtful olives, whites, blues, and black paired with casual sandals. And a small dose of pale pink to brighten things up.

At Céline, Phoebe Philo gave her clothes another different type of movement through her asymmetrical number of pleated skirts painted with gorgeous brushes of strokes over effortless pieces of tailored T-shirts and tank tops that were artwork. What were more intriguing is how she played exquisitely well with colorful pleated tops taken from knits.

 This collection was the most surprising and one of the best to date so far from Philo. She took art and she referenced it perfectly on her designs. Art is a form of movement, freedom, and a state of mind. These clothes were powerful for the woman who knows how to wear them - especially her number of artistic coats with opening gold circles etched on them and graphic buckets of paints spilled on some. They’ll be a hit next season together with her creative selection of shoes and handbags. 

Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy also surprised everyone with his more mature take on draping. Everyone knows who Tisci is now: the guy who hangs around with Kanye West and designs one of the best graphic t-shirts and sweatshirts according to his young clientele.  He knows that’s what sells the most, and prices them at very high values. Whether a lot of work goes into an ordinary black “Pervert” t-shirt or not, he knows it’ll sell at any price he stamps on it. 

This time he let go of those graphic statements and put his work on draping these dresses in several different manners. It felt like watching an advanced draping segment video lesson; they somehow felt awkwardly delicate. His final pleated ones in metallic embroidery and sequins were the ones that were eye catching. Tisci really did push the boundaries here without letting go of his signature dark atmosphere. His spring 2013 collection didn’t work, but this succeeded. 
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Continue Reading more -->Part 2 of 2: A Continuation of Commercial Paris Collection

Christian Dior's Extreme Innovative Transformation

Innovation exploded at the Christian Dior show on Thursday with an extraordinary setting that will have plenty to talk about all season long. With just less than two years since Raf Simons has been at Dior – which seems more than that – he has already caught everyone’s attention whether it be in a bad or esoteric manner. From international actresses, supermodels, to important political figures and the Princess of Thailand, all made their presence at this fashion forward trendsetting show. 


His spring 2014 collection greeted the audience with a mystical setting of real and fake neon vines of flowers hanging on the ceiling that simulated Dior’s secret garden in a much more futuristic statement. It seemed he wanted to bring back the nature theme memories of when he presented his first ever couture show for the house – thousands of flowers mounted on walls – that celebrated the codes of the late Mr. Christian Dior himself.  His spring 2013 ready-to-wear collection focused on tailoring and modern versions of the iconic Bar jackets, and so did his recent fall ladylike collection. But these vines conveyed a different message that one understood after the show. Dior was about to take a severe transformation for many.

He began the show with new interpretations of the bar jacket cropped to reveal some skin and be worn with a hybrid of shorts with pleated floral skirts; some referred to them as skorts. He also introduced unique shirt dresses in blue with twisted details and surprisingly pleasing colorful sleeveless satin tops that were the most ladylike; an ice blue top Kasia Struss wore was provocative paired with a white below-the-knee skirt that was cut very high at the back. 

Fetish-y were the neon trumpet skirts – in yellow, silver, and blue – that barely covered the models legs and side-pleated skirts with an exposed hip-bone on the left side, together  with a few balloon skirts that felt wearable and embroidered cropped tops with an opening keyhole in the middle. There were a number of varsity style looks etched with Dior badges and pleasing knitwear pieces paired with hanging garden inspired jewelry that felt the most comfortable to follow on this new journey.

Questionable were his awkward embroidered dresses with side pleats that looked kitsch and retro dresses with messages printed on them like “Alice Garden,” but they psychologically respected the signature codes of Dior; big change in designs, same codes hidden. I was more fascinated with his two finale black looks – one bar jacket and a coat dress – with insets of floral printed pleats on the back. These looks screamed Raf Simons’ injection to the new and more revealing Dior. Even noticeable were his final metallic looks of silver dresses no one would have expected to see at this show. 

Now, was this collection hard to swallow? It certainly will be for some buyers who won’t know how their average customer will react next season to these clothes. But in fashion, there is a whole different point of view. Mr. Simons is a risk taker, and that was not a secret here anymore. He’s had enough of trying to keep Dior contemporary, because we all know he was not meant to stick with the same styles. Take for example how he has revolutionized men’s fashion with his personal label being one of the most anticipated and innovative shows of the season. He is the first to set trends offering new creative skills.

A Christian Dior Spring 2014 New Bar Suit Jacket with a pleated floral back and leather lace heels by Raf Simons.

His clothes are never meant to be seen as ordinary clothes. They’re meant to be seen as intriguing laboratory experiments you have to risk it like in Dior’s case now. And that’s why I admire about him so much. He said he wanted to take the literal DNA of the house with a different aesthetic – that being his creative injection – that would turn out to offer so much new techniques in one show without letting go of the strictly ladylike codes Dior is known for. He threw in so many ideas that we’ll probably see other designers implement soon in their collections – pleat techniques, lace shoes, twisted techniques and shirt dresses - but in may have been too much for right now where he’s at. The clothes were nevertheless magical on the runway in my opinion with a great taste of color and exquisite tailoring. 

Mr. Simon’s is molding the future of the label. Many have already criticized this collection as a horrible one, but it should be when you’re not exposed to seeing too many ideas in one show. His new tailoring may take time to get used to from what John Galliano did, but with the way his shaking things rapidly, he's developed an intense niche. And you can’t deny Raf is a very talented designer no matter what. Fashion is evolution, and with Simons' noteworthy experiments at Dior demonstrates he is here to stay and catch everyone’s attention. 

Paris Spring 2014 Shows: Carven, Balmain, Nina Ricci, and More

A review of Paris Fashion Week Spring 2014 Collections: Carven, Balmain, Nina Ricci, Paco Rabanne, and Lanvin.

Of the now four years that creative director, Guillaume Henry, has been at Carven, he has rapidly turned this brand into one of the most recognizable labels in Europe and Asia. I believe this has to due to the fact he has a talent for turning something sweet, young, and delicate into a mien naughtiness. Most women want to have something lovely to play around with, be edgy, and feel seductive in what they wear for men; in reality, look effortlessly provocative. And Henry understands that very clearly. His collections are always a hit, just like his previous fall collection - which actually imbued a more mature level - has become a sensation among magazines and editors – especially his oversized pastel coats – that when paired well, will have that special effect a woman looks for.  On the other hand, his new spring 2014 collection revealed the real Carven woman that had been hiding around in his past collections.

The collection nonetheless was more youthful and naughty with those high platform heels models wore on the runway. Provocative were his button-down skirts, short dresses, cross-over cropped tops and gingham button-down shirts with knitted swirls added at its hems, floral print rompers, a blue pleated gingham dress with a kinky sheer top, and relaxed bright floral print appliqué and camouflage coats. All still made again for that innocent girl that won’t be able to do any harm at all with her naughty clothes. This is why Carven is on the lead of fashion, and I wouldn’t doubt seeing younger girls becoming part of this collection next season. 

Meanwhile, Olivier Rousteing has also shown to be a great influence to urbanwear. Balmain has become a demand where celebrities and the outspoken generation of young adults dream of. Olivier knows his niche, and that is creating the most expensive looking badass clothes. Only he can make a denim gold embellished hook-and-eye top with light pleated washed pants look so demanding. Houndstooth looks – jackets, gold-button down and spliced skirts, suit jackets – and checked patterned looks were noteworthy of a streetstyle moment. And of course his signature quilted numbers that can never be left out. Other things that were new or modernized here were his ruffled skirts, a baby blue feather skirt, and his lustrous innovative couture quality dresses. Everything screamed superb luxury a la urban streetstyle here. Prices may be ridiculously high, but we’ve gotten accustomed now to his $1,000 jeans and $50,000+ dresses in case you were wondering. 

“Masculinity meets femininity at Nina Ricci,” was Peter Copping’s new theme for his spring collection. It kind of made sense in the first half of his show – delicate shirt dresses, asymmetrical coats, and pinstriped cropped pants. But it sort of lost me where he was trying to go. Maybe a sensual journey with a man? If so, a number of light lace, silk, chiffon, and delicate knitwear pieces made up for the story. Nina Ricci has a very sensitive feel to its clothes, and Copping always manages to achieve that moment of delicacy. You’d be afraid to harshly grab someone in his designs seeing it so light and subtle. I don’t think prints made a very great appeal to this romantic collection, but it’s always fond to see a designer experimenting with new designs, even though we’d happily see his woman covered in exquisite chiffon dresses.

Lately, there was the news that 30 years old French designer, Julien Dossena, would become the new womenswear head designer for Paco Rabbane. Dossena was once an assistance designer for the famously talented Nicholas Ghesquiere who left Balenciaga to later be replaced by Alexander Wang. I was curious to see if there were gone be any hints of Ghesquiere’s techniques when he debuted his collection. And today he finally presented his first collection for the brand, but there were still some references as to what previous designer, Lydia Maurer, was doing for the brand – reinventing shiny metallic pieces into a wearable manner. Paco Rabbane himself was best known for his take on provocative and futuristic metallic colored designs and chain dresses. It’s hard to keep those types of house codes modernized in today’s society, but Dossena was inspiring himself to take this collection to the streets. 

He gave his metallic clothes a light touch with a hint of streetstyle: mesh athletic tank tops under unzipped dresses, short slip-dresses styled with coats or double-zipper A-line skirts, zipper detailed pants. And he imbued a more harsh futuristic approach in his laquer dresses in burgundy, black, and blue, while his shades of white designs added a soft balance in this collection. I personally found his final bomber jackets commercial, but his overalls and skirts potentials for next season. To be fair, this was a short but sharp collection that will catch the attention of a younger clientele, but there is still a lot of work to be done if this label wants to be back to the level it once was in. Dossena may be that guy.

Lanvin was also competing with a full collection of metallic shades of lamé – purple, pink, bronze, orange, green, and silver – except for a small amount of beautiful black dresses and a gray tweed look that will probably be the most inviting to the average woman next season. There were some pieces that actually did work like a purple chiffon embroidered dress or a green metallic floral printed dress with a bow-tie applied at the bottom left. It’ll maybe take time for some to swallow this collection, but Lanvin is not made for everyone, and depending on the correct woman who puts on one of these lustrous dresses like one Soo Joo Park wore (a bronze strapless dress), they’ll be the star of the night – urban or chic. Accessories- oversized stars, hearts, and chunky stoned necklaces; chunky leather belts; metallic printed scarves and shoes - will make up the sharing factor for every women.

Paris Spring 2014 Shows: Balenciaga's Conversation with Alexander Wang

From Left: Woven leather jacket and skirt; pink woven leather shoes; laser-cut back of white dress

Alexander Wang is really taking his job seriously at Balenciaga. Since being appointed creative director of Balenciaga last November and receiving great reviews for his fall debut collection, he felt comfortable to inject a little of his signature style with the authentic house codes into his new spring 2014 collection he presented today. I was very surprised with this collection, because even though I applauded for his first collection, I thought it would be a passive one. But he proved here that he is a really clever guy who has soaked in all the Balenciaga archives to take it to a new modern couture level with a brisk of streestyle. 


He came up with graphic couture silhouettes like last season that respected the  Cristobal Balenciaga codes – round shoulder, cocoon like backs, curved proportions, and texture – contrasted with a pale palette of colors – in blue, pink, and gray – that played it safe for the designer with his big on top, small below volumes. I would have loved seen much more color most of us were used to when Ghesquiere was around, but his fresh floral print numbers made up for the color. It was interesting they weren’t as aggressive or hard to take in. It may have been the fact that he made them have a life of its own; his white shorts with baby blue hems, a short-skirt, and cardigan were edgy.

When it came to texture or leather, he achieved a marvelous creation. His first look was a strong pale blue rounded shoulder jacket paired with a straight A-line skirt both in woven leather that almost seemed from far away like some sort of cotton. He introduced two sporty looks – a purple tank top and a pale pink cropped top with track shorts – that reminded me of a gym attire but in a much more cool and luxe version the rich girls wouldn’t mind showing off. You would have to see some of these clothes in close-ups to indulge into some of those texturized fabrics - unique hand painted laser-cut tops, superb hand-braided pieces that appeared as print like his shorts and prints. Shoes also seemed even more interesting with better emphasis than from previous ones, while handbags will definitely be another sensation.

Couture-like were his cropped high-waist pants that came with an adjusted hip volume that were the highlight of the show (perfect effortless tailoring), off the shoulder dresses with a light running cocoon shaped back, cropped tops with a long back hem, luxurious corsets over subtle lace and silk hems, and those hybrid of miniskirts/shorts. And he finished with a series of effortless white shirtdresses and sheer suit numbers that were creative coming from someone like him. In all, he delivered again another beautiful and pleasing collection that will have a strong presence next season. Some of those A-line skirts, gym attire, pants, jackets, tops, and shorts will definitely be calling back that young streetstyle fanatic that was in love with Balenciaga. Bravo, Mr. Wang!

Christian Dior's Fall 2013 Modern Couture

Last week was a very stressful week for me, which did not permit me to post my short reviews of Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, but it is never to late to talk about it. In fact, I find something much more interesting if you take the time to analyze it in a calm environment. Don't you think so? 

Haute Couture is nothing but a dream. In case you're not familiar with what is haute couture, in a brief description, it is a work of art a human can achieve entirely by hand - no heavy equipment allowed - in a matter of days. Being these clothes are crafted by hand, prices for these beauties can go way beyond an ordinary mink jacket. And yes, they are made to fit like a glove for the customer who decides to purchase them. How special can that be to have a top or dress made just for you? 

There were only around 18 shows in total that were presented during Paris Haute Couture Week, which at the beginning may sound like it wasn't too many to fulfill a week of womenswear fashion, but we're not talking about a ready-to-wear collection here. Imagine the team it takes to embroider a dress entirely by hand, to cut and sew an entire collection purely by hand. There was a time where I decided to cut and sew a simple top I was making by hand just to feel the couture vibe. For someone who is not so patient, you would guess how it went. I never finished the rest of the garment, but learned to appreciate even more every detail that goes into making such an haute couture collection. 

Raf Simons could relate to my experience I had with couture. When most of us see other haute couture collections, we come to agree that these are only shows that are about evening wear and exaggeration, but in Mr. Simons' world everything is questioned. 

His Fall 2013 Couture collection for Christian Dior took us to another level of haute couture. Why not make couture modern in a manner where even the younger generations will be able to fall in love with this art and keep it alive? Couture is fading, and if it's not shifted to another route it could extinct soon. What Mr. Simons showed during Paris Haute Couture was the perfect example of what we need for the couture world, and what other designers should begin emulating. 

There was no drama or exaggeration in this collection. It was all the opposite of a supposed couture show. He took us around the world - Paris, North America, Asia, and Africa - in a very effortless yet luxurious couture standard. He kept embroidered dresses minimalistic that set him apart from other designers; they made the clothes much more appreciative. Overt were his bar jackets except in new technical fabrics that played an homage to the woman of Paris; a gray houndstooth number with white sequins was a favorite. He also imbued a sportswear theme to the new couture - in very relaxed silhouettes - that were captivating towards a younger audience. His African prints - mostly striped ones - and spiky textures were probably the only numbers that added somewhat of a drama, but in such a refined manner without overdoing it. 

There were other couture shows that centered around too much embroidery that became a nausea, but there was nothing as fresh and lustrous as what Christian Dior presented. Even the tune to Kanye West's new song was invigorating. In general, we could say he elevated ready-to-wear to a very high standard of luxury one could notice the difference when wearing it; details are what are worth everything. The question here though is if couture could soon become the new trend amongst a wider audience Mr.Simons seems to be engaging us? Maybe dreaming more of having in our opinion, or better yet, having us seek for a special couture shop that could fulfill our needs, and open the doors to a wider couture field that would keep this special craftsmanship alive for many more years.

When you think that something has become a new trend, Mr. Simons is always two steps forward, looking back at his history of what you thought was "new." He has only presented seven collections in total for Christian Dior, but with so many new innovative techniques, it is no wonder why Raf Simons will always be a legendary reference to the designer who came out with that idea or design first. 

Paris Men's Fashion Week 2014: Saint Laurent, Lanvin, and More

Day 5 of 5 Paris Men's Fashion Week

Vibe: The Dark Rock n' Roll.

Hedi Slimane created quite a controversy ever since he decided to changed the phase of the new Saint Laurent spirit. His first two shows felt like a huge slap from many fashion critics who couldn't bare to see how Saint Laurent would turn into a horrendous rock inspired label. It only took a season when his collection was finally available in most retailers, that most of us understood Mr. Slimane was in fact selling pure luxury; it has now become a big sensation amongst its young rebellious audience.

Slimane seemed more confident of himself for his new Saint Laurent spring 2014 menswear collection. This collection felt way more appealing than his first menswear debut for the label. It was obvious we were to expect another sort of California rock theme fulfilled with lots of black leather, skinny boys, and surprisingly a more relaxed tune. Perhaps it could have been that by know one should be very well acquainted of what the Slimane is focusing on: having a voice towards its youthful audience who want the taste of that rock clean luxury. No need for more drama.

He introduced a series of mesh shirts, polka dot dress shirts, and exquisitely tailored skinny trousers which could have been perfectly appealing on an average model. His suits - leopard prints, checked-windowpanes, and gold sequins - were just a few pleasing noteworthy numbers, whilst his outerwear designs, such as one silver varsity jacket, could become a great hit next season.

On an average perspective, Slimane's decision to letting very skinny boys wear his clothes on the runway, brings down the collecting quite a bit. They say that first impression is what counts, and his skinny guys are the unappealing impression. But once viewed on a well fitted model, it is unbelievable how powerful Saint Laurent still remains after all the changes. His sharp tailoring lets the clothes speak for themselves. It is as if Slimane enjoys playing with our minds. One day we could say the collection was terrible, and the next day we see a famous star porting Saint Laurent's clothes or accessories, you can find us searching for that piece to incorporate into our wardrobe.

Today, Saint Laurent is one of the go to brands for the bad girl/boy who wants to set a statement in those black leather numbers that have become the signature of the new brand. His motorcycle jackets are the most coveted designer ones; a classic now as stated in their description. The only difference about being a bad Saint Laurent girl/boy is having the necessary amount of money to satisfy ones need, because prices for these babies - a jacket retailing at $5,900 - fits more the spoiling brat who doesn't give a hell how the economy is right now.

Vibe: Strong Silhouettes.

While many men's wear designers were going for strong floral prints, Lanvin went with not a single dose of print. Instead they focused on their tough relaxed tailoring, which made this collection one of the strongest presentations of paris men's spring 2014 fashion week. 

Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver went with a number of matching rich silk pants (pajama-like) and t-shirts that were a stand innovation for the duo. Their was something in their style that imbued an urban masculine appeal most men could favor. Being pure silk the choice of fabric that could lean towards femininity, there was none of that feminine l'air in these looks. Suits - less strictly tailored - were actually pleasing to see coming from Lanvin. Perhaps their precise choice of fabric and color is what made them one of the best relaxed silhouettes compared to other brands; so mesmerizing.

Texture was replaced for prints. It was intriguing to see a pair of trousers (pictured right above) with such a luxurious texture you could easily feel when zoomed closer. At far they could have been perceived as a fading print, but they were actually a living print just as were their glossy sweatshirts and tank tops. It seems Lanvin came with a stronger force of authority in men's fashion this season, which we hope continues on to next season so triumphantly. 

Vibe: A Joyful Life of Living Colors.

Color is the living DNA of the Paul Smith man. Tailoring is also what makes his colors more refreshening to watch. And the injection of youthfulness in his designs finish describing who is the Paul Smith guy. To say the least, his spring 2014 menswear collection was enough to understand the brand without too much fashion vocabulary: easy and joyfully stylish.

His suits, slim-ly tailored with insects of different colors on hems of sleeves and suits, were quite pleasing to see, but maybe not so gratifying to see on his color-block trousers. They weren't poorly made by no means, but there was something missing to them; just blah. If some his outerwear jackets could have had less zippers and more emphasis in construction, they would have been the perfect ones to wear. There was one navy and white checked blouson that made a nice intro. 

What were noteworthy were his colorful sweaters and short-sleeve shirts. In conclusion it seems there will always be four things we will always be fond to see Mr. Paul Smith design exquisitely: a great suit jacket; a pair of great tailored trousers with no color-block or prints; an outstanding casual or dress shirt with or without youthful prints; and a delightful sweater that will never be out of style no matter what season were in.

Paris Fashion Week 2014: Dior, Hermes, Kenzo, and More

Day 4 of 5 Paris Men's Fashion Week

Vibe: Doing Business at the Beach.

"Just think how you negotiate wearing a tuxedo on a beach," were part of Kris Van Assche's description for Dior Homme Spring 2014 menswear collection. "It's formality and informality: choice, chance, and lightness."

Making a color choice was very straightforward here. Red wine, blue, light gray, and black were the only options. Most of the collection became a repetition of either looks in shorts or slim trousers, suits or vests, and in either subtler leather patchworks, that made one reflect what could have been the perfect outfit to go on a negotiation. But what if you were to rewind back to the beginning of the collection and take a closer look at each individual outfit that could have appeared identical for a few seconds? Notice, the chance of choosing the same identical outfit could have just become quite difficult and interesting to think about. It was those small uncommon details that Dior has always been perfect and successful at making one ponder what is the difference about these two?

Van Assche elaborated his suits in two tones of colors, such as a red wine suit with a black lining pictured above, to just matching silk linings. He made his other lightly tailored suits look unique with either straight or diagonal pockets, whilst his leather patchwork techniques were etched in various positions; the best in the collection. It was his idea of dressing up for a sunny negotiation that most likely motivated him to present silhouettes that felt quite comfortable and relaxed with glossy T-shirts under suits or jackets; his leather numbers were somewhat edgy for the Dior man. It seems Van Assche's minimalistic details for the Dior Homme brand will make it a favorite amongst many in menswear that will never turn into a weary presentation.

Vibe: Humble Luxury.

Who would've imagined the Hermès guy would be the one to wear a $99,000 light crocodile t-shirt that didn't have much to say if you saw him wearing it? That has been Veronique Nichanian's long term goal under the brand, which is one of the world's most recognizable luxury brands. Making luxury look so easy on the eye is a mastering skill Nichanian has obtained with perfection. The touch and feel of her fabric is another magical journey towards real luxury.

It could be rare to declare that the Hermes menswear line has had such a higher reputation than its womenswear counterpart. Mrs. Nichanian and Mr. Christophe Lemaire (womenswear designer) both understand that travel is the soul that holds Hermes together, but Mrs. Nichanian with no doubt knows hot to describe it with a much more clearer perspective: a man who travels with pure luxury at an effortless state of mind. 

She opened her spring 2014 menswear show with a pair of great slim-fitted pants done in the finest cotton material, a pleasantly tailored navy suit, signature print button-down dress shirt and tie, and a navy crocodile belt piece. It was her other looks of simplicity - t-shirts with buttons on shoulders, scoop-neck tank tops, and exquisitely light printed polka dot pants - that deserved a stand innovation. 

Leather couldn't be left off in here. Her baby lambskin leather pants looked as breezy as a pair of cotton pants, while her outerwear jackets were yet another triumphant season for the brand. She added one specific high-tech jacket that changed from a leather suede to a its natural lambskin leather fabric; it was done so well it appeared the fabrics weren't event stitched together. She seemed to have shifted from her most talked about crocodile t-shirt, and instead opted to go for what seemed to be a python long sleeve light gray sweatshirt; a sumptuous choice of fabric that looked splendid for the brand. 

Vibe: Paris Boys in L.A.

Kenzo can be mostly recognized for its iconic tiger print logo sweaters from its spring 2013 collection, which have had an outstanding street style success over the past season. It revived the brand to become a huge target amongst young teenagers who were eager to know who designed those super cool sweaters. Humberto Leon and Carol Lim were thinking about how Parisian boys would look like traveling to L.A. Their color-block suits did imbue a California sensation that came in very relaxed silhouettes boys in L.A. would wear. The only difference is that Kenzo's version of L.A. would come with a dose of Parisian luxury. Shirt sleeve scribbled printed shirts and sweaters were pleasing to watch, and could become another potential success for the developing brand. Lean and Lim are still in works of finding the correct niche that could lead Kenzo to a greater height in fashion. So far, its cool artistic-ly sweaters have proven to be a beginning signature for the label.

Vibe: Sporty-Couture.

Alexis Mabille has a tendency to be a little to heavy in his menswear collections. They are of a high-luxe art, but his designs are best appreciating as a work of art, then wearing them. He may have understood by now that men's wear clothes differs greatly from womenswear. His last three collections have shown a much more casual vibe done in the Mabille manner: adding special doses of sportswear injected with couture. 

His spring 2014 men's wear collection felt even more communicating to a broader audience. He went with high stitched scoop-neck tank tops that looked appealing with his very fitted navy and olive pants, etched with white linings around pockets, yoke, and a braided leather finished on the back of a pocket for a couture quality. Shirts came with epaulets finished on the sides. One hybrid piece was a mixture between a suit and a sweatshirt that was noteworthy for the new Mabille man. Sweaters printed with the phrase, "Tonight I wear Mabille so let's set the world on fire I can burn brighter than the sun," had an urban quality. His last look, pictured above in a short black suit and crisp white detailed shirt was that of the modern Mabille, but much more toned down. 

Vibe: The Classic Denim Staple.

A.P.C. (Atelier de Production et de Création) has been around since 1987. The brand has established itself as a leader in easy to wear cool urban menswear pieces at fairly luxe prices. Their jeans are what have gained them a higher reputation in menswear for making one of the best well made jeans that are sure to last. Purchasing knitwear and outwear from this brand is a decision well made. They are always on the hunt for making a new collection that will always become a cool classical wardrobe staple to any of your looks. 

Their new spring 2014 men's wear collection is yet to be another favorite amongst the many who appreciate the craftsmanship A.P.C. does finely. One camel colored suede jacket was the seasons must add to your next wardrobe staple. 

Vibe: The Dapper Airport Arrival.

Alexandre Mattiussi of AMI had in mind an airport arrival from a vacation. His men - young, businesslike, and adventurous - were the main focus for his new spring 2014 men's wear collection. He added fun the way he believed a man should arrive from an airport. But what was more captivating was the choice of tailoring that made everything much more gratifying then from previous seasons. 

He added camouflage and floral prints, stripes that looked fresh on a pair of trousers, Prince of Wales check suits that were paired with much more tailored shirts or cool knitted sweaters, pleasing denim numbers, and layering techniques that made the AMI guy compelling to watch arrive from an airport. We wish arrivals were this well put together in reality.

Paris Mens Fashion Week 2014: Givenchy, Kris Van Assche, and Berluti

Day 3 of 5 Paris Men's Fashion Week

Vibe: The Techno-African Nerd.

Computer nerds is what Riccardo Tisci had in mind for Givenchy's spring 2014 men's wear collection. Except he formed an African influence tribe style that is sure to create a much more massive alliance next season. Tisci doesn't have much styling to do, because he lets his intricate prints do the talking. It's an easy outfit for the Givenchy man that adds a powerful appeal to any look combined. That is perhaps why the brand has had such a successful season, because Tisci understands what men want: simple outfits with a cool amount of prints to choose from.

His prints - hard disks and computer parts - were invigoratingly vibrant and youthful compared to previous darker ones. Printed sweaters and t-shirts kept that luscious Parisian street style look that has become the main attraction of the Givenchy generation. He made his models appear athletic with his techno printed shorts matched with tight leggings. One printed parka was introduced with confidence, whilst his final looks of bolder stripes depicted the future tribe of Givenchy's attitude. At this point of his career, Riccardo Tisci has victoriously toughened up the brand, officially moving it into a very new chapter that may one day be difficult to get accustom to what was once the House of Givenchy. 

Vibe: Sporty-formal.

Kris Van Assche may be one of those designers many may have rarely heard of, but have probably been familiar with his work pictured in several magazines. He likes to identify himself as the designer who mixes sportswear with suits. His spring 2014 men's wear collection may have been one of the strongest collection we had seen so far from him. 

There were an incentive amount of details that depicted his sportswear movement: shirts with snap buttons, fluorescent zipper pockets, and elastic hems; parkas that were easy to style with shorts; slouchy-fitted trousers. A white dress shirt that was replaced for a zipper looked sporty-formal with a navy suit jacket and matching relaxed shorts. Another white dress shirt implied a little more formality with a printed crocodile texture effect that looked appealing with his fitted trousers; a favorite of mine. He also introduced an orange sweater, polo shirt, and shorts that had a crocodile embossed effect that appeared so realistic you had to get close enough to see it was a perfect print effect that scored high in Van Assche's collection. Sportswear and formalwear was something so great we weren't expecting from this collection.

Vibe: The Street Style Dandy.

The Berluti man is someone you would see pictured on the pages of many street style blogs. It's the combination of street, luxury, and casual formality that made the Berluti man much more interesting to watch. Alessandro Sartori did an excellent job taking the brand to the casual side of Bespoke. He presented a series of waistcoats and trousers that were cut shorter than average, giving it a unique appeal that didn't bring it down. Knitwear was noteworthy of the luxury standards that brand never fails at. What was more eye-catching were Sartori's purple numbered suits; the perfect tone of color. His leather jackets were also appropriate for the sportswear theme that has become very popular this season. And speaking of shoes, his two-tone lace-up shoes were the perfect match for this outstanding collection. It may be time to start saving up for one next season.