Menswear SS15: Women inspiring Men

We always see some designers going for more masculine tailoring or incorporating a tomboy charm into their collections for Women, but in the more recent shows for Menswear SS15 I’ve spotted several, typically female trends, taking over the catwalks. From prints and colours to clothing and accessories there is no escaping the idea that Menswear has been influenced by many of our own, more feminine trends, and not just by one or two designers either, but a whole host of collections have hinted towards more feminine trends in some shape or form. 

So, firstly you may remember that AW13/14 was the season that welcomed all of those yummy pastel shades, from lilac cashmere coats at Carven to sugary pink hues at Topshop Unique.. well that trend is about to hit menswear in a huge way for SS15. Pastel shades and candy hues are not typically associated with Menswear, a hint of it here and there perhaps, but for SS15 be prepared for head to toe pastels.

[Topman Design, Versace,Kenzo]

Or how about open toed boots? They’ve been around a while for women, but can this Balmain pair, inspired by 70’s sporting icons, make them just as popular with men, too?

Oh, and speaking of footwear for men, do you remember me blogging a while back about Jelly Shoes making a come back for women? Well, I’ve officially spotted them in a range of colours for men at the huntergather menswear show for SS15..

We’ve seen so many styles of bags for men on the catwalks, but how about clutch bags for men? 
                                  

[D&G, MAN]

Couture AW14/15: Elie Saab

I don’t think there will ever be an Elie Saab collection that I won’t be entirely captivated by, whether it be Couture or Ready-to-Wear. Every single show is full of beautiful, intricate detailing, and it is refreshing to see that the designer focuses on what he does best every season, rather than being too trend focussed.

  

Their AW14/15 Couture show may be arguably everything you’d expect from Elie Saab, but it nevertheless impresses me every single time. The show was obviously full of fairytale inspired gowns that consisted of light, sheer materials, silk and tulle, the majority of which was beautifully encrusted with pearls and crystals and somewhat inspired by the mystery of the ocean (seen in the lace black gowns and pearl encrusted deep blue dresses) and even an enchanted forest (in one instance a moss green was offset against colourful crystals and pearls). Whilst keeping to his usual pretty, romantic roots the designer used a rainbow of colours in his tone-on-tone approach to his underlays and embellishments to create a soft, natural and feminine collection.

And of course, the latest show cannot be spoken about without the mention of the beautiful finale wedding gown, although so many of the white, silver and cream gowns displayed were enough for any bride-to-be- or any woman for that matter- to swoon over!

  

 You can view the full pictures from the show here or watch it in full here !

 

Throwback Thursday: The First Cover of Vogue

The 1st American Vogue-1892

“Celebrating the ceremonial side of life, which attracts the sage, as well as debutante, men of affairs as well as the belle.”

 

 

 

 

The 1st British Vogue-1916

“The time has come to talk of many things, -of shoes and furs and lingerie, and if one flares or clings, and where the waist-line ought to be, and whether hats have wings”

 

 

 

 

The 1st Paris Vogue-1920

An illustration by Helen Dryden of two ‘tennis women’- a celebration of the ‘sport of the moment’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surrealism: Now and Then

So, I know we were all wooed by those McDonald’s inspired Moschino pieces, and then later, by those supermarket inspired handbags (lait de coco, anyone?), but after doing my research I found that maybe such quirky pieces aren’t so original after all…
In the 1940’s designers, like Anne Marie de Paris, took the surrealist movement to the next level by creating witty and playful items inspired by unusual objects that had never been seen before. Sometimes we can get so stuck in the future when it comes to fashion, but it’s always good to know about the history of trends,too. Anyway, I thought I’d share some of these true vintage pieces with you guys, I know I was inspired, so enjoy!

Anne Marie de Paris: Surreal Handbags
(Champagne Bucket, Cocktail Bar, Carousel, Sugar Bowl, Telephone, Playing Cards) 

          

 

 

What did I miss: A Paris fashion week catch up

So, I was lucky enough to get away to Dublin at the beginning of March, but this obviously meant I had less time (and less wifi access) to blog about the goings on at Paris Fashion Week! So, what did I miss?

1. Kenzo grew up.

Gone were the statement sweatshirts and logo emblazoned attire-although they kept their youthful edge via bold prints and bright colours, this season Kenzo brought us a tougher edge in the form of oversized shapes and strong tailoring.

   

2. Phoebe Philo gave us even more coats to lust after.

I’m still not over that pink coat, but the the most recent show from Celine gave us even more coats to desire, and this time we saw so much assortment I’m not even sure I can pick a favorite. The question is which one will bring me most inspiration for next AW? Will it be the camel coat? The double breasted button up? Or maybe the more boyish, oversized kind?

      

3. Chloe remained pretty, as ever.

With nudes, soft pastel hues and the odd pop of bright colour towards the end of the collection, the pallete at the most recent Chloe show did wonders to produce a whimsical, feminine collection. With simple shapes and feminine lines (and gold hardware thrown in for good measure, of course) the Chloe collection was what I imagine every Chloe collection to be -ultra feminine, flirtatious and youthful. We saw beautifully draped blush pink coats, silky, layered slip dresses, chunky knits, and, not forgetting, the appearance of soft culotte pants that seemed to look amazing with absolutely everything. I’ll just take one of everything, please..

                  

4. I will always love Elie Saab.

Always giving us beautiful, elegant collections, I just can’t get enough of the amazing gowns (and everything else, actually) that the designers behind this collection manage to produce. The colours this season (think warming berry tones, blush pink and teal), bold floral print, embroidered detail and glamorous furs all made for a rich and luxurious collection!

 

5. Grocery shopping- Chanel style

I’m sure we all know about this- Karl Lagerfeld turning the Grand Palais into one big Chanel supermarket. We saw sugary sweet tweed suits, metallic jeans, lace up flat boots and some amazing arm candy- but although I loved some of the looks on show, not all of it was that inspiring, even with the super cool supermarket layout.

  

Looks I Love: Carven at PFW

   

   

   

   

   

H&M at PFW

From soft and feminine to military chic there were many different faces to H&M’s most recent catwalk show in Paris this week. The khaki green sweater dresses, knee high black boots and black patent bombers made for an edgier look, although this was occasionally softened somewhat through fluffy fur coats, pretty lace detailing and silky slip dresses. Elsewhere in the show we were shown long, soft, cashmere coats, in both navy and khaki, that were a refreshing step away from the sugary sweet pastel versions we’ve been seeing. Navy seemed like the new black for this show, giving us a classic look, but this didn’t take away from the youthful glow-it wasn’t long before we saw clashing animal print, sequins and pretty turquoise hues (not forgetting those amazing clashing orange/khaki colour combos).

H&M have managed to find a perfect balance through the use of simple shapes, rich colours and the mixing of different textures, for a tough, but feminine, approach to dressing.

CALLA at NYFW

It was only last year that designer Calla Haynes first showed her collection during NYFW, and yesterday the designer was back again to show off yet another vibrant collection. Haynes is known for her strong print designs, which is why it came as no surprise to see a collection full of bold clashing prints, a nod towards ‘relaxed luxury’, as the designer herself describes her collection. The designer has managed to create a modern twist on ‘easy to wear’ fashion, by mixing quirky prints with more classic ones, like plaid and bright florals, which has led to a youthful, yet luxurious, collection.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Viktor & Rolf- SS14 Couture

With such truly beautiful clothing on show on this years SS14 Couture runways, it was hard for me to pick a favourite few designers, and so it is interesting that one of my favourites was actually the Viktor and Rolf show. Although many of the other shows had awe inspiring couture garments, I found the production and concept behind the Viktor and Rolf show really did stand them a part from the other designers. It wasn’t the clothing that impressed me so much, but with the designers giving us a ‘night at the ballet’ I found watching the whole show both haunting and beautiful. The designers took inspiration from the world of ballet in order to blur the lines between clothing and the skin, creating garments from light, beautiful materials, but every tiny detail made the show special, from the haunting, classical music to the styling of the model’s hair brushed over their faces. I know it sounds as if I am dismissing the clothing that was on show, but I was truly captivated by the dancers (cast from the Dutch National Ballet) who took the meaning of couture to a whole other level. 

[Click here to watch the show in full]

International Inspiration

‘Street Style’ is just as inspirational to me, if not more, than catwalk shows and designer campaigns, because I love to admire what others are wearing in the real world. It has occurred to me that there are so many inspirational cultures and fashions across the world that I need to have a closer look at, which is why I’ve chosen a few of my favorite looks from across the world, so enjoy and be inspired!

London: expect oversized coats, sportswear, amazing tailoring, mixed prints, and a great use of separates.

Tokyo: expect a lot of experimentation, lots of colour, a playful take on dressing, and individuality everywhere you look!

Paris: expect sleek, simple structures, flat oxford shoes, and a chic, classic and feminine approach to styling.

Moscow: expect a more daring approach to dressing, humorous and sporty twists , furs (of course), bright colours, eclectic patterns, and a great use of darker colours.

New York: expect an eclectic mix of sports, boho, feminine tailoring  and an ‘undone’ look- half untucked shirts, unbuttoned blouses- and a surprising amount of denim.

New Delhi:  reminiscent of the Indian culture you can expect an underestimated sense of glamour achieved by mixing bright colours and patterns.