Images by Kai Yoshizumi || Words by Brooke Butler
ELIE SAAB | PARIS
Straying from his feminine trademark, Saab added a flare of fierceness to his collection from Paris fashion week. Flowy silhouettes embellished with dark lace and intricate embroidery strutted down the catwalk. By mid-show black magic took over the clothes as black and crimson lace, cascading fringe, Victorian blouses and dresses flowing like waterfalls bewitched the runway. Long, sexy fringe hugged the curves of many of the models and a black fur coat even enchanted us. What stole our hearts was an opulent red dress with long, layered sleeves, red leather belt and black studded choker necklace. This show left us mesmerized.
GARETH PUGH | London
It’s a man’s man’s man’s world…but it wouldn’t mean nothin’ without Gareth Pugh’s statement on the modernized woman this past Paris Fashion week. Stealing from the working mans closet, Pugh’s line takes an almost 80’s take on the cinched suit jackets, belted coats, capes and perfectly tailored looks showing a woman can be powerful and make a head or two turn in the mean time. His new spin on the power suit revealed our favorite look in a camel trench with matching corn dolly hat adorned with white stars. The most outlandish part of the show was when the models wore Hannibal Lecter-esque masks that Pugh said reflects the “visual codes of raw female ambition.” Apparently, we are man-eaters…watch out world!
GUCCI | Milan
Take a trip into Italian art and renaissance theme with Alessandro Michele’s new creative direction for Gucci’s line at Milan fashion week. 60s style mini dresses drenched in abstract graphics and mixed textures walked the runway. Platform sandals with aquamarine and canary yellow tights made a splash. Highlighting streamlined silhouettes Michele revived the baroque style with exaggerated pieces reminiscent of French couture. A long, vibrant red fur coat draped over the shoulders of a menswear inspired suit and caught our eye. The quirky look was finished with silver rimmed glasses and black hat…have you seen Carmen San Diego?
PRADA | Milan
Put on your sailor hat, fasten your sky-high laced up boots and grab your large cross-body handbag…it’s time to travel and roar to the world “I am woman!” Miuccia Prada wanted you to know that everything in her line is symbolic. From the trinkets worn as accessories to cinched white corsets to golden anchors decorating shoes, every intricate layer of her unique line screamed a woman who has traveled and experienced life. The line covered all four seasons and if we read into the symbolism Prada asks us to we see a woman whose clothes have shaped her identity throughout time. Prada stated backstage at her show that her clothes are “like a collage of what is happy or painful, of whether you are feeling beautiful or horrible, when you have love or no love. I thought of it as like someone who has all the clothes she’s ever had on the floor in front of her in the morning and she must choose how she’s going to assemble herself.” Standout looks included a deep navy velvet textured dress with golden embroidery, pirate-like light brown leather lace up boots and like any worldly Prada woman, a white sailor hat. The message is clear: wear who you are and don’t apologize.
PUMA by Rihanna | New York
With the athleisure trend on the rise, Rihanna’s new line as creative director for Puma is one to keep your eye on. Inspired by Japanese street culture with gothic undertones these clothes will make you feel edgy and confident. With an emphasis on sporty silhouettes and fabrics such a jersey and velvet – you can be comfortable and utterly sexy simultaneously. The simplicity of the colors – staying with black, grey, and white – and minimalistic makeup only highlighted the “glamorous goth” shoes of this line. Our favorite look was a lace- up thigh-high sneaker boot, black poncho and puma choker reminiscent of a 90s punk rocker. Lastly, did we mention the gothic jungle full of trees and the metallic catwalk that Rihanna created for her models to walk? Game changer.
RALPH LAUREN | New York
Ralph Lauren “dares you to be yourself,” with his new ready to wear fall/winter collection from New York fashion week. Inspired by the sophisticated yet effortless woman, his line opens with super soft beige tones luxuriously mixed into fabrics of cashmere, flannel and plaids. Seemingly inspired by British style no wonder Sienna Miller was front and center at the star-studded event. Where his line truly popped was the shift into cool rocker territory. Every look felt like watching a mysterious celeb from the seventies in London. Royal blue, pleated velvets, frock coats and little black dresses swept the runway. But we can’t get our minds off the golden finale that screamed modern romanticism. A black long sleeved crop top, matching black belt and boots seem something from today’s magazines, but when you add a long luxurious skirt glimmering in gold you’re far from average. We are sure the red carpet will be overflowing with these looks.
MARC JACOBS | New York
Did we fall down the rabbit hole or get sucked into a black hole that landed us in a world of dark magic and fashion noir? Possibly, or it’s the inventive direction of Marc Jacob’s new line from New York fashion week. Amongst a stark white backdrop, models walked in tweeds, leather skirts, deconstructed varsity sweaters and silks all touched with a bit of fur. The makeup was gothic emphasizing black lips and smoky baby doll eyes that had us dreaming of a world where a Clockwork Orange inter- twined with the Queen of Hearts. While dark, this world still preserved its sweetness amongst the flowing, full skirts and silk dresses. Kendall Jenner’s look stole the show in a gloomy tweed skirt and coat lined with raven feathers. The show finished with Lady Gaga walking…need we say more? Sign us up for this haunted world.
