I love simplicity and for fall you can’t ever go wrong with shades of black. For the last few years I tried to wear more colour in the fall and winter, but this season I am back at it and looking sharp in all black. I think it’s also an easy way out when you are too tired in the morning and just want to throw something together quickly, black is always the answer. A lot of designers this season going black as well. Below is a video for Diesel Fall/Winter 14/15 Fashion Show, Saint Laurent Fall/Winter 14/15 and one of my all time favourite Alexander Wang Fall/Winter 14/15
See my Pinterest account for more daily style inspirations
Are you a world traveller like me? Some essential pieces to take with you on your next journey. I can’t live without my MacBook , Ray Bans , AKG Headphones and Michael Kors watch. Of course don’t forget to take your passport. Have fun!
With the begging of the new decade in 1910’s fashionable silhouette became more fluid and soft.
When the Ballets Russes preformed “Scheherazade” in Paris in 1910, an obsession for Orientalism was ensured.
The busy, working women of the time needed respectable but at the same time practice clothing for everyday wear and better garments for weekends. The smart tailor-made outfit was mainstay of the female wardrobe and compromised an ankle-length skirt and long, matching jacket.
Beaded and embroidered evening or dinner gown, ‘La Mode’ magazine, French, 1910.
By 914 skirts were the widest at the hips and very narrow at the ankles those making it very difficult for long strides.
Very talented couturier Paul Poiret was the leading dressmaker at the time, His clients were transformed into harem girls, in flowing pantaloons, turbans, and vivid colors and geishas in exotic kimono. Paul Poiret was also the first designer to invent an outfit that was easily put on without a maid’s help.
Art Deco, a new style emerging around that time was a big influence in the fashion world and leading couturiers of that time were very quick to catch up on that trend.
In 1911,Paul Poiret introduced “Parfums de Rosine,” named after his daughter, becoming the first French couturier to launch a signature fragrance, although again the London designer Lucile had preceded him with a range of in-house perfumes as early as 1907.
With the WWI (1914-1919) on the horizon the world of fashion started to change. Paul Poiret and other fashion designers were called into the military and their couture houses closed. Wartime prevented commerce between France and the United States and, although the French silk industry remained in operation in Lyon, its clientele in the couture disappeared into the army along with many of its weavers.
As male designers were off defending France, a young female designer came of age. In 1915, Gabrielle Chanel was in the West of France, out of the combat zones, producing hats and designing loose-fitting chemise dresses with belts at the hip. By 1916, she was making casual pleated skirts from the practical Rodier wool jersey that before the war had been restricted to men’s underwear, and topping them with sailors’ sweaters–in the mode of the sportswear that had begun to appear earlier in Vogue.
Circa 1912 – Gabrielle ChaTnel in Etreta
Hats and Hair Style
Large hats with wide brims and broad hats with face-shadowing brims were the height of fashion in the early years of the decade, gradually shrinking to smaller hats with flat brims. Bobbed or short hair was introduced to Paris fashion in 1909 and spread to avant-garde circles in England during the war. Actress and fashion trendsetter of the silent films of that era, Irene Castle helped spread the fashion for short hairstyles in America.
Shoes
During 1910’s ladies began fussing about narrow feet, believing that it was a sign of good breeding and gentility. Both men and women wore shoes that were a full size too small, sometimes going as far as removing their small toe for extra narrow effect. Women wore boots during the day and the court shoe with a small Louis heel in the evenings. These were often embellished with embroidery or metallic thread and glass or jet beading on the toes. Did you know that the first sneaker was developed called Keds in 1917. Do you know why they were called sneakers? The rubber sole didn’t make noise when you walked and you could quite literally “sneak” up on someone.
Menswear 1910’s – Costume Reference
Men’s Fashion
The Sack Suit- these were long, plain, loose-fitting (some might call them baggy) suit jackets with wide lapels and a one to three button closure. The most common colours were; Navy, Grey, Green and occasionally Brown. Fabrics were all wool with hints of striping, checks and plaid. The jacket could hang with straight opening edges or rounded. The overall look was a box shape jacket with pants with roomy hips and legs that hung straight down to the ankles, tapered slightly and were cuffed at the bottom.
Shoes in the 1910’s
Shoes
Men could choose between three types of shoes, largely depending on where the shoes were going to be worn. Boots were designed for heavy walking and were usually worn for traveling, business and labor jobs. They were not ugly or bland. They were often two toned with the upper half white like a shoe spats, or a lighter color than the sole. Laces laced half way up and then switched to loop and hooks for the remainder of the height. The toes were pointed and the arches were high.
Hats and hairstyles and gloves:
Illustrator _ grain Wan Chai Photo Album – heap Sugar
Men always wore gloves, usually white in colour. Final touch for well-dressed Edwardian man was a hat. Derbies or bowlers and homburgs were acceptable day wear while silk top hats were worn for formal occasions. Sportsmen wore flat caps, also called Ivy, cab driver, or Newsboy hats.
Hair style in the 1910’s
In the 1910s, actor Lon Chaney wore the decade’s classic men’s haircut that is still favoured today, though with some modern touches. He wore his hair short and clipped, slicked back, and with a neat side part. The key is a short, neat haircut slicked back from the face, although rarely some men wore a sort of pompadour style.
GISELE BUNDCHEN, who is one of my favourite Models, wants more fashion photographers to adopt a more natural look when shooting for advertising campaigns – urging them to embrace imperfections and steer away from over retouching the images. As the world’s most powerful supermodel, the 32-year-old has starred in countless high-fashion campaigns – including, most recently one for BLK DNM.
The Brazilian-born beauty worked closely with the brand’s creative director, Johan Lindeberg, on the shoot, who photographed her himself and praised his relaxed technique. Lindberg persuaded Bundchen to go without make-up or hair styling for the photographs (the full results of which are yet to be unveiled), and the whole shoot took just two hours.
“I loved his approach because I feel like women should be really real and raw and it doesn’t really happen anymore. I love that feeling of, you know, we are women – we are so different. Our imperfections are what makes us unique and beautiful. He gets that. He’s not trying to retouch you or put a pretty light on you. He’s not like, ‘You’ve got to look a certain way.’ He’s like, ‘You are you.'”
To my opinion Gisele is perfect as it is, even without make-up and professionally done hair she looks amazing.
The mother of two has also previously starred in campaigns for Givenchy, Versace, H&M, Chanel and Balenciaga, to name a few. She recently made Forbes’ list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women – the only model to do so – and alongside husband Tom Brady, who is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots, are one of the world’s richest celebrity couples, second only to Beyonce and Jay-Z.
Gaby Aghion was born in Alexandria, Egypt in the year 1921. She started Chloé in 1952 after moving to Paris in 1945 with a vision and coined the term ‘prêt-à-porter’ which means Ready-To-Wear. Gaby Aghion continued to run the house until 1985, when Chloé was bought-out by Dunhill Holdings (now Richemont Group).
In 2007 Chloé became the first luxury brand to offer an iPhone specific version of its website. In 2008, the brand broadcasted its fashion shows on the same-day they took place.
In 2011 MacGibbon was replaced by former Pringle of Scotland Designer Clare Waight Keller.
Today, just like Grace Kelly and Maria Callas did before them, young stars like Kirsten Dunst, Clémence Poésy and Jessica Alba fall in love with the soft elegance of the French house.
Have you heard about a scandalous ad campaign for French design house Louis Vuitton? A promotional video for Fall/Winter 2013 collection has sparked an outrage for its “prostitution chic”. Produced by “Love” magazine and filmed by James Lima, the clip features models sauntering down dark alleys in the collection’s négligées, nighties and fur coats while soliciting passersby. Models Cara Delevingne and Georgia May Jagger are among the scantilly-clad ladies featured in this film, leaning into the car windows and even flipping the middle finger. The video jumps back and forth from the streets to the runway show and Marc Jacobs him self,styling the models back stage. Portraying prostitution as a glamorous way has not sat well with women right groups in France.
So has fashion once again gone too far, naked women are being used to create a buzz for the brand and the new collection? Well, this film got everyone talking and perhaps that is the idea behind the video, simply a marketing stunt. When asked designer Mark Jacobs him self about the video and what he thought of it, he simply replied, that this particular collection was aimed at a woman with an attitude of getting dressed up only to find the most glamorous destination, is one’s own hotel room.
Valentino is one of my all time favourite designers. He is synonymous with opulence, extravagance, and drama.
Valentino became interested in fashion when he was studying in primary school. His debut in a fashion word began in 1962, in Florence, a fashion capital at the time. From then on the rest is history, to this day he is still one of the most influential designers of our generation.
Here are some of the examples of his amazing work, in this editorial spread for Italian Vogue, Spring and Summer 2013. Looking at his designs one might think of it as an extraordinary masterpieces, timeless with elegance and chic. I was fortunate enough to go see his work on display couple of month ago at Somerset House in London.
I love Jeff Bark’sPhotography, he is one of my favourite fashion photographers. Born and raised in United States, Jeff Bark creates beautiful images that speak to you in so many ways. I like his latest work that he did for Dazed & Confused Magazine, called “Nastya In Bloom”. Very beautifully done, magical, romantic, almost has a feel of a Alice in Wonderland to it. I really like it, it reminds me of a Spring time in Vancouver, Canada, with all the cherry blossoms. It is my favourite time of the year, when all the trees and plants are blooming and people are coming out of their houses to enjoy long strolls in the city or in parks. I am so ready for Spring!!! Bring on the nice weather, we are all ready for it!!!