The Finale

It has literally taken me forever to finally get the energy and time to write a runway report for Paris Fashion Week. In my mind, Paris is the perfect location to act as a finish line for Fashion Week. Yes, I may think of Fashion Week as a marathon but that's not the point. The city of lights gives us everything we could ever ask for: glamour, forward thinking, and beyond chic clothes. So let's cut to the chase, shall we?

VIKTOR & ROLF 

(Photo Cred)

This collection is absolutely brilliant: I love the juxtaposition between the sharp silhouettes and the ribboned details. The colors are very spring; however, it's not your typical "springtime with pastels" color palette. Overall, the collection is completely cohesive, yet each look is unique. The ball gowns are true show stoppers. Also, doesn't the turquoise and black color combination remind you a lot of the prom scene from Grease? Just saying.

ALEXANDER McQUEEN

(Photo Cred)

I was listening to the Black Swan soundtrack when I was flipping through this collection; let me just say that the combination was quite fitting! Every single look is absolute perfection. All of the silhouettes are phenomenal and I love the intricate details that accompanied every ensemble. I think this collection truly proves that Sarah Burton is a fabulous designer: she is innovative and this collection is so reminiscent of McQueen's work. In love. L-O-V-E.

BALMAIN

(Photo Cred)

For Paris Fashion Week, this is such a wearable collection! The separates are versatile and super chic. Each look is pretty different; however, the gold accents tie the whole collection together. While the silhouettes are rather simple, the detailing really give these looks a "wow" factor. Absolutely incredible.

ELIE SAAB

(Photo Cred)

I always get so excited for Elie Saab's collection because I instantly think, "RED CARPET SEASON." I'm borderline obsessed with the colors, sequins, and overall glamour of the whole collection. Each look is phenomenal and unique. There's not much I can say except for I'm SO excited to see these looks stroll down the red carpet. 

DIOR

(Photo Cred)

This collection is a complete redemption from Bill Gaytten's horrific Couture Fall 2011 collection. I'm so enamored with the ladylike silhouettes in this collection. The prints that are featured in some of the dresses equals AMAZING. These looks are wearable and I think they could look good on a variety of shapes and sizes. Beautiful! BUT WHO WILL BE DIOR'S NEW DESIGNER? It's killing me.

VALENTINO

(Photo Cred)

There are two things that I'm  obsessed with: color and lace. The fact that these two elements are in the same collection literally blew my mind. While this season's collection isn't as classic as Valentino collections usually are, it is FABULOUS.

PACO RABANNE

(Photo Cred)

This collection may not be the most wearable; however, the innovation  is truly remarkable. In my mind, this will be fashion in the future: the shine, the details, and the crazy silhouettes. Welcome to the future, I hope you like it.

Well, ladies and gent, that's the end of the Spring RTW 2012 extravaganza. I hope it was entertaining and informative.

xx

Concrete Jungle Where Dreams Are Made Of

Fashion week is probably the most exciting time in my life. Too far? I don't care; it's a time to celebrate designer's artistic accomplishments and the industry in general. There were so many outstanding looks, it's so difficult for me to just pick a few fabulous collections. But I'm going to do it, dammit! To make this easier on me, and a shorter blog post for you, I'm going to have four blog posts: New York, London, Milan, and Paris. So enough of this small talk and let's hit it off with New York.




If you ask me, New York has some of the most wearable and exciting collections of the whole season. I just love the modernity and glamour of the city. Also, the clothes are nothing less than fantastic.  So here are some of my absolute favorite collections!

JASON WU

(Photo Cred)

To start off this rave session,  Jason Wu is going to be a legend. Mark my words,  ladies and gent:he is the next great American designer. I'm totally in love with all of his collections. Obviously, this one is no exception. The pops of color and interesting silhouettes  give this collection some edge; however, the clean lines in his finals looks are eternally beautiful. Wu has a way to make all-American fashion innovative and fashion-forward. Also, whoever makes short shorts look classic really has a knack for designing. I'm telling you guys now, he WILL be my date to the Met Ball someday. 

PRABAL GURUNG

(Photo Cred)

Gurung also makes my heart go pitter-patter. What I love most about this collection is that it truly is ready-to-wear. He  designed this collection with the typical woman in mind.  I think these clothes will look great on women of all shapes and sizes, which is so rare in fashion. Sure there are some looks that may only look good on a size 00 , but the universal feel dominates this collection . Also, this collection is never boring! He experiments with appliques, cutouts, and quirky patterns; it never seems like he's trying to hard. In my mind, all his crazy execution ideas work well with the collection. He knows how to create a successful look: when using crazy fashion elements, he keeps the silhouette simple. He's never overbearing as a designer, which is so refreshing!

DEREK LAM

(Photo Cred)

I really love when designers don't create a collection of cohesive prints and silhouettes; instead, they make a uniform for a certain kind of woman. And that's exactly with Lam did for this most recent collection . Who is the "Derek Lam" girl, you may ask? She's a powerful broad who craves an unstated kind of glamour. She's a modern chick who love clean lines. She has enough confidence to wear almost anything. She loves a piece that has an innate charm. Oh, and she can also pick a fabulous dress. Doesn't this "Derek Lam" girl I made up seem really cool? This collection has some incredible separates and I really think we'll see a lot of these pieces at press releases and premieres. 

SACHIN & BABI 

(Photo Cred)

I'm obsessed with this collection for one reason and one reason only: its focus on youthful fashionistas. You can just tell by the use of youthful silhouettes and short shorts that this collection is geared towards the new generation of fashionistas. All of the looks in this collection appeal to me: finally, I don't have to sacrifice my age to wear fashion forward clothes. HOORAY!  In addition, the designs are well executed and the looks can be dressed up or down. I've mentally styled my friends in this collection...awkward?

PROENZA SCHOULER

(Photo Cred)

Something I truly admire about this collection is how it has both masculine and feminine components, thus making this a wearable and universally loved collection. Some silhouettes are androgynous, while others are the epitome of femininity. As an aspiring fashionista, I truly think it's an everyday struggle- yes, there are trials and tribulations- to be feminine without being too girly as well as being edgy without looking like  boy. Through Proenza Schouler's silhouettes, mix of fabrics, and patterns, we get  a happy medium. On a side note, I completely love the retro prints of this collection.


CHRISTIAN SIRIANO

(Photo Cred)

Ever since his days on Project Runway, I've always felt inspired by Siriano's vision. Spring/Summer 2012 is no exception. He ceases to amaze me with his concepts and I love witnessing his growth as a designer. I love how he really focused on the "pops of color" idea in this latest collection. And, in true Siriano fashion, it's not boring. He uses interesting textures, feathers, and adds intricate details to tailored pieces in order to show his originality. I always know that I can rely on his collection to give something truly dramatic and outstanding. And his evening gowns are pretty crazy!

ZAC POSEN

(Photo Cred)

His dresses in this collection are literally breathtaking. I'm such a dress kind of girl so I really love how this collection is 100% skirts and dresses. Posen knows that women always love this kind of old school glamour; however, he adds some interesting silhouettes to make this collection more relevant. All of these looks are absolutely fabulous. 

WES GORDON

(Photo Cred)

Here's a riddle: who can make a collection that's completely wearable, feminine, and modern at the same time? Wes Gordon can. This collection has some truly incredible separates that can be worn for any occasion. In contrast to Posen's collection, I love how laid back this collection is. It's quirky in its own way; however, I feel as if the coolest chick at the party would wear any of these looks. Fabulous!

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG 

(Photo Cred)

I think all I need to say can be summed up to a simple sentence: Diane von Furstenburg is the Queen of Fashion. This season is very into loose silhouettes, which Diane obviously incorporated. Each look, however, is undeniably fashion forward and feminine, thus holding true to Diane's  design philosophy. LOVE LOVE LOVE!  To quote the band, The Police, every little thing she does is magic. But really...it is.

Stay tuned for more!

PS: Wanna hear about NYFW's beauty? Check out my latest Her Campus blog post! 

xx

xx

Tibi Spring 2012 RTW

A couple weeks ago, something great happened: I was invited back to see Tibi's spring collection. It's Fashion Week, so you cannot say no. Ever. So I hopped on a train at 9AM to head to New York and took a train back to Beantown 24 hours later. While I like to think my day resembled an episode of 24 in terms of chaos,those details can be discussed at another time, the craziness simmered once the lights at Lincoln Center's stage dimmed and a drum roll opened Tibi's Spring 2012 RTW show. This season, Amy Smilovic did something very different. She didn't have fancy party dresses,prints, and appliques, as seen in previous seasons. Instead, she incorporated clean lines and punches of color.

Some may categorize this as "minimalism" but I, considering minimalism an arch-nemesis of mine, don't. Instead, I think it was Smilovic's intention to create a blank slate for jewels, scarves, and other fun accessories. That and minimalism, my dear friends, are two different things.

I absolutely loved this baby blue, especially combined with a crisp, white shirt. The stylist in me is thinking  a statement necklace or even a strong, metal cuff would be the perfect way to style this "canvas piece."

This canary yellow= gorgeous. Doesn't this SCREAM color-blocking to you?

My picture of this was so blurry, so thanks Style.com for the help! The color of this dress is absolutely gorgeous and the loose silhouette makes this piece a perfect "Spring into Summer" dress. (Photo Cred)

A normal Tuesday: chilling with Olivia Palermo, Sophia Bush, and Emma Roberts. Everyone does it, right?

Oh, and Louise Roe too.

I know this is a very blurry picture, please refer to this clearer one, but I loved this unique take on color blocking. While everyone just does color blocking in terms of top and bottom, I love how simply chic this dress is. Bravo!

In conclusion, I think that Tibi Spring 2012 RTW had awesome spring staples and a beyond gorgeous color palette. Congratulations to the Tibi Team for creating another stellar collection! 

Smilovic giving her little kiddies a hug.

Obviously, this blog post isn't about me; however, I will show you what I decided to wear to the show. I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that I was so busy today that Mother Dearest couldn't shoot any artsy pics of my outfit. But here's the breakdown:

I obviously had to rep Tibi so the focal point of my outfit was this AMAZING Tibi jacket I got in the summer. The best part about this jacket is that this is the SHORT version. Yes, ladies and gent, this jacket is a ZIP-OFF. How genius? Much cooler than those zip-off cargo pants. In addition, I wore black skinnies, a black tank, my new black flats, and gold jewels. To give this look some color, I added this sick Rebecca Minkoff bag I purchased a few weeks ago. Chic and effortless, I loved it! 

Stay tuned for the rest of my NYFW recap! 


xx