TIBI Fall 2010: Everygirl's Dream Collection

credit: Elle.com

For the Fall 2010 collection, TIBI stayed true to its roots by showing a fun, flirty collection incorporating many different trends, bold colors, and an array of fabrics. These included military jackets, chunky knits, sequins, velvet, leather, maxi dresses, suits, blazers, slacks, jackets, shorts, plaid, floral prints, and more! Such juxtaposition with so many different elements would usually make a collection look cluttered; however, the collection was cohesive and very entertaining. There was a piece for everybody! Personally, I loved the two piece suit paired with a gold sequin corset (shown below).

credit: elle.com

I am usually not one for color, but I loved the color combination of this collection! I may just have to buy some burgundy tights for fall!

VIVIENNE TAM Fall 2010 Collection: When Chinese Tradition meets Space Age Modernism

When you think about Chinese fashion, if all that comes to mind is some conservative cheongsam or black Chinese tunic suit, you will be completely surprised by Vivienne Tam's Fall 2010 runway show. Inspired by the Chinese Zodiac, Vivienne featured twelve animals in the collection, especially the Tiger. How appropriate, as the day Vivienne's show was presented, Feb 14th, marked the start of the Year of the Tiger.

Credit: flypaper.bluefly.com

This show was a grand color banquet. Vivienne, as we know, has always been a genius in coordinating colors, but this time her talent of mixing colors is way beyond description. Blood red, white, black, gold, gray, green and champagne color were spread on shining fabric, including silk, sequin, satin, gazar and many others, which gives each piece a fresh and stunning look. Among all the pieces, one of my favorite was the RABBIT origami dress with a red silk gazar V-neck and dolman sleeve. A bloody red color and pleated design highlighted the beautiful curves of the model and gave her a dazzling yet feminine look. Furthermore, the simple makeup with bold red lips and sleek ponytail also helped emphasizing the gorgeous fabric and vivid color.

Credit: Zi Lin BC '13

Credit: Zi Lin BC '13

The shining feature of all the fabric, while adding an extra lustrous element to the piece, thoroughly changed the stereotypical Chinese look. Just imagine a girl from the Tang Dynasty wearing a Cheongsam designed in Zenon-girl fashion: very classy, yet perfectly trendy. It's a great moment when when Chinese Tradition meets space age modernism--so fabulous.

Where's the "FEROCH"?: Christian Siriano, Fall 2010

It was hard not to be smitten with Mr. Siriano the first moment that he, and his fabulous hair, sauntered his way into Project Runway, Season 4. During Fashion Night Out in Fall 2009, I waited in line for my chance to see who I had been told was going to be Christian Siriano. 45 minutes later, to my total dismay, I learned it had been a hoax; a different Christian S-something would be making an appearance that evening. Finally, however, I got to see the real-deal Siriano from the white folding chairs on the sideline of his Bryant Park runway show.

As can be expected of Mr. Siriano, his fabric choice was impeccable, displaying soft, silky satins in rich saturated hues in combination with flowing, yet structured organza, and innovative metallic wool (with the exception of the dowdy wool that tainted his first outfits of the show). But while the divo trademarked to catchy adjective “fierce,” his Fall 2010 collection lacked the wildness that the word is generally connotative of. If fierce is a cheetah, Siriano’s newest collection is an ocelot--just tame enough to be domesticated. His line was grounded with feminine ruffles and looping gathers that were carried between separates, cocktail dresses, and the voluminous evening gowns that closed his show.

Looks from RTW Fall 2010
credit: Aisling Hunt, BC '13

The superb tailoring and graceful femininity of Siriano’s collection should not be over looked, however. Overall, the Project Runway winner had a couple of noteworthy pieces, but he certainly played it very safe; "wow"-factor of his past creations was nonexistent. Hopefully the daring divo will release his wild side once again for the Spring 2011. But don’t worry, Christian, you’re the still fiercest biatch on the runway.

P.S. - Don't forget to check out Christian Siriano for Payless to pick up affordable, yet fabulous versions of your favorite runway shoes!

Bubble-Gum Tough Girls: Alexa Chung for MadeWell

"I feel like I should be in the 1940’s, driving, on my way to the beach, with the top down," said fellow Hootette, Gabriella, about the new Alexa Chung for Madewell Collection. And I could not have put it in better words myself.

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Needless to say, I was enamored by Chung’s sultry-sweet line for the denim company. The cozy suite at the Bowrey Hotel was transformed for the evening into an inviting departure to a more innocent decade in American fashion. The collection embodied a perfect balance between conservatism and sex appeal. The models were clad in daring hemlines but bore no outrageous cleavage or exposed skin elsewhere. The sugary-sweet velvet baby-doll dresses and overalls (along with soundtrack of The Angels “My Boyfriends Back” playing in the background) evoked a guilty Lolita sensuality that not even Nabokov himself could achieve. Finally, pops of bright red accessories amongst the muted pallet were the cherry on top of Chung’s fall collection.

credit: Aisling Hunt, BC '13

Just like her clothing, Alexa Chung was quite a sweetheart. It had been rumored that Chung was not going to be in attendance at her own party, but within 15 minutes of it’s start Alexa came out, clad in her Madewell line, to enjoy the night with her guests. After a night of fancy with Alexa Chung, you can bet I will be first in line to get my hands on the line when it debuts in stores this fall.

Farah Angsana Fall 2010: Sequins and Furs, Oh My

About a quarter of the way through the Farah Angsana Fall 2010 show, my eyes were tired. I kid you not, there were so many sequins and sparkles on the runway that I had to blink a few times just to moisten my eyes. But then the inevitable happened: a deep plum gown appeared, and it was entirely devoid of sparkles. Accessorized simply with a slim black belt and a fabulous pink and tan fur muff, this was by far my favorite look of the show.

Credit: Anna Cooperberg Gonzalez CC'12

In their defense though, the sequins and sparkles were done very nicely, and I can imagine more than one of those creations floating effortlessly down the red carpet. Besides a bevy of structured separates in a raw satin, long evening dresses took center stage in shades of mustard, bright red, popping magenta, glittering navy, and forest green. Angsana brought life to the modern-day colored column dress by adding light chiffon capes that flowed outward from the dress, catching the wind and fluttering beautifully as the model sauntered.

Credit: Anna Cooperberg Gonzalez CC'12

Massively pouffy fox furs added the perfect glamor quotient to the sparkly dresses, giving a textural juxtaposition between the silky fabrics, the reflection of the sequins, and the rather pointy fox-tail ends. To those who argue that Angsana's ready-to-wear creations look like little more than a glorified prom or pageant dress, I do not disagree, but merely point out that they are at least glorified and expertly made unlike their department-store imitators.

Classic & Quirky: Men's Fall 2010 Bags

At the men's Fall 2010 shows in Milan and Paris, it's safe to say that handbags were not the biggest concern of the designers. It's true, man-bags do exist in Europe but those strange little layered pocketbooks didn't show up on the runways; rather, the designers focused on a larger travel bag or briefcase for the fall.

Credit: GQ.com

Bottega Veneta's large croc briefcases provided the perfect backdrop to the casually cuffed jeans, ravishing double-breasted blazers, and cocky fedoras. The rigidity counteracted the texture in the outfits, whereas Hermès used the softness of their suede briefcases to balance the sharpness of their outfits, which would look quite at home worn by the famously chic Gossip Girl bad boy Chuck Bass. The suits were cut slimly, and the high level of craftsmanship was evident in both the rolling of the leather briefcase handles and the impeccable coat seams.

Credit: GQ.com

As for travel cases, Gucci was rather conventional, with a large square shape that resembled the Hermes HAC; a little too similar, I'd say. But the logo on the tote, far from an outlandish splashing of "G"s, was a subtle checkered shape that recalled prints from the early days of the Italian luxury house. Over in Paris, Louis Vuitton maximized their leather talents with a bevy of interestingly shaped cases to be worn on the shoulder. The bags lacked the quintessential LV logos, which was understated in the best, most refreshing sort of way, allowing the cut, shape, and leather of the cases revel in attention rather than relying on those two letters.

Credit: GQ.com

And then there was Prada. I'm sure you've seen a beautifully dressed man at some point who, pulling his hands out of his pockets, reveals them to be clad in the wildest print gloves imaginable. Mrs. Prada was certainly designing this collection for that very man, and showcased brilliant basics alongside utilitarian bags rendered slightly madcap with their psychedelic-in-a-computer-generated-sort-of-way patterns. Most fashionistas have one or more crazy bags stashed in their closets; fashionistos, please take note, and mix up your classics with a touch of spontaneous color and texture.

So is blood the new black?

credit: coutorture.com

Jean Paul Gaultier seems to think so. Exhibitionist? Sadist? Genius? Any three could describe fashion's biggest rebel. In his fall 2010 menswear collection Gaultier took sportswear to the extreme, even going as far as to send battered and bloodied male models in full couture boxing uniform (complete with gloves and knee-high lace ups) down the runway. Menswear isn't necessarily the safest environment to take styling risks, but Gaultier really seemed to out do himself with this one. The titan of 80's couture, who is known for the cone-shaped bra that defined a generation, and made Madonna famous is know stranger to outlandish design in women's wear, but he really came out of the comfort zone to showcase this... interesting... men's collection.

credit:style.com

Part of me thinks, "Wearing couture to the gym? Where do I sign up" but the vast majority is just slightly disturbed and laregly terrified. Courageous? Artistic? Or just over the top? I mean, trust me, I live for avant-garde-- but seriously, fake blood and gaping wounds? How much is too much? What do you think?

credit: nymag.com

Above: The designer takes his bow and bleeds profusely.