Posts with tag Fall2008

If you're top heavy -- we mean truly top heavy, not just a little busty -- you probably already know how important it is to try to make your body look proportional, which can be hard with the heavy fabrics and boxy cuts of some fall fashions. The last thing in the world you want to do is add bulk to your upper half, right? You don't want to look like you're about to tip over!

While trolling through the Style.com fall 2008 accessory report (yes, already) we stumbled on this wacky silver, enamel and Murano glass ring by designer Delfina Deletrezz. It was love at first sight!

We recently caught up with Sarah Johnson, the head buyer for LunaBoston.com, an online boutique that features a fabulous selection of handbags from modern and emerging designers like Olivia Harris, Jenny Yuen, and Treesje. We asked her what she looks for when shopping for new young designers to carry, and found out what trends she thinks will be hot for Fall 2008.

After my head stopped spinning from the horror called IMASU by Kelly Nishimoto I needed two things ... a cocktail and a better runway show. I suppose I got both with Orthodox but I have a sneaking suspicion the cocktail helped me enjoy the second show more.

The show was short with only 22 looks in the collection and showcased both men's and women's fashions. The overall feel to me was slacker chic, which was the perfect match for the Nirvana cover song they played to open the show. Some key trends I picked out of the collection were metallics, geek glasses, ombre, purple, and gloves.

The great thing about the collection is that it was very wearable and that is exactly what I have to come to expect during LA Fashion Week shows. There was a fair amount of black and white in collection, which is perfect for mixing and matching. Nothing in the collection was too over-the-top so you could literally rip the clothes right off the runway and be on your way.

It looks like LA Fashion Week is starting to look up after all.

L.A. Fashion Week kicked off at 4pm on Sunday with a show by Kelly Nishimoto. Who? Yeah, that's what I said. A no-name opening up Fashion Week was a bad sign but I tried to remain positive. My positive spirit started to diminish after waiting for 45 minutes for the show to start. Listen Kelly, you ain't no Marc Jacobs sweetie! Let's start the show on time.

Once the show got underway I couldn't wait for it to end. It was dreadful. If I were to give the show a name it would be 'The joker and the thief and Kelly Nishimoto' because it looked like a medieval nightmare. There was crazy ribbon work, hoods, ruffles in all the wrong places, tassels, bows -- she basically took every Fall 2008 trend and piled them into one hellish collection.

The end of the show when Kelly came out to take her bow was the real kicker though. Most designers step out a few feet, bow, and turn around to get the hell off the stage. Kelly, her model, and a man dressed up in a Pink Panther costume (I can't make this stuff up people) took a good 5 minutes to get down the runway. Once the clan got to the end Kelly wouldn't leave the end of the runway. She stayed down there posing like a dope for so long that her model left the runway and the photographers actually stopped snapping photos. I was mortified for her.

If LA Fashion Week keeps at this pace it's going to be a long week.

I always like going into shows like Lacoste because, like Nautica, I really don't know what to expect. I mean of course I know Lacoste, who doesn't? They do have a sweet little alligator for a mascot! However when it comes to them on the runway I just don't know.

With any runway show, this one was getting off to a fashionably late start. To kill time I read the program and call sheet, which is something I usually save until after the show (I am weird like that). The show was to consist of three distinct looks for the "stylish ski slopes" : a contemporary homage to Rene Lacoste, a mountain-high ride to Kingston Jamaica, and finally a ski disco party with leg warmers over jeans. My excitement was starting build, especially over the leg warmers.

When I walked into the tent the first thing I noticed was that the runway was covered in white fur, sheepskin to be exact! Either this was going to be super cool or super funny when models in heels tried to walk across this "animal" of a runway. Fashion roadkill or no, the mood was very fun and cozy -- I liked it.

Not to be totally negative but the program was more exciting than the collection. Not to say that I didn't like the collection because I did, I just didn't like it as much as I thought I would. The 1980's touches that normally would have scared me were kind of adorable in the ski setting. The pink, purples, and teal pastels in the disco ski party segment made me think of my younger years sledding in the backyard, which is never a bad thing.

Takeaway trends:
- Varsity style V-neck sweaters
- Wide stripes
- Tapered leg pants
- Colored tights

And as shameful as this is to say -- I will be wearing my leg warmers over my jeans next Fall.

Just when I thought Fashion Week couldn't get anymore spectacular out comes a show that was really worth standing in line for -- Rock and Republic. I knew I was in for something special when the line to get in wrapped around Bryant Park. It looked more like people lined up for rock concert than a fashion show and in the end; it was really a bit of both.

After being herded from line to line we were brought into the main tent which had been transformed from what I saw it to be the night before, to an all out event. The main tent looked like a full out concert arena, crazy lights and all. There were streaming spotlights panning across the crowd, a gigantic double runway, and a full musical ensemble in the middle of it all. I knew I was in for something bigger a fashion show, much bigger.

The celebrities really came out for this one too. Tyson Beckford was there, so was Nigel Barker, Lydia Hearst, Joss Stone, and Vivica A. Fox. And those were just the ones who walked past me!

The band was playing The Beatles, which to me was totally unexpected but totally cool at the same time. Exactly 65 looks stomped down the runway in a palette of blacks and purples. The collection was sleek, sexy, and screamed 70's glam. Tied in with the whole musical experience the show was pretty much flawless.

Takeaway trends:

- Asymmetrical silhouettes
- Plunging necklines
- Menswear inspired pieces
- Huge collars and enormously cozy turtlenecks

Oh and one more takeaway was sexy models, my goodness those boys looked good!

I had never heard of Venexiana before last night's show but I was hopeful when it kicked off with flashing blue lights and music so loud it made the floor shake. The first few looks from the collection were equally impressive with furs so lavish they would make Ivana Trump jealous. However, the rest of the collection was a disappointment to say the least.

The whole collection was very "chi-chi I am better than you" with models stomping down the runway with tight ringlet curls pinned up in a very 1940's fashion. And what says, "I am better than you" more than a great piece of fur. Once I saw the fur coats, fur trim, fur accessories, fur everything I immediately scribbled "F- you fur" in my notebook because that is the kind of message it was giving off.

I have to admit I got pretty excited when I saw all of the fur but my excitement fizzled as the show took a turn for the worse with this insane Dynasty look. It was scary as hell. Silken pajama-like ensembles, metallic, lame, leg 'o' mutton sleeves, and patterns only Bill Cosby would love, made this collection a horror.

There were some key trends in there that were also evident in other shows, so I guess it wasn't a complete waste of time. Some key takeaway trends are: asymmetrical silhouettes, cut-outs, deep V (in front and back), large sleeves, criss-cross straps (back), 1980's inspiration and the color yellow.