SPRING 2010: TAKE A BOW

Designers added a pretty, nostalgic effect to fall fashions by using bows to wrap models up like special-delivery packages. At YSL, Tom Ford attached satin ties to luxurious fur stoles and jewel-colored velvet jackets worn over lingerie-light dresses, while Versace's seductive corset dresses were finished by bows just waiting to be untied.

Lacing was the order of the day at Christian Dior and Blaak, and patent leather was used for a more heavy-duty effect at Moschino. Loop-de-loops showed up on plenty of accessories, too, as everyone from Christian Louboutin to John Galliano seemed determined to just say bow.

HOTTEST FASHION TRENDS YOU WILL SEE ON THE CARPET

Every year, there is a trend, asymmetrical gowns, metallics, or even simple black strapless, so what's the trend going to be come Sunday, January 17th, 2010 for the Golden Globes? Well after taking a look at Fashion Week in NY back in October, it gives hints to some trends that should be gracing the red carpet tomorrow.


TREND #1: COLOR YOURSELF. Beautiful colored jewels will adorn the necklines of some of Hollywood's hottest. Red rubies, emeralds, sapphires, in bold pieces will be making quite the statements. Look for Fred Leighton, Geary, and Neil Lane to make these Tinseltown beauties bling in style.

TREND #2: FEMININE TOUCH. Luck be a lady, that wins a Golden Globes, that is for sure. You will see some of your favorites gently draped in ruffles. Feminine detailing that is soft and beautiful give a sense of balanced beauty to Hollywood glamour.

TREND #3: THINK PINK. Magenta is a signature color of the season, so be prepared to see some color on the red carpet this year. Not only does this gorgeous shade captivate the imagination, but it enhances the beautiful bronze bodies, as well as, the fair porcelain canvases that it's wrapped around.

TREND #4: BOLD SHOULDER. If the asymmetrical trend wasn't fierce enough, we will see a lot of one-sleeve accents. The couture element of these gowns will be sure showstoppers! Rumor is that January Jones will be wearing a sexy bold shoulder in black! We'll see, . . .

TREND #5: IN AU. Glittering gold is the new black. Dazzling metallics take center stage amongst Hollywood's brightest stars! Outshining the rest of the gowns on the red carpet, these golden beauties will even give the Golden Globe trophy a run for their money.

TREND #6: LADY IN RED. Oh yes, you heard it, Tinseltown's ladies will be on fire on the carpet come Sunday night. I swear, rumor has it that Cameron Diaz selected a red hot number with cap sleeves. You'll see beautifully draped gowns in halters, w/ sleeves, and even strapless. This sizzling hot hue will be hard to miss!

FOR MIKE: MILITARY TRENDS 2010

Mens Military Trend on the runway 2009-2010
Runway looks by Gareth Pugh, D&G, Burberry Prorsum, and John Galliano

The military shape always has been a fashion driven trend for the colder months; but for Autumn (Fall)/Winter 2009-2010 designers such as Gareth Pugh, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Burberry have modified and transformed the combat uniform from the past to the now. Gareth Pugh, with eight of the most unusual menswear collections for A/W 09-10 has brought inspiration from the likes of spanish officer overcoats from the Second World War to the metal chain mail suits that were worn under suits of armour.

Follow up:

Both the entertainment industry and world events play a vital role in fashion. While the world is at war in the Middle East, you will notice an emphasis on military details in menswear and then worldy patterns/prints in women's wear. Not only have political events inspired the latest trends in 2010, but with the loss of the greatest entertainer of all time, in Michael Jackson have pushed the bold militant coats. Movies can also be seen as a heavy influence in Pugh's A/W collection with feathers for shoulder decoration as inspiration from The Crow including the Gothic ripped trousers and black boots and the metallic body combat suit, a similar cut to Christian Bale's costume in Equilibrium.
Burberry have opted for the more settled approach to the trend with tailored coats inspiring from french naval officers as well as a seven tone pea coat that is linked again to the Second World War.
End of work John Galliano has expanded the elderly swash-buckling clothing that the pirates and elderly Captains would have worn on the ships of the deepest seas. they included the elderly white wigs and fold-over leather boots to help support the history that they is repeating on the catwalk.
D&G have used the patterned Musketeer jacket detailing that was later used on band uniforms and other military jackets. No doubt the high street will be speedy to follow in their footsteps with this popular design.

SPRING INTO TOP 10 TRENDS (MEN & WOMEN)

1. TRESSE SWIMSUITS

When we saw the tresse bikinis, monokinis, and one-piece swimsuits Alexandre Herchcovitch sent down the runway at Rosa Cha, all we could think about was how cool they would look with a pair of shorts or flared maxi skirt.



2. SEXY BACKS

Whether it was cut-outs on the backs of dresses at Max Axria, "vertebrae" running up the backs of dresses at Chado Ralph Rucci, or naked zippers at Thuy, the back was big this fashion week as designers did all they could to make editors, buyers, and ultimately customers, take a second look.



3. SLOUCHY T-SHIRT DRESSES

It's your coolest t-shirt, longer! Max and Lubov Azria designed a few variations for their BCBGMaxAzria Spring 2010 line.

4. PRINTED DENIM

The resurgence of the '80s brought studded jeans, boyfriend jeans, and acid wash jeans back, and with their spring '10, G-Star hopes to make printed denim a trend. Love this print on print suit.




5. SEXY CAFTANS

Muumuus usually conjure up frumpy images of Three's Company's, Mrs. Roper but Tiffany Amber, who showed her spring '10 collection as part of the Arise Promise of Africa Group Show (see left), and Brasilian designer Carlos Miele updated this classic style by showing skin.



6. SQUARE FRAME SUNGLASSES

For spring/summer '09, round sunglasses broke through as a hot sunglass trend, but the cool, oversized square frame shades Cynthia Rowley accessorized her spring '10 line with may flip that trend.



7. HIGH CUT SHORTS

Brian Reyes showed several different shorts in full and high-cuts, in cotton, jersey, seersucker, denim, sequins, and t-shirt material. LOVED the high-cuts in particular because paired with wedge heels, your legs'll look model long.

8. PAINTERLY PRINTS

From Jackson Pollock-reminiscent splatter prints to dresses pieced together with multhued fabrics, we were loving the graphic prints that looked brushed on in several spring '10 collections including Chado Ralph Rucci (right), Ohne Titel, and Toni Maticevski (left).



9. PASTEL SUMMER SUITS FOR MEN

The spring '10 men's shows featured tons of color in men's suiting. Calvin Klein, Jean Paul Gaultier, C.P. Company, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Moschino, and Paul Smith presented a spectrum of suits as did Michael Kors (pictured here) while Louis Vuitton paired dark suits with colorful shoes. I think the color adds a sharpness to the suit mainly because it takes a certain kind of swagger for a man to rock a pastel suit.



10. QUILTED LEATHER ANYTHING!

Ever since Rihanna rocked a quilted leather blazer on the season premiere of Jay Leno's new primetime show, I've been keeping a close eye out for a quilted leather jacket, but now Alexander Wang has me drooling over quilted leather shorts. Perhaps it's the Chanel association, but quilted leather anything just screams high-fashion luxe.

(Source: BlueFly, NYFashion Week)

SPRING AHEAD: COLOR REPORT S/S 2010

"Now more than ever, women are vigilant when it comes to spending," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "Instead of re-inventing their wardrobe at the start of each season, consumers want pieces to complement what they already own. Pairing a bold color with a basic piece or freshening up their look with bright accents addresses the need for practicality, as well as fun."

Designers bring splashes of sunshine to the runway for spring 2010. Vibrant brights add a sense of excitement to the color palette, while practical neutrals provide a safety net for cautious consumers. “Now more than ever, women are vigilant when it comes to spending,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Instead of reinventing their wardrobe at the start of each season, consumers want pieces to complement what they already own. Pairing a bold color with a basic piece or freshening up their look with bright accents addresses the need for practicality, as well as fun.”

Spring and summer naturally evoke feelings of calm ocean waters and tranquil beach vacations in cool, vibrant, tropical Turquoise.

This soothing hue from the blue-green family conjures feelings of escape, especially when paired with Amparo Blue. With more warmth than the typical spring navy, this particular shade of blue is extremely appealing because of its brighter, more energetic attitude.

Like the scent of a blossoming flower, Violet lends a romantic air to the warm-weather palette. This intriguing purplish hue is a distinctive addition to any wardrobe.

Yellow has made its mark on fashion and spring will further this trend with gleaming Aurora. Reminiscent of the first glimpse of yellow as the sun begins to rise over the horizon, this shimmering, slightly greenish yellow adds a bold infusion.

Energy continues to surge throughout the warmer hues of spring, leading to provocative Fusion Coral. This inviting orange connects directly to tangy Tomato Purée, this season’s classic red. Pair it with Turquoise for a retro look.
Thoughtful, cautious neutrals provide a dependable backbone to the brights of spring.

Kick back and enjoy the bubbly luxury of Pink Champagne. This delicate, wispy tint is the season’s newest neutral. The melding of Pink Champagne, Tomato Purée and Amparo Blue is a refreshing take on the classic springtime combination of red, white and blue. Three additional neutrals round out the palette.

Tuscany, a warm beige hue, provides the perfect backdrop and works well as a solid base color with dynamic accents like Fusion Coral or Violet.

Dried Herb is the ultimate green neutral, pairing well with all other colors. Ideal for bigger ticket items, cool Eucalyptus is the eternal, practical gray. Choose this nuanced neutral and add brightly colored exclamation points in shoes, jewelry and handbags.

(Source: Pantone)

SKINGRAFT TAKES FLIGHT at LA FASHION WEEK (S/S 2010)

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HIDE AND SEEK: Skingraft's Jonny Cota and Katy Kay inside their downtown L.A. boutique. All photos courtesy of Skingraft.

Second Skin

Leather-heavy L.A. label Skingraft rolls out its sleek hides at Downtown L.A. Fashion Week.

The ever-amorphous L.A. Fashion Week officially kicked off this past weekend, and now we’re in for three weeks (you heard me) of soirées and shows – half of which, truth be told, I’d love to take a pass on.

But hovering above the compost pile of subpar labels staging events this season are a few sparkling gems. One of which is downtown L.A.’s Skingraft, a darkly romantic, leather-centric collection that’s been hovering below the fashion radar since launching in 2005.

Founded by Jonny Cota and Cassidy Haley, two ex-circus performers (stilt walkers, to be exact), the label began as a one-of-a-kind clothier, turning out specialty leather pieces for sideshow and circus performers and a handful of hide-loving celebs including Juliette Lewis, Marilyn Manson and Fergie.

Haley eventually exited the company, which had added a third partner, former professional tribal belly dancer Katy Kay (sideshow pedigree was apparently required). Shortly thereafter, Cota and Kay started dreaming up their first ready-to-wear collection.

“We had been making stilt pants and crazy costumes and headpieces for circus troupes,” says Cota, who used to perform with gothy circus troupes El Circo and Lucent Dossier. “But the demand for making it more accessible kept growing.”

The brand’s biker-tinged brand of gothic—laced with fetish details—won’t always be at the height of fashion, but thanks to leather-heavy designers such as Rick Owens and Ann Demeulemeester, not to mention a major pendulum swing to a Road Warrior-style toughness in fashion, the slightly sinister look is definitely having a moment.

And Skingraft does it very well, from harnessing fashion-forward silhouettes to pristinely finishing each garment.

Sleek leather jackets are at the heart of the collection—a staple the designers twist and tweak in numerous ways. There’s a Victorian-style fitted body with blousey sleeves, cropped-and-studded models, sporty styles with stretchy fabric on the sides and rocker looks with lace-up details. Core prices range from $120 for a collared men's shirt to around $500 for a signature leather jacket.

“There are lots of nods to classic shapes,” says Cota, who, with Kay, still runs a custom wedding dress business (of the crimson leather-Marilyn Manson ilk). “It’s always a combo of classic imagery and something very now.”

The brand, which bowed its own downtown L.A. boutique (sharing a space with like-minded L.A. label, Elmer Ave.) in April, will be flaunting its wares tomorrow night for the second consecutive L.A. Fashion Week, this time as part of Downtown Fashion Week’s lineup at the MOCA Geffen Contemporary museum. The invite-only runway show will kick off, for the second time, with a performance by an experimental dance troupe.

“MOCA felt like the most respectable place that we could show in L.A.,” says Cota, who perceives the rocky, “tough” local fashion scene as an irresistible opportunity to stand out. And at the end of the day, “We have a lot of L.A. pride.” Source: By Emili Vesilind for Soft Style LA.

Skingraft, 125 West 4th St. #102, Los Angeles, 213-626-2662

FASHION WEEK: REWIND- ALEXANDER WANG GOES BIG

Nylon tv covers the Alexander Wang runway show for Spring Summer 2010. The motto "Go Big or Go Home" is relevant throughout the entire collection. Leopard prints, bold shoulders, slim silhouettes, and a funky wedge sets this collection apart from the rest.

Alexander Wang
Designer: Alexander Wang
Date and Location: Saturday, Sept. 12, Pier 94, 711 12th Avenue
Photos: slide show

* “O.K., so it’s not a conventional love story, but the Alexander Wang tough-chick muse has found herself a jock. … That plot thickened into sweatshirt-leather combos that surely will be considered among the most trendsetting looks at New York fashion week.” (Associated Press)
* “Very much a mega-triumph.” (Fashion Wire Daily)
* “There is something raw and wild about Mr. Wang’s work that is pushing utilitarian sportswear in a new direction.” (International Herald Tribune)
* “These are the clothes your high school cheerleaders should’ve worn had they Alex’s uncanny knack for making the routine look special again.” (Refinery 29)
* ” ‘Our girl wants investment pieces.’ Those are mature words coming from downtown fashion’s pied piper — but Wang’s take on ‘timeless’ means a classic gray sweatshirt fused with a corset.” (Style.com)
* “A three-gun salute for Wang; this collection pressed all the right buttons.” (The Daily Telegraph)
* “There was much to like in the attitude of Mr. Wang’s collection, especially metallic Fair Isle sweaters and the funny references to football padding.” (The New York Times)
* “Wang took classic American off-duty (and, as in the case of some football-inspired pieces, on-duty) sportswear to a very cool place.” (Vogue.com UK)
* “[A] charmingly wicked take on American sportswear.” (Women’s Wear Daily)

(Source: Nylon tv, The Moment, Alison Cohn