FASHION BY THE RULES – Hail the Conquerers!

Both of the young designers have already left an indelible mark on the fashion landscape in New York City and yes, the international community as well. They have forged names for themselves by finding their particular paths and following them individually. These two young mean have not produced me-too collections but instead have marched to the beat of their respective drummers. Each achieves and executes their vision with flawless technique and with unerring taste. It is too bad that American fashion does not have more trailblazing designers who are willing to the chance and deliver their particular assessment of what fashion is to them.

Jason Wu has shown the world that he is no fly by night, one hit wonder. This fall collection clearly puts him in world class position for a place in the 21st century fashion hall of fame. He deftly worked his theme with grace, with art, with craftsmanship and with a decidedly sure hand. He took lace and he dissected it in every way and when he trimmed a hoodie with it …and did it successfully, then we know he is at the top of his game.

One could say that there was a YSL undercurrent and that the collection was a bit prim, but I say bring it on. Many of the younger generation of designers are discovering what made great collection even greater by delving back to when clothes were not solely based on their youth factor or their trend factor. Good clothes should withstand the immediacy of a season and Mr. Wu has found that chic, slick, and urbane clothes are the remedy to too many collections that try to be uber hip and uber young.

I may have been slightly disappointed with this season’s Prabal Gurung collection but that does not mean that Fall 2011 was still not wonderful. I have a great love of hard edged, clean lines and refined collection and Mr. Gurung still delivered what would be considered to be a fabulous collection. He chose his hard edges with stark contrast of black and white, whether with lace print or with lace overlay, he flexed his tailoring muscle with a razor sharp grey trench and with a red one shoulder short dress. The degrade (ombre) jackets were superb not to mention that there was a fleeting nod to YSL with the bow at the neck looks and the red/hot pink combination. Take note of the evocative nature of the black long and the short version of what I called the Balenciaga tulip tunic dresses.

What suddenly struck me is that models of today are really no asset to the clothes; these girls clop down a runway devoid of any grace or class, they tend to all look the same. For years models like Dianne De Witt, Sarah Kapp, Billy Blair, Pat Cleveland and so many more lit up a runway as they glided its length, the “girls” of yore understood the clothes and acted accordingly which is totally absent in the circus like atmosphere of what we call fashion in today’s world.

Headlines This Week 9/18

• Michelle Williams these days divides her time between her house in Brooklyn and a house in upstate New York. The location of the latter property is a secret, for understandable reasons: Since the death in 2008 of Heath Ledger, the father of her daughter, Matilda, the beautiful and shy actress has inevitably found herself at the center of a morbid cult and, most pertinent, the object of the tabloids’ banal, destructive intrusiveness. Vogue.com
• We always talk about how skinny models are, and this week a model actually fainted on the catwalk. At Jeffrey Chow’s first collection for the Poleci presentation Saturday night, a model passed out. Producers had to put cold Coca-Cola cans on her head and feed her fruit to bring her back. FashionIndie.com

• Vera Wang, Rodarte, and Thakoon! The critics still have plenty of love to give, but not for those who don’t earn it… Vera Wang The critics were uniformly wowed by Vera Wang’s artful, luxurious collection. NYMag.com
• First her man, and now her style! Looks like Lady Gaga has a lot in common with Miss Piggy these days. When the outrageous pop star showed up to the VMAs arm-and-arm with Kermit the Frog, we knew Miss Piggy wouldn’t be happy. People.com

• What Is Ron Jeremy Doing at Fashion Week? NYMag.com
• Kanye West arrived with girlfriend Amber Rose on his arm. The model is known for wearing in-your-face duds and tonight is no exception. She looks like a walking snake in her skin-tight snake-print bodysuit. Art deco earrings, a gold circle collar necklace, and a large ring are her bold accessories of choice. Are you into it? FabSugar.com

Trend Report: Sexy Shoulders

Ok ladies, bust out those old Denise Austin yoga and pilates DVDs; one-shoulder dresses are in and we must show off those sexy, slender shoulders!

The fabulous thing about this asymmetrical neckline is that it flatters all figures and personalities and adds a subtle hint of sexuality without baring too much.

No matter what your style or occasion, Greek goddess at a dinner soiree, an after 5 look at a cocktail party (catching that co-workers eye you have been secretly crushing on) or a printed pattern on a bohemian temptress, the one-shoulder dress can work for any mood.

Nora Ashkar reports, “A popular look for this one-shouldered style is the Grecian gown, an ideal choice for classic affairs. The loose fabric and the way it drapes over your body will have you feeling like a goddess. If you like to push the envelope a little more, a mini dress is a modern-day interpretation. A little reminiscent of the ’80s, the look is bold and dance floor-ready.”

A sign of the one-shoulder’s  popularity? It has been one of the most applauded looks on the red carpet, not to mention being spotted at history making events, in 2009. Our First Lady made headlines and swore in this trend looking oh, so elegant at the Inaugural Ball in her ivory Swarovski crystal embellished gown designed by New York designer Jason Wu.

To revamp those old dresses that have been buried in the back of your closet, try cinching the waist with a belt or pinning on floral accessories or even adding some bling.  My personal favorite is a one-shoulder dress with a bubble hem. So comfy and classy!

So what did we learn fashionistas?

Stretch, tone and slim those arms into Spring shape to sport those sexy shoulders in your fave one-shoulder swag.

XOXO

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