The Luxe Chronicles

Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective At The De Young Museum: A 'Beautiful Fall' Predicted For San Francisco

The curators of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts are currently in the midst of packing up the more than 145 exquisite creations that make up the tribute to the late Yves Saint Laurent. The garments, which span forty years of groundbreaking fashion design and inspired countless other designers, will now make their way to San Francisco where they will grace the galleries of the de Young Museum from November 1 until March 1, 2009. I had the opportunity to view the exhibit while I was in Montreal this past August and I can honestly say I was blown away by not only the beauty of the garments but also by the breadth of Saint Laurent's influences and his ability to incorporate a seemingly endless array of cultural and artistic references into a collection. To see this exhibit in person is to understand why Saint Laurent was indeed so influential and why his recent passing left the fashion world bereft. The retrospective is a collaboration between the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco and the Fondation Pierre Berge -Yves Saint Laurent. One of the exhibit's curators, Jill D'Alessandro, graciously accepted to submit to our Q&A. Click on the link below to read.

Net-A-Porter Re-Defines What It Means To Be 'Fashion Forward'

A number of important innovations have taken place on the online fashion front over the past few years that are fundamentally changing the way consumers approach fashion. This point was driven home recently when Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf announced that they would be foregoing an actual live runway show in favor of presenting their Spring/Summer 2009 collection exclusively online. It will take the form of a short film inspired by the experience of a French couture salon from the 1950's. The presentation dubbed 'Funny Face' features model Shalom Harlow and will be available to watch at www.viktor-rolf.com from October 2 complete with "backstage" access for guests as well as the opportunity to peek into virtual fittings. While the idea of actually replacing a live runway show with an online virtual presentation is pushing things one step further, Viktor & Rolf are in fact treading a path forged little by little by innovator Nathalie Massenet, founder of online fashion emporium Net-A-Porter.

Miele At 'London Fashion Weekend': Is This The End Of 'Fast Fashion'?

I don't know whether it is the gloomy economic forecast or the trend towards ethical fashion that is making the concept less acceptable but it seems that the chorus calling for an end to 'fast fashion' (also known as 'throw-away' fashion) seems to be getting ever louder. Instead, editors and designers seem to be pushing us towards "investment pieces" meaning good quality garments that can be worn for many seasons to come. Anna Wintour herself has been photographed wearing the same dress two and even three times out in public sparking a debate over whether, in her own inimatable way, she's trying to tell us something.

Prada's Spring/Summer 2009 Collection: Extreme Thin Is Still In

This time last year, I was in Milan on business. It was fashion week and all everyone could talk about was the controversial billboard depicting a severely anorexic girl that had been unveiled just as thousands of journalists and buyers were descending on the city to attend the shows. The billboard was intended to draw attention to the problem of severe underweight models and the pervasiveness of eating disorders throughout the fashion industry. This year there is no billboard and the issue of eating disorders among the models who file down the runways has been relegated to a footnote. In fact, the only thing anyone seems able or willing to talk about is the Spring/Summer 2009 collection unveiled by Miuccia Prada. The collection it would seem is not a hit. To make matters worst, several models stumbled and fell trying to walk down the runway in impossibly high platform shoes. What I would like to know is why Miuccia Prada is sending severely emaciated girls down the runway. Where is this girl's agent? Where are her parents? Where was Miuccia?

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Alberta Ferreti's Spring/Summer 2009 Collection: Dresses Befitting Daisy Buchanan

Have you ever watched a movie and wished you could somehow recreate a favorite scene in real life? For me, it's the champagne-fueled party scene in The Great Gatsby(1974). That scene has been etched in my memory ever since I saw the movie as a kid. At the time, I was too young to understand the subtle class tensions or the malaise of the haute bourgeoisie depicted in the film. It wasn't until much later when I actually read F.Scott Fitzgerald's novel upon which the movie is based that I seized that particular dimension to the story. Rather, at the time, I was simply seduced by the exuberance of that party scene - the beaded flapper dresses, the manic dancing, the sheer decadence of it all. That scene (along perhaps with the party scene in Breakfast At Tiffany's) remains to this day my reference point as far of celebrations go. It is precisely that scene that came to mind when I was perusing Alberta Ferreti's Spring/Summer 2009 collection on Style.com recently. If ever I get an opportunity to throw a swank party like that, I know exactly what I'll wear!

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

All looks from Alberta Ferreti's Spring/Summer 2009 collection. Photos by Marcio Madeira, courtesy of Style.com.

Fashion And Finance Is Much Like Love And Marriage: You Should Hold Out For The Perfect Match

News that Liz Claiborne was seeking to terminate its 16-month old partnership with designer Narciso Rodriguez over differences relating to the proposed expansion of his brand - the fashion industry's equivalent of 'irreconcilable differences' - was disappointing but hardly surprising. I've always been skeptical of businesses specialized in mid-market fashion suddenly wanting to dabble in luxury. It takes considerable time to build a luxury brand and a willingness to stick with the vision even during turbulent economic conditions. Ultimately, I don't believe that companies whose business models are premised on volume and mass distribution have the sensitivity or the stamina to stick it out in the luxury market.

All looks from Narciso Rodriguez, Spring/Summer 2009 collection. All photos by Marcio Madeira, courtesy of Style.com.

Of Film And Fashion: Brideshead Revisited And The 1920's Aesthetic

Fans of period dramas and fashion history will soon be over the moon again. This time, 18th century corsets and powdered wigs on abundant display in The Duchess give way to loose, flowing drop-waisted flapper dresses and sharp pageboy bobs as Brideshead Revisited opens in theaters in a few weeks time. Based on Evelyn Waugh's novel about class and unrequited love, the story unfolds against a backdrop of lavish settings including historical Castle Howard in York, a Florentine villa and a posh ocean liner between the two world wars. To be honest, while the story is a compelling one, my eyes will be firmly focused on the fashions with particular attention to the costumes worn by 'Julia' played by Hayley Atwell (O.K., perhaps I'll let my eye rove occasionally to Matthew Goode but only a little). The costumes are the work of costume designer Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh who combed Paris flea markets for inspiration. There is an interesting piece in this past weekend's Telegraph about her inspirations for the characters' respective wardrobes. The movie trailer will give you a glimpse of what's to come.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Book Review: Simonetta - The First Lady Of Italian Fashion

New York and London fashion weeks are behind us. It's time to brush up on your Italian because it's now on to Milan! To get myself into an Italian fashion frame of mind, I've been perusing the catalogue from the Palazzo Pitti exhibit dedicated to Duchesa Simonetta Colonna di Cesaro entitled Simonetta - The First Lady Of Italian Fashion. A member of the glamorous beau monde who jet-setted around post WWII Europe, Donna Simonetta is considered by many as having effectively launched contemporary Italian fashion as we know it today. She was known as much for her own unique personal style as she was for her use of lush, opulent fabrics and her obsession with fit. A contemporary of Balenciaga, she's hardly a household name yet she created some of the most innovative fashions of her time. The book counts an abundance of photographs depicting billowing capes, balloon sleeves with layers of tiered scallops and voluminous skirts but also beautifully tailored dresses with cinched waists and clean, precise lines. Also, there is a touching tribute to the Duchesa by British milliner Stephen Jones who knew her personally and for whom she was the inspiration for his Fall/Winter 2004 collection. The book is available via Amazon's U.K. site. Enjoy!

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Fashion Fringe: Eun Jeong Hong's 'Go By A Secret Path' Label Takes Top Prize

Eun Jeong Hong's 'Go By A Secret Path' took top prize at the prestigious Fashion Fringe contest yesterday in London. Hong's all-white collection inspired by the styles of 'Sex and the City' was heavy on draping and lace bunched at the shoulder and cascading into voluminous skirts. Hong will receive £100,000 GBP in prize money to fund her label as well retail opportunities including support from online fashion retailer Net-A-Porter. The Luxe Chronicles congratulates Ms. Hong and wishes her the best of luck!

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

All photos by Marcio Madeira, courtesy of Style.com.

London Fashion Week Controversy: Crisis Averted. So, Now What?

The controversy pitting the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), organizer of New York Fashion Week, against the British Fashion Council (BFC), organizer of London Fashion Week, has been resolved thankfully. The controversy erupted late last week when the CFDA announced its intention to start their shows one week later than their current slots thereby reducing London's show schedule to a mere four days. A meeting which took place on Tuesday between organizers of London, New York, Paris and Milan fashion weeks resulted in a comprise whereby New York will get to start its shows one week later and London will have five days to showcase its designers. All is not well however.

Left to right: BFC president Hilary Riva, Sarah Brown and BFC chairman Harold Tillman; CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg and CFDA executive director Steven Kolb.