The Luxe Chronicles

The Luxe Chronicles Wishes You A Very Merry Christmas!

British Vogue Christmas covers from 1924, 1929 and 2001.

Joyeux Noel, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Buon Natale!

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Fashion: French Designer Stephane Rolland Is Haute Couture's Newest Member

 

Left to right: Look from Stephane Rolland's Spring/Summer 2008 Haute Couture collection; Designer Stephane Rolland; Look from Stephane Rolland's Spring/Summer 2008 Haute Couture collection. Photos courtesy of Sofeminine.co.uk.

Christmas has come early this year for French designer Stephane Rolland courtesy of La Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, the gatekeeper to France's venerable haute couture industry. Rolland has been admitted  to the organization as an official member with all the prestige and stature that this entails. Rolland toiled in the shadows for nearly ten years at Jean-Louis Scherrer before launching his eponymous couture collection in 2007. Joyeux Noel Monsieur Rolland!

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Fashion: Style Inspiration From The Ladies Who Buy

  

Left to right: Sarah Rutson, photo courtesy of Craig Arend at AltamiraNYC; Linda Fargo, photo by Sherly Rabbani and Josephine Solimene, courtesy of Style.com; Jilie Gilgart with Rogan, photo courtesy of Style.com.

Back in October, Portfolio.com published an interesting piece on the importance of the role of retail buyers during an economic downturn. This was before the state of the economy was upgraded from "serious" to "critical" and everyone started madly slashing prices but I still think the piece has merit. More importantly, it got me thinking about what I consider to be the defining factors in my choice of shopping venue.

Luxury: What We Need Is Perspective

Can we all please just take a deep breath? I know the current economic situation seems bleak and many of us wake up in the morning with a low level of anxiety in the pit of our stomachs as we wait for the other shoe to drop. But it would help to remember that what we're currently experiencing is a recession, not armageddon. It's not the first and it unfortunately won't be the last. Perhaps for this reason, I find the chorus of "experts" declaring the end of "conspicuous consumption", the end of luxury, the end of this and the end of that particularly grating on me. It's quite literally like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Shopping: Christmas Wish List - Part 3

 

Left to right: Necklace by Lanvin, image courtesy of Net-A-Porter; Necklace by Lanvin, image courtesy of Browns Fashion; Necklace by Marni, image courtesy of Browns Fashion.

Dearest Santa:

Yes, I realize this is my third letter to you and that you're a very busy man but I happened to be browsing my favorite online shopping sites and just happened to come across the three necklaces featured above. Wouldn't they look just fabulous with the pretty shoes I've picked out (See Christmas Wish List - Part 1 ) and the gorgeous two-toned crocodile Balenciaga bag I've fallen madly in love with (See Christmas Wish List - Part 2 )? As previously mentioned, I was very, very good all year and totally deserve it. Plus, in the grand scheme of things, they're actually quite compact and so wouldn't take up all that much space in your sleigh. Gros bisous!

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

P.S. I know we're in the midst of an economic meltdown but I firmly believe that a girl still needs to dream.

Fashion: In Search of a Silver Lining and a Little Glamour

   

All looks from Zac Posen's Pre-Spring 2009 collection. Photos by Marcio Madeira, courtesy of Style.com.

The slew of fashion labels announcing their intent to forego the slick runway shows that have come to define Fashion Week in favor of more subdued presentations all signal the fear that currently grips the apparel industry and consumers alike. It's as though designers like consumers would rather play it safe with their cash during these uncertain times and frankly, who can blame them? Terms like "recession chic" and "recessionista" are plastered everywhere in magazines and fashion blogs alike and predictions that designers will offer us nothing but drab, utilitarian garments for the predictable future are becoming conventional wisdom. This state of affairs fills me with dread. Moreover, it doesn't have to be this way.

Shopping: Christmas Wish List - Part 2

    

Photos courtesy of Browns Fashion.

Dearest Santa:

It's me again. I was just thinking that this fabulous two-tone crocodile Balenciaga bag would be a great treat to find under my tree on Christmas day. Also, it would compliment any of the gorgeous Lanvin shoes I asked you for earlier (See "Christmas Wish List - Part 1 "). I've been very good all year (obviously) and totally deserve it (just in case you were wondering). Thanks! XOXO

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Fashion: A Designer Is Born?

 

"That's two skinny lattes with an extra shot, one soy milk latte and a regular drip coffee with room for milk.  Got it!"

Regular readers of The Luxe Chronicles are well aware of my deep contempt for celebrities who moonlight as designers. It's my view that these celebrity vanity projects are not only cynical from a consumer's perspective but I think they're ultimately bad for fashion as they cheapen the role of the designer. It takes a great deal of talent and technical proficiency to create good, quality fashion that makes a lasting contribution to the industry as opposed to merely occupying retail space. This is why I'm fascinated by the recent confirmation of rumors that rapper Kanye West will indeed integrate an entry-level internship position at a European fashion house.

Fashion: If an Image is Worth a Thousand Words (...)

   

Do you happen to know the degree of toil and trouble (not to mention cold hard cash) that is typically poured into developing the average print ad campaign? Message conception, casting, photography, graphic design, layout, production, (...).  The list goes on.  In short, it is a very costly, time-consuming and labour-intensive process especially in the fashion industry where the ad is expected to embody not only the essence of a designer's aesthetic but also the brand's ethos or, if you prefer, it's identity. When done well, it's all worth it because it's an effective way for a brand to communicate with the customer and define its image. This brings me to the new Duncan Quinn advert featured above.

Shopping: Christmas Wish List - Part 1

     

Lanvin Spring/Summer 2009.  Photos by Don Ashby & Olivier Claisse, courtesy of Style.com.

Dearest Santa:

I've been very good all year (of course). Should you have a bit of room on your sleigh, any (or preferably all three) of the pretty shoes featured above would do very nicely under my tree (Size 36). Thanks! XOXO!

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

P.S. I'll be in touch again soon.