triumph of the last emporer

black and lace and ruffles, oh my!









i know that valentino isn't designing anymore (it always makes me sad when a house's namesake steps down...i mean, i still discuss current ysl as if ysl is still the mastermind behind all that magic), but, despite the critics' less than glowing reviews, i really think that pier paolo piccioli and maria grazia chiuri did a wonderful job. i think this collection is stunning, especially the show's closing gowns.

there's something so "masquerade" about the collection. the overdone lace, incredible texture -- i love the scalloping, the tiers of ruffles --everything is so rich and decadent, like a highly involved piece of chocolate cake. and those shoes! oh, the shoes. gold satin with enormous black bows adorning the heels...i could live in those shoes forever. when prada reinvented lace, i was a little hesitant, finding the whole look a bit aged and dowdy. yet there's a delightful youthfulness to piccioli and chirui's designs...frivolity in the shorter dresses, and unbelievable elegance in the longer gowns. i love that, and am drawn to their attention to the material.

all and all, reviews be damned, everything needs to be shaken up a bit.

chanel, my belle

what i really love about karl lagerfeld as a designer is that he creates these massive collections that evolve visually as they travel down the runway. for couture fall 2009, he starts with the foundation of the quintessential chanel tweed suit, accentuated by couture construction and accoutrement, and then he travels from day to evening, his pieces becoming more elaborate as the show goes on, with the addition of trains and beading and draping and gloves, each piece becoming increasingly ornate.

the idea i laid out yesterday of creating an outside story based on an entire collection is something i feel karl already does. there's a distinct evolution to his collections, and he produces such vast amounts of clothing that there's room for the story to develop strongly and intricately. there's an incredible method to his madness.

i will say, though, i do not like the cut of the skirts comprising the first quarter of this collection. i feel like the length of the skirt in conjunction with the height of the booties make the model's legs look stubby, by accentuating the largest part of the calf. yes, fine, they're models and they're inordinately thin regardless, but no matter what size you are, you still don't want the largest part of anything on your body being framed solo. other than that, it's all exquisite, of course.

*photos taken from style.com