Waist(less) Coats

With all this talk of masculine tailoring, the most obvious (and easiest to wear no doubt) is the omission of the waistline. While a cinched waist will always remain a classic, the looser fit allows for a modern take on separates, especially where proportions are concerned. As seen in many a pre-fall collection, including Celine, Stella McCartney, Jil Sander and even Alber Elbaz's females-should-dress-as-females Lanvin - the last inclusion showing that this shape can be as much for the girls as it is for the boys. And it wouldn't be a waistless season without the drop-waists at the house that Coco built - Chanel. 

Take style cues from ex-EiC of Vogue Paris, Carine Roitfeld, for whom tights and obligatory heels create the streamlined opposite of her coat. Or make like model Martha Streck, whose waist is ever so sightly nipped in under her camel coat, or Natalia Alaverdian, whose lengthened silhouette is helped by a form-skimming maxi skirt. By combining a voluminous coat with more fitted pieces, big (and even baggy) shapes are suddenly a far cry from manly. 

via: Style.com, the Sartorialist and StockholmStreetStyle

CBN

Caroline Brasch Nielsen.

Backstage Chanel Fall Haute Couture.

tFS

The brows are her money makers

I haven't joined the rest of the blogosphere in their Bambi craze. Rather, I've been admiring from afar as she's blitzed the runways of Balenciaga and Chanel, and scowled up at me from the pages (and cover) of Bazaar. Aside from her eyebrows, those who just cannot get enough (and there must be plenty, for she was listed as a top 10 newcomer by models.com) have LOVE editor Katie Grand to thank. Katie, who styled shows for Ungaro, Giles and Topshop Unique is arguably flying the biggest flag for Bambi's international career. I saw this backstage picture of her at the Chanel Paris-Byzance pre-fall show, and couldn't resist posting it. And here's where, for probably the only time in my life, I'll let the picture (and the lighting...ok, and maybe those brows) do all the talking.

via: style rumor

couture couture

Models swirling around a lion's den at the Grand Palais in Paris for Chanel's haute couture show.

 Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! The fall haute couture shows have recently wrapped in Paris, with lions at Chanel, in honour of Leo Mlle. herself. Tigers (or their tamers/ Dita von Teese) clad in latex at the close of Jean Paul Gaultier. Bears, or -inspired coats, jackets and womanly layers at Armani Privé. Designers and couture houses this season have turned back to the traditions of the (g)olden days, favouring private showcases and intimate exhibitions over full-blown catwalk shows (à la Chanel). Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy was the main proponent, bringing couture back to its roots by opting for an intimate exhibition as a way for clients and editors to interact with the couture. Such a setting affords each delicately constructed, ornately encrusted garment the kind of attention that simply isn't possible in a catwalk show.

 For most of us, couture week is simply another chance to indulge our eyes upon fashion (or in my case- just another excuse to write about it); but as extravagant and frivolous it may be, the fact remains that couture is a dwindling, ahem, trend. Gone are the days of ateliers and fittings, meetings and measurements. Globalisation and consumerism have lead to the proliferation of ready to wear and the steady decline of the couture customer. The sheer media coverage of these lavish lion-laden spectacles (thanks, bloggers) boosts sales from prêt-à-porter and diffusion lines which in turn supports the haute couture divisions of the houses. Last year's liquidation of the fabulously extravagant Lacroix exists to remind us all just how delicate, quite literally, is the balance in which couture hangs. So if the Riccardo Tiscis of the world may leave one mark upon couture it should be the re-emergence of the intimate showcase; the pure attention to detail and the utmost interaction with the client - which - after all, is what couture is all about.   

If nothing else, couture provides us with an inside peak at the upper echelons of exclusivity and beauty; and judging by the ten creations Tisci sent out, who can complain with that?

pictures: style.com, Zimbio

Natasha for... Chanel?

Speaking of coveted Chanel campaigns and Lagerfeld muses, I'm (impatiently) waiting for my forever favourite Natasha Poly to land in front of the Kaiser's cam. Having opened the show for both his Resort 2010 collections and the Chanel Haute Couture Show in Paris just yesterday, it appears a new muse is emerging... You heard it here first.

First Look: Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2010

First Look: Chanel Resort 2010

Photos: Style.com

Aussie ads

Miranda Kerr isn't the only Australian featuring in the latest campagns for the Fall 2010 collections. High-fashion favourite, fellow Girlfriend Covergirl Model Search winner-turned-runway-darling, Abbey Lee Kershaw snagged a spot in the coveted Chanel campaign, shot by Mr. Lagerfeld himself. Starring alongside fellow-Lagerfeld muse Freja Beha Erichsen, I posted some behind-the-scenes pictures of the Chanel campaign on set in New York, when they leaked earlier in April. Abbey-Lee also features in the latest campaign for British brand Mulberry, and is one of the faces of Fendi's new fragrance Fan di Fendi, along with Anja Rubik and Karmen Pedaru.

Last but not least, Cat McNeil contines with her return to the modelling world with none other than a Givenchy campaign, shot by Mert & Marcus. Cat returned to the catwalk (no pun intended) for a select few shows during the fall season, including Louis Vuitton and Prada: both of which, interestingly, were reponsible for this season's "curvy" movement. 

Photos: Fashion Gone Rogue

Karl for Abbey = Abbey for Chanel

It doesn't take a genius to realise Abbey Lee Kershaw has been a favourite of Chanel's creative director for quite some time now. Karl Lagerfeld makes no secrets of his favourites, and fellow teacher's pet (if that's what they can be called, although- with their shared penchant for piercings and motorcycle boots- I doubt it) Freja Beha Erichsen and Abbey Lee are set to feature in the latest ad campaign for the luxury house. Freja featured in the barnyard romp for Chanel's country-inspired Spring/Summer 2010 show, closed for Karl's self-titled label in the same season and closed for Chanel's latest fall show. She also featured in Chanel's S/S 2010 campaign (and their S/S eyewear campaign), as did 90s supermodel Claudia Schiffer.


This is the first Chanel campaign for Abbey however, and she also happens to be the first Australian to feature in a ready-to-wear campaign for the house. I say ready-to-wear as most who watch TV will remember Nicole Kidman running around in a ball gown spritzing on Chanel No. 5 (and as far as the fashion counsel is concerned, beauty contracts DO NOT count as high fashion campaign coups). Abbey gained favouritism status by opening and closing for Fendi (another label Mr. Lagerfeld is creative director of) during the S/S 10 season, as well as opening the latest Chanel fall show (yes, the very same one Freja B closed. See a pattern here?)


Anyway, what I'm TRYING to say (if I haven't been nearly obvious enough for you) is that it's pretty darn plain to see who KL will pick to champion his brand over the line. And if their resumes-to-date (and the previous behind-the-scenes snaps) are anything to go by, they won't disappoint.



Pictures: fashionising.com and Grazia

More-bidly obsessed with: Chanel Particulière.

Chanel's Le Vernis (translation= the varnish) has been an industry cult favourite for years. So I'm gonna keep it short n' sweet (just like your nails should be when you're wearing this stuff): Particulière, get it, NOW.

It the shade that's not quite grey, not quite brown; maybe some would say it's mushroom. Whatever it is, it's the prettiest shade of non-pink I've seen in a while. Part of Chanel's new Spring 2010 collection, it goes perfectly with all the neutral and pastel palettes we're seeing at the moment. However, it's so gorgeous that anytime is particulière time.

Good luck finding it though; seeing it's the hue on everyone's lips (ahem, nails), it's been a sell-out for months...

Celebrities as models

The industry's obsession with celebrities continues to grow, with big name designers opting for stars to front their latest advertising campaigns rather than models. The actress-over-model preference isn't a new phenomenon; Anna Wintour was one of the first to harness the selling power of those dubbed 'celebrities,' by featuring actresses on the cover of Vogue after taking over the magazine in the mid-80s. The original idea behind this shift was to allow readers to identify with these faces in a way they couldn't do with mere models, something not unlike what is happening now in the new wave of editorials. Otherwise known as 'celebrity endorsements' a company will select a high-profile actor, singer or elite sportsperson to become the face of their brand, which works to generate publicity and in turn, sales. Unlike these endorsements, where the celebrity is acting as themselves and lending their names for publicity, these editorials feature celebrities AS models.

Last year Madonna featured in two campaigns for Louis Vuitton (hand-picked by designer and good friend Marc Jacobs), and this time she's back in front of the camera, but for Dolce & Gabbana.


Madonna for Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2009


Madonna for Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2009


She's back: Madonna eating spaghetti for the latest Dolce & Gabbana campaign


For the record, LV have chosen Dutch supermodel Lara Stone to replace Madge as the face of their Spring/Summer 2010 campaign. Good choice, I say.



Over at Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld's current muse, Lily Allen, features in the latest ad for the brand's newest line of handbags: the Chanel Coco Cocoon.

August, the month avant Chanel... I mean Septembre.

Seems like I'm the latest casualty in the epidemic that has morbidity rates soaring amongst fashionistas the blogging-world over! Now I've got the mandatory opening cliché out of the way... welcome to Fashion Morebidity.

What a coincidence that I happen to start blogging just before September, one of the biggest months of the fashion year. The beginning of August sees fashion publications go into overdrive before the release of their biggest issue of the year; September. The Paris Haute Couture shows are still fresh in our minds, the US and Europe have just unveiled this season's fall (read: autumn for those of us Down Under!) runway collections and international fashion houses have outdone themselves in their latest ad campaigns.

Australian designers are also at the forefront of the fashion race the past few weeks, with David Jones unveiling their new spring/summer collection for '09/10 featuring our very own Miranda Kerr. Collette Dinnigan hit the nail on the head with her prediction that the spring/summer collections will be a burst of fresh colour and flowy fabrics. At last- some vibrancy! Exactly what we needed after an Australian winter favouring structured lines and a monochromatic palette. Don't get me wrong, I love a strong shoulder (especially of the Balmain variety) as much as the next girl, but spring brings with it a much-loved need for more feminine silhouettes.

This month also saw fashion explode onto our screens- and not only on our TVs. After the success of the first season of Australian Project Runway, I am now relishing in the second season hosted by Kristy Hinze. Reality TV got a whole new wardrobe with the premier of E's Stylista- a competition to see who can make it as the next junior editor of US Elle Magazine. Film has also been taken over by fashion, with the release of Coco Avant Chanel and (nearly) the September Issue. After seeing the biography of the life of Gabrielle Chanel (need I even attempt to explain who she is?) I am greatly anticipating the release of The Septmeber Issue, a documentary (nothing David Attenborough about this!) with one of the biggest names in fashion publishing; Anna Wintour, editor of US Vogue.

And what would August be without the latest issue of Australian Vogue, this month celebrating its 50th birthday? One only has see September 2009 Celebrating 50 years of Vogue to realise that this September is shaping up to be one of our most fashionable yet!