isabel's feathers

I never thought I'd find myself wearing, let alone coveting, a piece of Navajo-inspired clothing. Not that I have a problem with the native americas being the source of fashion inspiration (what isn't 'inspiration' for fashion these days?) - I've just never seen myself as a girl who can pull off something so... western. Fringing, suede and spurs have never really been my cup of tea. And when cowboy boots were having their (most recent) heyday back in 2006, I did in fact wear them... to a cowboy and indians themed birthday party. Back to Marant. Ever since I clicked through her most recent collection on style.com a few months back, I literally cannot stop thinking about this sweater. And I'm not even one that usually goes for prints! Which makes this even doubly strange. I do like me some marle however, and this sweatshirt (while not marle, I know) errs on the luxe-y side of dressing down. Which I am all for. I have started this new way of thinking about potential purchases (inspired by dead fleurette) that they will only earn a place in my wardrobe if they well and truly belong there. That is - if they go with everything else that's already there. So that means no impulse purchases. And this, as luck should have it, will most definitely go with my near-uniform of khaki bottoms, white shirts and black blazers. And make it less boring, at that. I feel it is most definitely justified.

via: style.com

Again...

Some of the things I've been up to whilst neglecting this blog...

Moving! I've finally moved into a little terrace house in Paddington in Sydney, just off Oxford St. So I've been spending what little spare time I have.....

Exploring. Love finding little gems around my local area in the way of boutiques, vintage shops, bustling cafes and hidden bars. Took my friends from Adelaide to a cute pizza place when they were visiting which had grass sprouting from the ceiling and crayons supplied at all the tables to entertain the (grown-up) kids. Can't wait to trawl around the eastern streets some more with my friend from the CakeFace.

Lusting over some very very very amazing items both online and from some of Sydney's best stores - namely the Corner Shop in Paddington, and namely thanks to the ever spot-on Hannah-Rose, from my favourite Capture the Castle. Some of these include (and are most definitely NOT limited to....)

A Benah Canvas Box Bag 

Isabel Marant Gwen Lady Slipper

Acne Pearl Skirt

Dries Van Noten Velda Jacket

And finally... working! Very excited to say that I've landed my very first job in fashion. See below for hints ;)

X

pictures via: Capture the Castle, jakandjil, style.com, shoptilyoudrop, acnepaper.

Day 3: Emmanuelle Alt

Initially I'd planned not to double up on editors from the same country, much less the same publication. But it just can't be helped when Parisians (more specifically, Paris Vogue staffers) are so damned stylish. Emmanuelle Alt, fashion director of Paris Vogue, right-hand woman to Carine Roitfeld, is certainly no exception.

With two of 2009's best editorials (as voted by models.com) to her name - she styled Game Girl with Daria Werbowy for May and Graffi Couture with PV favourite Raquel Zimmermann for November - 2010 has also been a stellar year for the stylist, as both her work and personal style clearly shows. She's responsible for some of my favourite editorials this year; styling super Natasha Poly in the latest swimwear looks for May as well as the moroccan-inspired Comtesse Natasha in April, Kate Moss and Raquel Zimmermann for June/July, Iselin Steiro in the unforgettable Balmain-themed Commando shoot... the list goes on. And that's just her work for Vogue. Outside the magazine she's responsible for styling the last three Balmain RTW shows and fall '09 campaign, as well as numerous campaigns for Gucci and Isabel Marant. And with almost all her outfits containing a piece by at least one of these labels, her work for these clients continues way past styling their campaigns.

 Daria Werbowy in Game Girl for Paris Vogue's May 2009 issue, voted best-styled shoot by models.com for the year 2009.

Iselin Steiro in Commando for Vogue Paris March 2010, wearing Balmain Spring 2010 crocodile leather jacket.

 Gucci F/W 2009 campaign, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, styled by Emmanuelle Alt.

Alt's another who can easily wear the same thing over and over and still look amazingly fresh and new. It's not so much what she wears (Balmain, Isabel Marant, Balmain again), but how she wears it. She doesn't wear it because it's perceived "cool" or "on-trend"; she wears it because she can, with an attitude that says she really doesn't give a shit what anyone thinks of her style. With an otherworldly knack for interpreting runway pieces for everyday wear, her look is angrogynous but chic, nonchalant but confident and - most importantly - never overdone. Her uniform of a sharp shouldered blazer, deconstructed tee, slick leather pants or skinny jeans teamed with boots or strappy sandals never fails. Some would say she needs to mix it up, but when you look as amazing Alt, why would you want to?

Photos: models.com, The Fashion Spot, Jak&Jil and The Sartorialist

Desert Days: Comtesse Natasha

What could be a better combination than Natasha Poly and Paris Vogue? Not too much at all (well, perhaps looking like her...) The Russian supermodel features on the latest cover and spread that was shot by Inez van Lambsweerde and Vinoodeh Matadin somewhere in the dunes of the African desert.

I looove the styling of this shoot, and how many of the trends of the past few seasons have been interpreted in a way that so perfectly fits the location. I especially love all the draping- but not in the way I usually do- all the colour, the clash of prints and embellishments is just gorgeous. Dohti pants, while fashionable now, did- and still do- serve as staple basic for desert travelers... everywhere. The heavily beaded neck pieces and stacks of jumbled bracelets aren't too far removed from what you might imagine adorning the local women of Cairo's market bazaars. Although I'm not too sure how often you'd see couture wandering the desert paths, I love that these contradictions exist at the same time as all the similarities. Oh, and I'm loving Isabel Marant's "Dana" fringe canvas boot from her spring collection- a follow on from the freakish success of her original "Ottway" studded ankle booties. Favourite look? The overtly-embellished Lanvin romper tucked into the aforementioned Marants. Not sure if it was intentional, but featuring Moroccan born, Israeli-raised Elbaz's creation in this ethnically inspired shoot? Genius.

Too bad I'm no longer in Paris otherwise I would've strolled down the Rue de Sevres just off St Germain de Prés, to my local marchand de journaux, and picked up a copy for my morning perusal. Until then, there's always airmail... and inflation.













I first stumbled upon this spread on the blog of super-stylist Monica Rose - definitely worth a look over. She's amazing.

Photos from fashionising.com

In The Red?

Maison Martin Margiela


Dolce & Gabbana

I'm feeling a bit blue today (couldn't resist!) so I thought I'd have a look through some of the red pieces from the AW 10/11 shows. I think I'm too obsessed with neutrals and, more recently, everything military, to embrace red- no matter how momentarily appealing it seems!

I know the Dsquared2 show was labelled tacky by most, but since when have those Caten boys ever presented a cookie-cutter collection? Flicking through the looks, the word "domanatrix" sprung to mind- especially upon the final emergence of Carmen Kass in that spangled, sparing, thigh-baring dress. Anyway- back to red. Below is one of quite a few looks featuring red thigh-high (p)leather. Doubt I'll be seeing this on the streets of Adelaide anytime soon- so best get my fix now!

Loyals of the hue didn't fail to disappoint- Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, Stella McCartney and Tommy Hilfiger all featured (or at least included) the shade in their collections at some point. Where on some runways the colour was either made a feature or stood out as showpieces, we did see some great ways to wear red in keeping with the current seasonal tones. Of particular mention- French designer Isabel Marant with her fifties style three-quarter pants, trés cute.

For the Red Carpet: Valentino

My favourite red of the whole A/W season at Tommy Hilfiger (AND, it's wearable!)

Red tapered pants at Isabel Marant

And for those who don't want to go red all-out, Lanvin (pictured) and Gianfranco Ferré have the answers- and it's all in the shoes.

Photos: Style.com

Paris begins... ohh la la!

We're finally into the last, but by no means least, stage of fashion weeks for the summer 2010 collections; Paris. While the prêt-à-porter shows aren't what couture-loving Parisians look forward to most on their yearly fashion calender, they sure know how to make clothes women actually want to wear, that's for sure.

A prime example of a designer who is known for his often avant garde couture is Dior headhunter John Galliano, and his ready to wear collection was just that. Amongst all the overtly '80s inspired collections of late, it was refreshing to see inspiration from a new era emerge. Forties film stars reigned supreme; with shiny red pouts and bouncing waves offsetting feminine yet structured trenches amongst a collection of underwear-as-outwear; a trend single handedly put on the fashion map by Galliano.

Christian Dior

Other highlights at Paris so far have been Balenciaga, the greatly-anticipated Balmain and designer-for-the-cool-kids Isabel Marant. Ghesquière's latest showing is an obvious departure from his drape-heavy fall collection, with not a soft layer in sight in this urban-cool collection for Balenciaga. This show was all about stepping out of the box- it even featured our very own Victoria's Secret angel Miranda Kerr, who was without her feathered safety wings in a street-inspired schoolgirl get up. Leather hoodies, skin tights pants and modern patchwork were combined in a genius way that will definitely prove hard for chain store labels to rip-off; a problem still continuing to plague the next designer.

Christophe Decarnin has really set the bar in terms of sexy deconstructionism; combining military jackets with sequins and barely-there hemlines in a way only Balmain could. While the follow-on from previous collections is obvious, space age has been replaced by a sparkling disco dancer emerging from the caves. The aesthetic is more closely related to Decarnin's own style than previous lines, with the leather jacket and skinny army pants combo he donned himself looking like a piece from the same collection. With the bold-shouldered trend resting upon his own, it's going to take an army (probably dressed in Balmain) to knock him off his well-deserved perch.

Balmain

Newcomer to the high-fashion circuit Marant proved yet again why she's established herself amongst the cool crowd, with her relaxed boho style retaining that street edge from fall; her collection is extremely wearable. Not only is it wearable as a cohesive whole, one can see how those going for the model-off-duty look can add pieces into their existing wardrobes. With more colour than the greys of fall, one has to be leggy to pull off some of these pieces: loose minis with fringed boots, draped grey marle pants and skinny pinstripes. Still on the strong-shouldered bandwagon, it's obvious why the Marant fan club is recruiting members and a speedy rate.

Isabel Marant

Moroccan-born Israeli design genius Alber Elbaz took drapery and ruffles to a new, and unforgettable, level with his latest showing for French house Lanvin. No amount of journalistic genius can do this vision justice; the show was an array of gorgeously constructed garments where intricate design and textualisation were moulded together to create a visual delight for those who made the trek to a shed on the outskirts of Paris. This cult like following, revelling in the build up of beaded brilliance, is testament to the mind who lured them there. With the week just started, Paris is sure to be one we won't forget for a very long time, just as they intended, I'm sure.

Lanvin

photos: style.com