Some stud

Valentino and Givenchy. Makers of some of the best studded heels going around. Valentino's autumn/winter 2010 studded heels were endorsed by nearly every editor and front-rower at the spring shows. Especially popular (although not on my radar) were the kitten-heels, with Alexa Chung and even Giovanna Battaglia getting back to basics (if you call Valentino a basic) with the lower-to-the-ground variety. And when talking about anything studded, who can forget C.Centenera, self-proclaimed lover of anything studded, with her t-bar Givenchy sandals. 

via: Style.com, Stockholm Street Style, Google images

Nude red

Back to basics. Almost. I love this almost unexpected take on the continuing nude trend- pairing it with red. Red, especially in the lovely coral shade as seen on Frida and Jac at No. 21 by Alessandro Dell'Acqua breathes a life of fresh air into the continuing nude obsession. The delightful pairing instantly transforms those nude pieces that for the winter were more suitably paired with charcoals, khakis and camels and gives it a summer twist. I first noticed this pairing at Valentino AW 2010 (Lagerfeld ahead of the game, again? It cannot be) where the trademark red ruffles were interspersed with the sheerest of nudes, making for a softer, more subtle take on the siren shade. Trust Miss Olsen to already have jumped on the bandwagon; she paired her couture Christain Lacroix gown with a red furry jacket for the 2010 ELLE Style Awards back in February. Not to sure how to mix the two shades into an outfit on their own? Make like Abbey Lee and add a simple slick of coral lipstick to brighten up the beige backdrop- and newly bleached blonde hair. on a side note- also loving her Australian-designed Willow jacket. 






via: alltheprettybirds, Hanneli, Style.com, tFS, zimbio

Anna Dello Russo.

While in Paris recently I was lucky enough to catch (several) glimpses of the infinitely amazing Anna Dello Russo. For those who have been living under a rock, she is the fashion director-at-large at Vogue Nippon, and famous for owning not one, but two apartments in Milan- one for her and her adorable chihuahua Cucciolina, and the other (climate-controlled, of course) to house her ever-expanding collection of designer clothes and shoes. You too would need a second house if you owned over 4000 pairs of shoes. (And for those who are currently rolling their eyes at the excess of it all- her plan is to eventually have her collection archived so that it can be studied by fashion students, historians and enthusiasts alike.)

She is even more gorgeous in person than in photos, and I'm not just referring to her glamorous style (or those legs). She was all too happy to flash her 400-watt smile every which way, pose for street-style bloggers and crazy paps and repeat with loving detail what (or who) exactly she was wearing. Whilst other high-profile editors slinked away silently through the crowd gathered outside of Le Grand Hotel, Anna seemed genuinely delighted to stand there and share her love for fashion with all. I doubt that there is anyone in the world who loves fashion more that ADR, and it is refreshing to see someone who is as proud in their passion as she. 

Above (outside Balmain)

Dress: Balmain

Shoes: Pierre Hardy

Jewellery: "My own"- ADR

Below (outside Gareth Pugh)

Brocade Jumpsuit: Rochas

Shoes: Valentino

Leopard clutch: Fendi

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