Today we were told and challenged to dress up for Halloween. I'm not even sure which is the correct date for this event that we have adopted from the US but I will take any excuse to slap on some make-up. My thought was to be Death, the 2011 version. I got all sorts of interpretations like mime, ghost, vampire etc, etc ...
The film, Priest, with Paul Bettany will not join the ranks of classics any time soon. No matter how you slice and dice it the film is pretty crap. What I liked about it is the darkness, the version of an earth which is more or less barren, and the despair or its inhabitants. I liked the clothes, the style which is a mix of American western and futurism and I also like that it is sharp and distinct.
Riccardo Tisci has created a very delectable collection for Givenchy spring 2012. It feels fresh, innovative and futuristic. Personally I have always been a sucker for the futuristic influences. The sillouettes feels very 2012 and it feels like Tisci has pushed the envelope when it comes to delievering something that feels new in shape and form. If there is any justice in the world the collection should be a success when it comes to sales.
For some reason I don't think I will freeze this winter.
This current season Vivienne Westwood has dished out some cool stuff, like herself in her ads. I actually like to see the grandma of punk doing her own modelling in the glossies.
I like the hint of homoeroticism.
Cool ring. I want it!
Louis Vuitton has looked to the 1950s when creating the spring collection 2012. Spectacular, interesting, luxurious are words that spring to mind when looking at these clothes. I feel that the French luxury company has done a brilliant work with the collection that is coming up.
The spring collection for 2012 from Hussein Chalayan is feminine, floral and sweet. It feels like a far cry from the more edgy style he created at Central St Martins and shortly afterwards but all designers naturally need to evolve. I think it is a good collection which flatters women and isn't that what it is all about? If lots of women buy Chalayan's clothes next season it will be a beautiful spring.
According to Versace next spring will an absolute burst and explosion of colours. When it comes to the womenswear it feels like there is a Roman or we could just as easily say a Greccian touch. I'm sure they will work wonders at swanky parties around the Mediterranean and in Miami.
When we take a look at the menswear the signs of the 1980s are apparent. Shirts with bold prints, short jackets, and suit jackets with pulled up sleeves. Feels like we have dropped into an episode of Miami Vice. I'm a sucker for blue so I like the ensemble above, particularily the shoes.
And when you look at the row of buckles running down the sides of the pants it is just a bit too much but that is Vrsace, always a bit too much.
Calvin Klein continues with his simplistic style that we have grown accustomed to and there is a certain comfort in consistency. On the other if you didn't know that these pictures were from the 2012 spring collection they could have been from any year this past decade. If that is a good thing or a bad one is up to each and everyone of us to decide. A plus in the equation is that you can wear the same clothes year after year which is good from an environmental point of view but perhaps not so good from Calvin Klein's perspective considering sales. Most of his clients have the finances to not care either way but now I'm rambling. The clothes are simplistic but I find myself a bit bored. There you have it.
What to say about the menswear? They are simplistic but style wise seem to be made for a c-version of Star Trek. White, grey and black are standard colours for Calvin Klein. He also does other colours like yellow but that only makes matters worse. If I'm supposed to cough up a serious bunch of cash for designer clothes and a famous label I don't want to look like I have fallen out of a futuristic gym.
I'm getting quite hot and bothered here and it isn't just because of the models in the clothes. It is actually the clothes themselves. These are pieces from Ralph Lauren's Purple Label for spring 2012. When I see them I think of The Great Gatsby and America in the late 1920s and the beginning of the 1930s. Bold printed ties that are getting decidely broader than previous trends. I'm not to fond of black and white shoes but for Ralph Lauren I can try to make an exception. The things you see on the pictures. I want them all!! And, yes, I mean the clothes.
I love Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula from the 1990s and I love it for many reasons. One of them being the story that isn't in the original book, the transcending love between Mina and Dracula. One can't help but fall for a love story that defies time and logic. The other reason is of course the seductive thrill of the vampire with its eternal youth and the power to walk the earth through the centuries. Finally the clothes, the clothes of a Victorian gentleman with the hats and the well tailored jackets and waistcoats. I could wear it every day and never grow tired of it.
Fred Perry is continuing the collaborations with other brands to cater to his clients with an overall Mod experience. The clients should be able to follow through the style completely and therefore Fred Perry joins forces with John Smedley, Alfred Sargent and Garbstore as well as old partner Levi's.
John Smedley produces knitwear of the finest wool. Alfred sargent has produced the typical Mods foot wear, the Chukka boot and Garbstore has produced the jacket you see above and below. What Levi's has contributed with I think you can guess. ;-)
