FALL MENSWEAR: MONCLER GAMME BLEU

MILAN – under the creative direction of thom browne, moncler has become more radically classical over the past few seasons. as a label i’ve uncovered, for readers less aware, as having a history based in ski & winterwear; this season browne continues to reinvent the label by brining it’s history more to the forefront. a perfect design fit for the label, thom has impressively created a range of quilted ski wear each season that has me contemplating the slopes & i don’t ski. the collection’s palette was filled with crisp whites, which were paired with royal reds & bouts of yellow. as the collection progressed, the palette soon transformed to a set of heavy greys, accented by slight shades of navy & black. a manipulator of classical style, thom browne has been given a strong opportunity to flex his design muscle with moncler & it seems as though he’s taking full advantage of that. the silhouettes of the collection were as versatile as any other label, though the construction concepts that seem much more complex. clearly, not the ordinary collection, the adherence to classic style rules were still abided by as beautifully as any other menswear collection.

never have i seen a label & a designer leading that label, fit so perfectly together. while some designers might think the concept of ski wear is so limiting, browne continues to stretch the possibilities each season, creating stylish pieces endlessly. i loved the full body ski suits that were in this collection & impressively, loved the quilted trench coat & blazer. even amidst heavy winterwear, the collection was packed with beautiful styling & layering. i love when designers take the brands heritage & reference it in new, modern ways; which is exactly what browne continues to do with moncler. as one collection i loved piece by piece from start to finish, i completely applaud thom browne’s prowess of design & all the barriers he’s breaking with moncler gamme bleu. overall, the collection was one of strength, complete cohesion, thoughtful design & sharp execution. definitely, another one of my favorites this season but for different reasons. considering that moncler truly stands alone in the lane of winterwear. incredible collection that completely inspires. [source]

SPRING COLLECTIONS, TOKYO: FACETASM

a combined runway show of men’s & womenswear, the SS12 collection presented by facestasm was another that showcased the forward approach of fashion that beams from japan. overall, this was a stunning collection or modern style with beautifully conceptualized aspects of beauty, through hair to make-up being seen. a whirlwind of floral prints, stripes & an array of silhouettes were presented as models walked the runway in bold toned footwear, chainsaws, sunglasses & larger than life hair. from the menswear pieces to the womenswear- there was a very clear vision that was flipped from masculine to feminine perfectly. one of my favorite collections of the spring season; it was unconventional, but still commercial enough to appeal to a global market. i loved the seemingly remixed business attire from the collection which seen blazers become vests & also loved the use of leather. most charming was the use of floral print & the chainsaws were completely unexpeceted. strong overall vision for this collection.

imagesource | wwd

spring collections, tokyo: yoshio kubo

after seeing the ato menswear collection, my love for men’s style in the context of japanese fashion design started to heat up. upon seeing the yoshio kubo, suddenly my own love for clean lines & style subtlety was being questioned. through design experimentation, the collection hosted a range of prints while the male models walked the runway with exposed black roots & platinum dipped tips- a style i have long loved. overall, the collection presented a powerful set of menswear design that found no need to reference current trend- it was almost an act of style deviation. packed into the collection was a range of style inspirations that i have seen spewed all over the world- the collection is truly an inspired one. it was almost like an art of the unconventional. the collection of beautifully styled chaos struck a strong chord with me, being that clean lines were still represented but then they were contrasted with something super outlandish. it was a perfect composition of male style & a vivid mind shift of how i define style. this is what design represents for me- it’s that moment when, suddenly, you start to re-evaluation your own style, thinking; “i would wear that”. in those moments that’s when you evolve- as a style enthusiast & as an individual.

imagesource | wwd

spring collections, tokyo: ato menswear

menswear, for me should be effortless. i feel as though men have much more of a pre-established style structure that rarely changes each season. when talking change, im not talking shorts vs. pants or t-shirts vs. coats- im talking true change. generally, womenswear has a stronger reputation to push the envelope or challenge our use of print, cut & shape. the ato SS12 menswear collection plays up the militant structure of uniforms beautifully. in some cases, i look to menswear with a sense of disinterest considering that it’s the same lines, same shapes & predictable palettes. that was not the case with this collection. strict & clean, the collection did host a few womenswear looks but a range of standard designs seemed to be presented with a strong sense of design while a faultless palette. the attention to tailoring & the mindful relaxation of fit in other areas was incredibly well balanced. overall, i loved this collection for it’s strength in simplicity; unbreakable lines & classic yet modern style. obsessed with this collection, in every way, shape & form. completely. amazing execution & clear vision.

imagesource | wwd

spring collections, tokyo: nozomi ishiguro

as the perfect follow-up runway review to everlasting sprout, nozomi ishiguro’s SS12 collection is the perfect example of the style experimentation of the japanese. splattered across the runway were transparent shawls, letters & strategically stained garments which seemed to add new dimension to my own perception of good design. what’s so dope about this collection is that it’s not put into a category, rather it is what fashion is & should be- expression. combined were a few menswear looks, though they were just as experimental. presented in tokyo’s olympic rugby stadium, the clothes hold a strong message. inspired by violent political reports & cream puffs- there is a balance between hard & soft. there’s almost a certain fragility about the sinister elements that bleed through each look in this collection. though not conventional, in comparison to what we are used to; these designs challenge the pre-established & seemingly break all the rules. strong vision & strong execution.

imagesource | wwd

announcement: versace for H&M

collection images: burberry prorsum, resort

perhaps one of the strongest labels in fashion, let alone in london, burberry presents their 2012 resort collection. shot in paris, the collection continues down the path they’ve created in the last couple of seasons; combining classical aspects of their own heritage with that of more modern design perspective. i loved the use of palette in the collection- the entrance of neutrals that soon burned to a set of yellows that managed to cool to tones of blue & green, ending in plum & navy tones. as demonstrated in the past, christopher bailey has a very strong direction in his work with burberry & the two have proved to be a perfect fit. accessories have a noticeable presence in the collection which goes to show you how mindful the london based label is in terms of a marketing presence. beautiful color story, very inspiring. super excited to see what burberry presents for SS12.

imagesource | style

olivier rousteing crowned creative director of balmain

as the newly crowned creative director of balmain, you can imagine my surprise when seeing the image of olivier rousteing & thinking, ‘why is he not a model?’. interesting is the fact that the house of balmain announced last week that a new talent would come to the forefront, someone who was not known to the masses & it seems as though a new revitalization of the french fashion house is waiting in the wings. rousteing has already attained experience working at roberto cavalli for 5 years & was promoted to head of design for both men & women’s ready-to-wear. rousteing has risen through the ranks while being in charge of womenswear at balmain since 2009. while some forms of hesitation are felt on my part, given the redundancy of design seen from balmain for the last few seasons- im more than eager to see how rousteing’s vision will allow the label to transform. prior to his work in the industry, olivier had completed studies of fashion design at paris’ école supérieure des arts et techniques de la mode in 2003. french-born, it seems only fitting that olivier take the wheel at the legendary fashion house, that has been in existence since 1945, which expanded stateside in 1951. much like sarah burton to alexander mcqueen, rousteing was reportedly key deputy to christophe decarnin & is more than likely is the best fit for the position. exciting new prospects & more for us to watch on the runway. with show season nearly six months away, im sure im not the only one who will be waiting with bated breath. word to balmain; save some coins & cast olivier for your balmain homme campaign.

fall prêt-à-porter, paris: balenciaga

nicolas ghesquière continues to bring the house of balenciaga to the forefront of fashion foward design, delivering complex concepts & jaw dropping glamour. while last season seen the balenciaga label playing with the big boys, channeling masculine edge & furthering the trend of androgyny. this season, those same concepts are focused on while design lines become elongated, print swirled throughout & innovative design was seen on the collections coats. from multi-colored collars to clean combinations of leather, wool & fishnet- the collection manages to introduce a gang of design while balancing all details creatively & imaginatively. as few models walked the runway with colored uni-brows- the FW11 collection really touched on another level of fashion design that use intricate details as well as new aged minimalism. a beautiful collection, though i hope a fitting campaign image comes of this. stunning design, incredibly inspiring- balenciaga is the illest. 

imagesource | vogue.fr

fall prêt-à-porter, paris: gareth pugh

the always impressive gareth pugh presents his FW11 collection in paris & all of his stunning visuals are well presented. tile constructed coats walked the runway looking like industrial mosaics while a sleek series of leather pieces was seen. as last season seen bouts of silver, an opposition was presented as gold was the accent of choice for this fall. between creativity, progressive forms of presentation & groundbreaking video visuals- there isn’t much gareth pugh can do, that would make me find him anything less than incredibly valuable in today’s fashion era. industrial, goth in a way & a completely innovative mindset are always seen from gareth pugh each season, this season is no different. while drenched in black, powerful use of gold & blue adds the right amount of depth to the collection, allowing another dimension to be well represent.

imagesource | vogue.fr