Limi Feu, A/W 12/13

Ah, it might be the shiny new inhaler I just brought home, but Limi Feu's A/W 12/13 collection seems like a breath of fresh air. Yes, I know there's nothing new here and, in fact, the collection seems like a hodgepodge of her previous offerings with a generous helping of Yamamoto on the side. But it's ('it' being the oversized coats, perfect layering, deconstructed menswear, dependence on black, and lovely Parisian twist) what I like, so who cares? Far more interesting than the disappointing bird-theme Mr. Pugh gave us today at any rate, or the cowhide-heavy collection of Mr. Doma. Sigh.

Have any of you seen 84 Charing Cross Road? Sometimes I wish books were still hard to find, and that you had to develop relationships with people on a different continent just to read what you wanted to read. Ordering books online is so unromantic.

(Photos via Style.com)

Nattura

I'm always annoyed when I see Björk and her swan dress on the worst-dressed-in-Oscar-history lists. Without launching into some sort of uncomfortable defense for animal-themed clothing, let's just say bizarre and different does not necessarily equal bad. Anyway, I'm sure Björk wouldn't be on such lists if she had been wearing this less-swan-ish dress by Sylvio Giardina (above left). However, Björk would never be expected to wear the same thing twice, even if the second time is actually just something similar and not the same. And so, for Björk's next Oscar performance, I would definitely suggest someone introduce her to Eleanor Amoroso, particularly Eleanor's A/W 12/13 collection (see above right). And my apologies if none of that makes sense. I'm not entirely sure being stuck in a tiny apartment for a week and a half with a humidifier as a best friend and all meals being served in a bowl is what you would call 'healthy'. 

Look book

For whatever reason, being unable to talk this week has taken away my desire to read (as has the millions of germs that are likely living on my book since it last saw daylight in the walk-in clinic's waiting room). And I normally read a lot. This piece by Kyla McCallum (found via NOTCOUTURE), made out of 67 books, makes me think that the problem may have been that I haven't been wearing any books this week. Or just plain paper, for that matter, as in the second photo, by the incredible Ira Bordo (found via kleidersachen). Though, I have to say, Netflix is a good substitute with all it's book-to-film movies, at least for one as ill as I. Also, if I had been wearing paper/books, the sad truth is that such pages would've met the same untimely end as two certain boxes of kleenex...

McQ, A/W 12/13

Somehow the McQ show seems like it was the perfect thing for Sarah Burton to do. As I've said before, I like the fact that she hasn't (at least yet) tried to match the theatricality previously expected in an Alexander McQueen runway show. But Lee McQueen never presented his McQ line on the runway, leaving that channel wide open for Sarah Burton to put her own stamp on it. And, instead of taking it in a completely non-McQueen direction, Sarah has brought McQ even closer to the main line than it ever was. Reading Susie Bubble's take on it, the end of the show sounds like it had that distinct McQueen ring to it. And, with some of the (absolutely gorgeous!) pieces being a straight homage to earlier McQueen pieces, I think the McQ line is a perfect way for Sarah Burton to respectfully continue on Lee's work without seeming to replace him. 

(Photos via Style.com)

Inbar Spector, A/W 12/13

Inbar Spector's A/W 12/13 show streamed live at 4AM my time this morning, and I missed it. Not because I wanted to, and not because the link didn't work for me, but because I had actually finally fallen into a non-hallucinatory sleep. Funny thing is, I woke up at about 4:32AM, likely just when the show had ended. Sigh. Anyway, it seems the Internets are all a-buzz over Inbar's newest collection, which isn't a surprise at all to me. I must say it seems a bit déjà-vu though, as Inbar not only presented another pastel-hued tutu-laced collection, but she did so again for Vauxhall Fashion Scout, and again in the exact same venue. Is that a glitch in the Matrix, or are we just lucky to have another Inbar Spector collection follow so quickly after the last? Anyway, I was trying to get photos all day (in between a doctor's visit for me and giving first aid advice to my man after he nearly cut his finger off making me tea) of Inbar's whole collection, as the bloggers that had attended the show seemed to focus on all the same shiny and/or floaty pieces, as well as the jeweled headpieces. So not only was I rather happy when The Fashion Scout, Vauxhall's blog, put up the entire video of Inbar's show for all to see, but I was also quite pleasantly surprised to see that there was black in this collection! And so, here are my favorite pieces of Inbar's collection. I apologize that you are seeing them presented as tiny screen shots. While the ones above definitely showcase Inbar's love of Junya Watanabe, the one below is a perfect example of Inbar's unique aesthetic. Gorgeous.

Thomas Tait, F/W 12/13

I can't help but be disappointed that Thomas Tait opted to use so much leather in his F/W 12/13 collection, as his show has quickly become one of those that I look forward to the most. I mean, maybe it was to be expected since I wasn't a huge fan of his S/S 12 collection (it didn't end up here), and maybe it's good that he's branching out and not doing the same F/W thing over again, the 'same' thing being that dress with the 'hell's windows' and more stiff wool than you can shake a stick at. Anyway, there are some pretty wool coats, the two here being the ones that weren't paired with leather trousers. I like the idea of a one-button winter coat. Not inherently practical, but the floor-/snow-sweeping length should make up for part of that. And that model on the left - that jaw sure makes me want to watch Anne of Green Gables, particularly the part where she teaches all those nasty Pringle girls... 

(Photos via Style.com)

Central Saint Martins M.A., 2012

Figures that I would get the flu the first day I'm guaranteed to like something from this round of the Fashion Weeks. Yesterday was the Central Saint Martins' show, where 20 MA graduates held their breath and crossed their fingers, hoping that the historical luck this school has bestowed upon its graduates would continue to be passed onto them. I was slightly worried that sleeping for the last 15 hours or so had heavily sedated the 'I like that' portion of my brain, as I had gone through 139 of the 198 photos (on UK Vogue.com) before I saw something that would cause me to actually sit up and post. But, as it always goes, the second time around made some other pieces stand out. I'll start with the second-round runners up before I get to my favorite graduate collection.

1) Helen Lawrence - Helen's collection gives a glimpse into what Sally's wardrobe would have looked like if Alexander McQueen had been brought on board for The Nightmare Before Christmas. For those of you that made it to the Savage Beauty exhibit, I'm thinking of that leather dress (from the A/W 00/01 collection) in the back corner, beside the alligator head jacket...

2) Hellen van Rees - With everything being remade and rereleased as 3D nowadays, someone was bound to take traditional fashion such as the Channel suit and add that extra dimension. Hellen decided it was up to her.

3) Jessie Hands - My go-to washroom in Manhattan is the main NY Public Library. Not only is it generally quiet and clean, but everything is also made of marble. Jessie's collection looks like someone took a big potato peeler to the stall partitions to see just how well marble drapes. And how.

4) Yulia Kondranina - If Yulia is looking for a summer job, I would strongly suggest that she goes a-knocking on Barbara Í Gongini's door. I think she would fit in quite well there.

5) Yifang Wan - My vote for best collection out of the bunch goes to Yifang. I'm not sure what that wood/boomerang looking piece is that is included in every piece, but I like it. I'd pretty much wear everything in the collection, actually.

(Photos via Style.com - my go-to site for Fashion Week updates is UK Vogue.com, but Style.com adds in the names of each designer for the CSM show)

To be quite Frank...

Either it's just a coincidence that I have seen pretty much nothing on the NYFW runways that interest me this time around, or I am still not in the right mind to be looking at pictures of anything other than Maggie. Sigh. At any rate, this dress by Parsons-educated Frank Tropiano (found via NJAL) caught my eye, especially as it seems rather suited to my somber mood this week. And while it's not an apron, it's also not a proper dress, so I'm putting it in my Aprons, Etc. category. I predict it'll be a close chum of Yang Li's apron/smock/thing.

Maggie

The world lost the best dog there ever was yesterday. Maggie thought she was people, but she was better than people. I scanned this photo and didn't notice that it was dusty from sitting on top of our bookshelf for months until after I had scanned it. I kind of like having a dusty digital image though. Sort of like having that well-worn photo of a loved one in your wallet. And I don't really mind since I can't see very clearly at the moment anyway. Maggie, you are the only dog I've ever and will ever let lick my face.

Dog's Got a Bone

This table (by Hannes Grebin, via ARCADEMI)...

...reminds me of this F/W 12/13 dress by Gary Graham (via Style.com). Or, is it the other way around? Hmm...And yes, Gary Graham's collection is already up. Seems he's going the route of other designers not doing a proper presentation this season. Which is just as well. Getting invites to shows I am in the wrong country for does not a happy me make. Sigh. Just a warning to all of you out there: if you ever go to New York in February, chances are a February at home will never be the same. Or any other month, for that matter...

Give me back those hours I lost, please.

Normally I would want to come up with some sort of witty and groan-worthy title like "Back to Basics" or "Back(street)'s Back" for this post to highlight that it's all about paying attention to the back, but finishing possibly the worst-ever 1000+ page book has really killed my desire to use any sort of puns. Mr. Stephenson, when you're good, you're breathtaking. But when you're bad, you're "1P. And yes, that is a typo. Sigh. Anyway, the first lovely photo is from New York-based designer Jenny Lai's NOT, and the second lovely photo is from (Parsons-educated) German designer Mira Becker's CRUBA line. You can go back to whatever you were doing now.

(Photos via NJAL, here and here)