Nothing excites me more than trompe l’oeil which Thom Browne took to a whole new level for his RTW Spring collection. Mixing various prints with texture, Browne’s models’ seemed to exude confidence with contempt, wearing nothing but sweet concoctions of pastels with the occasional doses of black + white thrown in like nonpareils inside a candy bag. The models appeared to be socialites out for a stroll when in fact they were really out for a dip at a pool party Thom Browne style, with the wavy patterns on the shoe platforms mimicking water.
One by one, VOGUE RUNWAY reported how the models were said to first appear in bubble coats, complete with floral swim caps, only to be removed, revealing all of Browne’s genius dresses seen here. But these were not your ordinary dresses. Trompe l’oeil was the big draw here + by big I mean big! Sure you had your typical faux bows, faux buttons et al, but these pieces had something different about them. These dresses sometimes looked like a two-piece ensemble, if not, one with three pieces, complete with vest. Tricking the eye, look after look, simply became one refreshing statement after another. In one occasion, a model came out wearing what appeared to be a long sweater over a short jacket + vest over a white shirt, complete with orange tie, with blue floral wide leg trousers, when in fact it was all part of one maxi dress made to shimmer with clear sequins (bottom, center).
Embroideries played a major role throughout the collection, at times with thread darker if not the same color as the fabric it laid on, whereas other times, they outlined florals in contrasting colors to their backgrounds. Browne’s treatment of buttons turned them into embellishments, as they served no function but rather played their ‘role’ as they lined up with their button holes (below, rt).
The many textures at play here included weave patterns + bouclés, set to dazzle with amusement only to further enhance the whimsy of different colored shoes worn with every look. Of course, with the assistance of a long back zipper, similar to that of a wetsuit behind every dress, with one pull down, the whole garment came off, to reveal red, blue + white swimsuits worn underneath. Even the pastel blue lips + mismatched pastel mani-pedis still managed to maintain the models’ socialite polish, after all, was said + done.
For his new RTW Spring collection, designer Alexander Wang peppered his signature style with a lot of his Cali roots. But what was most exciting for this opus was his collabo with Adidas Originals, a wickedly iconic brand in its own right. As VOGUE RUNWAY mentioned how it has been a project that took a year in the making, models sold Adidas via Wang in everything from hoodies, black tees, sweatshirts, basketball shorts, + tearaway pants with infamous white stripes + inverted versions of the famous Adidas logo, down the catwalk.
There were lots of looks that simply took you back to the beach by way of rash guard dresses + plenty of silk bikini tops, still very sporty in vein but meant more for nights out. A lot of these bikini tops were paired with short A-line skirts with embroidered cutouts along their bottoms. Sequins made their way down the runway embellishing everything from wrapped maxi skirts, baring a high front slit, a black mesh tank over an emerald green sequined tank, to a tank maxi dress. Backstage he called this show, “50 Shades of Grey meets Lords of Dogtown,” as per VOGUE RUNWAY, + sex there was in the form of lace + sheer tops, paired with a black blazer + belted shorts.
Lace was en masse from everything on neon slip skirts + camis to the hem of a short navy spaghetti strap dress, that was tied in the front, as if by the longer skirt that made the back of the dress. What was particularly sweet about this piece was the rose print peeking from inside.
But as with all of Wang’s designs, there was one standout sporty element that stole the show. In this case, it was an obvious white fur wrap made to look like a white athletic towel, complete with a monogrammed AW + worn around the neck as such, down the runway. Genius!
Vetements as a stand-alone brand is a force to be reckoned with but for their RTW Spring 2017 collection, they had a little help of industry friends including Brioni, Schott, Levi’s, Comme des Garçons Shirt, Reebok, Canada Goose, Dr. Martens, Alpha Industries, Juicy Couture, Eastpak, Lucchesse, and Manolo Blahnik. Taking everyday mainstays like hoodies, trench coats, bomber jackets + jeans, designer Demna Gvasalia figured to have the actual makers of these items to throw them onto their drawing boards in order to deconstruct them perfectly. “We thought we’d go straight to the brands who make all these things best, + ask to do something in our way with each one,” Demna told VOGUE RUNWAY.
With footwear, Vetements had everything from flats, leather booties, satin pumps, thigh high leather boots + waist high duchess stiletto satin boots thanks to Manolo Blahnik. Demna said, “We’ve done thigh-high, so we asked, could you go waist-high this time for us?” The bonus, of course, was Manolo’s personal touch added to the Vetements collab by autographing his classic satin pumps in bleach. But what’s genius here is how they styled their looks with the longest of boots. The thigh high leather boots in black were worn over a Reebok nylon tracksuit, which gives that throwback a whole new POV. Whereas the waist high Blahnik boots in jewel tone colors were paired with everything from sheer maxi dresses to one sleeve midi dresses.
The play in silhouette, a Vetements guarantee, was seen throughout the collection with oversized items including huge overalls, bomber jackets with extra long sleeves + a goose down jacket comprised of two jackets fused together to create a huge pillow effect. The men’s pantsuit oversized proportions paired with an oversized button-down shirt replaced the oversized shoulder pads look for distorting its silhouette, pulled together by an extra long leather belt. There were leather pants with leather jacket sleeves that looked like they were part of a jacket tied around the waist, when in fact, they were zippered to the pants which made for an interesting effect.
One of my favorite pieces had to be the Juicy Couture collab using their signature stretch velvet for skin-tight catsuits with the one sleeve embellished with a crystal design along the forearm, complete with a stretchy black glove.
As per usual, I retained a smile throughout viewing all the looks + can’t wait to see what Vetements has up their sleeve for next season’s collection.
If Linda Farrow, a master when it comes to sunglasses + Yazbukey, who adds her incredible wit to her accessories, were to collaborate, I am certain the end result would be anything but great + these sunglasses are proof! These ‘Blue Eye Spy’ sunnies, with their cartoon-inspired eye shape sunglasses in multi-colored acetate with grey lenses, are sure to perk up any look all year round!
Made in Japan, these black, red + white eye-shaped sunglasses, come in smooth, glossy acetate. But what adds allure to these comical sunnies is their small, grey nylon lenses, allowing any onlooker a peek into the wearer’s real eyes. Complete with a cleaning cloth + drawstring case, these sunglasses will surely make you the talk of the gloomy cold months ahead. But just remember, eyes are known to be a talisman to ward off evil + here you get two!
These ‘Blue Eye Spy’ sunglasses by Linda Farrow x Yazbukey can be purchased at Avenue 32.
Get enraptured by Spike Jonze’s new campaign for ‘Kenzo World’, KENZO’s first fragrance, which is a ‘must cop’ based on the packaging alone (below). Known as the creator behind a lot of Kanye West’s videos + pop culturally significant films including ‘Her’, where ironically (or is it?), Kenzo Creative Directors Carol Lim + Humberto Leon served as its Costume Designers, this video truly exudes much excitement that is what KENZO is all about. From their patterns, bright colors, silhouettes, cuts, accents, accessories, simply just everything, this fragrance seems to promise to grant the wearer exhilaration + that joie de vivre, but who am I to argue?
Featuring American Actress + Dancer Margaret Qualey, you first see her attending a fancy event at Lincoln Center, which she politely excuses herself from, simply to carry on wearing a beautiful jade green dress + perfect dance-ready black heels, in a modern dance number, within the venues opulent empty halls. And what girl wouldn’t want to work themselves up like this, complete with lasers shooting out of your hands when you point to things with contempt?! But the best is yet to come when she exits Lincoln Center and jumps through a big eye!
No wardrobe should be without such magical items like these ‘Rock With You Tights’ by Kraken Counter Couture. Imagine having FULL-LEG coverage of over 13.750 crystal beads? Incredible right?! Just look at the expert craftsmanship of these lovelies, accented by the perfect color palette of crystals.
There’s no wonder it belongs to the ‘HOMAGE TO CATOUFLAGE’ SS17 collection, which unravels in six refined creations inspired by the upbeat of the energy of 70’s Soul Train, an undisguised enthusiasm of Toilet Paper Mag’s vibrant colour, + a broad spectrum of sensuous textures.
Hand-crocheted on clear nylon, with reinforced tips, heels + crotch, these tights are worth freezing your butt off just to show some sparkle down your leg come Fall. Wouldn’t you agree?!
‘Rock With You Tights’ by Kraken Counter Couture are available at NOT JUST A LABEL.
In inimitable fashion writer Lynn Yaeger’s touching Vogue magazine tribute to the late iconic street photographer Bill Cunningham, she cited what appealed to Bill was “an anonymous person with a deep desire to look a certain way, to see + be seen for reasons buried deep in the psyche, as mysterious as the impulse for decoration itself,” which immediately resonated with each + every portrait of the vast array of characters within Ari Seth Cohen’s book ‘Advanced Style: Older & Wiser’, published by powerHouse Books.
It first started as a blog of the same name eight years ago. After the loss of his grandmother + best friend Bluma, he was able to pay tribute to them. The blog recorded the style + stories of some of the city’s most inspiring older people. Never in Ari’s wildest dreams did he think what this kind of inspiration would turn into. It blossomed into a “global movement re-imagining the picture of aging”. This passion project proved one can look forward to their later years. Years full of being the most productive, liberating, and rich chapters of your life.
(photo: Barbara Chapman, Solana Beach, CA + Ignacio Quiles, Providence, RI)
And like most ‘dreams do come true’ stories, since the publication of this first book + the release of the ‘Advanced Style’ documentary, besides the rest being marked as history, it’s been quite an adventure for Ari taking him from Sydney to Tokyo, Rome to Buenos Aires, to meet incredibly stylish + inspirational ladies + gentlemen whose creativity stumps most people forty to twenty years their junior, which lots might find preposterous. But I guarantee that these same disbelievers would be awestruck as many ‘Advanced Style’ fans are upon gazing at truly unique, chic + stylish characters.
(photo: Derrill Osborn, Dallas + Sarah Jane Adams, Sydney Australia)
Of course, with aging being incredibly stigmatized by American society, enabled by the rise in plastic surgery + weirdo ‘get young quick’ concoctions thanks to the Frankenstein hybrids of pharmaceuticals with beauty products, not to mention the rise in popularity of celeb beauty regimens, age-appropriateness STILL gets much attention, pushing those with ‘advanced style’ to the fringe. But with positive validation, if not celebratory accolades, Ari’s subjects are anything but influencers + trendsetters amongst us all. As Creative Ambassador-at-Large of the New York City-based clothing store Barneys, Simon Doonan asks,” Are the ‘Advance Style’ gals + guys at a disadvantage because of their age? Au contraire! Age has emboldened them to adorn themselves with individuality + creativity,” + no one instills this more than ‘Advance Style’s cover girl Valerie von Sobel, President of the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation.
I had the pleasure of sending over a few questions for Valerie to answer, to get to the bottom of the when + how she arrived at mastering her sense of style to this high level of ingenious creativity + the following are some of her answers. I asked Valerie when did she become aware of fashion as a form of self-expression. What set her apart from everyone else? Her calling came at eight years old. After positive reactions from fellow third-grade classmates, she knew she was onto something. How could she not after wrapping herself in her mother’s large summer scarf as part of her lecture to fellow 3rd graders about Scheherazade + the seven veils?
(photo: Valerie Sobel, President, Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation)
Naming her mom as her fashion role model, she had big shoes to fill. Her mom’s sense of style was shaped by intuition. Valerie said, “Living under the regime of Communist Russia was a great equalizer. Since no luxuries were available to anyone, people who were capable to stand out did so on their talents and wits. I am not sure that standing out was all that safe either.”
“How did I know she was chic? I studied her, compared her to others, and importantly had four issues of Vogue magazine among my treasures. My darling aunt from NY slipped it in a package of clothing that came regularly each Christmas. I will never forget my 90-pound body in the cornflower blue Latex bathing suit. I knew that I never wanted to wear anything that was not becoming, feminine or ill-fitting.”
This is probably why corsets are her favorite mainstay in her wardrobe accentuating her small waist.
(photo: Valerie Sobel, President, Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation)
Although not a fan of trends, Valerie preferred observing them. Valerie’s criteria have always been about how inventive + original what she wears is. a lesson worth branding onto the brains of most amidst the sea of carbon copies devoid of any authenticity or style to call their own these days. Valerie said, “Confidence in style is a process, + you need to master some principles before you can dismiss them. Breaking the rules comes from a discerning eye, when you know what works, rather than what is “acceptable” or fashionable.
“The first stage is striving for elegance + fitting in, than the desire to shine (not everyone is comfortable with standing out)… it comes much later when one throws away the rules + starts experimentation… which is when you become original. Art is a bit like this,” making you, the end product, a work of art in + of itself.
Patterns, silhouettes + accessories appear to be very important to all of these colorful subjects, as you leaf through the pages. But for Valerie, it’s always been about one thing. Valerie said, “For me, it’s all about accessories. From harnesses to collars, to hats + jewelry + glasses + neckties + bowties, + bibs + cuffs + belts + cufflinks + nose rings, + ear cuffs, braces for trousers + … endless,” to which I couldn’t agree more.
Partial to patterns myself, like Valerie, I also agree on finding beauty equally in monotones.
(photo: Valerie Sobel, President, Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation with Author + Photographer, Ari Seth Cohen)
As for Valerie’s last words of style wisdom, she said a mouthful. “If you are interested, you will develop an instinct. If you have the instinct you will combine masterfully + will never again depend on a trend, you will make your own.” She did add offer this comical piece of styling advice: “Only wear purple feathers in your nostrils under duress,” + who could argue with any of this really?
Remember, as you leaf through the pages of ‘Advanced Style’, you’re losing yourself in the personification of fantasy becoming real. Remember to be like Ari. Gaze upon “those whose artful + creative dressing is a reflection of their indomitable spirits + the refusal to become invisible.”
Get inspired to stand out + live life out loud!
‘Advanced Style: Older & Wiser’, by Ari Seth Cohen, published by Powerhouse Books, is available for purchase at powerhousebooks.com.
For #TBT, how’s about checking out the reboot of iconic throwback sneaker brand KangaROOS? It’s a throwback worth counting down for, as they’re set to drop at the end of this month. With reworks of three of their most popular styles-the Omnicoil, the Racer + the Ultimate Leather-they’re sure to gain many new fans with this Fall collection.
The ‘Omnicoil’ runner from the ’80s featuring the DYNACOIL shock absorption system, will drop in both navy/ultramarine + black/flame red colorways, making for an interesting texture + pattern to mix in with your knits + plaids. Whereas the ‘Racer’, a combo of mesh + leather, featuring a grey/ocean, royal blue/black, + ocean/viola colorways, has a more of that old school running kick look to them.
Finally, the ’90s ‘Ultimate Leather’, available in off white, cognac/wine + black colorways, will get a major overhaul with a full-grain leather upgrade. So be sure to check out KangROOS‘ site by the end of this month to cop a pair or two or just one of each new style.
Embroideries played a major role throughout the collection, at times with thread darker if not the same color as the fabric it laid on, whereas other times, they outlined florals in contrasting colors to their backgrounds. Browne’s treatment of buttons turned them into embellishments, as they served no function but rather played their ‘role’ as they lined up with their button holes (below, rt).
