Volume Control

The message was clear for Pre-Fall 2011: coats with volume ballooned from nearly every collection. It's a fairly easy, playful look that works best with solid colours, clean lines and paired with sleek legs - extra points for a drop-dead statement shoe.


Giambattista Valli went for crimson drama...


...while Marco Zanini played with shapes in solid black at Rochas.


The effect can be emphasized by scorning sleeves and wearing the coat as a cape; I love the turned-in lapels on this piece from Maison Martin Margiela.


Lanvin: great coat, but whoever gave the green light to the cheesy taxidermied animals for this photo-shoot should be shot and stuffed.


The look doesn't have to be so formal. Dsquared showed a parka with the same dimensions.


No one does oversized like Stella McCartney. This was my favourite rendition of this trend for being unapologetically experimental and nailing it. Best of all, McCartney gave us a short version...


...and a long version. I can't decide which I like better.

Marni Menswear, Fall 2011

I tend not to enjoy Marni's casual garments for women. I find the proportions clownish, the colours dour and the silhouettes unflattering. But the exact same aesthetic is magic on men; it takes a certain rogue masculinity to make these shapes work - tomboys included.


With pieces that were slim cut...


...and oversized, Consuelo Castiglioni kept the Marni flavour strong.


The collection featured versatile knits...


...covetable accessories...


...and fashion-forward outerwear.

Grin and Bare It

Start crunching, ladies. Bare midriffs were all over the Spring 2011 runways. But don't fret too much. This is not the trashy, hip-hugger look which taunted tummies in the early-Britney era. The modern version bares more ribcage than navel and can actually lengthen the leg line with a higher waist. It's not for everyone, but it can work with a few tricks from the pros.

Versace: a solid colour throughout the ensemble will make this look more wearable.

Max Mara: I love the idea of using a slim belt to define the waistline just below a bare midriff.

Dolce & Gabbana: For pretty and youthful, combine a bare midriff with lace, another big trend this season.

D&G: A more casual rendition.

Betsey Johnson: Although the collection left me a bit confused, you can always count on Betsey for her unique mix of pretty and funky that every girl I know loves.

Giorgio Armani: Dark, glamorous and exotic. My favourite use of this diffcult trend.

Missoni: A disastrous example of what not to do. If you want to bare your stomach in Missoni, buy a bikini.

Laced

Spring 2011 sees criss-cross lacing detail as a major trend. Lacing tends to be evocative of corsetry, which immediately brings to mind femininity and coquettish sexuality. It can be an easy, wearable trend to incorporate into your wardrobe; just make sure you use it to reflect your personality.

Lacing can be demure, like this piece from Dolce & Gabbana...

... or badass, like these shredded pants from Roberto Cavalli.

Karolina Kurkova smoked down the runway in a laced tunic and killer boots for Emilio Pucci.



If the above examples are too bold, try incorporating smaller lace details, like the bottom of these pants from Gucci.

Carolina Herrera, Spring 2011

Carolina Herrera broke through the noise of the Spring collections, as she often does, with unequivocal elegance. I was charmed by her use of motif: floral botanist drawings, which she used to showcase her dedication to detail, craftsmanship and artistry.



Herrera will always be a mainstay of the ladies who lunch...

... but her ability to play with design has youthful appeal as well.

She has a masterful sense of proportion and placement...


... and makes no apologies for grandeur, while maintaining refinement.

Haute Couture: Fall 2010

I have gushed sufficiently over the Dior presentation in an earlier post, and indeed it was my favourite show this season. Here are some other pieces which got my attention.


Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli continue to find their footing at the house of Valentino; their couture presentation was experimental to the point of confusion. Still, they did come up with this cage-like dress, which was, I think, the only compelling piece in the lot.

Gaultier's collection was typically French, dark and thought-provoking. He seemed to be exploring the more macabre side of glamour, with tons of untrimmed fur, corsets shaped like rib-cages, monocle adornments and smoking models. I really loved the strength of this loosely gathered coat...

...and the feathered dégradé effect on this skirt.

Innovative and multi-textured fabrics also appeared at Chanel.

Anyone who knows me knows I love booties. These ruched gold ones from Chanel echoed the leg feathers of the giant gold lion around which the girls traipsed.

Lagerfeld ended the Chanel presentation with a series of knee-length dresses with matching boots. The show had a decidedly imperial flavour: a nod to both Eastern and Western cultures which has marked his collections of late.

I didn't think I could love this piece from Armani Privé any more...

...until I saw the fabric up close.

Other Favourites: Resort 2011

A few other stand-outs from Resort 2011...

Denim on denim from YSL

Beautiful texture from Michael Kors

Shimmer and drama from Donna Karan; the collection was one of her finest.

Romance from Oscar de la Renta

If you thought the trench was played out, check out this lace-trimmed statement piece from Burberry Prorsum

Trendy? Yes. Practical? No. Flattering on most women's bodies? Certainly not. Still, for sheer coolness, this 3.1 Philip Lim outfit gets top marks.