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.

Christian Dior Haute Couture, Fall 2010

The true genius in John Galliano's latest haute couture for the house of Dior is that he did floral with minimal use of print.






Instead, he used shape, colour and texture to shift away from the de rigueur, decorative arena of floral motif and presented flowers in more dynamic formal language; actual, larger than life flowers came down the runway, as opposed to fabrics covered with facsimiles.

Cellophane head-wraps and waists cinched with raffia and ribbon highlighted his dramatic-as-always interpretation, as Galliano wooed his audience/lover with couture bouquets, as if fresh from a Paris flowershop.

As much as I loved the collection, I did not like the shoes...

Get Loose

Loosely woven sweaters in easy summer colours are a trend for Spring 2011 menswear. Relaxed, sexy and great for layering, these pieces are stylish without trying too hard. But please, even if you have Cristiano Ronaldo's body, put something under (or over) an open weave to avoid looking like a complete d-bag.



Gun-metal grey continues to proliferate all corners of fashion, and it looks great on this crocheted tank from Louis Vuitton. Sharp sandals, too.


Summer knits are the picture of casual elegance from Hermès...

... and Dolce & Gabbana.

For the fashion fearless, a loosely woven shirt under a trench is a slick interplay of texture and structure. Burberry Prorsum posterboy Charlie France dominated runways this season.

Badly Mischka

“Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable, we have to alter it every six months.”

The famous words of Oscar Wilde echoed in my head as I viewed the Resort 2011 collection from Badgley Mischka.

What happened, boys? Normally your work is the epitome of modern glamour. This season’s offering of lop-sided and gaudy eye-sores means you’re losing even more ground to Marchesa. Pick it up.

Prada, Spring 2011

A few years ago in an art theory class, my professor asked us “Can anyone name one, undeniable, unequivocal truth?”

I promptly raised my hand and said “Prada.”

It was more than a quip. Among Miuccia Prada's many gifts is the ability to culminate concepts into fully realized collections. No matter where she ventures thematically, the arc of her aesthetic remains clear.



There was a nod to sportswear with wrap-around sunglasses, complete with neckstraps. Let’s hope there was some irony here and this trend doesn’t step off the runway.

Elusions to hospital scrubs manifested in the palette of clear blues and the boxy shape of T-shirts and shorts.

Schoolboy resonances sounded in the styling...

... and accessories: bags which came down the runway emblazoned with varsity letters and clutched like lunchbags, and bracelets that looked like that perennial summer-camp diversion (do you remember how to do “square”?).

The mixture of references culminated below the ankle, where wingtips sat atop layered soles that were part espadrille and part runner.

Jackets featured extreme tailoring in the waist.

Sweaters further developed a V-shaped torso, emphasizing shoulders with solid colour boat-necks...

...and bright stripes across the chest.

Despite the eclectic inspirations, the collection retained that distinctive, cohesive and utterly desirable quality that is, in a word: Prada.