Chanel S/S 2011

"I'm  not interested in the future or the past; now is the interesting time."

-Karl Lagerfeld

In 1954 Karl Lagerfeld was awarded his first prestigious award in the International Wool Secretariat fashion design competition, as winner of the coat category.  It was pivotal moment in 21-year-old from Hamburg's life, and ultimately set the stage for the rest of his career.  Born from a family of wealth,  Lagerfeld displayed an unprecedented work ethic for someone who did not need to work.  In 1959, he left the house of Pierre Balmain to go work for Jean Patou, and by 1962 he was out on his own again, looking for a new direction.  Fortunately, the direction he took was geared toward ready-to-wear, which at the time, was considered much less prestigious and far less glamorous than any position held by a couturier.  His long-time friend, Fernando Sanchez is quoted in Alicia Drake's The Beautiful Fall, by saying that: 

             'He totally grasped the epoch... He knew he wanted to do his own thing and not in some old couture house.  Karl is extremely intelligent, he understood the time.'

On September 15, 1982 Karl Lagerfeld was announced artistic director for the house of Chanel.  It was a position that would allow him to truly compete with the prestige and reputation of haute couture atelier Yves Saint Laurent.  For almost their entire careers the two designers competed in a friendly, yet distant manner, but Yves always seemed to come out one step ahead.  He had his own house, his own identity, and his own fame; while Karl had always worked for the houses, identities, and fame of other designers. Saint Laurent's fame and notoriety was something that no designer at the time could compete with, but then again, there is no fashion legend greater than Coco Chanel.  

Karl Lagerfeld's status at Chanel created an uproar within the high fashion community; many denounced his cultural heritage, and others his anti-haute couture attitude.  So there he was, a German at the top of an intrinsically french empire, and there he stayed.  

Chanel's S/S 2011 resort collection fell nothing short of spectacular this year.  It was saturated with rich earth tones, feather-light fabrics, and Greco-Roman footwear.  While Chanel can often feel like it's geared toward a more mature audience, with its tweed coats and modest hemlines, this collection felt young and lively, yet maintained a classical elegance.  

Of the 87 resort looks, here are a few that I wholeheartedly believe belong in my closet:

All pictures from Vogue.com.  Thanks for reading!

Sam Edelman Ankle Boots

"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes.  That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes."

-Jack Handey

I am moving to L.A. in a week, so please forgive my lack of posting over the next few days.  I couldn't be more excited, but I must confess to being slightly overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that I've managed to accumulate over the past two and a half years.  I distinctly remember my material worth undergoing a cleansing the last time I moved, but somehow it feels as though I'm back in that square trying to determine what to keep and what to toss.  

My wardrobe is, of course, the first thing that must be reckoned with and it is a looming, daunting task to say the least.  I have dozens of pairs of shoes that I can't decide what to do with because I know I won't get what I want if them if I sell them, so I'm thinking the Salvation Army might be the way to go.  I would rather donate my shoes, knowing that they'll go to someone who needs them than get $10 for a pair of shoes that I know I'll never wear again.  Another thing I'm considering is giving all the pairs I like, but don't wear, to my friends so I can visit them in case I ever start to feel separation anxiety.  Any suggestions?

One pair of shoes that I can be certain about bringing with me are these new Sam Edelman suede ankle booties.  They are part of my new fall/winter investment strategy because they go with everything and are extremely comfortable.  I got them at Bloomingdale's for $225 and I think they're worth every penny.  

Thanks for reading and have a good weekend!

Vogue: The 90th Anniversary Masquerade Ball

"On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock."

-Thomas Jefferson

Vogue celebrated it's 90th birthday on October 1st this year, and the fashionable soiree was hosted by none other than its heralded french editor, Carine Roitfeld.  The event took place at the eighteenth century private mansion on the rue de l'Universite, Hotel Pozzo di Borgo.  Famous for its previous inhabitant, Karl Lagerfeld, the venue served to entertain over six hundred guests, and ultimately bore witness to a parade of the fashion elite.  It was a spectacle of style, underscored by an Eyes Wide Shut motif.

Now, I know I'm a little late reporting on the event, considering that the immediacy of the internet allowed bloggers to post about it the night of, but I felt that I owed it to my blog to pay homage to the self-proclaimed Lady Gaga of fashion- Ms. Anna Dello Russo.  Her custom designed Pucci gown was absolutely awe inspiring.  Paired with a steel feather headdress by Gareth Pugh, there is no question as to who stole the show that night; and if there was an award to be given out for best dressed, it would have undoubtedly gone to her.

To take my Anna Dello Russo obsession a step further, I wanted to include some of the pictures that chronicle her fashion sensibilities throughout the duration of fashion month.  How is it that a woman in her fourties can pull off a couture runway look better than a 19 year old model?  The answer to that my friends is: two hours of yoga a day and a very regimented diet!  

Wearing Fall 2010 Yves Saint Laurent

(Source: Tommy Ton for Style.com)

Wearing feathers by Roksanda Illincic

(Source by marquisdelannes.com)

Wearing Fall 2010 leopard Balmain dress

(Source: Tommy Ton for Style.com)

Wearing Summer 2011 Francesco Scognamiglio

Wearing Spring 2010 Yves Saint Laurent strawberry dress and cherry headpiece by Alan Journo

Okay, so I have to stop here a minute and pay tribute to my #1 favorite fashion blogger- Garance Dore.  She is the impossibly adorable french fashion blogger sitting here next to Anna, and she and her fellow blogger boyfriend Scott Schuman of the The Sartorialist, are largely responsible for Anna Dello Russo's rise to internet fame.  I read her blog religiously, as should you!  She is a fashion photographer/illustrator and there is a pureness about her spirit that really comes through in her work.  LOVE LOVE LOVE Garance!

Wearing Fall 2010 Emilio Pucci

(Source: TheClothesWhisperer)

Yang Du

"I prefer people to look at my work as a strong expression of beauty.  Understanding it is important.  Superficial beauty is not enough."

-Rei Kawakubo

Yang Du established itself as a surrealist fashion label in 2009, when designer Du Yang began showing her collections in London.  Du Yang is known for her whimsical designs and surrealist approach to fashion, as exhibited in her latest collection, "It is a Dream in Colors."  According to her website, the collection "blurs the lines between art and fashion," and she describes her style as "relaxed, humorous, and sexy."  Du Yang, has experience working for John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, and Giles Deacon, so  the watchful eyes of fashion will follow her lead as she seeks to make a name for herself in a world that values a unique sense of perspective above all else.  

The styling in this picture is spot-on.

If these superhero mod-style dresses aren't the cutest damn things in the world, I don't know what is.

These are some of the most expressive, innovative, and practical dresses I've seen in a long time.

I can hardly stand how cute these t-shirt dresses are.  I could wear one every day of the week.  The googly eyes make my heart melt and her playful approach to fashion is endearing to say the least, and completely indicative of my personal style.

I absolutely adore the Twiggy-esque make-up styling.  

Hmmmmm, I can't decide which one I want most.  What's your favorite?

The make-up in these pictures screams 1970's Twiggy.

All pictures from StyleBubble.com

Aquilano Rimondi

"Fashion is at once both caterpillar and butterfly.  Be a caterpillar by day and a butterfly at night... There must be dresses that crawl and dresses that fly."

-Coco Chanel

Aquilano Rimondi's Spring 2011 collection is one of the many to reflect on the "radical chic" era of the late 1960's and 70's, a term coined by American writer Tom Wolfe.  Throughout the duration of this period, young counter culture became synonymous with anti-materialism; wherein the young and trendy took to wearing secondhand apparel and adopted the "vintage" look.  It was a time that allowed for all sectors of society to participate in the fashion parade.  According to Caroline Evans, "Similar to nineteenth century dandyism, getting it right depended more on originality and talent than on money."

Being that much of the world is in a state of financial ruin, designers are having to deal with the socio-political and financial impacts of what is now considered the Great Recession. Vintage and vintage inspired fashion trends have been all the rage for the past few seasons because they provide a way for style conscious women to maintain their sense of fashion without going bankrupt.  We've seen top stylists like Rachel Zoe obsess over just about anything vintage, and designers like Aquilano Rimondi have definitely taken notice of this notion.  Their S/S 2011 collection was inundated with colors and patterns that make me want to listen to a Beetles Album... Sergeant Pepper in particular.

Here are my top five favorite looks from their collection:

All Pictures from Vogue.com