The Trends of the Season

Wanting to look fashion-forward as you're walking down the street? Well, here are my favorite trends of the season, if that means anything!

First, the gilet.  Basically, it's a fabulous fur vest.  Make sure to pair it with something light and not too bulky.  And for those of you who don't want to wear real fur, there are plenty of designers that make faux fur gilets, like this well-known designer (one of my favorites):

Michael Kors

  Next, the elbow-length gloves.  Many magazines are saying to only go for leather or suede, but personally I think elbow-length knit gloves are adorable!  And any color goes!

And for the shoes, if you're looking for heels, go for a bright color!  Any color!  Whether it's red, yellow, or neon green, it looks great to have that pop of color on your feet.  My suggestion, if you're going to wear brightly colored heels, wear a neutral colored outfit. That way, the shoes will really stand out.

I will be looking for a pair of red heels for Christmas!

And if you're looking for flats, go look through your Dad's shoes and find a pair that look like his! The mannish shoes are really "in" right now and who knows when it will be "out," so don't let the time to wear comfortable shoes and still be trendy slip away!

Chloe

Well, those are my favorites! And now, after talking about it, I want to go shopping...

A Tribute

Yesterday, I was snooping around Elle.com and came upon its "Need to Know Designers" section.  The latest featured designers such as Stephane Raynor, the founder of Boy London, and Reed Krakoff, President and Creative Director of Coach.  But then I came upon this gem, Madeleine Vionnet, revolutionary designer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  So, I thought I would give a tribute to the woman who stripped us of our corsets and gave us the luxury of movement and comfort.

Vionnet was born in Loiret, France in 1876 and became an apprentice seamstress at only 11 years old.  Fast forward 25 years after working for dressmaker Kate Reilly and fashion houses Callot Soeurs and Jacques Doucet, and Vionnet began to branch out on her own.  With the beginning of the First World War came the need of less constricting dresses, hence the creation of Vionnet's bias-cut.  It was a technique in which she cut the fabric diagonally across the grain, making the fabric drape about the body.  Her signature look was the figure-hugging gown, as shown below.  Absolutely beautiful?  I'd say so!

 

Not only was she a pioneer of fashion, but also a pioneer of workers' rights.  Vionnet was the first employer to offer her employees maternity leave, paid holidays, and free medical care.  I have to say, I think we are much indebted to Madeleine Vionnet!

Her fashion house closed at the end of the 1930s, after which she donated all her dresses to Musee Des Arts Decoratifs in Paris.  Today, it is easy to see how influential Vionnet has been on designers' approach to dressmaking.  Just take a look at some of these dresses:

At the Oscar's

John Galliano

A Wedding Dress

Madeleine Vionnet's legacy lives on. :)

Welcome!

Hey there! I decided to start this blog after writing my first piece about fashion for the blog of the PR company I am currently interning at in London. As it says in the description, I absolutely love fashion, so why not write about it?

Today's topic: Chau Har Lee's new footwear line.  Lee is the footwear designer for Bally by day, and shoe-making mastermind by night.  It is the designers like her that completely take my breath away.  This is what I love about the fashion world.  I may not get excited by the artwork on the wall, but I do get excited by the artwork you can wear!  Getting inspiration from jewelery and architecture, she has taken the meaning of shoes to a whole new level.  From the bright orange transparent wedge to the black chunky stiletto, her shoes truly are a work of art. 

I remember being in Italy a few years ago and going to the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, I think it was in Florence, and looking at all the beautiful and, in some cases, outrageous shoes he designed, like the multi-colored melting shoe.  It's amazing how these artists create masterpieces that are not just pieces that hang on the wall; it is artwork that people can wear.