Voguepedia.

I am sure most of you who follow fashion know about this amazing tool, but if you don’t, I highly recommend checking it out! 

Style.com combined all of the key points and personas currently in fashion industry, identifying the best of the best who appeared in Vogue into one online encyclopedia called Voguepedia. This tool is nicely searchable with clean design. It contains a number of key categories: beauty, brands, designers, editors, models, personalities, photographers and turning points.

It seems like this tool is still work in progress and focused on US Vogue and US market mainly as many important people are not even mentioned for example, there is no Anna Wintour, nor Anna Dello Russo and Carine Roitfeld in editors category. There is no mention of fashion bloggers in turning points or personalities categories etc. but I am sure all will be added eventually.

My favorite sections so far are:

- Photographers

- Eco fashion

- Brands - McQueen 

Photo source: Photograph by Steven Meisel.Published in Vogue, May 2011.

I would also love to see the photo galleries of best or most memorable editorials and some business info on history of Vogue overall.

Although, when it comes to books I am totally old school, I have and continue to buy more and more fashion books on my travels and here in Croatia. I have to admit that continuous changes and extremely fast pace of fashion industry makes most print editions overdue just weeks and months from purchase, so in such a fast paced environment I highly support online editions which are not only eco friendly and better organized, but you can also view them via many different gadgets virtually as well as store and access info from it when you need it on your iPad, iPhone etc.

What do you think of Voguepedia?

Fashion designer crush: Juan Vidal

Spending a lot of time in Madrid Spain lately, I became curious about Spanish fashion and local 

designers. This time I decided to feature one I found particularly interesting.

The son, grandson and great-grandson of tailors while his mother held a boutique, Juan Vidal has grown up surrounded by fabric and patterns. After a childhood defined by fashion, his career choice came as no surprise and he was soon to become one of the exponents of new design from Valencia, on Spain’s east coast.

His talent became obvious at an early age and he produced his first designs when he was just 15. Later, he would begin his Fine Art studies at the University of Barcelona, UB, only to change his mind after the first cycle and transfer to a specialist fashion course at the Felicidad Duce School of Design and Fashion.

In September 2005 Juan participated in Barcelona’s ModaFAD, where he won the Best Collection award. The following year, he presented his first professional collection at Bread & Butter Barcelona and Pasarela Barcelona (July 2006), and went on to reap success at the Pasarela Barcelona, Gaudí Novias, Barcelona Bridal Week, Ego Cibeles, South Cádiz and Valencia Fashion Week.

In 2009, he won Revlon’s Best Collection Award and in 2010, the Tendencias Moda Designer of the Year award before going on to win Peronda’s Best Collection awards for his Autumn-Winter 2011 and Spring-Summer 2012 collections in 2011.

With his participation in the International Zip Zone Paris fairin October, where he received an excellent response from international buyers, 2011 has proven to be a key year for the designer’s entry into the international arena.

His artistic training is evident in his use of colour, as well as in his clearly architectural perception of volume. It is also imprinted on his use of fabrics, to which he adds his personal touch in the form of exquisite embroidery, appliqués and other expert techniques. 

Juan Vidal’s creations are designed with a very chic, sensitive woman in mind; one who, while looking towards the future is familiar with classic cultural references and knows how to appreciate detail.

Here you can see the photos from Juan Vidal's Spring 2012. Collection.

Photo and text source: http://www.fashionfromspain.com

How do you like Vidal's work lovelies?

Talking Fashion

Where did the summer go?
I am not quit sure what is happening this year but I felt like summer has just swooshed by in a light year kinda speed. I vaguely remember snow this year in the City, meeting my boyfriend, having a spectacular two people New Years party with him and than it got warmer ( yes it got warmer in January!) , fashion week in Bryant Park, the showroom rush and than sum...and than ..mer was over! I just don´t get it, do seasons last weeks rather than months now?

Well, designers certainly recognized and are fully aware of the demand for "all seasons" fashion pieces. This was particularly noticeable in Fall/Winter 08 going on Resort 09. Due to the current situation in the global economy and the ever more visible effects of global warming, the fashion is changing and adapting to consumers needs for more affordable, practical and better quality fashion pieces, wearable year round.

On the other hand, when it comes to couture collections the rules of demand are not the same. All of the higher profile fashion houses (Dior, Chanel, Gucci, Armani, Ralph Lauren) have focused and adapted on their highest paying customers and most developing markets of Middle East, Asia and India. After watching the shows and showroom pictures I have picked my favorites for both Fall/Winter 08.

Fall 2008 .
My absolute favorite shows were Galliano´s and McQueen´s shows. I also loved Ralph Lauren and DSquared collections.

McQueen used his trip to India as well as British Empire as inspiration for this collection. McQueen showed great craftmanship, his model was Victorian punk meets British royalty and queen Elizabeth. I loved the tulle skirts, India inspired jewelry, beautiful Fabergé egg purses, interesting skinny trousers and "the prince suit", gorgeous knit dresses and beautiful "feather lace"fabrics. McQeen´s fabrics were rich and royal, he used red, white, black and gold fabrics made in India, beautiful embroidery and feathers.




Galliano´s collection was beautifully insane as always. His scene was" a pastiche of a Rudolf Valentino-era silent-movie set"(Sarah Mower). I absolutely adore his houri pants, oversized head pieces, thirties chiffons, floral print dresses and coats and gorgeous free falling furs. The color pallet was wonderful (pale pinks, blues and burgundies).










DSquared showed vicious but wearable looks, I am sure Texas or Indiana would not be the best selling markets but it will be a definite success for New York as well as for many other fashion capitals in the world Paris, Tokyo, Milan etc. DSquared´s model was naughty secretary/librarian who wears fishnet stalkings, high waisted red plaid skirts, black fur, red lips and long leather glows. Batter return your books on time people!










On the other hand Ralph Lauren showed safer but very elegant and timeless collection. I loved one shoulder velvet dresses, high boots in red and purple, precise tailoring, gorgeous leather belts and Ricky bags, as well as feather and leaves embellished pieces. The color pallet was black, white, red, green, gold and purple.





In conclusion, Fall 08 Ready to Wear was artistically beautiful (Galliano and McQueen), timeless, elegant and classical ( Chanel, Ralph Lauren) and young and naughty(DSquared).
The trends are:

-Peplumed 40s style dresses and houri pants
-Plaid skirts and shirts, tweed
-Velvet/ shearling one shoulder dresses
-Silhouette skirts and coats
-Less is more philosophy (unless you are going for Diva Glam look)
-Black is a new black
-Minimalistic tendencies
-Futuristic caped jackets
-Funnel-collared furs
-High boots(red and purple is great)
-Chunky knits
-Feathers


Dress it up people September is behind the corner!




~Kat