The best of men's Fall/Winter 2013.

Photo source: www.style.com | John Varvatos AW 2013.

Some of my male readers tell me that I am neglecting men's fashion heavily which is definitely the case since obviously most of my interest lies with women's apparel. On the other hand I really enjoy shopping with and for my boyfriend who really has great style, likes fashion and pays special attention to accessories (watches, sunglasses, shoes, belts) he wears.

So with this new season I definitely commit to follow, comment and write about men's fashion more often as it is getting much more interesting and creative then it was ever before. I have been following London and now Milan fashion weeks for season AW 2013. and found some really amazing pieces.

The outfit I find my boyfriend most sexy in are gray sweatpants and white t-shirt, I love the big outer pocket sweatpants which Christopher Reaburn shown on his AW 2013. show.

Photo source: www.wwd.com | Christopher Reaburn AW 2013.

Another outfit I find men most attractive in are the well tailored and fitted suits, preferably black or gray. This AW 2013. season favorites in suite department for me were Burberry Prorsum (strongest in outerwear), John Varvatos, Sarah Burton did a lovely debut with of house McQueen's men's collection (the label recently opened a men's shop on Savile Row) with my favorite being this amazing red velvet jacket second bellow and I absolutely adore Bottega Veneta's men's collection with it's very elegant and sophisticated turn to men's tailored suites with skinny pant, super clean lines and amazing fabrics.

Photo source: www.style.com | Burberry Prorsum AW 2013.

Photo source: www.wwd.com | Alexander McQueen FW 2013.

 I found John Varvatos and Bottega Veneta to have most complete 'story' behind their collections and I love the way lines were accessorized and styled for their shows in Milan. John Varvatos mysterious men with a hat, briefcase and a tailored sports jacket means business while looking super sexy! I would call the collection rockerish mix of New York cool.

Photo source: www.style.com | John Varvatos AW 2013.

Photo source: www.style.com | John Varvatos AW 2013.

Photo source: www.style.com | John Varvatos AW 2013.

Photo source: www.style.com | Bottega Veneta AW 2013.

Photo source: www.style.com | Bottega Veneta AW 2013.

Photo source: www.style.com | Bottega Veneta AW 2013.

 Photo source: www.style.com | Bottega Veneta AW 2013.

Since the men's fashion week in Milan is still ongoing you can see the schedule of the rest of the shows here. 

What is your favorite collection so far? What do you prefer to see your men wearing lovelies? :)

“I can go all over the world with just three outfits: a blue blazer and gray flannel pants, 

a gray flannel suit, and black tie.”

Pierre Cardin

Bustiers.

Rachel McAdams by Mario Testino for Vogue US, January 2010.

Underwear inspired bustier tops have taken over runways shown especially in Milan for SS 2012. season. My favorite shows were Dolce & Gabbana, Emilio Pucci and McQ by the house of McQueen.

My favorite kind of bustiers are black and white lace ones. I have been in love with bustiers and have been wearing them since about forever! I see bustier as a very glam, ladylike and sexy piece of underwear and day-wear piece which accentuates and hugs woman's curves.

Since season of wedding is underway I was looking to get bustier dresses to wear to two wedding I am attending in next two months, when searching online I found lovely peplum bustier by Vera Wang and couple of lovely curve hugging peplum dresses in olive green, mint and purple.

Bustier tops are great trend which I love but there is a watch out! This trend is not necessarily flattering for all body types. Ladies with hourglass figure and flat belly will find bustiers quite flattering but girls with less emphasized waist but flat belly should try to wear bustiers with high waisted skirts or cropped pants and girls with a bit of a belly should probably skip this trend.

Would you wear bustiers lovelies?

Pre-fall 2012. collections review.

After I have seen every single piece of every single pre-fall collection (and that’s a whole lot of clothes ) I finally selected my absolute favorite designer pieces from pre-fall 2012 season, just in time for the new season coming up in just a couple of days.

So here we go… 

ZAC POSEN

Absolutely mesmerizing collection for me, a hopeless romantic and most definitely a princess in my past life...featuring smart waist diminishing anatomical seaming on a wool crepe sheath with designers current obsession being chinoiserie and the idea of creating European couture shapes out of Eastern fabrics. My very favorite was a form fitting olive color bustier dress with floral embroidery, a floor length velvet backless dress with drama-mama matching gloves as well as dramatic red and gentle lavender color red carpet gowns all modeled by gorgeously feminine Hilary Rhoda. All eye-candies indeed!

MCQUEEN

The love of my life brand - McQueen's pre-fall collection, now under the amazingly creative hand of Sarah Burton, featured a number of gorgeous high-necked Victorian gowns; some with embroidered torsos in floral prints, all in black mousseline, pleated smocked velvet dresses with tulips and cropped pants with men’s wear-like tailored jackets topped with white shirts - all absolutely sustained the legend of late Alexander McQueen’s heritage.

BALMAIN

Balmain’s well known fitted pants and jeans had the rips and wholes replaced with embroidery, pearls and crystals, or loose pajama pants paired with oversized men's proportion jackets – all in all, the collection feel was comfy but also sexy which is definitely what market calls for these days: omfort, practicality and multifunction.

PREEN

Amazing prints and comfy, sportswear and effortless chic feel, all in lovely bright colors: orange and aqua blue is what drew me to this collection. These memorable pieces can be worn together and separately, day to evening, which makes the collection quite sellable. Interesting prints stays on couture side while simple cuts and comfortable feel brings the collection to ready-to-wear customer.

ELIE SAAB

With a previous reputation of a red-carpet designer, this Elie Saab collection carried a bit different theam, more down to earth one, featuring some simple suits and dresses in monoton shades with graphic feel and with minimalist approach. Most of the suits and dresses had a modern, simple and elegant cut. I love the nude, body fitted dress for work! 

 SUITS - YSL, GUCCI AND CHLOE

With many designers I have noticed that collections were created with a modern business women in mind. Who I am guessing has money and interest in today’s economy to buy latest but also practical, comfortable and multiwear, classical pieces like these great suits by YSL, Chloe and Gucci. YSL collection had some interesting bow-neck blouses and matching blazers, bringing back the heel with a loafed from its 2005. Spring collection.

On the other hand, Chloe showed interesting pleated trousers with matching shrunken jackets and cropped sweaters, coats with wide rolled-up sleeves on top of skinny pants. Finally, Gucci decorated simple cuts with pansy print, which has replaced black and gold bugle beads.

DONNA KAREN

 Cropped styles came paired with silk tunics and wool jackets with emphasized shoulders. Mrs.Karen also showed coat-dresses, satin jersey with white jacket worn over a bustier-top jumpsuit, and a big black bow. My favorite was a black and white strapless piece, simple, but red carpet worthy on the right lady!

VALENTINO

„In this moment, when everything is so hard—especially in Italy—it's important to give a good dream“– designer Maria Grazia Chiuri said, referring to struggling economy in Italy. Red is always a good choice! The collection focus was immaculate tailoring. It featured small bows embroidered on the net bodice part of the minidress and gentle lace added to chevrons on the top of a long black velvet gown.

All photos source: www.style.com

Designer quicky: FYODOR GOLAN

Last week we met at Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb, what is your impression of young Croatian designer's collections? Did you notice somebody special?

We think young Croatian designers need to pay attention to all the aspects of high fashion from show, details and quality finishing, and not forget that their creations are created for other people. Keep in mind who is it for. 

What did you like and what didn't you like about the organization?

We felt that this was very well organized event. It had good pace and we didn't feel any stress. It was both business and pleasure trip because just before we left we were approached by a buyer.

You spent couple of days in Zagreb - what do you think about fashion sense of Croatian women? We think women in Croatia are stunning and they should really show it more, have an edge and take more risks. Let’s see more of Fashion! We loved your choice of dress on the last night. 

(My choice of dress was of course Lei.Lou by Alex Dojčinović)

How does your creative process from an idea to execution works since you work in pair?

Does working together affect your private life? It’s a collaboration and mix of ideas, we love to explore opposites. But for the working process we do few things totally together but mostly we decide between us who does what and then we talk and see it from others point of view. A lot of working and a lot of talking. It doesn't really affect us because what we do is what we are and we are married. 

How do you comment when one said that your work has a strong McQueen influence? Is this a conscious decision or does resemblance has its root in similar schooling and cultural influencers? 
We know when designer starts to be out there they would be compared to someone, everyone went through it. Even McQueen was compared to genius Mugler. It’s a great honored to think of us that way because we know how much effort and time he put in his design process, and we do the same. The difference between us is in attitude and the feeling how we portray things. He was aggressive and there was always romantic side mix with dark side, with us it’s more about melancholy and strong women but from women's perspective and exploring differences things that not really go together, but it in our work they do.

Who is a woman who you create for, who is Fyodor Golan women? 
FYODOR GOLAN is designed for the global modern Women. Confident, sexy and an intellectual. She is not afraid to show both sides of her personality, she can have fire and energy, but she can also be gentle and emotional.

Your AW 2011/12. Collection is quit clean and focused, it has a perfect balance between couture elements and unique RTW collection - seems like many dresses are red carpet ready, who are the celebrities who wear your clothes? 
Thank you. That is our focus; we want to create perfect balance between Couture and RTW. For us Fashion without Tradition and moving along with new technology is not fashion, Fashion is not just creativity and its not art but its business as well. We constantly challenge ourselves only that way you can discover and achieve progress. We worked with Lady Gaga, but we would love to create for Nicole Kidman, Eva Green, Ronit Elkabetz, Renata Litvinova, Carey Mulligan and Emma Watson.

Where can one buy your collection around the world? Do you have intention ad capacity currently to expand to the bigger markets like - US, Middle East and China?
At the moment we are at the start of our business, but our collection is sold at Russel Street boutique in Hong Kong and at our website www.fyodorgolan.com with option order online. You can send us an email and we will reply quite quickly back to you.

What is the price range your collections are in? Are you happy with orders/sales of your last collection so far?

Our pieces price range is from £300 to £3000. By showing only once in London Fashion week we think that we have a substantial start and have a potential to expand to many territories.

We are very interested in reaching to American, Chinese, Middle East and Russian markets because we feel our style would work there. Keeping our uniqueness and variety we are interested to offer special pieces for certain markets. So wherever you go there would be something special. Hopefully very soon you will be able to find us in Zagreb.

What is your plan for the near future in regards to your collection? Would you like to expand to other segments? 
We just got chosen to be one of the 3 finalists of Fashion Fringe and to show there is amazing opportunity and support. We are always open for new challenges; accessories would be next step for us.

Images : Lucas Seidenfaden

Illustration 1 : Andy Bumpus

Illustration 2 : KELLYANNA 

You can watch the whole show bellow lovelies! I adore how music fits perfectly with the collection - fabulous!

RIP Lee

Today is a sad, sad day for the fashion industry. Alexander McQueen has killed himself. A little while ago his mother has died who he has been very close with, he had a very hard time managing the depression and finally he has sadly decided to take his own life.


Please see my favorite magnificant pieces from his last Resort 2010. collection bellow.
It will be so wird watching his collection for Fall without seeing him running out at the end :(


Alex,


you will be gratelly missed, your heritage remains.

"I think the idea of mixing luxury and mass-market fashion is very modern — wearing head-to-toe designer has become a bit passé. It’s a new era in fashion — there are no rules. It’s all about the individual and personal style, wearing high-end, low-end, classic labels, and up-and-coming designers all together. "

~Alexander McQueen ~

Xoxo,


           Kat