White Spring ahead!

“Upper Chic” editorial featuring Nadja Bender for Vogue Paris, February 2013.

Photo by Knoepfel and Indlekofer.

If Couture Fashion Week in Paris is a good indicator of what our Spring might look like we can certainly say that we are up for a white Spring ahead! Almost all from Alexis Mabille to Valentino showed at least one full white outfit for upcoming Spring season.

I don't know what your stand is on wearing white but I must say that I almost never wore full white outfit, partly for fear of looking wider but also due to the fact that during work week I wear one outfit for the whole work day and I am not so sure that full white outfit would stay white all through the day.

Nevertheless, I decided to give it a shoot after seeing these amazingly wearable couture pieces shown on Paris runway during last couple of days. For the start, I am looking for white stilletoes to get in the full white mood periodically.

Photo source: www.style.com | Bouchra Jarrar Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Dior Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Chanel Spring 2013. Couture

In this post you can see my selection of whites from Paris Couture Spring 2013. Fashion Week with my favorite being Hollywood adorned, floor lenght, delicate Elie Saab pieces featuring stunning beading on silk and lace. 

Photo source: www.style.com | Elie Saab Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Elie Saab Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Elie Saab Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Giambattista Valli Spring 2013. Couture

I loved recognizable Valentino pieces featuring his one of a kind cuts and heavy duty hand work on embroidery and piping. Absolutely magical show!

Photo source: www.style.com | Valentino Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Valentino Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Valentino Spring 2013. Couture

Surely, I cannot forget my always favorite McQueen lead by extraordinary Sarah Burton who is faitfully following late Alexanders signature with her all white Pre-Fall 2013. collection as the house canceled Paris show this year.

                               Photo source: www.style.com | McQueen Pre-Fall 2013.

                                 Photo source: www.style.com | McQueen Pre-Fall 2013.

The color of love.

I asked you, my lovely followers on my blog's Facebook page recently what colors, smells, food and drinks remind you most of Christmas, Martina, Korana and Ana said color - red. I feel the same way. When I think Christmas, no matter how 'to be expected' and 'typical' it might sound I automatically think - red. Not so much Santa suite red and Christmas decoration red, more so Valentino silk or satin gowns red, Alexander McQeen lace and velvet red and sexy New Years Eve Chanel lipstick red.

Alexander McQueen

Currently I am addicted to burgundy lipstick which I just got from Chanel recently, it goes well when I want to add some drama to my day look and looks amazing with evening looks. I love to wear red maxi gowns with gold sandals or shorter red dresses with back booties.

“Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. 

That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.”

 Gwyneth Paltrow

Gucci

Valentino

“As she always did on any really important day, Penelope Hayes wore red.”

Anna Godbersen, The Luxe

Marchesa

Valentino

Topshop

My suggestion is to overdose on red during holidays as this is and always be a stand out, 'all eyes on me' color, just be sure to be able to handle all of the attention red dress or detail will bring upon you ;)

What is your favorite red piece you own? How do you feel wearing it?

“When in doubt, wear red.”

Bill Blass 

Best of Spring 2012. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com - Giambattista Valli 

I absolutely adore and follow RTW seasonal collections but my heart is definitely with couture lines. The Fall 2012. Couture season in Paris despite ever growing economic crises didn't disappoint.

Bouchra Jarrar

Business smart designer who's made precise tailoring the key aspect of her work, Jarrar called her new collection a "continuation of the wardrobe, of the story I've been telling since the beginning." The collections focus is on cut, double-breasted silhouettes, emphasized shoulders which continue to remain in trend from season to season, military buttons, fox fur and circular scarves, sleeveless coat dresses and lovely strong women suits. I love the comfortable look and feel of the gray suit in combination with brown accessories and circular fox fur.

Giambattista Valli

Giambattista has absolutely showed his mastery of couture inspired by an old Hollywood glamour.  My favorites were sleeveless crocodile top which emphasized waist and transitioned into a peplum flare over a white lace pencil skirt.

Jean Paul Gaultier

Designer celebrated the life of late Amy Winehouse, using her as inspiration for his couture collection with a help of corsetry wizard Mr.Pearl. The whole collection was a big wonderful couture mess of an excess featuring satin peignoir, pencil skirts, gorgeous lace, silk parkas, sequins and finally parading veils. 

Chanel

Karl presented all the shades of blue you can think of in his couture collection featuring streamlined, upbeat, tons of embroidery and forward-looking, slash pockets on dresses, boyish attitude... this collection had that well known Chanel's boy-girl thing going on, girls looked as comfortable in these couture pieces as men would in sweats on Sunday afternoon. 

Versace               

The focus of the Atelier Versace collection were „warrior women“ gowns with corset waist, daring lace teasing at strategic spots hugging the curves and exaggerating the waist, hips or shoulders, shaping the perfect hourglass figure with gold metal inserts.

Elie Saab

Known as red carpet designer, due to his shinny and sparkly but romantic and effortlessly floating gowns in none intrusive pastel shades. The unprecedented strength of his gowns is the lightness; they look and feel so light.

Dior

Bill Gayten did a wonderful, maybe a bit reminiscent of the past collection featuring sheer layers, classic black and white floral designs, gorgeous embroidery, splashes of sequins, lovely contrast in between thick massive black crocodile scales and sheer floaty fabrics. 

Valentino

Designers Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri were inspired by French royalty culture and created a collection of gentle floral print, lace embellished, sheer organza, light, feminine, modest and delicate dresses. They were at the same time practical, cultural but modern despite long sleeves and high necks. 

All photo source: www.style.com

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