Always my favorite thread to end off the season
Favorites
Balenciaga - By far my favorite collection of the season. It had so many things that I love, sharp lines, monochrome color, draping, severity, sex, power, perversion and a touch of Japonisme. The
only flaw imo was the ridiculous rubber knee high boots, other than that it was amazing.
Louis Vuitton - It surprised me that I liked it so much. After watching the video, seeing details and really taking it all in, it won me over with the sort of mid-80's vapid and beautiful people vibe.
Lanvin - Yet another beautiful collection from Alber, which isn't such a shock. I loved the tougher, darker vibe he played with while never losing the Lanvin sensuality and femininity. It was really just a case of re-envisioning his house classics.
John Galliano - It was nice seeing him focus on separates this season. While the total look was a lot, the pieces were beautiful, as always with him. And I must say, with all of the experimentation with "new" trousers that's been going on in fashion lately, John was the first designer to make a truly convincing case for Zouave pants.
Jil Sander - Loved the coats, loved the pants, loved the dresses. Simple as that really. It reminded me a bit of Gucci f/w 03, but in a totally "Sander" way. And the anatomical tucking and pleating that was done on some of those dresses was to die for.
Vera Wang and Rodarte - For the second season, these two collections were the only ones to make a lasting impression on me from NY. Vera Wang's eccentric opulence struck me from the moment I saw it. It was like the wardrobe for a modern Marchesa Casati.
Rodarte was gorgeous, as is always the case with the Mulleavys, but this season I felt like the dark side they've been slowly hinting at over the course of their career finally broke free and unleashed a wicked prettiness that I loved.
Disappointments
Nina Ricci - I was left completely cold by this collection. There wasn't one thing in there that made me smile, gasp or look twice. I suppose I've come to expect much more life, beauty and delicacy from Olivier, but after two collections at Ricci that I loved, this one was a total let down.
Dior - It was everything I've been hating about Dior lately, so in that way it was entirely predictable. It wasn't fun, it wasn't creative, and it wasn't particularly believable as a wardrobe either. All I was left with was spots in front of my eyes from the retinal attack.
Alexander McQueen - The first half of the show with the severe black Victorian tailoring and gothic crinolines was beautiful, but then it took a nose dive half way through when that ridiculous coronation procession came down that runway. It was too costumey, too literal, and too far from reality...even by McQueen standards.
Versace - It wasn't bad, by any stretch of the imagination, and it continued the strong new path that Donatella's been forging lately, but somehow it didn't feel quite perfect. It was a bit disjointed in places, and in a shocking turn of events, the evening dresses were outshined by the daywear.
Hated
YSL - I still can't really place why I hated the entire collection, but I did. It felt sort of clinical, very cold and
too austere. It felt tortured in a way, there wasn't a believable point of view that came through. Yes, there were chic pieces, but the things that did try to move forward were nothing short of ridiculous. It felt like there was this need to be cutting edge, to be avant garde, and unfortunately it just didn't work for me at all.
Prada - I hate lace. That's all there is to it. Still haven't gotten past that first impression of LACE!!!
Balmain - I think I hated this more for the reaction it got than for the clothes. If that collection wasn't shown in Paris by an up and coming designer, most people would consider it typical Milanese trash. If the tags had the name Versace or Cavalli on them, people would've hated it for the simple fact that it's Versace or Cavalli. Beyond that I just though it looked silly, bad 80's heavy metal groupie covered in Lesage embroidery.
(and im gonna go nuts over the shoes)
