hussein chalayan

I don't have much to say about this collection, except:

It's so cute when they smile! It's almost like they're having a good time!

balenciaga

I've been avoiding commenting on Balenciaga's fall 2008 collection, mostly because I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Style.com raved about it, saying it was an "extraordinary synthesis" of tailoring and modernity and Cristobal and Nicolas and it certainly is a synthesis -- but I'm not so sure it's all that extraordinary.

It seems like a blasphemy to be underwhelmed by Balenciaga -- and I'm shocked that I'm even capable of being underwhelmed by Balenciaga. I'm having a personal identity crisis over here, all because Mr. Ghesquiere seems to have phoned it in this season, expanding on the armor-like seaming of spring (Photo1 ), throwing in some classic Balenciaga references (Photo 2), and including a couple of curiously boring, Valentino-esque dresses (Photo 3). The only things that looked relatively inventive to me were the draped velvet tops (Photo 4) and the undecipherable print dresses (Photo 5), neither of which I was very fond of.

I'm at a loss! Thoughts??

this is hysterical

An exhibit at Colette by artist Comenius Roethlisberger: giant bars of chocolate with logos carved into them then filled with a mixture of powdered sugar and cocaine. So that's how those French girls go go go during fashion week...



Thanks, Fashionista.

christian dior

Wait. I thought we already did the sixties, like, 3 seasons ago...?

Above: Christian Dior, fall 2008.

kris van assche

I don't care much for Dior Homme, but Kris Van Assche has won me over for the second season in a row with his fall 2008 women's ready-to-wear collection. It's not trendy, but it's got a definite, specific aesthetic that I just happen to love. It's absolutely not girly, but without being overtly masculine. It's modern, and not gimmicky. They're simply beautiful clothes. I'm gushing, and I don't care: I adore Kris Van Assche.


Above: As far as I'm concerned, this is one of the most chic things a woman can wear.


Above: Calvin Klein/Jil Sander, take note: incredibly simple can still be entirely beautiful.


Above: The perpetual play on the masculine/feminine is perfected.


Above: He did the maxi skirt last season, too, and I loved it last season, too.


Above: This is such a sexy blouse, but the look is so effortless.


Above: It's really easy to look cheap in silver lame, but this is anything but. The neck, the length, the subtle texture, and (of course) that khaki trench make it incredibly classic looking.


Above: The pants are a fresh shape, but I'm thrilled to death they're neither harem pants nor hammer pants. This is how to be fashion forward without being a fashion victim.


Style.com's Tim Blanks complained that the collection was lacking in levity, and it's true that there's certainly nothing whimsical about these pieces, but I'm not complaining. I would be more than thrilled to have nothing but these pieces hanging in my closet, and that's saying something.

liveblogging!

Stream of consciousness Oscar fashion review - ready set go:


Above: Mario Cotillard in Jean-Paul Gaultier.
Consensus: This may be partially based on my lifelong dream to be a French girl - but I want to be Marion Cotillard.


Above: Jennifer Garner in Oscar de la Renta.
Consensus: She looks like a hot chick. I like the necklace.


Above: Ann Hathaway in Marchesa.
Consensus: She looks beautiful. This makes me feel better about being so pale.


Above: Jessica Alba in Marchesa.
Consensus: She's pregnant. And in Marchesa. With braids around her head. This annoys me on a lot of (possibly irrational) levels.


Above: Cate Blanchett in Dries Van Noten.
Consensus: Pregnant also, but just so much cooler. But I'm totally on Cate Blanchett's side, no matter what she's wearing.


Above: Penelope Cruz in Chanel Haute Couture.
Consensus: I'm OBVIOUSLY on board with navy Chanel Couture.


Above: Nicole Kidman in Balenciaga with a L'Wren Scott necklace.
Consensus: I didn't know it was possible to wear custom Balenciaga and almost 1,400 carats of diamonds and still look this boring.. I am shocked.


NOW: C'est La Mode's FIRST EVER guest blogger!

Debbie Saslaw, on Miley Cyrus:

Above: Red dress
Consensus: But like, honessssly... Miley is going to be quite the babe when she is old enough to do a "Last Sitting" spread. You don't have to wear 3-D glasses to see that LiLo has it coming to her. How old is she now? 12? 13? Sometime between her first abortion and her third DWI, we'll be looking at this picture and wondering what ever happened to this little red chicklet. She's got the best of both worlds: classic Hollywood glam, and Myspace chic.

and the winner is...

The Oscars are tonight!

I'm embarrassed to admit how behind I am on my movie-going - I'm not really sure I've seen anything that's been nominated - but I would like to take this opportunity to put together a little wish-list of the looks I'd like to see on the red carpet tonight. Now, these looks are all taken from the fall 2008 collections - the ones that have been seen for the first time only in the last couple weeks - so whichever stars would be hypothetically wearing them would have to be on the cutting edge... the ones who can't wait until fall.

Above: Derek Lam. Now this is glamorous. Feathers, beading, a sheer bodice, the thinnest, tiniest straps - I'd love to see this one on Marion Cotillard, even if she is rather loyal to Chanel.

Above: Ports 1961. We've done yellow on the red carpet, we've done colbalt blue, but I think this bright orange would be so refreshing. On the lovely, alabaster-skinned Cate Blanchett - and look, there's even a little extra room in the middle for your little one on the way!

Above: Zac Posen. Obviously I want to see someone rock a tux. Keira Knightly, you up for the challenge?

Above: Marchesa. It's a given, as at any award show, that we'll see Marchesa in some form tonight. I'd just rather it not be so frothy and empire-waisted and princess-y. I love the structure of this one. I think little tomboy Ellen Page would shock and impress in this.

dsquared

A question:


Were these girls supposed to be carrying their shoes down the runway as part of the "walk of shame/morning after" theme of Dsquared's fall 2008 show -- or could they really just not walk in their heels?

marni

First of all, will someone please buy me this dress?

Marni's fall 2008 collection was a bit of a breakthrough for me, not because it was necessarily a breakthrough collection, but because it was the first Marni collection that I really liked -- in the sense that I might actually want to wear some of these pieces.

Whether that is a step forward or backward for Marni, I'm not sure.

The color scheme was really amazing, and the shapes - while staying true to the classic, quirky Marni girl - were a little more approachable.


(Anyone else think Chris Benz might be like a little baby Marni?)

au revoir, isaac

Isaac Mizrahi and Target are splitsville. Apparently, Tar-jay's numbers are down, and it's expected that Mr. Mizrahi's exit will be a major blow to the company.

It's too bad my closest Target's way the hell out in Brooklyn, because I am a fan of Target, and I would have liked to check out the Temperley and Erin Fetherston lines. Plus, Isaac does (did?) make some good staples on the cheap - I will always love my black tulle ballerina skirt I got there a couple years ago.

Think Jovovich-Hawk's line, on sale in a couple weeks, can fill the void Isaac's leaving?
(Me neither.)

obviously

Of course Christian won Project Runway's Fan Favorite award.

Forget "fierce" -- remember that one time he said "FEROCE?"

prada

Obviously, the most anticipated show of the Milan season -- not only because we all know that we're going to be seeing these pieces in every editorial for the next six months, but we also know that we're going to be seeing the influence of these pieces for the next year or so (we're still doing ombre, aren't we?).

I feel like we've been throwing the word monastic around a lot lately as fashion has become a bit more severe, but it's the first word that came to mind when I saw the beginning of Prada's fall 2008 collection:


But then, I remembered that most monks don't wear lace:


I was surprised at how wearable this collection was, especially after her dark fairy motif from last season. Put a slip under any of these pieces, and while certainly sexy, it's hardly outrageous. Don't get me wrong - it's a beautiful collection, and obviously this lace thing is going to be HUGE come September (oh, who are we kidding? We'll probably see one of these on the red carpet in a matter of weeks). I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn't it -- although I guess Miss Miucci has always been good at keeping us on our toes.

please read new york magazine

(No, NOT for the Lohan-does-Marilyn shoot, which I think is so ridiculous that I'm not even going to waste space on this blog explaining why.)

Please read this profile of Carine Roitfeld. She's impossibly cool, but in a totally innate way, not in the I'm-trying-so-hard way that Alexander Wang is cool. Some highlights:

“Right now I think that fashion in the world becomes a bit boring. There is so much money, and I feel a bit when you go to shows they want to sell so many handbags, and for me, well, I do not like handbags. I do not wear handbags. It is not a nice look, to carry a handbag.”
A woman after my own heart. I have always said that I am not a bag girl. I hate the IT bag phenomenon almost as much as I hate Leigh Lezark.

“I told you, all the girl who work at French Vogue are vewy skinny and beautiful.”
At least she doesn't pretend it's not important.

“I love pills. I cannot sleep, so I love pills.”
Hahaha.

go go go

I'm so behind! I took a few days off, and we're already in the middle of Milan! How did this happen? Looks like it's time for a cram session recap of all that we've missed:


Above: Oragami coats and (gasp!) details at Jil Sander.



Above: I am bored by Missoni, though I think that print wrap (bottom) on the right is cool.



Above: Moschino Cheap and Chic is cute, if not groundbreaking. I hate the dress with the name all over it. WE UNDERSTAND, you wear designer clothes!



Above: Burberry Prorsum is great, again. (I swear, it's not just Lily Donaldson.) Um, gold drop-waist dress? Lovely!



Above: Maybe it's just that I'm in ADD mode for this recap, but I really couldn't stay focused on Giorgio Armani's 60+ look collection. But I'm sorry, harem pants again (remember Spring 2008?)? Old lady prints? What?


WHEW. Ok.

(And if you want a recap of D&G or Just Cavalli, you are reading the wrong blog. I apologize for the confusion.)