This was the most cohesive and complete collection to date. It was also the epitome of the omnipresent word luxury which played out in his silhouettes, color and fabrics. There were Indian references seen in the beautifully draped, silky, icy silver and petal pink skirts mimicking mini dhotis. The draped skirts met a jacket–dress hybrid, a structured shoulder-padded tuxedo-jacket combined with draping, luxurious silk-satin on the sides, belted with golden obi-faced sashes and black lace bandeaud. The dissected jackets and his puff-sleeve, long, bare-v-neck silk jackets were reminiscent of Yves Saint Laurent.

His touch of menswear, this time, was constructed with an even more feminine touch. There were tops worn with the tulip flowing skirts that were like a second skin of sequins. They sparkled and shined snuggly around the body. Ghesquiere paired a strong and structured but still luxurious top with a softer and more feminine bottom. He made the contrasting materials and designs work.

The drapery stole the show. It was so luxurious and alluring that he managed to sneak it into every dress, skirt, and even pant. Ghesquiere revisited the Balenciaga archives and brought back the 60’s soft shoulder and dramatic pleating and draping, making it relevant and elegant in today. The dresses and skirts were as delicate as fresh tulips. The drapery was mostly ruched to one side and created an asymmetrical hemline.

There was a fabulous burnout velvet dress in an hourglass silhouette with puff sleeves, similar to his printed jackets, with and a skinny peplum manifested with a skinny belt. Although there was mostly black, a dash of decadent frosty silvers and pastel pink, there were some sharply tailored short dresses with princess waistlines in a animalistic, marbleized and primitive underdones; both cool color combinations of black, white and green or cobalt blue and then warmer tones in reds and oranges.

My favorite garment will definitely make the buyers ever-shrinking edits.  Nicholas created a draped pant that looked like a harem pant in silk where the pleating was so soft and beautiful around the thighs, it looked like a skirt over pants when it fact it was just one garment. These soft and low slung harem pants are a must. The layers drapery is not only luxurious but luscious, it is a highly stylized piece that can be worn with anything you already own and make the outfit look glamorous no matter what it’s paired with. There were also some slim trousers and even they had some fluidity.

Ghesquiere also played with leather either in his obi sashes and belts or lining of his velvet coats. The shoes were just as appealing and detailed as the carefully constructed clothing. There were platform sandals with bandanna-like bowties around the ankles and fabulous platform booties that looked like drops of paint had fallen on them.

This collection was what fashion is all about-luxury, quality, novelty, and a delicious decadent dose of drapery.

Favorite=Fendi

Fendi:  This was a collection for an austere, strong Woman Warrior.  The silhouettes were straight up and down, with the shoulder on boleros, jackets, capes, and dresses pointed out and up like dog ears when they hear someone at the door. These were Medieval Mistresses with black head wraps and even at time hoods.  There was a sharp, chic but serious undertone to this collection and Lagerfeld paid incredible attention to detail.  His master craftsmanship made raw hemlines from faraway look shaggy but up close showed various linings of fur, mohair and treated cashmere.  He stays true to Fendi’s legacy of fabulous furs by using the same processes today as they used in the 1940s; treating the fur and perforating it with many holes so that it feels and looks lighter. That is exactly what he did with the carefully calculated furs, mohair and shearlings which came in cropped jackets, knee length coats, and many chubby nubbys worn with slim black or khaki drainpipe pants.  The shoulders of the fur coats were different colors of fur with one white coat looking like black floppy dog ears hanging down.  Fur also trimmed many jersey dresses; one of my favorites was a hooded light grey nanook dress with furry shoulder trim that was cinched in the body with a black bare chest plate creating a tiny waistline and, to top the outfit off, the model wore black and brown wooden bangles from the wrist to the elbows. Wooden chokers also were styled to match.  There was also a Medieval story played out in this collection towards the second half where Lagerfeld used black breast plates like armor for the models to wear over their loose dresses and even over a fluffy fur short dress. There were beautiful cap sleeve slouchy velvet dresses paired with thigh high Mary Janes or round toe suede and leather booties. Another look that struck my eye was a knee-length lace dress made of paper thin leather bisected by a black chest plate and paired with matching above the elbow leather black gloves trimmed in the same leather paper thin lace.  Fit for a Medieval princess. The palette was basic black with heather grey furs and cream striped minks potted in the mix. The boots came in black and a forest green and they created new shoe: a Mary Jane thigh high boot.  And what would a Fendi show be without the bags? There was the previous seasons slouchy tote silhouette but this time it came in shellac silver in mini and large versions along with furiously fur handbags that matched the outfits perfectly.  Fantastic luxurious furs-Cruella Deville would certainly approve.

Prada: From Dirty Feet, to City Streets. For Miuccia, it’s all about the suits.  First suits in the country and then twisted to fit the life of a city girl.  The first look was a brown oversized coat with strong shoulders and a matching cashmere pencil skirt. The subtle genius in this suit is the extra layer of fabric like an elongated cape around the bottom in the back.  This silhouette and cape-like layer would return in different material for the city girl.  She also showed a beautiful low cut black dress with a peep of crimson red along the neckline. A v-neck that was so low it almost looked like overalls -the chicest of overalls.  Then the city started to creep in but the country was always still present in the details-especially the shoes: thigh high leather waders were attached to the models legs with thin leather buckles leg straps.  A crimson red brocade double-breasted suit was paired with fire-engine leather waders attached at the ankle with soft cashmere lining popping out. Sometimes the boots were even attached with clasps to the bottom of the dress and coats hemline -in this city, a woman must take a precautions when it comes to protecting her accessories. One of my favorite looks was a crimson red ribbed v-neck cardigan that was paired with nutmeg cashmere shorts and was so long it peeped along the hem of the shorts as if it was another layer.  The sweater hung unbuttoned and made me look twice at the outfit, realizing that it was comprised of only two pieces when it looked much more intricate.  The shorts were styled with a thin leather belt that sprouted leather strips which reached to the caramel waders and attached the outfit by the belt to the boots. The dresses at the end stole the show. Only Prada could move from simple and country to intricate and ornate in one collection.  The last few dresses were in mauve and black and had studs like candy dots carefully places along each corresponding leather panel, nipped in at the waist, and then boom -At the Carwash, Carwash!  The dresses sprouted multiple strips of leather like you see in a carwash but this time they had been bedazzled with sequin flowers and were studded.  Another version of this dress came in the same decorated strips of fabric but this time, there was another layer of black and white silk peeping through the leather stripes with black beads batting their eyelashes at you.  The shoes and bags were to match.  There were tri-colored round toe Mary Janes and open toe gladiator style sandals with long fringes at the ankle creating the effect of shoes with massive eyelashes or even Mohawks. Each different accessory whether it was a furry clutch, oversized bowling bag, red crocodile tote or studded and pleated handbags that attached to the shoes complemented the outfit to create a little bit of city with a little bit of country all-in-one. This was one of the best collections I have seen yet. Prada knows her client, and she knows how to create what works from runway to reality.

Marni:  Castiglioni’s Best to Date, Hurry and Don’t be Late.
Mixing, matching, stitching slashing
Furs and feathers, skins and leathers
Patchwork capes, varied shapes
Knee-socks sandals, large totes with handles
Embedded stones, warmer tones
Flower stains, golden chains
Zip up dresses, mix of meshes
Candied necks, full of sex
Furry mittens, sexy kittens
Tic-tac-toe, tartan check
Patterned tights, 60’s specks
Lots of layers, for all surveyors
Ornate brocade, a fashion parade
Clothes a plenty, loved all and every

A+ Conseulo Castiglioni.

Gucci: Pucci = Sexy: Smoochie

Gucci: Leather Pleather, Shimmer Shine, Fur and Feather, Rocks every Time.  This collection screamed Gucci’s target sexy woman; the spirit of a seductive, slim, sexy, Rocker Girl. The collection showed some key blue and bubblegum pink short dresses with large black polka dot balloons, worn every time with this season’s new shoe-the thigh high platform round-toed black leather boots.  Pointy? Yes, they even had a spike as the heel for the extra “Umph!” attitude.  The short dresses were all worn with thick black leather belts and a leather cuff on one arm that was the same width as the belt.  The focus of this collection was the trademark Gucci sexy suit. Boulder shoulders on the suit jackets were paired with ruthlessly skin-tight trousers. Think short silver and blue shiny jacquard and sharply tailored jackets, with matching drainpipe pants, taut black leather and suede leggings, or rainbow bright tights. The key to this collection was proportion. Big on top, tiny on the bottom.  The fluffy cropped fur jackets were paired with green or navy loosely unbuttoned mesh blouses over black leggings or matching skinny trousers. This big shoulder was styled each time with a relaxed-hip, skinny-leg trouser.  Whether it was a big cropped furry or feathery coat, or her second idea, a sequined tunic, the bottom always slanted inwards towards the body like an inverted triangle. There were silk blouses in purple, cobalt blue and green that were left unzipped under cropped black motorcycle jackets paired with minuscule mini skirts. There were sheer mesh dresses and silver sequined tunics paired with sparkling brightly colored leggings. It looked as if Gianni had put glue over the leggings and then got a little too happy with the glitter. But I’m glad she did. It was tantalizing and mesmerizing. So many fabrics and colors to take in yet it worked. The more the merrier. The clothing was so colorful that I could have sworn there were spray painted powder blue stripes down the legs of the charcoal drainpipe suit or a sequin jacket with rainbow glitter sporadically tossed in the mix.  There was color everywhere but it was serious and raw color. This sharp and hip collection will move from the runway to streets and the subway.  They are ready to rock!

Emilio Pucci: Once again, the bigger the better -on top that is.  There were fur coats that were so fluffy and puffy that they looked as if they were wearing the model instead of the other way around, which is ironically the point of a fashion show.  This collection like Gucci screamed sexy and had a similar youthful club kid, rebellious side.  The furs were infused with navy and greens and were so enticing and delicious even the models’ would have eaten them.  The bottoms were the same sharp skinny silhouette; drainpipe jeans, black leather pants, brown skin-tight stovepipe pants with additional zippers along the mid-thigh. If the models weren’t wearing the skinny pants, they wore boots. The suede boots were so high they reached the top of the models’ legs.  Almost an article of clothing itself -or so it seemed in one look where the model solely wore a chubby fur coat and the thigh high boots. The boots came in camels and brown and even lavender which matched a beautiful sequined tube top mini dress with the body similar to that of a mermaid’s tail. The cardigans and loose blouses were in perfect complimentary color combinations; one brown, beige and cream and another black, bright blue and cream. One of the highlights of this show is that fact that the prints used for the sweaters and blouses did not overtly screaming PUCCI!  They were more subtle but just as sophisticated and sexy. The brown tone came in a deconstructed tiger print and the black combinations were more geometrical.  There was a delightful print used in black and white for a blouse and then reused in different pieces in varying shades. It looked like a row of puzzle pieces lined up inch by inch or a row of white dog bones.  I learned that Peter Dundas had taken a print from Pucci’s archives, a 1957 entitled “Palio,” and had reenvisioned and reconstructed it by playing with various proportions and colors.  His new use of prints created a fresh, fun, and flirty collection.  The final pieces were short and sexy black fitted dresses with shiny sequins and stud appliqué. However, this made me detect perhaps a little Balmain from last season? Despite those dresses, his collection took from the Pucci past and made passé prints present once again while adding new ones that were beautiful and refreshingly more subtle then the ones Pucci is known for but very chic.  All it takes is one fluffy puffy fur and a pair of thigh highs boots and instantly, a Smokin’ Sexpot is born.