Sense and Sensibility in 18th Century Dress

It may be a bit of a stretch to say that the robe à la française of the 18th century was what the LBD (aka: the little black dress) represents for our times: an always appropriate piece of costume that can be rendered in almost countless variations.

So much so, that we've perhaps forgotten the robe à l'anglaise, of which this is an example.

Just a reminder that that grace, suitability and flair still have a place. It is the difference between having clothes, and having a wardrobe.

- AP

Chic/Punk/Paris

When Cristobal Balenciaga, the great master of haute couture, closed his ateliers in the late 1960s, Western fashion as a representation of status, power and order of the elite was over.

Of course, fashion can be a manifestation of other things as well, and has been - no matter if we are referring to Western, Eastern or native dress.

While Punk was such a phenomenon, and is perhaps due for a return, the message today is really that group-mind fashion isn't the only way to dress.

Create your own fashion position and follow or change it as often as you desire.


-AP

Cryptic Monday: October 22, 2012

Cryptic thoughts for this Monday:

- Next fall: edible colors. Think figs, jams and preserves - ripe and rich
- Stylist presentations: curated online showings just after the shows?
- Fabric from trees: motorcycle jackets made from ebony or rosewood?
- The rise of High Street Bespoke: beyond occasion dressing. It's already here.
- Portugal. Poised for a rebirth. 67% chance of actually happening.

- AP

Japonerie: Hot or Cold?

If you were following the recent Spring/Summer 2013 collections, no doubt you noticed elements of "Japanese-inspired" clothing. But was it a new development, or a return to the late 1970s-1980s? Old Gianfranco Ferre? Kansai Yamamoto in his heyday?

Unfortunately, no re-interpretations of the Heian period (think Pillow Book, Tale of Genji) appeared this time.

Will the trend grow cold before it becomes available at retail?

Or is it time to scout and secure vintage examples?

- AP

Saint Laurent: New Vintage

Saint Laurent for Spring-Summer 2013:

- French dressing in L.A.?

- French-California fusion?

- The New Vintage?


They may all be correct. I have chosen the New Vintage, because this debut collection at Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane wasn't about new proportions or colors, per se. It was about a certain esprit, which gave the clothes, admittedly early-YSL inspired, a newness that has been absent in recent fashion. If the collection wasn't letter-perfect on trend, it was, more importantly, on strategy.

Mr. Slimane understood his challenge, and it is one that few "artistic directors" at major fashion labels really understand: how to breathe new life into a heritage brand.

Why this collection stands out is its French-West Coast American feel. Take note.

In a really strong season, let us see if this collection both resonates and reverberates through fashion.

- AP

Paris: Spring/Summer 2013

New York. London. Milan. Next stop: Paris.

Today begins the round of collections for Spring/Summer 2013.

No promises, no predictions here about what you might see.
(More cobalt blue? More python prints?)

If you've been following the round of shows, enjoy the presentations. Breathe in the level of detail, whether it's aspirational or exceptional. Feel the rush as the looks pass. Try not to think about the letdown once each show is over.

As noted a few weeks back: watch the shoes.

And watch the plumage of those who have come to define "street fashion".

There's something to this flock.

- AP

The End of the Couturier

The dress shown above was made before the era of Haute Couture.

As the current Spring/Summer 2013 shows progress, it's quite clear that the era of the couture house, as practiced by Charles Frederick Worth, is long past us.

But does that mean that great fashion is no longer to be with us? Probably, if you're one who longs for 1950's ball gowns or the precision of fittings to achieve the perfect fit.

Ultimately, all fashion ages to costume.

We should enjoy the best of the now, and look forward to new developments in fashion. The promise of fashion is that there are great clothes that have yet to be made.


- AP

Faster Fashion

Like the graceful deva above, fashion as it is currently practiced creates a kind of euphoria of the moment. Odd, isn't it, that all the fall "must-haves" in stores feel out of sorts with the SS13 shows for the next few weeks?

Perhaps we need changes in global production and distribution modes so that we can wear the moment in the moment.

The late Nan Kempner was lucky enough to buy fashion straight off the runway.

But then, Nan was always of and ahead of her time.

- AP

Direction: Spring/Summer 2013

A brief observation:

The shoe is what the hat once was: that which completes a look.

Look carefully during the upcoming shows.


- AP

Cryptic Mondays: Chakras, Chanel

Fashion fragments for the week:

The little heel. Not a flat. Not a stiletto.

Should a dinner dress be aligned to the chakras?

Did the Chanel jacket break the mold of the tailleur?

Antonio Castillo: time for a fresh look at the Lanvin-Castillo years?

Quiet Couture: Restraint and Presence

Amid the ruffles, embroidery and feathers, beyond the riotous mix of patterns, colors and textures that all seem to clamor for attention in our cacaphonous world of the hypernew, there is fashion that does not shout, yet can speak volumes. Call it quiet couture.

Applied restraint does not transform the wearer but rather contributes to a wearer's presence. The difficulty lies in knowing when only the small details suffice.

Cryptic Mondays: re/MIX

Gentle Reader - A few cryptic gems for this week: - Neo-Vintage vs. In-Season: less expensive, with a critical eye - Hubert de Givenchy: compare to Cristobal, Yves - Topaz/Peridot with Opal - Portugal: almost awake with fashion eyes - AP

Bulletproof Fashion

Gentle Reader -

The traditional fabrications of silks in fashion might be a bit old-fashioned. Performance fabrics may have new uses in high-end, prototypical fashion design:

A moisture-wicking afternoon dress?

Suppose you have been informed that your security detail may be compromised. Shouldn't your clothing be your first line of defense? What about an evening dress that is bulletproof?

Just a thought for future couture.

- AP

Masterdress: Cristóbal Balenciaga

Gentle Reader -

This image of a Balenciaga gown belongs to the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa (CBM), the home of many a vintage item made by arguably the greatest male designer of the previous century. Certainly we should give credit to his workrooms, those spaces where the clothes were actually made by skilled staff.

It's a masterdress from 1951, in a class all its own. It does not scream for attention; rather curiously, it has its own presence.

To make the online pilgrimage to the CBM, visit cristobalbalenciagamuseoa.com.

- AP

Worth, Mainbocher: The Online Exhibition

Gentle Reader -

The Museum of the City of New York's exhibition of Worth & Mainbocher can be found here:

http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MNYO28_2

Welcome to a period when fashion was once set by the collaborative effort of personal and professional taste. To get the most of this online exhibition, it's best to use the "magnify" option to get to the details.

Two items of note among the clothes:

Worth: a pale blue evening dress from 1866-67 (ref. 62.190.1A-C)

Mainbocher: a black day dress from 1947 (fall, ref. 58.123.3)

Enjoy!

- AP

Cryptic Mondays: More Fashion Fragments

Gentle Reader -

Some cryptic fashion messages for this Monday:

* The 1940s deserve a re-evaluation: the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the modern era once coexisted in an intoxicating mix

* Geoffrey Beene: a past master that should not be underestimated

* Leather openwork: no, it is not the new lace. But it does reflect the moment.

* Maggy Rouff: overdue for rediscovery.

* Ungaro: ??? Exactly.

* Advice to Hedi at YSL: not too much Hedi, not too much Yves. Get the iconic pieces to work once again as a modern vocabulary

Enjoy unraveling these delightful fragments!

- AP

On Trend: McQueen's Influence

Gentle Reader -

While we may be decades away from seeing YSL's influence finally ebb, there is a clear reference in the current collections (that would be Fall-Winter 2012/2013) to the Spring-Summer 2010 collection of the late (Lee) Alexander McQueen.

Fashion genius? Of course.
Fashion great? It's a developing story.

- AP

An Open Archive from Paris

Gentle Reader -

If you are a fan of fashion as it was once practiced (read: without the need for conglomerates), I invite you to look through the online archive of Jalou, the publisher of L'Officiel and L'Officiel Hommes:

http://patrimoine.jalougallery.com/

Despite some really good collections for fall/winter 2012 now showing, a walk through fashion past is an opportunity to 'situate' the current looks - something only fashion editors usually have the time (or luxury) for.

Enjoy!

- AP