Weekend Style Is...

...wearing my favourite bikini with the first rays of sunshine; savouring the scent of sunscreen on bronzing, warm skin; reminiscing of holidays past and dreaming of those yet to come; peaceful meanderings before a setting sun. Summer, we are ready for you.

Fresh Face for a New Season

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? The Hautie Couturist has been off the fashion radar for a good few months now. But while my blog pages have been blank, what’s been going on behind the scenes has been far from boring. 

New adventures have been rumbling through my life like a series of mini earthquakes. Though much less devastating I hasten to add, than any real cataclysm, my metaphorical seismic tremors have included their own characteristic aftershocks. As the wave of motion subsides beneath my feet, I can feel myself emerging with a new perspective and even a new grasp on womanhood.

So, reinvigorated and re-energised, the Hautie Couturist is also re-born. While fashion, with its beauty, its fun and its frivolity will continue to be my source of inspiration, life has many more facets to explore.

The change of season seems like a timely moment to initiate this new ethos, and whilst it’s a journey that I may be starting alone, it is one I hope will have you joining in along the way. 

Hot Looks from Paris Fashion Week

Of all the fashion weeks, Paris has to be my favourite. There is an aura at Paris Fashion Week that encapsulates the great fashion fantasy. Not only does it showcase the most influential styles of the season, it promises a beauty and creativity evocative of haute couture. 

This season's shows have been no exception. Here are three of my favourite looks from the Paris catwalks:

VALENTINO

This collection has everything! Clean cut tailored lines and sixties-style mini dresses were enlivened with graphic pops of colour: raspberry, strawberry and Peter Pan green contrasted against black, latte brown and winter white.

Patterns flicked between bold circles and checkerboard squares to mystical woodland scenes of flowers, butterflies and unicorns.

Sheer gowns took over for evening. Chiffon sheaths with long sleeves fitted like second skins around the torso before cascading into full, floor-length skirts. Brought to life with exquisite beading and embroidery, vines of coloured bouquets ascended to bodices dancing with soaring birds.

CELINE

The Celine look centred around that autumn/winter essential, the coat. Formal, double breasted frock coats, slouching, oversized mannish jackets and overcoats flecked with fine ostrich feathers, every look came with an outerwear companion.

As ever, it's the little nuances that set Celine pieces apart. From the way funnel necks and jacket lapels fold over to reveal a contrasting, statement neckline to the precision slicing of skirts to create a dramatic kick out when the wearer walks, every item, every line is crafted to sculpt perfection.

LANVIN

A fresh take on the idea of the investment piece, boucle tweeds and houndstooth checks were frilled and feathered, wrapped and layered to create asymmetric skirts, coats and dresses.

Wool suiting was trimmed with fringing and furs, and contrasted against loose fitting sack dresses of silk satin and buttery leathers cinched or pleated into A-line skirts.

Yes, there were elements of the fantastical but with contemporary cool in abundance, this Lanvin look is sure to transcend from the fashion elite to the high street. Never mind autumn/winter, get me that skirt I want to wear it now!


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The Milanese Fantasy

The catwalks at New York and Milan Fashion Weeks shared many of the same trends but where as New York was dressing women for autumn/winter in the city, in Milan it was all about fantasy and the glitterati. 

FUR

 Fur Dress at Prada

Fur is a huge look, appearing on the majority if not all of the runways. Always a popular inclusion in autumn/winter collections, what makes it different for 2014 is the rainbow of colours that it is being presented in.

Prada featured a cartoon-like colour palette with shearling coats trimmed in contrasting pillar box red, banana yellow and chocolate brown fur, as well as sheer slip dresses with shaggy whisps of Mongolian hair edging seams and panelling. Crowning the trend was a long sleeved, knee length dress in glossy, long red fur.

Marni too, went all-out with the fur look with models swamped under mammoth coats of contrasting coloured stripes or splodges. Adding a touch of glamour to a sportswear inspired collection, fur too trimmed tracksuit jackets of leather and neoprene.

It was all leather and fur for the glamourous Gucci girl with luxurious long haired jackets in delicate pastels fluffing up buttery-soft leather shirts, skirts, pants and dresses.

PATCHWORK
Coloured patchworks have been making up everything from jackets to dresses. At Bottega Veneta, Tomas Maier spliced together jaunty shards of leather and wool to excite simple long-sleeved shift dresses while Missoni patched shearling to accentuate the mosaic patterns running through the collection.

Patchwork Appliques on Bottle Green Cape at Dolce and Gabbana

Dolce and Gabbana interpreted the patch as applique, decorating Little Red Riding Hood capes, short shifts and boxy sweaters with woodland scenes featuring foxes, owls and swans.

GREEN
Whether it's the green eyed monster or green with envy, we're going to have to find some more positive associations for the colour green because it's dominating colour palettes for autumn/winter 2014.

Gucci showed soft sage greens whilst the sassy Pucci girl slinked down the runway in olive and khaki. Rich shades of bottle green featured at Dolce and Gabbana and Versace while, inspired by the forest, Alberta Ferretti showed a collection rich in all shades from moss green to leaf green.

There's still more to come from the catwalks with Paris Fashion Week launching today. Look out for the full trend round-up next week.

See these photos and more at vogue.co.uk

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On This Day In Fashion History...

...Icon-maker, Hubert de Givenchy Was Born

On 21st February 1927, Count Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy was born in Beauvais, France. With a name like that, he was obliged to do great things and he did not disappoint, going on to become one of the most influential and pioneering couturiers of the mid twentieth century.

THE EARLY YEARS
Inheriting his title from his father, the Marquis of Givenchy, the young count's creative talents were the legacy of his mother's bloodline, who were influential in raising him following the death of his father in 1930.

It was a trip to the 1937 World's Fair in Paris that first inspired dreams of a career in fashion and in 1944, aged seventeen, Givenchy took himself to Paris where he enrolled at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts to learn his craft.

He followed this with stints designing for some of the most significant fashion houses of the era beginning with Jacques Fath in 1945, then Robert Piguet and Lucien Lelong in 1946 before designing separates for the boutique of Elsa Schiapparelli from 1947 to 1951.

THE LAUNCH OF MAISON GIVENCHY
By 1952 he was ready to launch his own design house. His debut collection focused on separates: light, floor-length skirts and beautiful blouses. They were pieces that could be mixed and matched to suit the wearers personal style - a novel idea in a time it was the couturiers that issued head-to-toe style dicta.

He was the youngest couturier in Paris coming up with a new way of dressing for a new generation of women. Post World War II, boutiques were becoming increasingly popular: more accessible than haute couture salons, they offered more affordable goods and were the forerunner of ready-to-wear. Givenchy incorporated the spirit of the boutique with the quality of couture, and in 1954 became the first couturier to launch a pret-a-porter line.

THE GIVENCHY STYLE
He was greatly influenced by Cristobal Balenciaga. ("Balenciaga was my religion," Givenchy told WWD in 2007.) Under Balenciaga's mentoring, Givenchy's focus increasingly grew towards purity of line. In 1957, the pair independently launched the 'sack' silhouette.

Contrary to the fitted shapes of the time, the sack ignored the waistline. By-passing the curves of the female form, it's beauty came from the shroud of mystery it created about the body that lay beneath.

His youthful spirit encouraged raising hemlines too, as he urged women to show off their legs - it was the precursor to a trend that would rise to extreme heights in the ensuing decade.

MAKING AN ICON
The 1950s and 60s were Givenchy's golden era and the essence of his style has been immortalised by the great women that he dressed. The most significant of which was Audrey Hepburn who became both his friend and his muse. Dressing the actress both on and off-screen, he must be credited with securing her place as a fashion icon. "His clothes are the only clothes in which I am myself," said Hepburn of Givenchy. "He is far more than a couturier, he is a creator of personality."

Dressing her first for the Sabrina (1954), he went on to perfect the little black dress, which created a cinematic legend of its own in Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961). "The little black dress is the hardest thing to realise," he told an interviewer in 2010. "Because you must keep it simple."

Simplicity however, was what Givenchy did best - "Clutter is not Givenchy's thing," remarked Vogue in 1969. "Purifying and refining are."

This look did not transcend well into the seventies and eighties. His less-is-more, classic style did not fit with a decade that listed flower power, punk and glam rock amongst it's key influences or with the power-dressing, label flaunting, cashed up fads of the 1980s.

Inspite of his critics, Givenchy persisted with his principles. In 1988 he sold his label to LVMH but held his position as head of one of the great couture houses of Paris until his retirement in 1995.

The Golden Girls of New York Fashion Week

The buzz at this New York Fashion Week has centred around the significant anniversaries of two of the city’s most successful designers. With Diane von Furstenberg marking the 40th year of her signature wrap dress and Donna Karan celebrating 30 years since her debut collection, all eyes have been on the golden girls of New York fashion. Neither disappointed, with each of their collections showing just why their brands have stood the test of time.

Bohemian Wrapsody

Von Furstenberg paid homage to the now iconic style with which she first made her name. With her classic dress shape as inspiration she took the wrapover style and translated it into wrap blouses and cardigans, which she styled over wide legged trousers, maxi skirts and vintage-style tea dresses.

Languid silhouettes and art nouveau prints gave the collection a nostalgic seventies feel. Electric shades of lilac, cerise and cobalt popped against graphic patterns in black, white and gold. Bold textures created the feeling of opulence with velvets, furs and gold lames paired with the softest, flowing jersey - the decadent city wardrobe of a Manhattan jet setter. 

Criticised in the early days for the wrap dress’ lack of design, 40 years on DvF has proved that her dress is a design classic. Satisfying a woman’s desire to feel both stylish and comfortable, the style also flatters most body shapes. Through her dynamic use of colour and print, von Furstenberg has ensured her signature dress has remained current throughout the decades. Effortless elegance animated through contemporary textiles, the DvF look is perfect for the modern woman.

30 Years, A Woman In Motion

Donna Karan is proof too, of the power of simplicity. From a first collection of ‘seven easy pieces’ all created around the humble body suit, Karan transformed the wardrobe of the working woman and has gone on to build a fashion empire that includes menswear, lingerie and homewares as well as the hugely successful diffusion line, DKNY. 

Her predilection for black has been credited with the colour’s prominence in our wardrobes today, so it’s starring role in her autumn/winter collection came as little surprise. More of a revelation was its vampish edge, which saw models strutting out in tuxedo jackets worn mini-dress style with nothing more than suede thigh high boots and jaunty officer hats bedecked with plumes of glossy black feathers. 

Texture defined the collection with sheers being used to highlight the very sexual feeling of the show. Swathes of chiffon wrapped around the body and held together with seemingly nothing more than a belt at the waist, floated into diaphanous skirts that breezed revealing about Amazonian legs; burnt out velvet highlighted every erogenous zone whilst jackets with laser cut-out squares created a modern cobweb look that revealed a sensual glimpse of flesh beneath. 

There was though, still enough of her classic tailoring to ensure the wearability of the collection. The jacket has been a key style on the New York catwalks and so it was at Donna Karan too. Cinched with thin, glossy belts, this is the styling trick of the season to ensure the jacket is more than just outerwear this autumn/winter.

See the full collections at:

www.donnakaran.com

www.dvf.com

Stay tuned for more on NYFW trends

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 /hautiecouturist

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On This Day in Fashion History...

...Fashion Illustrator, Rene Gruau Was Born.

Born Count Renato Zavagli-Ricciardelli delle Caminate in Rimini, Italy on 4th February 1909, Gruau took his mother's family name on moving to Paris in the 1930s.

He developed a love of sketching early and by the age of 18, he was already publishing his fashion drawings in Italy, England and Germany.

Combining classical restraint with free and expressive lines, Gruau created sensual illustrations that portray not just elegance but panache.

His style was the perfect complement to the 'New Look' of Christian Dior in the late 1940s, and the two shared an intimate working relationship.

Through his career in magazines, Gruau helped to characterise the graphic art of the 1950s. His resume featured positions at Harper's Bazaar, Vogue and Flair but his illustrations graced covers of fashion magazines the world over; his style shaped adverts and decorated all manner of pages. Through his own prolific work rate as well as the widespread reproductions that he inspired, his illustrative style defined an era.

Rene Gruau: 4 February 1909 - 31 March 2004

See more of Rene Gruau's work at www.renegruau.com

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Australia's Style Icons Part 2

Continuing our celebration of Australian style, we look at some of the great Aussie women establishing themselves as fashion icons...

PUBLIC FIGURES

QUENTIN BRYCE

In 2008 Quentin Bryce became Australia's 25th Governor General and the first woman to hold the position. So busy is her professional calendar that when averaged out, Bryce has attended more than one official engagement for every day she's been in office. With plenty of occasions to refine her personal style, she's made dressing to impress part of the job description, changing perceptions of the role of Governor General and becoming a much-watched fashionable figure. 

Her perpetual diary may be choc-a-block with social events but when the guestlists feature nothing but royalty, foreign dignitaries, politicians and highly-respected public figures, dressing appropriately is of paramount importance. Bryce is not aiming to shock or make a statement, she simply tries to look the best she can at every opportunity. It's little wonder that there are tribute pages on Tumblr, Pintrest and Zimio dedicated to her personal style. 

Signature Style Features: 3/4 or bracelet length sleeves, knee length skirts, definition at the waist e.g. a belt, jacket peplum; not afraid to have fun with colour.

Designers of Choice: Pia Du Pradal

The Look: Ladylike chic - 1950s fashion principles restyled for the successful woman. 

See more photos of Bryce's style at quentinbryce.tumblr.com

YASMIN SEWELL

Moving from Sydney to London in 1996, the twenty year old Yasmin Sewell embarked on what would become an impressive fashion career. Starting her own boutique in London's trendy Soho, she went on to hold buying positions at some of the fashion capital's most influential stores including Browns and Liberty. Now a freelance Fashion Consultant she has also become one of the most photographed street style stars. 

Signature Style Features: Masculine tailoring, strong shoulders, juxta poses pieces of tailoring with more casual sweatshirts and jeans; favours neutral tones - black, grey and beige.

Designers of Choice: Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs, Acne, Preen Nicholas Kirkwood

The Look: 'Everyday's a Saturday' - weekend style dressed up with a feeling of French nonchalance.

See more examples of Sewell's style at wikifashion.com

CATE BLANCHETT

Born in Melbourne in 1969, Cate Blanchett's successful acting career has seen her command leading roles in many Hollywood blockbusters of which the Lord of the Rings series, the Aviator and the Curious Case of Benjamin Button are just a few examples. Earning herself international accolades including 3 Screen Actors Guild Awards, 3 Golden Globes, 2 Baftas and an Oscar plus many more nominations on top, she has become a familiar face and a relentlessly successful fashionable figure on red carpets around the world. 

What sets her apart from many of her contemporaries, is that she loves to take a risk on the red carpet. Compared to Nicole Kidman for example, a fellow Australian actress with whom she shares a slight physical resemblance in terms of their colouring, poise and stature, Blanchett's looks are always fashion forward. Kidman favours goddess-like gowns and yes, she always looks elegant but it's Blanchett that the fashion press are waiting to see. 

From the superhero/fetish-like Armani Prive gown she wore to the AACTA Awards in 2013 to her sugary yet sculptural Balenciaga creation at the the New York premier of Blue Jasmine to the gothic lace gown she wore to this month's Golden Globes, we wait with eager anticipation to see what and who she'll be wearing next. 

Signature Style Features: the element of surprise, uses her statuesque physique to carry strong shapes.

Designers of Choice: Armani, Balenciaga, Valentino, Givenchy

The Look: Fashion Forward Hollywood Goddess. 

See more of Blanchett's red carpet style at eonline.com

Australia's Style Icons Part 1

In honour of Australia Day, we're celebrating some of our Aussie icons of style, starting with...

THE DESIGNERS

COLETTE DINNEGAN
Born in South Africa, raised in New Zealand Collette Dinnegan cut her teeth on the Australian fashion scene. Launching her first store in Sydney in the early 1990s, in 1995 she became the first and only Australian designer to be invited to become a member of the Chambre Syndicale du Pret a Porter des Couturiers et des Createurs de Mode (the governors of the French fashion industry) and to show on the prestigious Paris schedule.

Jessica Gomes, May 2013

Starting out as lingerie brand, Dinnegan's ethereal whispers translated beautifully into deliciously feminine womenswear, with fine negligee-like dresses becoming her signature. Often featuring the prettiest of lace trims or exquisite embellishments, her gowns became a favourite with red carpet beauties, reinforcing her design credentials and inspiring a range of diffusion lines including most fittingly, Collette Dinnegan Bridal in 2007.

Taylor Swift, November 2011

In October last year, after 24 years building her label, Dinnegan announced she would be taking a step back from the industry. Her final collection for Collette Dinnegan showed in September 2013. She will however, continue with her diffusion lines Collette by Collette Dinnegan and Collette Dinnigan Enfant - something of a relief to her faithful followers, this new focus on more accessible ranges could open her up to a new market and inspire a whole new generation of Dinnegan devotees.

Dinnegan Signatures: figure flattering shapes, lavish lace, exquisite embellishments and feminine prints.

As Worn By: Nicole Kidman, Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, Miranda Kerr, Taylor Swift, Sarah Hyland and Delta Goodrem.

The Look: The Cinderella Story - 'girl-next-door' transforms into Hollywood golden girl.

See more at collettedinnegan.com

Nicole Kidman, 2012

SASS & BIDE

Sarah Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton have been creating their own brand of warrior women since 1999. What started out as a purely denim collection within two years had developed into a full ready-to-wear collection. Not only do Sass & Bide boast 20 stores throughout Australia and New Zealand, they label is stocked in 20 countries across the globe and in 2013 they opened their first international flagship store in New York.

Sass & Bide Signatures: body con shapes, heavy embellishments evocative of armoured plates, graphic lines, strong black and white colour palette with flashes of neon and metallic trims.

  

As Worn By: Beyonce, Rhianna, Jennifer Hawkins, Kim Kardashian.

   Heidi Middleton    

   (left) and Sarah        The Look: The Urban Amazonian - 21st century woman styles her own show 

 Jane Clarke (right)     of strength. 

Photo: vogue.com.au    

                                    See more at www.sassandbide.com

JOSH GOOT

Since his very first collection in 2005, Josh Goot has been making waves on the international fashion scene. With his label debuting at New York Fashion Week, positive reviews saw him make the cover of fashion bible Women's Wear Daily. British Vogue too was raving about him: "Every girl needs a little Josh Goot in her wardrobe," they exclaimed. His graphic style of sporty-chic was soon drawing crowds on the London catwalks before Goot returned to his roots, stealing the headlines at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in 2011.

Josh Goot Resort 2013

Goot Signatures: Clean silhouttes, body-con elements, sporty vibe, graphic prints, pops of colour against slick monochrome backgrounds.

As Worn By: Kim Kardashian, Miranda Kerr, Kate Bosworth, Jessica Mauboy, Lara Bingle.

The Look: The Optical Delight: bringing colour to world with a kaleidoscopic patterns and shapes.

See more at www.joshgoot.com

SAMANTHA WILLS

Jewellery designer Samantha Wills' aspirational blend of boho-beauty-meets-city-chic is attracting a cult following. Since the runaway success of her debut collection at Australian Fashion Week in 2004, Wills' has been busy building a brand that's as attractive as her eclectic designs.

Her move to New York has opened up a new world of opportunities with her stylish creations regularly decorating celebrities at red carpet and photographic events. 

Wills Signatures: boho colours and stones, ethnic influences, vintage details.

As Worn By: Vanessa Hudgens, Christina Milian, Lady Gaga

The Look: Upper Westside Boho Chic - boho babe dresses for city living, carrying her heritage in her jewellery.

See more at www.samanthawills.com

Balenciaga - A Fashion Master

21st January marks the birth of not just one fashion legend but two, Christian Dior and Cristobal Balenciaga. Fashion contemporaries, they led the charge in re-establishing the dominance of Parisian haute couture post Second World War. However, whilst Dior grabbed the headlines, Balenciaga was the quiet createur, leaving only a silent archive to stand testament to his legend. What better day to create some noise and celebrate a master. 

THE PRODIGAL SON

His fashion genius developed early. With his mother a seamstress in their hometown of Guetaria, Spain, he was exposed to the principles of fashion construction from a young age. Nevertheless, aged just eleven years old, Balenciaga made a perfect copy of a suit he’d seen being worn by the Marquesa de Casa Tores as she holidayed in the town. So impressed was she with his creation that she became his benefactor, enabling him to take on a tailor’s apprenticeship to develop his skills.

Though his progression was gradual, as was typical of his style of working, he climbed his way up the career ladder, honing his craft every step of the way. He opened his first couture salon in San Sebastian and then another in Madrid but the Spanish Civil War soon robbed him of his aristocratic client base and after a brief stint in London, in 1937 he opened the doors to his Parisian house. 

THE LEARNED CRAFTSMAN

Balenciaga was a master craftsman. Studying the techniques of the couturiers, in the interwar years he’d travelled to Paris, buying up modeles which he would then deconstruct and analyse. He was constantly researching; always prepared to challenge himself, he was open and looking for new techniques and new solutions so he might edge a little closer to perfection with every creation. 

And a perfectionist he was. Where as Dior was a designer, preferring to sketch his ideas, Balenciaga played an active role in developing his garments through every stage - he would often see a hundred fittings a day! Sleeves were his particular obsession, and he was infamous for setting and re-setting them until he achieved his desired effect. 

THE CREATEUR

But so powerful were his creations, they were worthy of every extra hour, every extra stitch, every extra moment of contemplation that was spent on them. He was an architect of fashion. He was inspired by geometric shapes especially the sphere and, like sculptures, his designs seemed to work separately to the body, enveloping it, using it for support yet ultimately, standing away from it; his creations were 3D entities on their own. 

“Where as Dior’s dresses are most ingeniously and beautifully evolved from sketches, Balenciaga uses fabrics like a sculptor working in marble.” - CECIL BEATON

He also liked to surprise. One of his signature marks was to highlight the backs of his clothes with detached panelling, added volume or trains for example. 

Whilst Dior’s New Look created headlines, it was a look that was very much of its era. Balenciaga’s creations however, so free and unstructured in comparison, were the truly revolutionary of the two. His silhouettes would go on to influence the shape of fashion into the 1960s and ultimately, to shape fashion as we know it. 

EPILOGUE

Following his retirement in 1968, the house of Balenciaga was left to languish. Nicolas Ghesquiere had a new vision for the future of the label when he took the helm in 1997 but it was not until the Gucci Group bought the brand in 2001 that he had the backing to build on his ideas. After fifteen successful years with the label and having returned the name of Balenciaga to the forefront of fashion, Ghesquiere announced his departure in November 2012. 

His successor, New York-based designer Alexander Wang, promises something different for the future of the label. Winning accolades and fans alike, his own label showcases his urban, sportswear approach to design. This marked difference in styles could make for an interesting evolution of the Balenciaga look and whilst Wang’s first two collections have been a safe homage to the brand’s heritage, Paris Fashion Week in March will be a good indicator of just how he plans to take the label forward.

Cristobal Balenciaga: 21 January 1895 - 24 March 1972

On This Day in Fashion History...

...Chanel dies at the Ritz, Paris leaving behind a lasting fashion legacy.

For fashion designers to secure their legend lives long after they have expired, retired or gone bankrupt, they must create a signature style. A successful designer need have only one groundbreaking creation, to secure a place in history, like Mary Quant and the miniskirt. So what then of Gabrielle Chanel, whose style not only defined key moments of the twentieth century, but whose innovations are still shaping fashion today? January 10th marks the passing of this fashion revolution so what better time to remember the woman behind the name and celebrate the work of the legendary ‘Coco’ Chanel. 

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
From the very start, Chanel defied convention. Born in Saumur, France in 1883, she was abandoned to a convent following the death of her mother and raised by nuns. Such humble and austere beginnings seem barely conceivable for a woman who would go on to own one of the most prestigious couture salons in the world; a woman who would dine with royalty, and entertain some of the most influential figures of her era. Yet it was this childhood of poverty and pious discipline that ignited her determined ambition to achieve something great.  

Introduced to society circles by a rich, playboy lover, Chanel started her career in millenary, making hats for wealthy socialites. They adored her fresh, unfussy approach and Chanel soon progressed to creating clothing to complete the look. 

CHANEL'S STYLE
She had little formal training as a dressmaker but she was in no doubt of her vision of how women should dress: they should be free to move, and to enjoy life without being restricted by fashion. She detested corsets and favoured pants over skirts, promoting trousers for women before they were considered an acceptable choice for ladies. 

She was an early advocate of ‘less is more,’ and she paired back the frills and flounces typical of early twentieth century womenswear. Her palette too, was simple and it was Chanel who, in response to the opulent colours paraded by rivals such as Paul Poiret, created one of the most celebrated symbols of femininity - the little black dress. Not only did she continue to reinvent it throughout her career but the style has been adapted and updated by practically every designer since.

Chanel disregarded the luxurious and extravagant traditions of haute couture, choosing cheap cotton knit fabric that was at the time, only used for underwear. She created simple, boyish silhouettes and began introducing sportswear garments for women as early as 1920. Compared to today’s high-tech, streamlined activewear, her efforts are more akin to leisurewear but her innovation was a formative step in bringing sportswear to the fashion fore.  

Her ethos captured the mood of the decade. It was the 1920s: there was an economic boom, women were gaining greater political freedoms, and people were dancing their way forwards from the desolation of the First World War. Women were wanting to enjoy life, to embrace their new-found opportunities and they wanted clothes that would allow them to actively participate in this exciting new world. 

CHANEL THE BUSINESSWOMAN

Chanel herself was the personification of this mood, and the House of Chanel was about more than simply clothes, it was a lifestyle. Coco worked hard, played hard and she partied with some of the most dynamic people of the twentieth century; she was charismatic, stylish and encapsulated the very essence of her creations. Understanding her power as the figurehead of her label, she would style models as herself and send them out not just in salon shows but all round Paris to promote the Chanel look. Such a crucial factor in succeeding in the fashion industry today, Chanel was one of the first pioneers of that all important ‘brand identity.’ 

She was a formidable businesswoman. With her brand established, she looked for ways she could extend it’s reach. First sold in 1921, Chanel No.5 became the first of a flourishing line of fragrances and cosmetics that would make Chanel a household name. Licensing fashionable names in this way has now become an essential way for fashion labels to raise revenue and for Chanel too, it was the success of her fragrances more than her clothes that finally allowed her to enjoy the financial freedom she longed for.

A CONTROVERSIAL WAR
With the outbreak of World War Two in 1939, Chanel closed her salon. It wasn’t a quiet retirement however. Both a friend of Winston Churchill and the lover of a Nazi officer, she was suspected of spying by both the Allies and the Nazis. Her exploitation of wartime agendas to serve her own means added more dirt to her already tarnished reputation, and following the war, she exiled herself in Switzerland. 

Back in Paris, Christian Dior was making fashion headlines after unveiling his ‘New Look’ in 1947. Seeing Dior’s ‘flower women’ with their cinched in waists and long, heavy skirts loaded with more fabric than freedom was enough to re-ignite Chanel’s passion for designing. It took another few years to engineer her return but in 1954, she launched her comeback collection. 

THE COMEBACK
Slammed by the French media who were not yet ready to forgive her wartime indiscretions, Chanel’s return was saved thanks to American Vogue whose favourable review not only re-established her reputation as a great couturier it went on to inspire recognition of her fashion legend. 

Proving her style was timeless, her designs perfectly suited the post-war era. Not only did her effortless way of dressing immortalise her own fashionable legacy, it also launched that of another style icon - Jacqueline Kennedy. The Chanel suit with it’s tweed boucle fabric, boxy jacket and straight skirt, styled with two-tone pumps and the signature quilted handbag, became Kennedy’s presidential uniform, and one of the most iconic looks of the twentieth century.

The impact of Chanel on fashion cannot be overestimated. She introduced some of the most significant changes to women’s wardrobes celebrating the demise of the corset, introducing freedoms that were previously the privilege of menswear, and immortalising the little black dress. A revolutionary, she defied the established rules to bring her ethos to the world with designs that are as relevant now as they were eighty years ago. Whilst the body of Chanel departed in 1971, her spirit is one that will live on, forever timeless.

Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel: 19 August 1883 - 10 January 1971



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Shopping the Advantage

Christmas is packed away for another year but I will be looking back on 2013 as a year of unprecedented gift-giving success. This year, more so than any other, I felt totally satisfied that I had selected presents that each recipient would love, and as an added bonus, I ended up spending less than ever before, all thanks to the wonder of online shopping. 

I have arrived relatively late to the world of internet consumerism, always assuming I’d  prefer the buzz of a boutique to the faceless transaction of an online store. My conversion has been a gradual one prompted initially by necessity (finding affordable books in Melbourne, even a good book store come to that, is growing evermore challenging) but it is now, I confess my preferred method of shopping.

With online sales increasing by 11.9% between March 2012 and March 2013, I am not the only one changing my shopping habits. Australians who haven’t bought anything online in the last three months are now in the minority. With a global range of brands and the most competitive prices all available without the inevitable fight for a car-parking space and tedious queues at the checkouts, it’s easy to see why people are starting to favour e-commerce.

Cheaper than comparable Australian high street brands, Next offers free express shipping and competitive prices to appeal to the Australian market.

Figures reported in Roy Morgan’s State of the Nation Report in June 2013 show that shoppers who bought online in the last three months are increasingly less likely to go to an actual store. With the numbers of Australian’s purchasing online now in the majority, this is a worrying trend for the retail sector. 

The ABC has revealed that retail sales did indeed decline in the run up to Christmas with sales across all retail sectors down by 0.2%. The fashion sphere did fair better than most however, with footwear and accessories sales up by 4.2% and clothing up by 1%. Although with gift-giving being the primary reason for a seasonal spike in sales, the strength of these areas could be a reflection of the convenience of the returns policies of high street stores over the returns procedures of online sites.

Undoubtedly, traditional retailers have some advantage over their internet counterparts. The opportunity to try before you buy for example, avoiding the need for costly returns which, especially when returning goods to overseas companies, can actually cost more than the item itself! Despite our increasing reliance on the internet in our daily lives, 56% of Australians still don’t feel comfortable giving out their credit card details online, and then there is the question of customer service and expert advice, which retailers no doubt site top of their competitive advantage. Although, if my recent shopping experiences are anything to go by, helpful customer service on the high street is a thing of the past. 

There is however, much to be said for brand familiarity. My first online purchases were from the websites of stores I know and love, and whilst I do venture elsewhere, those sites are still my first port of call. It would seem this is a common pattern too, with two thirds of us only buying online from retailers we know. 

Two thirds of us only buy from retailers they know - are Australian retailers missing a trick?

With this in mind, Australian brands could be missing a trick. A recent Deloitte survey of retailers revealed that Australian sellers are lagging behind global companies who bolster their sales through online platforms. A quarter of respondents expected to generate no online sales in the lead up to Christmas. With no online channel, these retailers are missing out on their share of the $285 each person in Australia spends online every week.  

Times they are a changing and it’s not just retailers that need to adapt. The internet and most significantly, the social media phenomenon is not only opening the individual up to a wider range of global brands and products, it is allowing us to share our discoveries with our friends. 78% would trust the word of their peers above the 14% who trust advertising so it’s easy to see why businesses big and small are encouraging us consumers to become an active part of their marketing strategies.

Interact with social shopping site 'Motilo'

‘Social shopping’ sites such as Polyvore and Wanelo are growing increasingly influential. Not only can we ‘share’ our purchases or ‘likes’ with our social media network but thanks to these sites, we can also generate conversations with our friends and ask their advice on potential purchases. Increasingly too, we are being invited to give our comments and review our purchases to help inform other shoppers. The power, it would seem, is in the court of us the consumer. 

That is not to say retailers cannot and are not capitalising on this power swing. If there’s a win for the consumer then there must too, be a win there for the retailer as well. The retailers who will succeed as technology continues to evolve will be those who think outside the box and who develop accordingly; it will be those with the ability to spin their perspectives who will ultimately capitalise. As a consumer however, I will continue to shop my advantage for as long as it may last. 

SOME OF MY ONLINE FAVOURITES...

AT HOME: Love shoes, love TONY BIANCO. The online shopping site offers free shipping over $80, access to online discounts and member loyalty points. www.tonybianco.com.au

ABROAD: I love my UK high street brands and am always poised ready for their free shipping offers. My online favourite all year round is NEXT, which offers affordable on-trend fashion of a quality that lasts. Prices are charges in Au$, express shipping is free on orders over $30, deliveries arrive in under a week and returns can be posted to Sydney.

http://au.nextdirect.com/en/

SOCIAL SHOPPING: Solve your shopping dilemas with MOTILO. Interact with their stylists and read up on the latest trend with their fashion editorials.

http://www.motilo.com/

JUST FOR FUN: Shopping site DRESSIPI creates your own 'Fashion Fingerprint' to present a daily edit of pieces that best suit your shape and style - this is online shopping personalised for the individual.

http://dressipi.com/

SOURCES: abc.net.au, British Vogue, deloitte.com, NAB Group Economics, powerretail.com.au, roymorgan.com.au.