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