Fall 08 Ready to Wear: expert analysis

Let me first say, there was a whole lot of 'who cares' in these collections this season. too much black, too much same-trend-as-last-year-tweaked-slightly, not enough effort to discover some new things.


THE TRENDS or HOW THE GREAT FASHION DESIGNER COPY ME:
Lots of plaids and plaids mixed with plaids, plaids with unusual palettes. That's so me. Many many designers showed some plaid. I feel totally ripped off.

Next, the warm rosy reddish chocolaty browns and rusty tomato vermilion reds. Yup, that's me too. I originally stole the idea from costumes in old esther williams movies and then thought it should be amped up in intensity. voila, exhibit a, b, c, d, e and f.

.....elie saab, allegra hicks, akris, galliano,victor + rolf, lacroix......

SURPRISING NEW THINGS:
Lacroix scored huge points for having a great many cocktail dresses with pockets. gold star.

I liked the drama of Berardi's pieces with parachuting fabric expanding out from a tight slim dark silhouette.

Galliano tackling wealthy middle-americana for Dior. So incredible to throw that tacky rich barbie look back in our faces and somehow make us still want it.

"Look look. It's hideous, isn't it?"
- mmhmm -
"But you still want it don't you?"
- {headnod} *blubber* -

There is a lot of this concept in oodles of designers of poking the arm holes farther up in the garment so it's all cape-y and billowy at the back. But, Junya Watanabe's suit adaptations were most interesting, in my opinion. I would like to see what they look like in motion.

And, of course, the boys at Victor & Rolf can be counted on for some strange twist. This time, "NO" popping out of garments in 3D and in sequins. I thought it was a spiffy message after seeing the parade of craptastic drivel that came before.

..........lacroix, berardi, dior, junya watanabe, victor+rolf...........


AND THE BLUE RIBBON GOES TO...:
Dolce + Gabbana pulled it out in spades this season. The palette was gorgeous, the textures were incredible, very wearable, and they stole that whole vintage-scarf-at-the-neck thing from me. That three piece suit is my most favoritest thing of all. Also that sort of barbarian princess evening gown is pretty awesome and unexpected.

Thakoon is the runner up. Nice, similar palette. more plaids. They opted for a more gauzy gray in their neckerchiefs. There were also sequins involved which I liked.

................................dolce + gabbana................................

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As punishment for jumping the gun on the done-ness of fashion week, I will say nice things about those collections that were omitted in my haste.


.........lanvin, vuitton, vuitton, nina ricci, miu miu, miu miu.........

Both lanvin and louis vuitton should be commended for their bugged out structuring without being gratuitous. Mr. Jacobs is also to be commended for making everything look like white russian or pistachio ice cream. He is forgiven for reusing the silly black "hat" thing. And if I must have a black dress, that one's mighty pretty. Nina Ricci had an interesting palette and set of prints that left a necrophiliac sensation. I think the new goth has been discovered; romantic in a rotting corpe-y kind of way. And as far as miu miu, I'm around a 6-8 and will accept whatever is given me.