Pick of the Day: April 25, 2012

ROMWE Starry Anomalous Shift Dress

I came across this colorful number while browsing today, and it stuck out to me. I remember mentioning my love of the galaxy print earlier in the course of this research project, and this dress brought back memories of that. The asymmetrical form of the dress is very much in style this season, and although I'm personally ambivalent towards it, I think this pairing of the colorful dress with the dark tights is a smart move.

Pick of the Day: April 10, 2012

Lyn Devon Fall 2011 Collection

I was browsing through some old collections just for kicks today, and this caught my eye. I love what this has done with an otherwise plain black and white striped dress by adding the sheer element to the bottom. Not only is the design flattering for the legs, it also makes it unique and almost futuristic. I feel like I'm looking at a television screen. The lines are crisp, the silhouette clean, and the overall design interesting enough to warrant a lingering glance. If anything, I would probably write this off as a summer collection piece rather than fall, although the dark colors do pose a bit of an issue in that respect.

Pick of the Day: April 6, 2012

Yves Saint Laurent Iconic "Mondrian" Day Dress (Autumn 1965)

I know this isn't a recent design, but there's nothing quite like a classic. I love this timeless design: it embodies the bold colors and striking geometric prints of the 60's so well, to the point that it screams "Mod". I have such admiration for such iconic staples of haute couture, and this unforgettable piece by YSL is definitely one of my personal favorites.

Pick of the Day: March 31, 2012

Christophe Josse Spring 2012

I'm a sucker for nude tones, and I loved the look of these champagne pieces put together. The soft silk of the blouse and the metallic crocodile skin skirt are both almost luminescent in appearance, which sets off their otherwise plain color. The fit combines loose and flowing with straight and slim, accentuating features without being excessive. The entire ensemble has an almost dreamlike, fairytale quality about it, and embodies my ideal form of beauty; simple yet sophisticated.

Pick of the Day: March 24, 2012

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2012

Leave it to Gaultier to design a line of fashion especially dedicated to the memory of Amy Winehouse (down to the beehive hair and winged eyeliner!) I liked the eccentricity of the pieces in this collection: elegant yet unconventional. The structured fit of the pieces and the combination of dark and bright colors support this interesting mix. I especially love the black lace trenchcoat paired with the pop of orange. The jacket below is probably one of the most interesting pieces of the collection, in my opinion. One arm is covered in a full sleeve, and the other wrapped in an almost shawl. It puts a novel spin on the classic one-shoulder design of clothing that I find intriguing. With design, you can't be afraid to take risks.

Pick of the Day: March 10, 2012

Ralph Lauren Daryn Dress

I have an obsession with little black dresses (I personally own about 16), but this is probably one of my favorites of all time. From the front, this sleek, vaguely Oriental number looks relatively plain and insignificant and hardly worth the almost $4,498 it retails for. But when you view it from the back...

A large portion of the back is embellished with a stunning, beaded Chinese dragon design on sheer fabric. The overall dress is so simple, and yet so intricate; the ultimate effect it produces is one of effortless elegance, which I really admire. The dress has most famously been sported by Rooney Mara on November 2011's issue of Vogue (which is fitting, for the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo actress). The simplicity and sophistication of this little black dress reminds me a little bit of the iconic black dress sported by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but with a twist. I think it's absolutely wonderful.

Pick of the Day: February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day!

The two looks featured here come from the Jason Wu Fall 2012 Collection. I chose this collection to be featured today because I think the pieces have a sultry, romantic appeal to them without needing the stereotypical frills and rosy hues often associated with the holiday for celebrating love. This collection adopts an Oriental influence with its choice of floral prints and vibrant colors that I adored, and the beading and embroidery details are just gorgeous. Several pieces also made use of furs and structured forms, lending the clothing an elegant, sophisticated feel. I thought this collection also echoed the trends of the 1910's, namely the Orientalism, use of furs, and occasional hobble skirt design.

My favorite piece from all of them is, however, the dress below, a stunning LBD (I'll be the first to confess I have an unhealthy obsession with those) with a high slit and belted waist. The fit is flattering, and the shoulder detailing adds the perfect amount of adornment to an otherwise simple number. 

Pick of the Day: February 12, 2012

Lanvin Spring/Summer 2011 Ready-to-Wear Collection

This is yet another .gif animation, so click through to see it in motion. I loved the flowing lines and warm, earthy tones of this ensemble. The way the fabric moves and sort of catches in the air makes it look almost ethereal. It's simple, but elegant, and elaborate without being overdone. 

Pick of the Day: January 29, 2012

Karmen Pedaru & Kate King in Chloé Spring/Summer 2012

I know it's not quite spring yet, but I'm already anticipating warm, sunny days and fragrant blooms. I love the streaks of color that liven up these otherwise plain white numbers; to me, it echoes the season of springtime, as the monochromatic barrenness of winter is interrupted by new life and color. The flowing forms and vibrant stripes could even carry over into summertime.

Pick of the Day: January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!

Zac Posen Pre-Fall 2012 Collection

I figured there was nothing quite like a New Years' dress pick to start off 2012, and Zac Posen was almost an unquestionable go-to for the occasion. I love this collection for its trademark elegance and romance. All the pieces are beautiful and flattering, marked by floral embroidering, structured shoulders, flowing skirts, and a particular design emphasis on the waist. I liked how this deep, vibrant red number stood out in stark contrast to the rest of the collection, in both its unique full skirt (most of the other pieces are fishtail bottoms) and bold color (amidst charcoal grays, deep blues, and lavender). At any New Years' gala, this dress would be sure to turn more than a few heads. It has a certain show-stopping quality to it, but it's not so exaggerated that it loses its touch of femininity or its hint of playfulness. Beautiful.

Pick of the Day: December 10, 2011

Sadly, I don't know who the designer of this collection is, but I found these on an art blog, and just thought they were too neat not to post. The outfits are inspired by a theme of design supplies: the dress above, for example, is supposed to resemble colored tape or ribbons. The outfit on the bottom is an imitation of a colored pencil. The sharply pleated skirt even features a long train (not pictured) that is meant to resemble the sharpened pencil's chain of wood shavings. 

The designs are all part of a spread for Madame magazine. It is a collaboration between art director Hattie Newman and photographer Matthew Brodie. Fashion photography is always so gorgeous. And what a creative idea!

Pick of the Day: December 7, 2011

Versace 2012 Resort Collection

This isn't my favorite collection of all time, but I like the emphasis put on contrast here. As an artist myself, I have experience with the importance of using design elements such as color and variety in pattern to create harmony and aesthetic appeal. Common tenets of design involve pairing opposites with each other: patterns with solids, loose fits with tight ones, etc. Here, the bright, colorful accessories add a playful touch to the seriousness of the black and white, and lessen the severity of the monochromatic color scheme with a little bit of fun. 

Pick of the Day: December 1, 2011

Carolina Herrera Resort 2012 Collection

I came across this collection today on www.fashioncollections.org, and I literally saved just about every image in the lookbook. The first thing that caught my eye was the vibrancy of the red and black poppy print on white. I love floral designs, but it's easy to go wrong with them if they're overdone or boring. This print, however, looks almost alive, the way the paint splatters seem to flow and drag along in the presence of some nonexistent wind. Upon taking a closer look at the other pieces in the collection, I was thrilled to find that they displayed a wide range of different patterns and designs, each different and yet harmonious with the next. Crisp, solid white gives way to blazing red, which turns the stage over to playful black and white polka dots, and finally to lavender and orange silk and flowing golden tulle. 

As a bonus, each design reminded me of different eras in fashion history, which may have been a basis of inspiration for the collection. The two pictures posted today, for example, showcase pieces that bear resemblance to the day wear of the 1940's, during which knee-length dresses and collared tailored or trench coats, belted at the waist, became popular (and still are today, as this collection proves).

There are at least ten other looks from this collection that I want to post about at some point in the future. I think I will devote a few days especially to this collection, posting pictures in sets according to which era they belong in. I've been reading through 20th Century Fashion, by John Peacock, and the illustrations are incredibly useful in my mission to pinpoint certain trends fast. If I can figure out how to, I might try to upload scans of pages alongside historically-inspired picks of the day, to show the similarities between them.

Pick of the Day: November 27, 2011

Model Nyasha Matonhodze in Alexander McQueen for Vogue Nippon 2011

(photo courtesy of modeavenueparis.com)

I came across this photo today and found it absolutely stunning. Haute couture is brilliant on its own, but putting it to use through fashion photography just makes it all the more breathtaking. Also, I clearly still haven't gotten over my obsession with embellished detail yet. I wonder if I could incorporate this level of detail into a design piece myself? Something to keep in mind. And it makes for good incentive to finish this research as soon as possible!

Pick of the Day: November 26, 2011

Chanel Resort/Cruise 2011 Collection

Following a research session on the twenties, what designer better to feature than the iconic Coco Chanel? I loved how this collection mixes the best of modern fashion with the classic staples of design that won Chanel fame so many decades ago: the casual loose-fitting apparel, the basic crocheted handbag, and strings upon strings of pearls. The combination creates an elegant, sophisticated look that is classy without being excessive. It just goes to prove that some things truly are timeless.

Pick of the Day: November 25, 2011

Versace Spring 2012 Collection

I was browsing through some collections and this immediately caught my eye. I have a passion for detail, I think. This collection has this incredible marine theme-- bejeweled starfish, seahorses, seashell patterns. The pieces are elegant, clean, and glowing. Though the colors are somewhat bland (mostly white and black, with the occasional pale blue or yellow), the designs make up for what the tones lack in daring. 

Also, happy belated Thanksgiving and Black Friday to everyone! Tomorrow's gonna be a workday, so hopefully I will be able to do more research on this project then.

Pick of the Day: November 23, 2011

Alexander McQueen 2012 Resort Collection

[click through the first image for .gif animation]

This collection reminded me of the 1900's I was researching earlier today. The designs are intricate and luxurious, and the tailored fit of the pieces recalls the style of the turn of the century. I absolutely love this dress on the bottom; the contrast between the tight-fitting top and loose, flowing bottom is gorgeous.

I also came across another fashion site today that I think I might look to in the future for inspirations. Insofar, it's a convenient and interesting catalog of not only designer lookbooks, but even some fashion show reviews: http://www.fashioncollections.org/

Pick of the Day: November 4, 2011

Emanuel Ungaro Spring/Summer 2012
[Click through for .gif animation]

I discovered an amazing site today called http://modeavenueparis.com/ with the most incredible fashion GIFs. There are so many brilliant designers I've never even heard of before, like Emanuel Ungaro, who I am beginning to discover through this blog. I'm excited to get to work with it more later on. 

I also hope to be able to delve further into historical fashion soon. Modern design is so fascinating to look at, but I need to do more research on the past for my project. I think I might opt to write a paper covering fashion through history back into the early fifteen century or so, but have the main body of the presentation itself cover twentieth century America. Just a thought in progress.

Pick of the Day: November 3, 2011

Lanvin Spring 2012 Resort Collection

[Click through for larger image]
I wandered across this collection today, and absolutely fell in love with it. These pieces are all so simple, and yet they have this sort of casual elegance about them that I admire so much. The blues and yellows complement each other wonderfully, and overall, it creates a gorgeous warm weather look. This is just Lanvin's 2012 pre-collection; I can't wait to see how the actual Spring/Summer line turns out.

To see more pieces from this collection, visit: http://www.lanvin.com/#/en/collections/womens-spring-summer-2012/resort

Pick of the Day: October 30, 2011

Vivienne Westwood Red Label Autumn/Winter 2009

I was checking up on London Fashion Week (http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/) and browsing different designers when I came across this. It's an older collection, but the vibrancy of the colors caught my eye. Bright colors in winter are a sight for sore eyes, and I think this embodies that idea well. I adore the color and loose fit of the sweater, and while I'm not the biggest fan of the mustard yellow color of the knee-high boots, they do add a little extra something to the look. Note to self: don't be afraid to take risks with fashion. It can produce unexpected results, in a good way.