A Disheveled Refinement

Notwithstanding Gaga being a no-show, Formichetti's latest collection can be summed up two fold: Asiatic feminism atop insectoid, ninja-like motifs. To set the mood, cleverly placed musical remixes by Ryuichi Sakamoto solidly exerted the erratic, unconventional nuances that the attendees were much anticipating. Backstage, models ducked and dodged between scores of cameramen and the press. The energy set by Formichetti was definitely felt pre and post show. I'll show a few of my favorite looks (that's important, right? :P) to illustrate why there was so much hooplah for the designer.
My first and altogether favorite look is this monochromatic darted dress (in tangerine no less <3). Besides my undying support for Pantone's color of the year, the simplistic nature of the garment (minimal details, dramatic asymmetrical split down the leg) oozes feminine appeal, although the strength of the shoulder elements is quirky enough to have Formichetti's stamp of approval. A very bold statement piece that can definitely be dressed up or toned down (you girls are SO lucky :] )
Coming in second is this cropped jacket/tonal dress ensemble. Noticing a pattern here? This collection is up to it's eyes in shoulder details! The accented zebra pattern is very "Ga-ga", while the rounded shoulder paired with peplums fully exerts a look only die-hard fans may obsess over (I will admit, the patch leather and lace heels are amazingly sexy - so many good details on this look: the mutton sleeves for instance. A rare commodity indeed).
With the collection mostly dominated by dresses, this white on white outfit (incorporating the fur sleeves gives the whole that "insectoid" vibe I alluded to earlier) rounds off my series of favorite looks. Prominent shoulders still reign supreme, while the silvery shades of fur superadded to the sleeves heightens the overall species of eccentricity. Finer additions to this look include the darted front (terminating at the hips) and overlapping neck detail immediately above the breasts. Although I enjoyed the show, this was by far my least favorite look (when we consider the issue of flexibility and wearability - obviously, this is ultimately for the statement whores <3) Overall, the collection proved to be exciting - refreshingly dark tones and quirky elements won the day. Can it get any better than this? :)
Perusing the tweet-chat while the Mugler collection streamed introduced me to a sartorial gem: Limi Feu. I'm at a loss as to how I didn't stumble on her work sooner (correction: saddened) but nonetheless, I'll post a few looks and delve deeper into why I'm so enamored now. Flipping through her various collections (with her acclaimed debut in 2007 being my favorite) I found a lot of carry-over in each season. Her signature elements, too, remind me more of Castiglioni, yet her tailoring rivals some of the most experienced houses on the block. Her latest collection, by far, certainly exhibits the talents that some designers miss. Limi Feu is  "fully disheveled" (a term that carries an especial connotation - my quirky way of putting a designer in the spotlight and applauding their work)

Here are a few pics for good measure



Have a great day! <3

[All pics are courtesy of Vogue Italia]

UP NEXT: The Show in Review: Marni a/w 2012 

Gwyneth Paltrow, clad in this amazing Tom Ford ensemble (a natural nuance is deliciously entertaining, especially when we consider how well she stands out amongst all the blokes in black), steals the show in my opinion. Call it what you will - by and large, she owned it this year, for sure. 

In my eyes at least, Natalie Portman came up very close to Paltrow (although the shape of the clutch leaves much to be desired). This a-line evening gown complements her frame in more ways than one. The deepening cinch between the waistline and lower back is a detail that is usually missed by many, but when done correctly, lends great charm in completing the look for an outfit. 

Rounding off the series of looks, Viola Davis charms the crowd in this ruffled mermaid style gown by Vera Wang. With so many shades of green already on the forefront for next spring, her choice of color this year (complementing her complexion very well, may I add) deserves extra points. Well done chicka :)

Big names on the roster (Balenciaga, Demeulemeester, Mugler - who I'll touch on in a sec- Dries Van Noten, Dior) aside, for the first time in many seasons, I'm very interested to see the new talent that will emerge for the a/w collections. Thierry Mugler, for my sake at least, deserves special attention (amongst the heavyweights) and I'm very excited to see what he'll put on the runway. This season, both Gucci and Corrie Neilsen enshrouded models with looks of an intensely dark and obscure theme (as if taking cues from Mugler's 2011 collection). With the pangs of "preppy-wear" all in our faces, it'll be a welcome change to see designers illustrate to us the refined nature of clothing in a more somber light.There will be a live streaming show later today here, so we'll see how things fly when the collection is put through its paces. Excited? I sure am! <3

UP NEXT: Jil Sander 2012/13 vid