Friday, September 29, 2006

Attenzione!

I guess it's a no brainer for everyone that I look forward to Milan Fashion week. It's still a little early to comment on favorites, but at the moment, I am loving the Pucci collection. Matthew Williamson as designer of this much regarded Florentine brand, has not only taken over, but has masterfully taken control of the reigns. How creative can you get with iconic prints? Williamson certainly has the answer to that.







xoxo

La Diva Fiorentina

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Marni Madness



You just gotta love Marni. Just look at her, isn't Consuelo Castiglioni the cutest? Her pieces can really make you look effortlessy cool.






xoxo

The French Muse

Saturday, September 23, 2006

'Masstige' is upon us

H & M is a genius! This whole concept of having guest designers create a line for H & M has spread like wildfire. There's Luella Bartley for Target, and more recently, fresh out of the oven is Kate Moss for Topshop. Well, it doesn't stop there. The newest designer to come up with a line for a mass chain is Roland Mouret for Gap.

Here's the short article..

Roland Mouret designs for Gap
Amanda Gore

Yesterday Gap announced that as his first project for 19 RM Roland Mouret has produced ten dresses for their autumn winter collection, arriving into the UK shops on 7th November. Three of these designs will be sold as part of Gap's Red range, with 50 per cent of the profits going to the Global Fund to fight Aids. So that's one more designer going to work on the high street- no need to spend huge amounts on outfits any more- just sharpen your elbows for a fight to the door and you could be wearing clothes by many of the top names this season, and still have money for a taxi to the hospital!

credits to: fashion.pfsk.com


Roland Mouret established and co-founded 19RM with Simon Fuller, the entertainment mogul and founder of the Spice Girls. This came to be after a falling out with his original backers, Sharai and Andre Meyers.

Mouret created what is called "the galaxy dress," which takes an hourglass shape. It has been worn by Hollywood stars like Keira Knightley, Rachel Weisz, and Scarlet Johansson.



More pictures from His Autumn/Winter 2006 collection





I wonder why this concept hasn't caught on with our local retailers, or myabe I just haven't heard. Perhaps Joey Samson can design a few tailored tops and pants for, say, Bench? Just a thought.


xoxo

La Diva Fiorentina

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Kate Moss to design for Topshop

Well, it's official, Kate Moss bites the bullet. From supermodel to designer..

Read the articlehere

He's Back!

With all the eye-strain from looking at all the NY Fashion Week Spring '07 pics, one collection that deserves a round applause is the Michael Kors fashion show. Don't know with you guys, but his past shows have been really boring for me. But I'm glad to see that he's back in fighting form. He really has too especially with all the uber cool designers that are showing at Bryant Park(Proenza Schouler, Temperely, MARC JACOBS etc.) Here are some pics from his Spring '07 collection (check out the color palette):








pics from style.com

I can't wait to see the mother of all fashion weeks, my favorite, PARIS SPRING '07. Uncle Alber, my good friend Nicholas, Grandpa Karl (hahaha, feeling close?) and the rest of the GRAND MASTERS (lacroix, galliano etc.), looking forward to seeing your shows!

xoxo

The French Muse

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Fashion for the (very) young

I just read an interesting article from the NY times website, dated, Aug. 24, 2006. The article is about the potential in the "tween" market in terms of fashion and cosmetics. Even third graders know their seven jeans these days. This presents an opportunity for many entrepreneurs, in Manila, the childrenswear market is almost nonexistent. You can actually count with one hand the number of "good enough" childrenswear brands we have here, it's a pity really. But I this article talks about the more extreme situation in America, where kids, or atleast their parents, spend so much on cult brands and trends that the adults covet as well.

Fashion Aims Young
By Ruth La Ferla

POOR Barbie! Her pneumatic contours and sparkly wardrobe have lost their charm for the average 8-year-old, the attractions of her doll-size jeans and shrunken tanks paling alongside the real thing.

Premium jeans, for instance, an item coveted by Maisy Gellert, a third grader living in Westchester County, N.Y. “I’m very particular,” Maisy said. “Sevens are the only jeans I actually wear.”

Like many girls her age, her fashion antennae are finely tuned, her standards exacting, her desires well defined. “I like the stuff that’s in style, like leggings and shorts, tank tops and flip-flops,” she said, promptly adding to that list: “Gap camisoles that are white, because I can wear them with just anything. Puma sneakers, pink and gray — I’m on my third pair — and ballet slippers, but those are hard to find for my size foot.”

Read more here

xoxo,

The Florentine Diva

The French Muse: Oh no, I have a feeling my baby is going to be like that...with a mom, grandmother and kikay ninangs like you? And not only that, her cousin (my neice who is 8 years old) is a perfect case example for that article. Goodluck to me :)

NY Fashion Week - parte due

Jovovich Hawk - Vintage cool. I would love to acquire those wide leg pants if I had the height for it.




xoxo
The Florentine Diva

London is calling

Oh, and buck up people, London Fashion Week is next. Kate Moss has already been photographed wearing high waist jeans at the Topshop S/S fashion show. A preview of the imminent? Hell yeah. Also, rumor has it that the supermodel will be designing her own line under the Topshop banner. Exciting stuff huh? Seriously, it's a miracle that we even have this brand in the Philippines when in Europe, you'd have to be in Ireland or the U.K. to score any of the stuff. I mean, not even Hong Kong ot Korea have their hands on this cult high street brand. I just wish we can bring in more of their lines. Now there's something for Zara and Mango to be worried about.





xoxo,

The Florentine Diva

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Post NY fashion week run-down

NY Fashion week is over, and there's been some delay on my personal reviews (doesn't help that my internet connection is crap). Anyway, I think it's time to write about some of my favorite collections.

Temperley - managed to make neutrals look fresh. Love the color combo of black with a shot a fuschia. Dresses are amazing, but with the dress lengths (don't know if that will change when it hits the department stores), you better get on that treadmill, asap.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

DIane Von Furstenberg - Prints and silhouettes scream 80s and retro. The evening dresses are really beautiful and floaty, perfect for hot summer nights.




Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Proenza Schouler -I personally still need black even in summer, and there's enough of it in this collection. I love the high-waist skirts, shorts, and graphic prints.





baci baci,

La Diva Fiorentina

Sunday, September 17, 2006

An Animal Affair

There are only two creatures I know who can pull-off the head-to-toe leopard look --- 1. A real leopard and 2. My mother. In our shopping binges, I used to cringe when my mother gets overly excited each time we see a leopard top, leopard bag and leopard shoes. I really wanted to die and pretend that I didn't know this catwoman. If she buys a leopard top, she will scour the entire mall (or malls) to get the bag and shoes to match her "catty" blouse (my mother is the match-till-you-drop kind of dresser). No matter how much advice I give her on how she shouldn't be matching her top with her bag and her shoes, she NEVER listens! And after being abnormally exposed to this wild, animalistic print, I swore that I will never, ever wear leopard for as long I live. Boy, if only the fashion gods can hear me now...

After seeing the fashion shows and ad campaigns for fall, I'm shocked to see myself being drawn to this trend. As early as the New York Fall 06/07 Fashion week pics got uploaded at style.com, I knew I had to borrow (and never to return again) my mother's Dolce and Gabbana leopard top. But unlike mommy dearest, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing head-to-toe leopard. I choose to wear one article of clothing, either a top or a dress, or just an accessory to spruce up a plain outfit. And with the abundance of these "leopardwear" and accessories from design bigwigs like Valentino and Marc Jacobs, there are lots of these feline items to choose from. So, can an anti-leopard like me change its spots after all? Hmm, maybe just for this season :)

Valentino Leopard Print Satchel

Stella Mccartney Leopard Print Ballet Shoes

Tuleh Leopard Print Shirred Blouse

Christian Louboutin Dickensera Slingbacks

Jimmy Choo Tulita Leopard Bag

Tibi Leopard Chiffon Top

Tadah! My mother will have stroke when she sees this...

YSL Fauve Oversize Leopard Print Bag


xoxo

THE FRENCH MUSE

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Sweater Dress

Sweater Dressing is soo huge this season. These pieces are perfect for layering (well, if you live in a tropical country like ours, forget about the extra layers... otherwise, prepare to be a walking sauna!), and also look ultra-chic when paired with leggings or tights. Throw a belt over it to add a notch to that "coolness" factor. You see, cable knits are not just for our grandfathers. If worn alone, these boring threads look incredibly sexy :)

Cacharel Wool Knit Sweater Dress

Diane Von Furstenberg Aileen Cable Sweater Dress

McQ Cowl Neck Angora Dress

Temperley London Floral Knit Tunic Dress

xoxo

The French Muse

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Fashion Week in Gotham

Gosh, what I wouldn't give to be in NYC right now.










Costello Tagliapietra

Thanks to coutorture.com


xoxo

La DIva Fiorentina

Friday, September 08, 2006

The (faux) fashionista files - Case # 2

Case 2: She's all CRAP!
Suspect: Style DIVAlena lang


Another self-proclaimed fashionista. Often seen with the latest "it" bag in tow ("it" bag's authenticity still in question but that's another story). Talks like she's the Goddess of Style, well in fact she's just the complete opposite. Her clothes are all wrong, her shoe choices are horrific, and yet she continues to lug around those "it" bags with pride. Fashion operatives working on this case are all dumbfounded with this fake diva's sense of style --- "Where does this suspect shop?", "She must have a mirror at home".

As a result of the investigation, warrants have been issued for the arrest of Ms. Style DIVAlena lang. The accused is reportedly last seen walking around the mall, looking the part of an assistant of a well-dressed socialite. "She must be a p.a. carrying that Chanel 2.55 for her boss", suggests one eye-witness. "She possibly can't be the owner of that bag with tHAT outfit!", added another witness.

Get over yourself honey, YOU ARE NOT ALL THAT!!!

Verdict: GUILTY AS HELL!!!


xoxoxo

The French Muse

Care to share your faux fashionista experience? You're more than welcome to post your frustrations here.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Vogue Italia, September 2006

Vogue Italia, mio preferito riviste femminili, and fashion photographer Steven Meisel have definitely formed a formidable partnership. Their vision is well-crafted and edgy, which is missing in a lot of the other Vogue franchises. I personally think Vogue US has become too cookie-cutter (boring!). I guess Anna Wintour ain't all that.

Here are some pics of the fab Vogue Italia editorial. Franka Sozzani must be doing something right..



We are in a state of emergency..a Fashion emergency that is.

more pics from thefashionspot.com

xoxo

La Diva Fiorentina

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Ozzie Invasion

High-fashion is peppered with French, Italian, and British labels. But with rising popularity of the boho/Linsay Lohan/MK/Mischa barton look, where you mix high street with luxury names, Australian brands are cashing in with great denim labels and amazing dresses and separates. What's fantastic about Australian brands is that most designs are perfect for the laid-back, warm weather, casual lifestyle here in the Philippines.

Here are some fabulous Oz brands that I only wish were available here in Manille.

Alice Mccall
Love the play of colors, sexy with a cutesy twist





Lover the label
sweet and feminine with a streetwise edge




Sass and Bide
sexy and modern, not for the wallflower





Here's another designer who has remained at the forefront of Austgralian fashion for many years now.

Lisa Ho (Thanks ms. e-pal!)






xoxo

TFD