Valentine's Day and Rachel Zoe

Ok, those two things but not necessarily together. I know I just posted but since I visited the past, I felt it important to highlight the present and the future as well -- gotta stay current, right?

Future first: mark your calendar (or at least leave yourself a little sticky on your computer monitor, ribbon around your finger, alarm? whatever) for the February 14 unveiling of Urban Outfitters bridal line. I'll admit, I was scared when I read this at first and even more so while waiting for the site tease to load. I like UO for certain things but for bridal? I was really scared the page would open to some malnourished dark-haired hipster who could just not relinquish her cool for the 12 hours it takes to carry out your nuptials in style.

I will gladly say I was wrong...this is quite beautiful: www.bhldn.com. I am kind of in love with the music, the not terribly defining (tease) shots make me all warm and gooey (like a bride should feel -- mission accomplished UO marketing team) and the sparkly shoes with the pom poms? Um, sign me up. I would renew my vows for those chaussures.

And speaking of things I was scared of, Rachel Zoe's newly designed/launched fall line has just made its way to the public eye. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Rachel Zoe -- she's an excellent stylist. But I get a little side-eyed about non-trained (read: you-didn't-go-into-any-kind-of-debt-for-a-design-degree-nor-do-you-know-how-to-sew) celebrity types adding "fashion designer" to their resume. But if anyone is going to do it, it may as well be a stylist. At least they actually know about clothes in some sort of academic sense and not in just some, "OMG I totally love this" sense.

Her line is not bad. I found myself extremely attracted to these particular ensembles:



My only criticism? (Come one, you knew there'd be at least one.) I feel like I've seen a lot of this before either on her or on a runway. Particularly, it felt a little Kors-y-Mizrahi-ish-Ford-ic. I mean the red suit is almost identical to Tom Ford's for Gucci red velvet of the '90's (that I still dream about on occasion). But I like it nonetheless and no doubt, given her total schtick, it will do very well.

Next thing you know, she'll be designing military baby jackets with short ruffley skirts and 2" heel crib shoes; she is, afterall, pregnant. I may have to draw the line there. Careful, Ms. Zoe. We shant press our fashion luck.

xoxo,
kvlm

Dovima Darling

As I'm anxiously awaiting Fashion Week to start and feeling terribly bored with winter frocks (and especially snow), I find myself (as usual) reminiscing -- lamenting for the past. I've always had that kind of heart that pines for days gone but it's more than that; I pine for these clothes, this style, and certainly this sophistication. Can you blame me? Apparently I'm not the only one given the nod to the past every season on every runway.

This past fall I was lucky enough to see the Victoria & Albert Museum Couture Exhibit at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. Yes, I went three times (and, yes, I cried...once? ok, ok, maybe twice). Anyway, part of the exhibit included Richard Avedon photographs (among other famous photographers of the time like Irving Penn and Cecil Beaton). Of course, we all know this photograph:

This is Dovima. In the first evening gown designed by Yves Saint Laurent for Christian Dior. Photographed by Richard Avedon. Timeless and enchanting...

She seems to be following me, this Dovima. I've seen here everywhere since the exhibit -- most recently while getting the sorely missed blond streak dyed back into my sadly boring black locks (at the loveliest salon in Nashville, I might add, Trim) she eyed me while I sat idly for three hours in a swiveling chair while sipping lemon water (she was having a cigarette to which I scowled at briefly).

The thing about Dovima, other than she was one of -- if not the most -- famous model of the '50's, is that not only does she so elegantly embody all of those characteristics I hold dear from the decade, she also reminds me of my grandmother who was, if nothing, always ridiculously fashionable.

Here, a few shots of Dovima in her legendary aristocratic bombshell-ness...and a couple of Vii, also legendary -- in her own right.











kvlm

Countdown to the Oscars

Or, as I like to call, it the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards. Admittedly, I'm behind...a good two weeks and one, respectively. But when it comes to the Awards Season, who's counting? Some of these dresses will be talked about for years and years to come -- in both good ways and bad.

Let's start with the Globes...

Paris in the Spring Time

To quote the song, I love Paris in the spring time -- especially spring couture time. Having just perused the handful of collections to float down the runways over the past two days, I can easily say that I am enchanted. If you shut out the noise and close your eyes for a second, you can almost pretend you are in a salon 50 years ago seeing the latest trends before the world even knows they exist. Exquisite nostalgia.

My favorites so far: click on images for a larger view; and do yourself a favor, turn on the music in the lower right column. fashion requires a soundtrack...

Chanel

Two of my all time favorite models, they look the part of the dark rebel and the silver ghost.

I really love the l'theatre feel of this collection; it lacks the severity that usually exists in a Chanel show. This is somehow simpler, a bit younger, and much lighter. The flats really exaggerate that and of course now I want ballet flats for everything (though my feet highly disagree). There were reportedly 10,000 beads used in this collection -- amazing the hours and time that go into couture garments.


Givenchy






Can I just begin by saying that although I do not always understand the millinery genius that is Philip Treacy, his "hats" (and that feels entirely too simple a word to describe them) really mesmerize me. This collection by Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy was said to be inspired by Japan and more specifically by toy robots and the Butoh dancer Kazuo Ohno. At first glance, to me, I certainly can see that but I also see an entomological extravaganza. Each one looks like a still insect of a rare breed about to take flight. Amazing architecture, that I cannot begin to understand the complexity of when it comes to cloth, deserves much credit.

Bouchra Jarrar


Bouchra Jarrar is fascinated with asymmetry -- which is a beautiful thing. I love how unbalanced an asymmetrical garment can seem but, as he put, so harmonious. These pieces are all so very easy and sexy. I am a big fan. Can I please have that little black dress in every color?

Alexis Mabille


Mabille actually constructed each piece first in stark white and then duplicated it precisely in rich, attention demanding color. Obviously, the white frocks didn't get my attention as much as the color and at times it was a bit confusing. But I do love the boldness of these designs. They look as if they were made for a duchess.

Jean Paul Gaultier



Congratulations to Jean Paul Gaultier who will have his first museum retrospective at The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts this year. It's about time. This collection was standard JPG blended with what seemed a bit of punk, a bit of burlesque and a bit of lady-like sex appeal. So, yeah, basic Gaultier. He does it like no other.

Armani Prive





Again, major credit to Philip Treacy for creating such excellent and perfectly matched headpieces for this very unique Armani Prive collection. Armani was apparently inspired by the hues and glimmer of gemstones, which is terribly apparent. The slinky sheen of each piece took me a minute to completely adjust to but after the first few images, I was kind of hooked -- especially to the classic cut of all of the suits. It's very futuristic in its aesthetic but the actual tailoring is classic and impeccable. There was also the rumor that it was a bit "Lady Gaga" and we know that the designer has collaborated with her for some of her looks, but I really was reminded more of Debbie Harry -- especially with the super metallic leggings under skirts. Blondie, the original, 20 years from now.

Elie Saab





There's a reason the Oscars are strewn every February with Saab gowns. He definitely knows his away around a woman's body. And, as usual, his collection was a crayola-soaked line up of colors but I especially loved the blush. It draws so much more attention to the actual detail of the dress because you aren't overpowered by the hue. It's all very sexy but simultaneously very lady like and that, honestly, is so much sexier.

Valentino





Since Chiuri and Piccioli's promotion to head designers for Valentino, I have been repeatedly on the fence about their collections, if not one foot on the side of complete indifference. Slowly, I'm adjusting. It's a hard change to absorb -- Valentino is Valentino and to think of anyone else in his shoes (as if they could fit their feet) is still somewhat mind-boggling.

At any rate, I pseudo-like this collection as I did their A/W 2010. So that's two for...? Well, who's counting? But do let me explain my definition of pseudo-like. I actually love the details of every single piece above. I love the color, the weight, the delicacy, the complexity, and the juxtaposition of all of those things within one piece. But it seems to me that each show is struggling with an identity crisis of sorts. It borders tween and borders matronly at the same time. So, is that their version of staying current (tween) and keeping with the maturity (matron) of the line? I'm not sure but there are elements of both in almost every dress and it almost throws me off. Therefore, I am pseudo-in like.

Of course...I'd take any of them if you gave them to me. More from Paris tomorrow...

Bonne nuit!
xoxo,
kvlm

J'Adore Dior

That's not news, of course. I should have probably just dedicated every word herein from the onset of this blog-addiction to M. Dior. He was, by far, my favorite -- with a close second, third, and fourth being Chanel, Valentino and Vionnet respectively -- as far as the original sculptors of everything we know fashion to be now go.

While there have only been four shows out of Paris' Spring 2011 Couture, I can unequivocally say that this one left me palpitating. It feels like a talc powder dusted hat box filled with plastic pastel framed glasses from the '50's and it looks like a fashion illustration from 1952 come to life underneath a halo of aubergine and cerulean. Decadent, all of it. Right down to the model's perfectly gestured hands, each gloved tip reminiscent of a time gone by; their molded hair and wax red lips exquisitely coupled with ivory coated skin and stark black lined eyes.

Yes, it smacks of vintage and, yes, historically, that is kind of my thing. But I think Galliano's return to a canon of absolute genius is a wise choice for the House of Dior. The quintessential elements of the 50's (and every other notable decade of our last century) are certainly not going any where. And speaking of historical references, is it just me or do I see some classic Valentino references in these frocks...?

breathtaking, truly...

Dear Anne Hathaway, dress on the left. Oscars.

*sigh* Just makes the imagination run completely wild. If ever that was a choice on a designer taking over a House that was just meant to be, then surely it is Galliano for Dior. The King reigns supreme.

More from Paris tomorrow....

xoxo,
kvlm

Time to Make a Change?

Sadly, it's too late for model Isabelle Caro who is gone at the age of 28. Though her death is just making the rounds today, she reportedly died in Tokyo in early November.

Why is the death of this particular model so poignant? Well, because Isabelle suffered from anorexia -- she, like so many in the fashion and entertainment industry, was the victim of a mentality that needs to stop. The mentality that to be beautiful, one must be thin.

From the early couturier houses in France, the need for a model to be thin can be documented. But there was a reason for that -- rations, manhours, expense, and the simple fact that the industry then was an 1/8 of the size it is today. Say you are starting a fashion house in the early 20th century, we've been through one war and about to enter into another one. You have little money, maybe one backer, a cramped room full of seamstresses that need pay, and, if you are a lucky, a small list of clients. Makes sense for your models to all be a size six, no? Less cloth? Less time on the machines? A quicker line to walk out to a potential buyer? Sure. I can appreciate that.

But we aren't exactly in those times now are we? And to throw in more causation, we certainly didn't have the media then that we have now. So you then throw in the Karl Lagerfeld's (who seems to be changing ever so slowly on this subject) and the Kate Moss' with their elite commentary on how important it is to be skinny and it makes the rounds to hundreds of thousands of young girls and women and you have yourself an epidemic of eating disorders, dysmorphia, obsession, body issues and low self-esteem.

Thankfully there are some in the industry that are doing things to change the perception of what makes a model, or a woman, beautiful. Those people I salute. But it's not enough. There needs to be an all out strike when fashion industry insiders take time away from the Starbucks or Grey Goose long enough to insult a 14 year-old reading Vogue in Wisconsin who then decides not to eat for a week.

Or, as in the case of Isabelle, a law needs to be passed. After losing friends to the disease and struggling with it herself, she offended the Milan fashion set in 2007 with these No Anorexia Ads:


Additionally, Isabelle was lobbying the French government to pass a law that would prohibit models from working in the fashion industry if they did not weigh enough. Her bravery, amazing. Her death, unnecessary.

Surely her passing will not be in vain and the example she was trying to set in France will resonant in the other fashion capitals. If not, I feel even more sorry for what we are doing not only to the beauty and innovation that is/was the fashion industry, but what we continue to do to our kids. And, let's face it, the adults. Afterall, we are just kids in grown-up skin.

Be healthy but most importantly, be you. That's really the most beautiful thing you can do. Let Isabelle be a reminder to us all that fighting for what you believe, standing up against antiquated principles, and embracing who you are are what make us strong and beautiful -- it's quite simply not your dress size.

kvlm

Ringing in my Ears

No, this is not a post about jewelry (speaking of which, I cannot bring myself to wear more than one kind of jewelry at any one time but that is another blog for another day). This is to refresh my presence in the blogosphere and perhaps to reaffirm for myself why I maintain this site.

And how did I happen on this little nugget of enlightenment today? Well, I'd like to give my thanks to Nashville. Having moved here six months ago, I wasn't entirely sure what I was in store for. The first few months proved to be a tremendous acclimation not only for myself but my family as well. Nashville is truly unique -- in a lot of great ways and a lot of ways that make you occasionally speechless.

Well, now that I'm over the hump of adjustment and have developed my very own personal Nashville (read: outskirts and neighboring counties) filter, I can finally see the budding cultural delicacy for the trees.

Even still, I have moments where I wonder...what am I doing here? There has to be a bigger meaning to why my path kept steering itself in the direction of this city. Yes, for starters, it was the job; and certainly having family here only made the path shine a little bit brighter but, being the introspective thinker that I am, I knew there had to be greater meaning somewhere.

I don't seriously deign to think I've discovered all of my silver-Nashville-lining but I know I've discovered part of it and that is in this wonderfully encompassing, bohemian, supportive, artistic, proactive, ambitious community of designers, artists, musicians, stylists, and all-around art enthusiasts that continually find their way into my day. Have I delved in deep? No, not yet. Do I want to become a part of what will utlimately be the shift for this city to not just been seen as a country music haven? Absolutely.

I am quite blessed in my job to be around so many artists -- people I work with and who frequent our building. I've met so many singer/songwriters, artists, writers, designers...it seems like every day I find myself being inspired by what's around me. And that, my friends, is quite irreplacable.

I've suffered from writers block for many years now -- off and on -- and if there is such a thing as a creative block, I'm pretty sure I've suffered from that as well. But maybe it wasn't so much about what I could or couldn't do but more about where I was or where I wasn't. Not to say that my previous residence didn't have its very own distinctive creative vibe but it was never one that I fit into rightly.

So...this is a fashion blog, where's the fashion in this post? Well I've just stumbled across a post on elle.com celebrating some of the popular hotspots in Nashville for just the thing I've been talking about. Nashville also recently announced their nationally recognized and corporate sponsored Spring Fashion Week. And I say, it's about time!

Will these things pacify that artists' nature that's starving within me, you know the one you repress time and time again because of those things we know and love that people call "grown-up responsibilities?" No. Not entirely. But I certainly hear, ringing in my ears, this line which has followed me around for many years: "go confidently in the direction of your dreams; live the life you've imagined!"

best wishes to all of you for a happy, healthy and successful new year! may it be all that you wish it to be!

xoxo,

kvlm