PARIS FASHION WEEK: WALKING WORKS OF ART

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PARIS FASHION WEEK: WALKING WORKS OF ART

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The Best of Paris Fashion Week

Today was the last day of Paris Fashion Week, and with it the spring 2010 fashion shows - at least in the major fashion capitals. As always, Paris didn't let us down, as it was there where the best collections of the season were presented. Some were major disappointments - like Emanuel Ungaro and Chloé - but others were marvellous. Alexander McQueen and John Galliano (for both Christian Dior and his own collection) set up big spectacules, characteristic of their shows, which helped with the estetics of the clothes. By contrast the simplicity of parades Celine (the very expected collection of Phoebe Philo) and Stella McCartney accompanied the clothes that was been shown. Chanel surprised everyone with a country-like set, something like Marie Antoinette on the prair; and Dries Van Noten showed one of his best collections, which took us on a trip to cities like Bali, Paris and Milan. Givenchy, Hermes and Lanvin went with simple and geometric clothes, while Miuccia Prada, as always, went a bit more to the edge with her collection for Miu Miu. Karl Lagerfeld showed an spectacular collection inspired on a photo of him with a guitar; and Valentino was reinvicated for that awful spring 2009 collection which led to the dismissal of the then-brand designer Alessandra Facchinetti; although this collection looked more like haue couture rather than ready to wear. Here are my favorite shows:

Alexander McQueenCeline

Chanel Christian DiorDries Van Noten Givenchy Hermés

Karl Lagerfeld

Lanvin

Loewe

Miu Miu

Sophia Kokosalaki

Stella McCartney

Valentino

The Best Of Milan Fashion Week

Season is almost over, Paris is the only city left for fashion week, as today ended Fashion Week in Milan. Personally I am not a fan of Milan, except for some shows, but this season was more disappointing. The big brands, as always, were the only ones that presented the best collections. Anna Molinari put a bet on color in her two collections, Blugirl and Blumarine, while Bottega Veneta stayed in his characteristic pure white but incorporating some color. Karl Lagerfeld presented very different collection at Fendi from what he commonly presents, sexy, bold but with a lot of rock & roll, as usual. Gucci and Versace used prints, lots of them, the difference is that Gucci remained on the line that we are used to, while Versace went back to the "young, sexy and secure" woman look, leaving behind the fall/winter 2009 collection. Still no collection was too risky nor outstanding, except for Versace, Burberry would have completely saved Milan because there were more failures than successes. Peter Dundas for Emilio Pucci seems to lead the brand into a Victoria's Secret style, D&G was awful, but redeemed itself with Dolce & Gabbana (especially for the spectacular finale) and Prada, well, as always ... Here are my favorite shows:

Blugirl

Blumarine

Bottega Veneta

Fendi

Gucci

Versace

The Best Of London Fashion Week

Today was the last day of London Fashion Week, which presented the Spring 2010 collections in the British capital. It really exceeded my expectations, there were very good collections, and the closure with Burberry was the best so far. Here are my favorite collections (in alphabetical order):

Burberry

Christopher Kane

Jasmine Di Millo

Julien MacDonald

Luella

Matthew Williamson

Sykes

Unique

The Best Of NYFW

Yesterday was the last day of New York Fashion Week, in which the spring 2010 collections were presented. Here are my favourite shows (in alphabetical order):

Altuzarra

Anna Sui
Chris Benz
Derek Lam Marc by Marc Jacobs Marc Jacobs

Proenza Schouler

Rag & Bone Richard Chai
Tommy Hilfiger

Not it's the turn of London... i have really high hopes with the city: Burberry, Matthew Williamson, y more!

American Television: The Latest Trendsetter

Every week, fashionistas all over the country tune into their TV not just for the drama and entertainment, but to see what their favorite characters are wearing. What started with "Sex and the City" and a shoe-obsessed Carrie Bradshaw developed into a stream of TV shows trying to make their mark on the fashion world.

Today, thousands of eager men and women vie for jobs at top fashion magazines. Elle magazine is one such publication showcasing 11 interns competing for one spot on a reality TV show on the CW network. "Stylista" is the newest of the more than 10 fashion-related shows on basic cable this year. The CW also features shows like "Gossip Girl," "America's Next Top Model," "90210" and "Privileged," while cable network Bravo produces hit shows like "Project Runway," "The Rachel Zoe Project" and "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style."

Certainly "Sex and the City" is the most well-known and beloved fashion-related TV show. Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte have made designers like Manolo Blahnik and Patricia Field, the show's costume designer, into household names, while influencing magazine editorials, store windows and fashion trends. Sarah Jessica Parker is counted among the top celebrity trendsetters, and the movie version of the show was so popular, actress Kim Cattrall recently confirmed the possibility of a sequel.

"The clothes are like another character in the show. They help make it real," actress Cynthia Nixon said in an interview with People magazine. However, the fashion-forward foursome of "Sex and the City" had a budget that allowed them to have a label-filled closet that most people cannot afford. To combat this, many Web sites began showing low-budget fashion enthusiasts how to "get the look for less."

A similar phenomenon has occured with "Gossip Girl," a show that some have declared fills the void left by "Sex and the City." The teen drama, based on a popular book series, showcases "the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite." Like the women of "Sex and the City" girls, the characters on "Gossip Girl" have money and designer duds at their disposal. However, the show's increasing popularity has forced the fashion world to make the looks shown on "Gossip Girl" accessible to those with lower budgets.

Blair Waldorf, one of the main characters on the show, single-handedly brought about the trend of chic headbands and multi-colored tights. Those looking to copy Blair's look need not look further than Forever 21, whose fall/winter line includes more than 20 types of tights and leggings, and numerous styles of headbands.

The CW's morning news now includes a segment showing viewers how to get Blair's look for less, and features characters on other fashion-centric CW shows. Web sites like gossipgirlinsider.com and gossipgirlfashion.com also show how to achieve the character's style on a limited budget.

Reality shows have also made their mark on the world of fashion by showcasing the "behind the scenes" moments of the fashion industry. The wildly popular "Project Runway" has become the springboard for new up-and-coming fashion designers, including season one winner Jay McCarroll, season three winner Jeffrey Sebelia and the "ferosha coutura" winner of season four, Christian Siriano, all of whom have showcased at New York or Los Angeles' Fashion Week.

Siriano also designed gowns for the models at the Emmy Awards and appeared on ABC's fashion-centric "Ugly Betty." "Project Runway's" host, model Heidi Klum, even wore one of Siriano's designs to the Emmy Awards. The fashion elite have taken notice with guest appearances by Parker, Diane von Furstenburg, Victoria Beckham, Brooke Shields, Nicky Hilton and Catherine Malandrino.

The show even produced two spin-off series, "Project Jay," following the struggles of McCaroll, and "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style," a fashion makeover show.

Bravo's "The Rachel Zoe Project" follows celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe as she works with designers and boutiques to style celebrities such as Debra Messing and Jennifer Garner. Having already established a successful career, Zoe is able to show viewers the glamorous but stressful life of a stylist as she attends fashion shows, meets with designers such as Erin Featherston, Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta, and spends thousands of dollars on designer and vintage clothes.

The CW's "America's Next Top Model" and Bravo's "Make Me a Supermodel" show wannabe models working the runways, doing photo shoots, commercials and going on go-sees with designers. Shows like these give aspiring models the chance to show the industry their talents. Winners from both shows have signed with agencies and walked the runways in major fashion shows.

Fashion-based television shows have created a marriage between the high fashion world and everyday people. By giving viewers access to high fashion designers and name brands, those watching at home have become more aware of the fashion world and what it really takes to be a part of it, as well as making viewers more conscious of their own personal style.