The Finale – Haute Couture Style

 The final collections have been shown…the season hobbled to a close on a more promising note but certainly not equal to its opening performance.

Jean Paul Gaultier Paris Fashion 2010

Jean Paul Gaultier

                           Jean Paul Gaultier showed, what I consider to be a less than fabulous collection, but still managed to be true to his DNA. 

Jean Paul Gaultier

Jean Paul Gaultier

                               The collection was short on his usual sense of humor and his normal theatrics, yet there were beautiful wearable clothes for the ladies, both young and old, to own, wear and adore. 

Jean Paul Gaultier

Jean Paul Gaultier

Jean Paul Gaultier

Jean Paul Gaultier

Actually there were even a few one might lust for which, this season, seems to be a less likely occurrence than in past seasons.

Elie Saab Paris Haute Couture 2010

Elie Saab

                           Elie Saab, while a relative newcomer to the haute couture, has certainly shown his ability to rival the best of them. 

Elie Saab

Elie Saab

                          Mr. Saab was true to the brand DNA and thusly showed an extravagant collection for red carpet events as well as any formal event and even some wonderful short affairs with all the bells and whistles that have made him famous. 

Elie Saab

Elie Saab Paris - Now this is my favorite

This was one of the strongest collections of the season and I am sure that the faithful as well as the angst ridden newcomers will be lined up for these show stopping confections.  

One can only hope the coming ready to wear collections will not follow the less than stellar showings of the couture.

Thanks one more time to the lovely Jeffrey B Felner for his insightful comments on the Paris Fall Haute Couture Show for 2010.

Fashion Frenzy? Chanel, Valentino, Lagerfeld – What to say…

Another fabulous commentary by Jeffrey B Felner on what is the highlight of the Fashion world’s calendar – the Paris Fashion Show.

Haute Couture is the creme de la creme of fashion, but this season we see that even the grandest master of the couture..KARL LAGERFELD…can produce a clunker of a collection and that hiring new designers is not always the answer to the rejeuvenation of a revered brand as in the case of VALENTINO

As a rule, by this time, I am in some rapturous state while taking in the Couture Collections.  Unfortunately, there is no rapture here but more disbelief as to how can these revered brands produce collections that are searching for new clientele rather than catering to their stalwart devotees.  Oh and, by the way, the collections left me slack jawed and wondering why and how did this happen.

Chanel Paris Fashion 2010

 CHANEL/ KARL LAGERFELD produced the spectacle that one has come to expect but the collection did not exactly live up to the amazing stage set. 

Chanel

Mr. Lagerfeld can produce the most wildly exciting, awe inspiring collections for CHANEL but this season he produced a highly difficult, cumbersome and much more matronly collection which I do not believe will resonate with his fans. 

Chanel

The silhouettes, the lengths, the palette, the oddity of it all seemed to contradict what Lagerfeld has been building for years. 

Chanel

Season after season, whether it be Couture or RTW, one was always  amazed by the clothes, the inventiveness, the accessories(bags, shoes, jewelry) and none of that happened except for the fabulous bracelets.  I will admit to one exception………….the pearl dress.  How can one not marvel at that???

Chanel

Chanel

Valentino Paris Fashion 2010

Valentino

Valentino

Valentino

 VALENTINO the brand, has been retooling since the departure of its beloved namesake, has once again provided us with a collection that begs the question…….”WHY?”

I get the impression that the new designers believe that if they use red fabric and toss a few bows around the garments that they have achieved a Valentino look ……….not!!!!!  These clothes are for some unknown client with some unknown occasion to attend and with an untold amount of money to spend on these truly unattractive clothes.  It seems that the house of Valentino is devolving while searching for the new couture client and they have flagrantly discarded the loyal ladies who made the house a staple of the Haute Couture.

It is always difficult for me to not rave about these collections which is why I urge you to review them at Style.com and keep up with me Jeffrey at  http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com/

Givenchy and Armani in Paris 2010

As promised yesterday, here’s more from the amazing Fashion extravaganza being held in Paris as I type. Today it is time for the ‘regulars’ such as Givenchy and Armani. Enjoy…  

Chapter 2 in Paris couture includes one more unlikely pair of designers, one the new sweetheart and one a hall of famer. The 2 are Giorgio Armani/ Prive and the other Ricardo Tisci/ Givenchy.                             

While the lady days of Le Grand Hubert are lost forever, the latest incarnation of the label is a polar opposite to its founding father’s genetic make up. In 2010 the Givenchy woman, if I can call her that as she cannot be much older than 30, must possess the rock star gene or at best the movie star gene because if she does not wish to be the center of attention, these clothes are not for her. The small collection is short on the number of styles but miles long on embellishment, materials, and overall silhouette. Mr. Tisci is hardly shy about promoting the extremes of what his ateliers are capable of and the limitless bounds of his imagination. The absolute end result is a collection of boundless expense and extremely limited audience. 

Armani - one of my favorites

 

Armani

 

Armani wonderful in white

 

    

Armani Paris Fashion 2010

                                            Now, the polar opposite of this is GIORGIO ARMANI/PRIVE, which is long on the amount of styles and short on a color palette that forces the viewer to experience a déjà vu within a span of 20 minutes. The repetitive nature of the colors and of his design signatures will no doubt please his ladies but doesn’t make for a press worthy moment. The clothes will always be exquisitely crafted but as in his ready to wear, they can simply be a yawn on the runway which can work to his advantage here as this is all about one customer at a time. The Armani red carpet segment is so discreet that I might compare it to the bride and the bridesmaids……no star material here except for in the most discreet possible way. Bottom line is……..there was no noise here.

Please have a look for yourself at Style.com

Givenchy Paris Fashion 2010

Givenchy

 

Givenchy

 

Givenchy

 

                                Once again, these beautiful images have been supplied by our Fashion writer – Jeffrey B Felner . You can always view more hot fashion tips at http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com

Fashion Rules again – Destination…Over the Top

If you’re wondering what’s going on in the Haute Couture world of Paris Fashion – you need look no further than this scintillating piece of news – and check out the outfits too…

It is that twice a year ritual that can only be described as “the wet dream of the fashion world.” It is HAUTE COUTURE time in Paris where one can bring to life the dreams that only the real “createurs of this art” can dream…………….no expense need be spared and the ateliers show why they have bragging rights in the fantasy cum reality time we know as HAUTE COUTURE.

In what can only be described as an exhibit, rather than show, with a cacophony of colors, John Galliano for Dior has once again opened the season with his own brand of brilliance. Even though one is able to discern the references from Monsieur Dior and from Charles James, one is so distracted by the laser vision of Mr. Galliano and his ability to bring that vision to the runway…….and that the references are obliterated by the spectacle of the clothes themselves. None of this acts to the detriment of what can only be described as over the top fashion, if one can even call it that. The point here is that Dior Couture is beyond just another garment, it is one of the quintessential Couture collections year after year. My biggest hope is that one client has been collecting these masterpieces so that generations to come can appreciate the workmanship and vision that enabled the creations to grace a runway.

ALEXIS MABILLE offers a concise collection that is driven only by one idea……….chic. Whether it is the full skirted lace or the divine slim column of a black gown with colorful “bow top,” there is a young but old world quality and esthetic to these clothes making them ageless

BOUCHRA JARRAR is another young designer who offered up what I consider to be the antithesis of the usual couture fare. What sets it apart is its apparent clean lines and extreme simplicity. It conjures thoughts of Geoffrey Beene whose name you rarely hear anymore but whose talent for razor sharp appearingly simple garments were anything but…………..

I urge everyone to see, for themselves, the wonders of HAUTE COUTURE at STYLE.COM

As usual, this wonderful piece was written by Fashionista Jeffrey B Felner of Fashion by the Rules fame! Thank you Jeffrey.

And don’t forget to watch for Fashion updates over the next 3 days.

Amulets & Talismans, “MIRACLE ICONS” another Fashion statement… WIN ONE HERE

Popular wisdom tells us that each cause or circumstance has a patron saint that can protect us from that occurrence.  Some of us have always had some sort of lucky charm or have worn a reproduction of a saint as a preventative measure.  Usually given to us by a mother or loved one this is supposed to be our safety net during life’s tribulations.

Miracle Icons Ricky Martin one of a kind Necklace

MIRACLE ICONS goes beyond the conventional  wisdom and contends that we need all the help we can get ………but on a much more “democratic” wisdom which is any saint we wear can help us deal with whatever problem we may be encountering at any time.   In other words, these medals are the good luck charms for everything and anything.  The philosophy, which was borne from the founder’s experience with a dear friend who was just diagnosed with an inoperable form of cancer, and turned into a healing tool of sorts.  When the friend was given the medals, she was visibly touched and for some reason was very heartened by the sentiment…………….long story short, she recovered and is in remission.  Mary Jo Pane, founder, then thought that maybe this can be used as an aid to bolster confidence and well being due to post 9/11 complications which so many of our NY neighbors suffered through at the time.

Ms. Pane then decided to market the essence of MIRACLE ICONS to select retailers and has been constantly surprised that her sentiment is shared by the owners of these pieces.  Her legion of celebrity owners includes Ricky Martin, Halle Berry, Bruce Springstein, Johnny Depp and Justin Timberlake.  The so called “religious jewelry” has taken on a life of its own and has been a consistently popular selling item across the country.  The medals are acquired via agents who scour the flea markets of Eastern and Western Europe in search of these items which have the fine patina of age from the mid 19^th century through the 1950’s.  Once they have been received on this side of the ocean, they are then hand sorted by category.  Once the sorting is completed, the process of building the jewelry begins.  The medals/icons serve as charms (amulets or talismans) which are suspended from a bracelet or necklace.  The bracelets tend to be of the stretch beaded variety and the necklaces would be of chain or leather or any other suitable material which would reflect the new contemporary image of the jewelry.

For almost 10 years now, MIRACLE ICONS has been made by hand in New York City and as of this year is now available on line on its own website.  One of the most compelling features about the collection is that NO 2 pieces are alike and there is no specification as to which saint will appear on your item.  The prices start at $70 USD and top off at around $600 USD…………..they are heirlooms of the future generation.

Please feel free to learn more at http://miracleicons.com/ as well as on Facebook and don’t forget me at http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com/ or on Facebook.

But WAIT – THERE”S MORE

WIN, WIN, WIN – FREE ENTRY

YOU TOO CAN OWN A BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE MIRACLE ICONS CREATION

SHI Symbol International has a very special promotion and giveaway for you – a ONE OF A KIND Miracle Icons necklace. This  necklace has 5 amulets on a 24 inch Sterling Silver Rolo link chain with a spring ring closure. This truly unique piece, as are all Miracle Icons pieces, and retails for over $400 usd makes a statement all on it’s own.  All Miracle Icon styles are handmade and totally suitable for a man or woman.

SHI SYmbol's join Emag here FREE

To be in the running to win this beautiful piece, its very easy – just subscribe to SHI Symbol’s free Emag by clicking here:

Miracle Icons Competition Prize for SHI SYmbol International Handmade Unique Necklace

Winner will be announced in SHI Symbol Emag.

with special thanks to Jeffrey B Felner, your resident Fashion guru and of course Miracle Icons.

Christian, Yves and Karl – Who’s that?

 This is the perfect book to take you through how new designers became the most famous international designers that we have ever known.   They are the precursors of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano and paved the way for so many designers and brands of the 21^st century.

 

The Beautiful Fall by Alicia Drake   – Little, Brown and Company, September 2006

 

The Beautiful Fall has been classified “pop culture” but it is more much a chronicle of the parallel lives of two of the most famous designers of the 20^th and 21^st centuries.

 From the moment Yves St Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld stepped onto a stage together in 1954, the die was cast on the enduring and everlasting careers of these two designers.  On that

The Beautiful Fall by Alicia Drake

day in 1954 they were competing in a contest named the “International Wool Secretariat.”  Yves was eighteen and Karl three years his senior and they were chosen from over three thousand applicants.

 At the beginning of their careers, they were friendly and often spent time together, but no one could have guessed the divergent as well as parallel paths that these men would embark on for over 50 years.  Yves was the more introverted of the two, given to moods and inner demons, where Karl was the German spitfire who spoke rapidly and sketched constantly.

 The two men were polar opposites when it came to how they saw their work.  Both were extremely talented from the very beginning, but Yves was more directional and evolving while Karl was of the moment: the newest, the latest, the greatest—each and every season.  Yves would labor over the sleeve placement season after season where Karl would be deciding if it should be set in or raglan.  Yves was the perfectionist of his art and Karl the revolutionary of his art.

 One of the turning points in Mr. St. Laurent’s early life was his appointment to be the successor of Christian Dior after Mr. Dior’s death in 1958; no one would have guessed the trajectory of this uber talented yet shy designer.

 Karl was never offered such an appointment and wasn’t really interested in perpetuating a look/name such as this.  At this time, one more famous than the other, but both as charismatic as the other, had begun to form their own little cliques of followers.  Yves not only found a few core admirers—who would remain with him till death—but he also found his future business partner and life partner (Pierre Berge).  Karl’s entourage was like his design philosophy: more of the moment, his attention span was never the same nor were his needs.

The Beautiful Fall

Ms. Drake takes us into the groups, into the mindsets of these famous designers and into the needs that each of these groups satisfied for each designer.  She has also given some enduring visuals as to how these men portrayed themselves from the 1950s through the new millennium.  She was allowed almost total access to Mr. St Laurent and associates, while Mr. Lagerfeld was far more guarded—as he remains to this day.

The Beautiful Fall

The 50-year span of their love/hate relationship is chronicled for our examination and analysis by this insightful writer who has definitely

The Beautiful Fall

placed her allegiances with the St. Laurent camp.  She, however, reports rather than opines about them and lets their confidantes do that for her.  The book is a must-read for those with any curiosity about the fashion business, Paris during that time span, or the egos of such great designers.  Ms. Drake also provides us with the lingering insecurities that most would never imagine in such great figures, ones that have remained with them all their lives.

 Ms. Drake currently resides overseas and contributes to various fashion and lifestyle publications.

Once again, this wonderful Book Review has been brought to you by the very talented fashion guru Jeffrey B Felner.

Help Please – Fashion, Beauty, Dating, Love, Relationships, Competitions – Your Say

Are you Single? Looking for a relationship? Like dating? Love fashion? Enjoy beauty treatments? Want help with you finances? Enjoy competitions and giveaways… The list could go on…

Well, SHI Symbol needs your input on what YOU would like to see changed, added or deleted from the SHI Symbol International Emag – AND you can WIN big time.

It’s very easy to have your input – CLICK THE EMAG BELOW, OR THIS LINK AND YOU WILL A UTOMATICALLY BE TAKEN TO THE LAST EMAG.

SHI Symbol's International Emag for Singles - May 2010 Edition

Peruse it, note your likes, dislikes and any suggestions. Then:

Please send Comments to this blog or send email Jan at SHI Symbol and we will try to incorporate your suggestions.

NOW WAIT FOR IT – EVERYONE who responds will receive a FREE Global travel club membership valued at $99 from thetoptravelclub.com – just perfect for you and your family to use on your next holiday or even business trip.

Note: If you would like to view OTHER SHI Symbol Emags – just go to the SHI SYmbol Website and click on Emags at top of page. By the way, it’s FREE to subscribe and receive them!

Oligoville rides again…

Mr New York Fashion Writer himself, the very interesting Jeffrey B Felner has just reviewed SHI Symbol for his Oligoville Fashion and Music lovers network. With a raft of pics to illustrate his points, SHI Symbol is certainly seen as the trendy and stylish accessory for 2010.

This is a screen capture of Jeffrey’s Home Page – SHI Symbol was the featured article today 14th June 2010.

Jeffrey B Felner's Oligoville Screen Capture SHI Symbol 14th June 2010

You can read Jeffrey’s entire review at: Oligoville.

Don’t forget to leave a comment for him too.

FASHION BY THE RULES: INTERNATIONALLY SPEAKING

Sandro Reali Sunglasses

As we all know, fashion is an enormous international conglomerate which has an endless inventory, endless database of designers and an endless audience. During my search for some of the newer and newest designers, I was fortunate enough to find Sandro Reali who certainly has found his way via many paths within the business of fashion.

Born of Italian heritage and wit a family history steeped in the creation of fashion, Mr.Reali believed that he would study menswear at the International Academy of Design in Toronto. Not long after his graduation he continued the path by accepting a position for PORTS INTERNATIONAL. By accepting the new position, he also accepted that he had to move to China. This was an excessively brave move, given the years which was 1992. China was on the cusp of becoming what it is today and he wanted to ride the wave into the next century. By 2006 he was appointed the designer of menswear which now gave him “legs” so to speak and he was travelling to the fashion capitals of the world.

Sandro Reali Shades

Fast forward, and it is 2010 and Sandro Reali is the founder and Creative Director of a design and retail consultancy while focusing his own talents on SANDRO REALI eyewear.

The collection which is for men and women is constructed of the finest materials from Europe and then transported to his facility in China. You would be mistaken to think that the product is of the usual “China’ quality for these are hand made using the finest craftsmen so that each pair is expertly polished, detailed, cut and finished by hand. Each prototype requires 60 days of work so that all the elements, which make these sunglasses perfect, can be completed with perfect edges to insure maximum comfort and beauty for their owner.

Sandro Reali Eyewear

The collections, that you find at www.sandroreali.com are inspired from the 60’s and 70’s but they have been tweaked to meet the standards of the 21st century. The website and the eyewear is exquisite, so please take the time to investigate

Sandro Reali Shades

As for Mr. Reali, he splits his time between his homes in Toronto and Xiamen to insure the highest of quality.

And I remain here at http://Oligoville.com, New York City, http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com/ and Facebook………..as always.

I’m Human First – What’s Hot – That’s So Gay Live and SHI Symbol

SHI Symbol Interview by Founder Jan Pagonis for That’s So Gay Live – I’m Human First

Nicole Peters our roving reporter in Australia reports on ‘What’s Hot’ in Australia.

This Video interview with Jan Pagonis, owner of SHISymbol International shows you just how fashion savvy the Aussies are and how Singles there are leading the world in how you can meet your match easily. whatever your sexual preference.

This report was compiled for US based http://www.thatssogaylive.com that is a resource and news site that streams video from different segments like, gay news, gay travel, romance and hot topics. All with a friendly gay twist.