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Heading to Italy any time soon? If so, why not spend a spell at the newly-opened Maison Moschino? From its fluffy origami cloud light installations to its candy-themed chandeliers, it is surely a one-of-a-kind gem in Milan’s hotel-scape. Situated in the building which once housed Milan’s first train station, it is described by Rossella Jardini, the Creative Director of Moschino, as the “home and place of enchanted fairy tales.” The common thread connecting the rooms is a fairy tale theme because to sleep is perchance to dream, and dreams are fairy tales that we are allowed to experience first hand, the fables of a fantasy world that we have created. This is an alternate life in which we direct & stage the scripts of our very own play.

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4.33 (6 votes)

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Fashion Institute of Technology’s Tokyo Fashion Festa: A Fashion Show of Rarely Seen Lolita, Gothic Lolita, and Tokyo Girls’ Styles marked the last show of my New York Fashion Week experience. Designed as preview of FIT’s upcoming exhibition, Japan Fashion Now, it was a mix of short film, live fashion & musical performances which caused me to turn to my companion and say, “I feel really… foreign!” 

Japan is known for its extremely individual take on fashion and style, and Tokyo Fashion Festa really gave its attendees an undiluted taste of the country’s amazing street style. This truly unique event was invitation only, and the guests descended on FIT’s auditorium dressed to the nines.  New York-based fans of the Gothic Lolita style sat front and center, all frilly underskirts and miniature top hats. The mainstream press, who had also been invited (and relegated to seats on the left-hand side) didn’t know what to think! 

We were treated to a variety of looks from designers such as Alice and the Pirates, Amy’s Love, Angelic Pretty, Baby the Stars Shine Bright, Black Peace Now, Mielette Tautou and Madame-Killer. The show was accompanied by musical performances from visual-kei group VY, wearing h.NAOTO. The ensembles were amazing, frivolous, fun & totally over-the-top — the perfect antidote to what we’d seen for most of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week!

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3.40 (5 votes)

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Spring is on its way — not that you would know it on the East Coast — and so is Alice In Wonderland, Tim Burton’s latest masterpiece. While it may just seem like a simple movie release, it definitely isn’t. It’s going to be a key influence throughout the year in the world of fashion. We’re already seeing allusions to Wonderland style, from cropped White Rabbit-esque jackets to fob watches and super-feminine, tulle skirts. Believe me when I say that you’ll be seeing a lot more of this surreal and psychedelic-but-demure aesthetic! 
 
So when I saw Girly Girl Shoes‘ latest releases — a collection of crystal-embellished ballet flats in bright candy colors as well as some daring metallic heels, I knew they were perfectly on-trend. I had a quick chat with Nicole Woo, the designer of Girly Girl Shoes, to see where she gets her inspiration, who she designs for, and what’s next…

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3.00 (4 votes)

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Burberry is one of the most well-established & recognised fashion labels in the world.  Formed in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, the company invented gabardine, dressed Roald Amundsen & Ernest Shackleton (the most revered explorers of their time) & designed clothing for officers in the British army.  “Burberry classic check”, also known as “haymarket check” is instantly identifiable from it’s black, tan & red pattern.

Burberry had a public image problem in the 1990s, when it fell victim to the problem all fashion houses dread: counterfeiting on an enormous scale.  As Burberry had become popular with fans of English football, their classic check started to appear on all manner of items, & sold on almost every street corner.  It become the unofficial uniform for less savoury groups like chavs & football hooligans, & severely damaged the public perception of the brand.

When Christopher Bailey joined Burberry as creative director in 2001, the tide began to turn for the British icon.  The house turned out truly fashion-forward looks at the speed of light, garnering a gaggle of young new fans.  They secured the top British talent for its advertising campaigns, including Emma Watson, Agyness Deyn, Lily Donaldson & Kate Moss.  Today, their image is of utmost quality & brave style.

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4.20 (10 votes)

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It’s the most wonderful time of the yeeeeear… February is the month that fashionistas love and dread. Fashion week menacingly dominates the psyche. From Paris to New York and London to Milan, the selection of shows is staggering. Style aficiandos stumble through airports, sleepwalk through shows, subsist mostly on champagne and do their best to report what they’ve seen. Glamorous though it may seem, the reality is far from it.

Here’s my guide to surviving fashion week with style, grace and God willing, a little sleep.

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4.11 (9 votes)

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My Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week highlight was, without a doubt, the Betsey Johnson show, and I’m sure I wasn’t alone.  Betsey’s shows aren’t just a moving catalog of latest looks — they’re a full-blown party, with a kicking soundtrack, attitude-laden models and a vivacious atmosphere.  The crowd simmers excitedly, the models are laughing with one another and practicing dance-steps, and balloons litter the backstage area.

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2.00 (4 votes)

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The L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival is like any fashion week anywhere in the world: designers, models, buyers, editors & stylists revelling in a sartorial orgy which lasts for the longest seven days of your life. By the time of the closing night party, blisters are rampant, skin is dehydrated and sallow, and everyone is feeling just a tad bit blind from the non-stop camera flashes. Your bed is calling your name; your name has never sounded sweeter. 
But this year, Melbourne’s fashion week has a point of difference. It has a simple and straightforward slogan: “Get Happy”. In the advertising campaign, there is nary a sour or sultry look to be had. No — instead, the models are smiling and laughing. Photographed by Stephen Chee, models Katya & Tina look delighted just to be in front of a camera, and let’s face it, they probably were.

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2.33 (6 votes)

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Tuesday night’s Barbie Tweetup marked the unveiling of 12 one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls, dressed by some of the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s brightest stars, including Betsey Johnson, Isaac Mizrahi and Kate Spade.  Revealed with the lifting of oversized black boxes, the Barbies stood under perfectly positioned spotlights, eager to show off their new looks. 
From Betsey Johnson’s “part punky devil and part pretty mistress” Barbie wearing sequined devil horns to Lorraine Schwartz’s Barbie wearing real diamonds valued at $25,000, the collaboration was a clear success. 

All 12 designers were given a different doll to customize, each of them wearing a different Little Black Dress.  Some of the designers remade the original dress they were given (which was constructed with simple black jersey), while others focused more on accessorizing their doll. They were then auctioned off on eBay, with the entire net proceeds directly benefiting CFDA education initiatives and their scholarship program.

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2.45 (11 votes)

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