NOMAD’S LAND

Pleasant surprises are what make the hoopla of fashion week worthwhile. For F/W09 Angela Missoni veered her typically girly lineup of patterned knits into bold new territory ( Missoni F/W 09 Slideshow ) transforming runway queens into mountaineers with a heavily layered, multi textured collection that straddles the line between carefully disheveled misfit and wandering vagabond. The well coifed zig zag clad Missoni girls of seasons past have been replaced by an earthier being. The word bohemian lingers on the tip of the tongue but it doesn’t quite fit – the look in question isn’t boho, it’s something altogether more interesting.

INTOLERABLE CRUELTY

Beauty is pain. How many sacrifices are made in the name of vanity? From squeezing into that LBD to shouldering the burden of a fully loaded maxi bag fashion followers know that looking good comes at a price. The adage is particularly apt for lovers of mile high heels – think a pair of 7 inch Tributes is going to be as comfortable as a pair of Chucks? Think again.

So far this season the award for most in demand object of torture goes to Proenza Schouler’s sleek wooden heels. ( Proenza Schouler F/W 09 Shoes Slideshow ) Rumor has it that the shoes (and their unyielding soles) presented a special level of difficulty for even the most seasoned catwalkers. Natasha Poly rubbing her toes when no one is looking? Scandalous. If top girls can’t walk it out in the slick patent and gold burnished heels what hope is there for mere mortals? Yet the aerodynamic design is immediately eye-catching and endlessly covetable. Will a more ergonomic version hit stores come July? Only time will tell but in the meanwhile get your name on those waiting lists just in case.

STATES OF UNDRESS

Nakedness reveals itself. Nudity is placed on display….The nude is condemned to never being naked. Nudity is a form of dress. – John Berger

Sometimes the latest designer look is nothing but an afterthought. Compared to the honesty of a nude frame clothing can seem almost inessential. In fashion photography the nude stands out as an almost gratuitous extra – it is often asked what the “purpose” of revealing the body is when the end goal is selling clothing. How can anyone even begin to notice the individual pieces when they’re staring down the undressed form of Maryna Linchuk?

YOU WIN SOME, YOU LOSE SOME

Debate over whether the sweeping production changes during Sunday’s Oscar telecast were good or bad will rage on throughout the week. For some the shift towards a less formal show with a quick raucous pace was a breath of fresh air. While traditionalists will view the change in tone as something approaching sacrilege. Still others bemused by Hugh Jackman’s singing ability (and apparent lack of shame) will take the show as a great big slice of kitsch laden apple pie. With extra cheese.

For all the sweeping production changes the fashion landscape remained safe and traditional. While the names on the labels may have been a tad more intriguing than usual the feel was very much the same. Rodarte, Lanvin and vintage Balmain made special appearances but Oscar old hats like Armani and Dior reigned supreme. The glamour of the golden age was resurrected via column gowns and WASP waists. Couture was present but in watered down modified versions for those looking to avoid the ire of E!’s snippy fashion critics.

VENUS IN FURS

If there was one thing on the mind of the designers at NY Fashion week it was fur and lots of it. ( Fur F/W 09 Slideshow ) In spite of global warming, recession woes designers and PETA threats threw themselves head first into an ocean of pelts. It seems nothing will stop fashion from embracing the taboo temptations of fur. While some designers like Donna Karan chose to do small fur accent, the majority from Doo.Ri and Phi to Michael Kors chose to go all out with full fur coats. This kind of barely restrained decadance is both intriguing and perplexing. In a time when the very worst financial woes have frightened away consumers fashion presents us with an extreme (and expensive) vision of luxury. Escapism may be nice but who will buy come September?

SHUT UP & DRIVE

Romance in editorial typically boils down to the kind of saccharine romanticism that borders on cringe worthy – lovers kiss, they stare longingly, the curtain falls and they swoon. In between all these cliche’s they find time to display the latest designer wares in a suitably aspirational fashion. Every moment is as calculating and emotionally manipulative as the most heavy handed film.

SWEETIE DARLINGS

There is an image of Kate Moss descending from a limo in a mini dress and fur chubby that sums up almost everything about Preen F/W 09. ( Preen F/W 09 Slideshow ) There is glamour and there is kind of masterfully nonchalant chic that Moss has made famous. Preen concerns itself with the latter – particularly in this season of cutout dresses and gumdrop colors. While the clothes are versatile and finely crafted they are also designed for the kind of youthful society misfit who enjoys a pub crawl as much as a soiree.

THE REMINDER

The it-bag era began and ended with Chloe. While other bags caused sensations before the the Paddington few caused the kind of upheaval and drama the padlocked and studded satchel brought about. More than just a bag, it served as a sort of signifier for fashion’s mood at the time. The bag was heavy, impractical, exorbitantly priced and gorgeous – the ultimate expression of disposable luxury. The subsequent craze that followed (complete with waiting lists and eBay markups) was manic and in some ways inimitable. Many have tried but no one has managed to replicate that manner of success. Even Chloe, the label responsible for the fuss has never experienced a repeat.

Repetition is of course an overrated concept. In an era that calls for the streamlined, the functional and of course the discreet a new purse de résistance is required. This season’s Sally bag might be just the thing. With it’s old school style (it looks like well preserved vintage piece) and subdued metal accents it calls attention to itself without appearing flashy. Unless of course you go for the over the top patchwork and python variant that is anything but understated. Sometimes a little flash goes a long way.

LADY BABA

Fashion is short on originals. For every style icon or trend setter there are a dozen pretenders to the throne. While imitation remains the sincerest form of flattery there is a certain redundancy that comes with it. How many fashionistas have you seen in the same combination of skinny jeans, Rick Owens jacket and Givenchy heels? Endlessly chic but ultimately predictable and somewhat cliquey. We can’t all be members of the Vogue Paris elite, no matter how appealing the idea seems.

One visionary taking the road less traveled is stylist Catherine Baba, whose personal look is one part silent film star glamour and two parts modern day eccentric. Ultra thin brows, turbans, furs, cigarette holders – all hallmarks of the kind of over the top elegance favored by Clara Bow and ilk. Like an exceptionally well drawn charicature Baba pushes everything to the limit and creates something vital and new. There is a touch of the gypsy to everything she does – it’s not just the oft repeated pre-war mismash we’ve seen a thousand times before. It’s the kind of energetic mishmash that keeps fashion exciting.

THE BLUEPRINT

Sarah Morris is less a painter and more a revisionist city planner. She breaks down our metropolises and their landmarks into their absolute purest forms. Lines and colors are her bricks and mortar, with them she recreates the urban landscape. Bejing becomes a series of rings and lines in honor of it’s Olympic ceremony. Los Angeles’ fabled Creative Artists Agency is a crowded mishmash of octagons and contrasting colors  that practically buzzes with kinetic energy. These aren’t places as much as they are individual personalities on canvas. Morris speaks to the idea that a spot on the map can be representative of hopes and aspirations.

Not content to simply rest on these laurels Morris expands her vision into film by creating companion piece movies for each city. Dreaming non-narrative combinations of footage from the most known sites in town to footage of construction, local curiosities, day to day life  and the endless cycle of change and growth within each locale. Through abstraction she is able to create a compelling dialogue on urbanity and it’s meaning – the continuous and often confusing push towards the future that defines so much of so many cities.