The Fairytale of LES'

In the world where the word innovation isn’t something that we hear every day and where the boring became synonym for most of the fashion made by our contemporaries, showed up a girl that is everything but boring.
Her name is Lesia Paramonova, and she is young Russian designer that loves world of the storybooks, flowers, and wild creatures that she incorporates in the world of her label LES' to create enchanting fairytales of fashion.
I came across her work few months ago by accident on tumblr where I was left breathless by her lookbooks and clothes that look like they are made for fairies. Her collection for upcoming fall season is certainly fairy-like and shows enormous talent for tailoring, patterns and great approach for using of the fabric.
The centerpiece of LES' Autumn Winter 2013 Collection is many times underrated, but very great for expression; the uniform. LES’s uniform is the uniform of Soviet school student reinterpreted in very modern and sophisticated way. From the start point of uniform, she creates overalls and pinafores adorned with the huge bows in prints that look like they are hand drawn with pencil. She has the great feeling for volume and the unusual detailing so yellowish jumper has the perfect volume, knee socks are embellished with tulle bows, and high-waisted shorts that from the back look like skirt are adorned with little pockets.
She sees winter in glitter, so the coat has a shimmery appearance and the satchel of her Russian schoolgirl is glittery pink. The prints she used for collection feature motifs from nature that together create such a beautiful surreal garden. And on the long dress that looks like it popped up from futuristic Victorian Artistic Dress Movement she added contrasting oversized bows on the shoulders while model wears one already on her head.
Too much bows? To be honest, never enough of them! Well done Lesia, we say in anticipation to see more of the fashion fairytales from the LES'. The world you imagined for us is real. We really are your fans!

Jill Stuart; timeline

With New York fashion week that for two days will be behind us, and all the showcased clothed that will try to make our summer of 2013 wonderful, most of us are already living in the next year. Fashion is all about the future, since is all the time about the lust. To move away for a little from this tendency of living for the future times, we need sometimes to reflect on the past. So little timelines that I am going to post in the future times here, will serve us hopefully as useful reminders of what these loves of ours have been doing in past seasons. Maybe this will answer our queries of ability to create lust in us while keeping us as their fans. Jill Stuart, except few getaways to edge, is the designer that has been eminent source for our feminine ways of dressing up. For spring 2013, Jill continues with taking us on the path of a lace, which we quite like. Not only that she went once again on the known territory of white lace that is great summer friend, she explores the new ways of black. But black just couldn’t deal with the impressive good old white, because except for the typical and safe romance that white lace brings, Jill brought a strong vibe of confidence into her ensembles. Blouses with delicate nets and ruffle collars, still can offer a lot to grown up woman. Silky trench coat with four pockets is kind of a statement piece that just waits for some movie heroin to pick it up from a chair. With a breeze of Hollywood that Stuart brought to New York and all those lavish silk pieces that are indicating glamorous summer for next year, we are happy to set confidence on its right place; to our closet.
While remembering previous collections from Jill Stuart, I believe that brand has ability to create science of happiness while maintaining that dazzling desire in us. Always the same? No. Related? Yes! Too much to reveal and leave us without a lust for next season? No. That brings us to conclusion that middle is not boring. At all.

To see my favourites from New York Fashion Week follow my NYFW board on Pinterest

fall to couture

click on image to enlarge

To please never satisfied critics, brand’s clients and to maintain the vision of the brand that couture supports, all at the same time, it’s not an easy task at all. Considering that most of members of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture are also creators of ready to wear, and some of the resort or capsule collections, it’s not an easy job to satisfy themselves, at the end. Dissatisfaction can be a very good drive, but everyone with creative job understands a complexness of creativity especially when deadlines and pressures are in the game. Week of Haute Couture that has always been fashion’s great carrousel of excitement brings also the great errand that your ride has to be the one that will create fireworks of thrill. The one that is familiar with creation of excite is Herr Karl, just like Mademoiselle Chanel in her time was. Lavish ensembles are usually spiced up with iconic models plus the model of the moment, which is currently Lindsey Wixson. Started with pretty seriousness, and all the functional ways of tweed, he spreads the word of immortality of classical Chanel. Unlike the others, he doesn’t have to search inspiration out there, when he has loads of it in his own garden. His remakes of classical Chanel pieces will never become boring. And he won’t ever be afraid to show them in modern way. Accessorized with 1940s snoods, scarves tied in pussy bow and sparkly hosiery, his clothes always have the story to tell. Different from they work they are doing for Valentino house last few seasons, were couture ideas of Chiuri and Piccoli that diminished previous age of innocence. Between aesthetic blue gowns they explored the history of Garavani’s work, but also went to time of brocade.  They filled our eyes also with lavish red and sparkly outfits that were extravagant in every detail, from velvet appliqués to fur inserts. Always interesting Alexis Mabille had a great affair with caftan and made all the shiny gowns for all magic workers and small creatures that unnoticeably surround us. With extravagance of couture, somehow you start to believe that there’s a thin line between beauty and ugliness. So is it hard to create feelings of excitement in little children of fashion again and again? Certainly it is. And with all the complexity of cultural and social changes in creating of a mode today, it takes more than just clothes to experience that fervent and obsessive side of fashion show.

PHOTOS VOGUE.IT, HARPER'S BAZAAR 

bonjour

Erdem Moralioglu has always been on the lists of smart designers, especially in the season when we like to show bit of the skin. As designer that has a feeling for girl’s need for flowers, floral pattern from Erdem is something that he just loves to play with and we cannot say no to that game. This spring 2012 collection from Moralioglu’s marvelous factory gave us an idea of that sweet, tempting summer vibe. This time the woman Erdem showed us is not serious, mature woman but young girl on holiday, ‘trying on adult clothes, just edging into self-awareness’ as style.com’s Tim Blanks noticed. Erdem, great storyteller went on literature voyage so his main character was seventeen-year-old Cécile from Françoise Sagan’s novel Bonjour Tristesse. Did we imagine Claire as Erdem described her in his runaway book, I really can’t tell because books are always leaving that delightful space for individual imagination. But surely she is different from young Jean Seberg that played decadent Cécile in the movie. Designer imagined that wearer would carry around great dose of sensuality, in very innocent way. She is the girl with high–class attitude. It’s not the attitude nouveau riche have, she spreads pretentiousness in very traditional way. If she is lost, or trying to discover her real self, we cannot tell that from her clothes, because she has a good judgment for what the meaning of style is. Outfits consisted of printed dresses, playful but slightly austere and short gloves (sometimes lace, sometimes silk) and little boater hats made of lace looks more like a walking costume, than runaway look. Erdem has ability to breath life into the designs, that’s for sure. And great tailoring skills to make off-the-shoulder neckline very appealing. And as the designer that knows how to deal with lace, he knows when it’s not too much or when it has to be on the proper place. And it’s always extremely fine and delicate. Erdem with bit of magic and a lot of talent took us from his catwalk to villa on the French Riviera. To experience sweet side of summer in very luxurious manner. Sunsets, drinks in the middle of the sunny day, lazy moments on deckchair while birds are admiring talent of your gardener, and easy going summer flirts at cocktail parties after a smart book. That’s exactly what a girl needs when she is welcoming summer days. So, thank you Mr Moralioglu and Bonjour summer! 

COLLAGE MADE BY ME FOR AUDREY GRACE

Karl and Couture

In this superficial surrounding of what we call our world, very often we judge text by headline, thing by appearance, person by look, book by cover. So our little minds sometimes are seriously surprised how things can change in the opposite way. But when the cover is Chanel one, we are never concerned about content, because Chanel prose never fails to impress us. Karl Lagerfeld somehow knows what he is doing to enrich its contents, no matter if it is ready to wear or haute couture. If nothing, at least he has an exceptional power to make regular person even if cannot afford awfully pricey clothes made to measure, happy. So just looking sometimes at bonny images can make a girl delighted about upcoming season and more rays of sunshine. That light in summer and spring days would reflect on Chanel clothes divinely. In those times, some lady will be truly lucky cause with few spare pennies she might become Sirona, the star goddess. To others remains inspiration and peek into this shimmering world filled with fluid fabrics. And the color of that world can be without hesitation named a pastel dream. Less like Popsicle, more like pensive reflection of vintage illustrated advert from some old vogue from beginning of the last century that lays somewhere hidden. If the color reminds you on that, that truly is not just the pure coincidence: he tried really to evoke that. Furthermore his intention was to bring, or better to say make some kind of fusion between Marie Laurencin’s expression of Paris in early years of twentieth century and today’s modern silhouette. Karl points out that shape and attitude is strictly for today. So faded colors of Marie paintings as pastel pink, mauve blue, grey and black, found a perfect ally in delightful fabrics and cuts. Karl enlivened the years of Lurencin work when she was a close friend of Nicole Groult, sister of fashion visionary Poiret, in a magical way. Some people just know how to be masters in connecting contemporary and tradition, without disgracing the original moment.

Mood of dreamy colors that was closed by Kristen McMenamy as the bride was opened with bit rigid silhouette, coat that has trapeze cut and short-sleeved dress that is boxy. Like a sculptor he transparently and slowly changes shape. That’s what I like from Karl and people who are working on Chanel shows. There are no breaks. Breaks as I called them are to hate. Continuums are to love. Continuum as the part of changing and development when the skirt becomes casual but the bodice is still bit rigid or when the edges on heavy silk become soft and romantic. And when everything becomes floating you get an impression of falling stardust. "Nonchalance in couture is very important. Couture without nonchalance is just drag queen attitude of women of an era past that I hope will never come back", says Karl.

I must admit styling of few outfits with pants and jeans doesn’t actually fit in my idea of tunic and tulle solely over the leg, but Karl says that modern Chanel girl wears trimmed jacket with jeans. And on the flats as an eternal flat lover have to agree with him. Karl believes he is tired of seeing all those girls walking in high heels so simple and elegant pointed flats were almost invisible and didn’t distract attention from the clothes. How else we could notice all the details and embroidery provided with high level of workmanship that demands neat hands, lot of patience and knowledge. One of those skilled people with lot of patience is Mdm Pouzieux that waves braided trim on Chanel couture garments. She works alone and is not keen on revealing the secrets of her craft. At the end, do we really need to know everything? Some things are just sacred. So is couture.

What was happening in Saint-Tropez..Chanel Cruise 2011

Karl Lagerfeld is a man of talent. Except that, he knows how to produce a buzz. He goes to Saint Tropez, turns starts of the catwalk Elisa Sednaoui, Karolina Kurkova, Magdalena Frackowiak, Heidi Mount, Freja Beha Erichsen, and Abbey Lee Kershaw into actresses. Then he turns actress Diane Kruger and her beau into Bocce players. Awfully chic ones. And then except the film and chic festive photos, he shows us what would look like Chanel girl on her vacations. Last year she was in Venice. And the last year Chanel mademoiselle was bit reserved. Yes, and bit mysterious with her flapper hair. She wore practical pants to climb on the gondola easier, sailor dresses for resting and sparkly cocktail dresses or dramatic trench coats for the cocktail moments. This year Chanel Mademoiselle moved to Riviera. She is less dramatic and more playful. Her hair is bit wavy and messy and she is ready every second to land on après beach party or spend hot summer night barefoot. For the sunset walks, Karl dressed her in light floral dresses, made of chiffon, with lovely ruffles; not too many, not too Gypsy, just romantic. She gets suntan on her legs in check bikini or walks around in lace swimsuit embroidered with tiny little flowers. Karl might be a man, but he very understands what woman wants. There were lots of the beauties like all the Chanel white and lace dresses, or flamboyant striped dress on Abbey Lee and cardigan of same fabric. Blue plaids on Freja Beha, with washed denim pants have the boyish vibe. Who said Karl doesn’t want for us to play in the sand? He didn’t have such a bright moments in many other outfits and gladiator sandals on barely items reminded me on 70s Xena the warrior princess. But again everyone makes mistakes sometimes, and when Karl does those are so uncountable with all the brilliant things we saw from him.
Pants suits had a typical charm of Bianca Jagger, but it wasn’t just Bianca that Karl was evoking in Tropez. Many designers are celebrating 70s but we know Karl is too versatile just to focus on one period, so omnipresent except 70s icons like Bianca or Francoise Hardy were also Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin. And this time also he remembered of Collette, as he did in 2009 when was shooting Jerry Hall, but in the film. And Remember Now is to remember. First scene -Leigh Lezark as Gabrielle Chanel walking with a cigarette, stops to say; Everyone calls me Coco… I am mad for Chanel. “ Aren’t we all mad for Chanel?

SOME RANDOM SNAPSHOTS FROM REMEMBER NOW



see runaway photos at WWD and film at Chanel

Summary of New York Fashion Week

In the sea of designers that showed /presented collections for fall on New York Fashion Week we certainly can say that lot of them had been in seek of more softer shape of female body unlike the past few years. Era of body conscious and fitness finished for the most of them so no matter we still cherish the Alaia heritage in our closets, ditto we can finally have a sigh of relief. So what are the best moments of nyfw according to misslikey:

1. Sweater over a dress
Dilemma of How to wear sweater over a dress is resolved. Sweater contrary to a first heavy glance can be a great soft love on the second sight. So bring out your spring floral, long or short dresses, draped skirts and put a sweater on it. Definitely you won't freeze like in the times when you were wearing them in edgy manners in the middle of the winter.
PHOTO: Marc Jacobs
2. How to do the frizzy hair is the new How to fix the frizzy hair
Frizzy, curly hair become our friend this season. Free soft hair a la Grace Coddington this year proves that beauty imperfections can be our biggest perfections. Style is the key word.
3. The velvet underground
Velvet came back on the scene this year with the goth, 70s and 90s crave; While some been using velvet as a detail or embellished it with details many based entire collections on it so we saw a lot of velvet-in; Pants suits(Elise Overland, Fetherston, Karen Walker), long dresses, even the the minis in velvet (see Halston, Jeremy Scott, Sophie Theallet)
PHOTO: Halston mini in velvet
4. Draping instead of cutting
Fine tailored free falling items do something amazing to the shape of the female body. Keep an eye on Doo.Ri, Vena Cava draped skirts.
PHOTO: Costello Tagliapietra draped dress
5. Nouveau school
New school girl has a Lolita charm and except refined babydolls she adores toggle jackets, knee socks, pouf, pleated and folded skirts.
(See Philip Lim, Generra, Peter Jensen, Proenza Schouler, Brian Reyes, Cynthia Steffe, Boy by Band of Outsiders)
PHOTO; Proenza



6. Keep an eye on Paris 68, debut collection of Marcella Lindeberg, ex creative consultant at Williams Rast
and fancy of the fall weekend getaways of Mona Kowalska and her line A Détacher
7. That less inspiration sometimes stands for more inspiration proved Shipley & Halmos and Marc Jacobs in both of his collections. While some been searching out for royal vagabonds, rock stars, Madras, Russian bohemians, Marc and duo S& H showed essentials of women's wardrobe. Marc Genius Jacobs spiced up everything with lovely romantic dresses.
PHOTO; Shipley & Halmose, Marc by Marc Jacobs
8. Boho Romantic
Talking romantics this year gypsy Bohemian took the whole new role. I always can see some of the romance in vague lifestyle but few like Erin Fetherston, Sophie Theallet, Anna Sui and Alberta Ferretti for Philosophy showed us a true meaning of boho romantic.
PHOTO; Philosophy boho long dress
9. Printed pants
From variety of graphic and floral prints came out printed pants, art that is new territory for most of us. But is definitely the field we will explore more in the future (see Proenza Schouler, Isaac Mizrahi, Devi Kroell, Acne)
PHOTO: Isaac Mizrahi printed pants
10. Sportswear is part of refined attire
Sweatpants, treggings, hoodies, hooded capes, varsity jackets are style builders. On high heels they are fashion forward.
PHOTO; Karen Walker



P.S. Sorry for the belated summary of nyfw. I wish I could publish complete reviews but there is lack of space here on misslikey. Anyway, thank you for reading.
Lots of Love

New York Fashion Week fall 2010 part II- Are we becoming vagabonds?

New York Fashion week continues in big buzz; every minute there is new #nyfw tweet on your home page containing who came, who left, who sitting in a front row. We don't care much here for vanity and front rows but more of enjoying the catwalk.
Talking runaway; girl is on the road again. Obvious 1960s and 1970s vibe proves that Nico, Mariane Faitfull, Anita Pallenberg & co are never forgotten.( on 1990s are reminiscing Wang and his friend Joseph Altuzarra)
Long dresses this year are stars; Adam is about long skirt and oversized sweater, Peter Som put up green tulle, Philosophy put it in a military theme, Erin Fetherston for the night sleek, Altuzzara has a huge cape/train dress in red -velvet. Well velvet wasn't just popular in Altuzzara, but in Alexander Wang, Betsey, Elise Overland, Erin Fetherston, Karen Walker, United Bamboo and Rachel Roy shows. Believe it or not, we will be what's left from hippies and wear pants suit made of velvet next year. Except pantsuit that are velvet there is a quite of line of those pants I call sweat pants meet trousers (Araks, Luca Luca), or with inserted colored detail on the side (Ohne Titel, Prabal Gurung). The best tailored pants are undoubtedly those from Thakoon.
Erin Fetherston inspired by Chelsea girl Nico, made a wonderful complete collection showing us the bright side of Nico. Karen Walker, which continues in her cognizable tone of relax, loose clothing unlike last year when with tweed now is playing with some other materials. And Rebecca Taylor, I mean Rebecca Taylor even with keeping it short evoked Paris meets New York in seventies moments. Bows on the blue shoes- how terrible chic on the pants and blouse? And Peter Som gave us real fiesta of luxury fabrics and flamboyant prints with seventies vibe (models had black lipstick)
Another charming collection is from Peter Jensen which recalls on the childhood Sundays when mum is suppose to fix you up, shine up your shoes, lace them up and prepare you for the life. Add to that croco bag and in one moment you are teacher and in another charming Lolita. And don't forget to wear visible socks. Which certain have special appeal this year on fashion week. If not socks (on the heels or men shoes) there are "trouser leg" shoes (boots)
In line with ladylike, romanticism and Bohemian, coats are capes often in beige. Fur coats are huge and not too long while shearling jacket is included still in few collections.
And what else is new?
Young label Suno's (at O.C) eclectic prints and Betsey performance. Betsey show is always show in true meaning of the word so she brought us boudoir, miss Ozbourne, vagabonds and tribute to Alexander McQueen. Betsy can evoke in us hidden wish of leaving home and start living in fun fairs. If only Bob Dylan is there I would first put my name on the list.
Apparently I am full of kudos for New York, collections are much more complete and transparent, styling and details are great. Even Victoria Beckham is a proper tailor, but please couldn't she find any less skinnier models in the town?!

New York Fashion Week Part I

Seems that designers on the beginning of the New York Fashion Week, been taught with coldness of this winter, are very preparing us for the Ice age next year. Maybe warm is new nude. Sweater dressing is very popular, which certainly puts a superb on Dries Van Noten and fuzzy sweaters. Inspired or not Cythia Steffe had fuzzy zebra skirt which could easily become very perfect item for the next season editorials. Same idea led Cushmnie et Ochs and Erin Wasson to play with fuzzy in white.
Did Edgy for the next season become sophisticated goth or we have to wait for sequent of NYFW to make the conclusions (Wang is broadcasting on Times Square). Yigal Azrouël was very loyal to his vision keeping urban touch even if are models wrapped in shawls or capes(BCBG Max Azria also joined that vision this year).
In this beginning of fashion week love for drapery is highly growing. Especially in mini style where skirts become draped and top body-con ( on Vena Cava, Costello Tagliapietra, Doo.Ri and Michael Angel). According to few, skirt will indeed have a big role next season; short pleated with zazou charm like from Cynthia Steffe matched on over-the-knee socks - ruffled in two tones from Generra - lady-like pleated velvet from Julian Louie or totally Bohemian with 70s glance from Richard Chai and Rachel Comney. In the same way are announced the jumpsuits; Colored in rock manner, embellished on the sleeves on Charlotte Ronson, slinky on Acne, in print on Cythia Rowley or goth on Wayne.
I absolutely adored Shipley & Halmos collection which I am bringing to you in next post and Preen with their refined cut-outs and sheer details with lingerie glance.




Lady-like next season will be


New-Vintage prints



Long and bohemian

Beautiful new face(star) Juana Berga in Rachel Comey skirt, Richard Chai Long Love


Britain's finest...Preen


What's the next?