POP! Fashion - A Competition of a Lifetime

Hello everyone, I would have to deeply apologize first for not posting in such a long time. There has been so much going on in my life, I honestly don't know where to start. First of all, I got a job as a fashion journalist at Kukuriku.mk, a daily informative website in Macedonia where I cover the whole fashion category. 

Furthermore, this April I was part of the POP! Fashion competition organized by the American Embassy and Fashion Weekend Skopje - a fantastic opportunity for young designers to showcase their talent in fashion design by designing a mini-collection inspired by the american pop culture.

My Entry

So, this is what I came up with. The collection is inspired by the american pop culture, or more specifically by Andy Warhol's idea about simplicity in today's art. The main idea was to do a minimalistic collection where I would place bold colored pieces on mostly white clothes. The cuts are very clean and crisp with a certain post-modernism vibe and they feature my infamous asymmetric hems, contrast leather sleeves and Warhol's iconic fruits, adorned with sequins to add a little playfulness to the whole collection. The fabrics are organic and vary from white gabardine for the trench and pants, leather for the sleeves and light twill for the rest of the pieces.

The Show

Well, since I was at the show I obviously made it in the 13 finalists for the competition. I am not gonna say much about it, except that it was a fantastic opportunity that I couldn't have missed. I was extremely happy with the way things turned out - the clothes, the overall impressions and the new friends I have made. A post might come up about the whole process of making the collection and the few times I died and resurrected because of problems, but let's focus on the outcome in these few lines of text.

Three Outfits (Only)

Me and my Fabulous Models

And that is all I feel like sharing today - leave a comment in the comment box with your opinion, you know I am dying to hear it!

PS. Since I am part of the very talented Macedonian Fashion Bloggers group, I am very proud to announce that we have our own Facebook page which is close to having 4.000 likes - so check out our banner on the right side of the blog and click on it, you know you want to!

Photo credit: All photos belong to AniDimi Photography, courtesy of FWSK

Carey Mulligan for Vogue US May 2013: Cover spoiler!

Here is the Vogue US May 2013 cover, featuring Carey Mulligan wearing a green Oscar de la Renta dress from the F/W 2013 collection!

Thoughts?

Photo credit: checho2007@ebay.com

Haute Couture S/S '13 Review: Armani Privé

When it comes to Giorgio Armani and his shows, there is this interesting phenomenon I've noticed: his ready-to-wear shows are almost never themed, while his couture opens up a different magical world each season. The reason for that might be that safety-net I discussed few posts ago, to make sure his company makes profit. And while the RTW shows are always a snooze-fest, couture gets me very excited. This season was no exception, as Mr. Armani presented us a Middle East fairy tale like we've never seen before.

What did he try to do?

Whatever was on his mind - translated perfectly well on the runway. We saw a variety of silk gazar pieces in rich warm colors such as orange, yellow and red who were just a sweet addition to the sea of neutral-colored outfits. The models strut down the runway wearing queen-resembling headpieces that made them look like they were in charge. The standard Armani silhouettes were turned up a notch by being adorned with lots of embellishments and colorful prints splattered over rough silk. And for evening wear, we got the dose of glamour desperately needed around Awards season.

What would I change?

There's not much on the list: there were a few gray printed pieces towards the middle that ruined the glamorous feel of the collection. The wigs could have been less greasy looking - that was a rather distracting part. Armani definitely needs stronger casts.

What would I keep?

The voluminous oriental-printed gowns were to-die-for. A lot of sharp-looking tailored pantsuits that made the collection even stronger. The headpieces - including the makeup, were a definite high-point of the show and brought the couture drama. Evening wear was impeccable as always.

Favorite look?

Don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas by leaving me a comment below!

Photo credit: style.com

Haute Couture S/S '13 Review: Versace Atelier

Last season Donatella Versace made a smart move by continuing to show the Versace Atelier collections as an actual show rather than a presentation, which was her brother's ideal way of presenting clothes. This way their collections gather more publicity, and most importantly - more customers. However, by trying to attract more rich women - younger ones, judging by the clothes, she has turned the Versace house into a Barbie house - and that can never be a good thing. 

What did she try to do?

Two seasons ago, Donatella dug up her brother's archived sketches (no pun intended) from the 90s looking for inspiration, unfortunately reviving dated and rather ugly pieces that were once a hit. Baby pinks, shoulder pads, feathers and lots of bling are becoming Versace Atelier's trademark once again, however, this time without the supermodels. The S/S '13 show was no exception from this new look, as it featured all the elements mentioned, plus an addition of cheap fabrics and gold lamé. The only high-point? Kristen McMenamy and her platinum hair opening the show.

What would I change?

Cut down on the gold and use more decent looking fabrics - the shower curtain mullet gowns towards the end need to be burned. A less obvious use of the shoulder pads. Focus more on new contemporary shapes instead of trying to make the 90s silhouettes work, it's not working. A better cast.

What would I keep?

Let's make this a short paragraph - the only items worth keeping are some of the furs and the 3 column dresses in white, black and hot pink somewhere in the middle. Suits weren't bad either.

Favorite piece?

Don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas by leaving me a comment below!

Photo credit: style.com

Haute Couture S/S '13 Review: Christian Dior

Many have welcomed Raf Simons as the new 'king of fashion' ever since he took the main job at Christian Dior. However, by trying to establish a new look for the house by repeating himself season after season, he fell flat in my eyes. His minimalistic approach in the collections feels plain, lack-luster and sometimes - ugly. For his second couture show, Simons switched things up a bit by doing a romantic garden-themed collection that got everyone's attention. And while the show as a whole was beautiful, I found the collection disastrous.

What did he try to do?

Raf's plan this season was to present an utterly romantic flower-inspired collection that was supposed to be soft and light, while evoking a certain feel of elegance. He somewhat achieved that with the way the collection was presented - from the beautiful minimalistic white garden to the short wigs and diamond lips, but when looking at the photos all a person sees is stiffness. The shapes were very boxy, some were rather ill-fitting and the fabrics felt cheap and dated. Another problem was the sea of crafty plastic flowers that looked glued to the silk tops and balloon dresses.

What would I change?

The new 3-piece-suit is simply not working, unless he's aiming for 'the Russian mafia' to be Dior's new customers. Cheap looking embellishments have to go. Less color blocking - more harmony. A fresher take on the classic black suit is needed, we've already seen enough of it in every fabric. Burn the shoes, please.

What would I keep?

The hair and makeup were absolutely beautiful, loving the new direction in the beauty department. Very fond of the crystal embellished pieces - expensive and luxurious looking. The tailored dresses and corsets. Some of the gowns towards the end are absolutely breathtaking. 

Favorite piece?

Don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas by leaving me a comment below!

Photo credit: style.com