NYFW: A uniformed closing at Jacobs and Klein

Calvin Klein S/S '15; image source: style.com

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the end of New York fashion week this season also marked thirteen years since 9/11 (okay, it probably has a lot to do with it), but this Thursday designers showed us uniforms.

It first started with Ralph Lauren who presented safari-clad models parading in a juxtaposition of bold and earthy colors and four hours after that 10 o'clock presentation, Calvin Klein bravely dived into the navy. For Spring, Francisco Costa decided to ditch the knitwear that made his Fall show popular with the crowd and go back to what he used to do best - pure minimalism.

The show opened with super tall models dressed in layered navy outfits that came with an optical illusion. The girls weren't actually that tall, it was the slim and elongated silhouette that gave us the impression. To achieve that effect, Mr. Costa cre-ated body-conscious knee-length dresses were worn over skirts that reached the ankles and featured metal belts which gave models a higher waistline. And while successful, some of the outfits suffered because of the no-slit policy and created unwanted creases and false bellies, but the team has enough time to fix its mistake and alter the pieces before the collection hits the stores.

As per usual, Marc Jacobs was the one closing the week. Last season was the designer's first design-ing for his namesake label only in sixteen years, having parted ways with Louis Vuitton six months earlier. For Fall, he showed everyone that he is now again capable of creating an all-round collection that isn't short on design, fabrics or finishing touches but it seems like that was one lucky strike as things yesterday got back to 'normal'.

Marc Jacobs S/S '15; image source: nytimes.com

Everyone is already familiar with Mr. Jacobs' obsession with uniforms so his Spring show brought nothing new to the table. All fifty-five looks from the collection revolved around one with slight modifi-cations to the silhouette which was mostly oversize, sloppy and clinged around the waist with a satin sash. There was again embroidery but this time it was uninspired since it only featured half Pokemon-like eggs in navy blue, standard-issue green and khaki matching the actual clothes and besides puffy sleeves and balloon skirts we saw not much else.

The only exciting part? That bubble-gum pink house in the middle of the huge runway.

For more photos of the collections go to Style.com and don't forget to follow me on Twitter!

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#MyCosmoStyle: A day at the Cosmopolitan

If there is one lesson that we all have learned from years of travelling is packing lightly. Vacation style should be cool and effortless and one must know which key items to bring along. For my entry of the #MyCosmoStyle challenge I have decided to create a comfortable and stylish outfit which can easily transition from day to night with just a change of the right accessories.

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has a lot to offer to its guests and every woman will want to experience all the opportunities available. In order to have time to enjoy every bit of the hotel without stressing over your appearance, get a simple dress like the Calvin Klein below that will make it through the day.

1. Red Valentino leather tote - $650 | 2. Linda Farrow rose gold sunglasses - $1,065 | 3. Charlotte Olympia velvet slippers - $595 | 4. Anita Ko 18-karat rose gold earring - $1,700 | 5. Calvin Klein Collection crepe dress - $1,895 | 6. Stella McCartney silk blazer - $2,180

They say when in Vegas go fun, so pair it with these adorable Charlotte Olympia kitten slippers for breakfast at the Wicked Spoon Buffet and add a lightweight silk blazer to make it more appropriate for lunch at Scarpetta. If you are planning on lounging by the pool in-between meals at the Marquee Dayclub don't forget your Valentino tote and Linda Farrow rose gold sunglasses for an exquisite finish.

The most important rule you must remember when transitioning an outfit from day to night is picking accessories with a completely different vibe from the previous as most people won't notice you've changed. Trade the comfortable slippers for a pair of sexy Aquazzura sandals, grab a wild party purse and add a dark shade of nail polish and you are ready to hit the Marquee Nightclub until the morning!

1. Calvin Klein Collection crepe dress - $1,895 | 2. Aquazzura fringed sandals - $945 | 3. Saint Laurent jacquard bag - $1,850 | 4. Ana Khouri 18-karat gold ear cuff - $3,410 | 5. Saint Laurent bleu galuchat nail polish - $27

So book a room at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas right away and enjoy the perks in style!

Who run the (fashion) world? Boys.

Raf Simons taking his last bow at Jil Sander

Exactly 12 seasons ago, Raf Simons moved from Jil Sander to Dior and almost instantly removed every bit of Galliano's presence at the house, whether we like it or not. Everyone was rather hesitant at first, slamming the designer for creating 'non couture' gar-ments - like anyone has a definition of haute couture anymore - and disrespecting the real aesthetic of the brand, but over the last two years we have all grown - more or less - accustomed to the designer's fresh take on Christian Dior's legacy.

Around the same time another incident happened. Fashion's darling Nicolas Ghesquiere was let off from Balenciaga and had nowhere to go, but all that was sorted out half a year ago when he got a gig at Louis Vuitton after the house ended its contract with long-time designer Marc Jacobs. Unlike Simons, Ghes-quiere was accepted straightaway by all the key parties - press, buyers, fans and all - and managed to successfully establish a new look for the French brand with only two collections.

What no one realized until now - and by no one I mean us ordinary people who hadn't calculated the costs and benefits of hiring these two designers - is exactly how influential their positions are. And the answer to that is very. The latest collections for Resort, as always, gave us a sneak-peek at which di-rections the brands are going to and the truth is that they are going to France.

Take Oscar de la Renta for example. The legendary New York-based designer has been trying to rein-vent the brand for seasons past, injecting trendiness and youth into the garments in order to attract a more junior clientele. For Resort, he decided to use a few of Simons' tricks and introduce a black bar jacket that vastly resembles the ones at Dior and structured rompers that look like they've come out
of the French house's archives. Another obvious influence can be seen at Balenciaga as this season Alexander Wang decided to go 'all Raf' and created a number of asymmetrical tops in colors favored
by the Belgian designer.

Left: Christian Dior S/S '13 vs. Balenciaga Resort '15; Right: Christian Dior Resort '15 vs. Calvin Klein Resort '15

Ghesquiere's work for Louis Vuitton also serves as an open source of inspiration for a lot of young de-signers. Both Derek Lam and Fausto Puglisi have done their own versions of the color-blocked A-line dress with a frontal zipper and defined waist, while Francisco Costa played around with the color pa-lette used in Ghesquiere's debut collection for Vuitton. The Calvin Klein designer also drew inspiration from Christian Dior's Resort '15 show as can be seen in the photo above.

The big question that we should be asking, though, is 'Why these two?' Well for one, Raf Simons and Nicolas Ghesquiere are two of the most talented visionaries out there who are not only extraordinary designers, but also understand the need for profit. However, the more believable reason is this: Chris-tian Dior and Louis Vuitton are some of the largest mega-brands in today's fashion and they both be-long to the LVMH group, meaning twice as much influence. And at the end of the day, no matter who
is at the helm of a house, what makes a designer relevant and influential is the money behind him.