The Good Stuff!

High fashion can get downright boring to me. Everyone consults the same forecasting companies (I know, I interned at one.), no one wants to take chances and celebrities have become our trendsetters. Collections are dictated by suits who make decisions based on numbers versus creativity. The buyers play the same lame game. Can we say wic, wic WACK? Plus, knock-offs are produced at record-speed and quality these days so it’s almost hard to tell who’s who. Save for my perennial faves like Tracy Reese, Catherine Malandrino, Alice Temperly and a couple others, I’m rarely moved by the big dogs too much. Sure I am still inspired by a cool vintage find. But, rarely am I truly moved by current high-brow fashion.

Sooooooo, how excited was I to ooooh and ahhhh over the threads below care of last week’s WWD (Women’s Wear Daily) cover? This is downright sinful. Gee wiz. Proof that wearable doesn’t have to mean safe and avante garde need not equate to clownish. I don’t know what I’m feelin’ more. The forties inspired hair. The seventies inspired shades. Or the whimsical short/romper ‘vixen meets schoolgirl’ combo. The look is courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Those darn Brits I tell ya.



I so look forward to the days when I can really go to the European shows. (Gotta put that out into the universe.) I have attended London Fashion Week but I was working backstage and didn’t actually see any of the shows. American designers just aren’t allowed to create the same things on the same scale as our peers across the pond. That’s not just in fashion either - the same goes for music, film, yada, ya…

And speaking of high fashion - how sick is this bag? I gasped when I first saw it in one of my mags but last week I actually passed the real McCoy in the window of NYC’s Dior on 57th Street. I had a moment - it forced me to stop in my tracks. BANANAS. Believe me when I tell you it’s more amazing in person. Random, I know but I had to share.


P.S. - I do realize that Alice Temperly is British and Catherine Malandrino is French but they both show in NY which is why I lumped them with Tracy. I also realize that Tracy is considered bridge by many standards but she’s high-end (@ retail) according to my paycheck.

P.P.S. - I’ve been a very bad blogger and didn’t post for nearly two weeks. Tsk, tsk. Therefore, I haven’t had a chance to comment on the panel discussion I attended regarding the lack of Black models held at the NY Public Library last week. It was moderated by industry vet Bethann Hardison. Unlike the first event on this topic she put together last month, it was open to the public for fifteen bucks. Lots of folks came out including model/beauty maven Iman, designer Vera Wang, journalists Teri Agins and Robin Givhan, photographers Barron Claiborne and Marc Baptiste. As I mentioned before, Black models are virtually non-existent on the runway but adding more of them will not change what power Blacks have in the fashion industry. But, more Black owned model/talent agencies will. So will an increase of Black buyers, high-ranking editors, casting agents, designers and show producers. However, I must applaud Bethann for beginning this conversation. Her crusade has gotten coverage in The New York Times and WWD. Not to mention countless blogs. Every little (and big) thing helps.