Manish Arora pushed for the future with his latest collection that merged Sci-Fi with Bollywood.  His warrior models, with their sharp shoulders and hips jutting out, burst with colour in their sequins, stones and embroidery-filled looks as they came down the runway.  What I loved the most were the bucket-shaped couture-like headdresses in eye-popping colours made with beads, sequins and stones.

Image Sources: GettyImages.com, Style.com

Every time the Fall shows come around, I’m always intrigued by Derek Lam’s ability to take so many types of stiff, chunky, winter fabrics and create feminine, sexy looks that are still winter-worthy. Lam’s latest collection shows a marriage between two very different worlds – the strong, mannish American West and the stylish, urban metropolis.  The fringe, Navajo prints, cowboy belts and hats complimented the soft georgettes and knits that came down the runway.  The show was also outerwear galore with options showcasing embroidery, fur and fringe in contemporary silhouettes – perfect for welcoming a ’70s cowgirl to our current 2010.

To view entire collection, click here.

Image Source: Style.com

My mum used to carry purses on her shoulder just like this…

I remember being six years old and wishing I was older simply so I could use a purse.  Instead, I would just steal from my mum’s closet and run around my home with a purse so long that it almost reached my ankle! Naturally, you can imagine my excitement about this trend.  We saw long strap shoulder bags make an appearance on the Spring/Summer 2010 runways…

Derek Lam, Spring 2010; Marc Jacobs, Spring 2010; DKNY, Spring 2010

This new shoulder bag is perfect for everyday use, night or day.  Pair it with a fun dress or with tightly fitted jeans…

Lauren Conrad; Zoe Salana; Alexa Chung

There are so many options out there at a wide range of prices, colours, styles and material…and these are only my picks!

Studded Shoulder Purse, Forever 21, $14.80

Totally Turnlock Sasha Messenger Bag; Marc by Marc Jacobs, $458

Material Girl Crossbody Bag; RACHEL Rachel Roy, $79.00

Rocker Bag; Rebecca Minkoff, $330

Goa Saddle Bag; Banana Republic, $150.00

Leather Woven Cross Body Bag; Topshop, $55

Image Source: Asos.com, BananaRepublic.com, FashionUnder100.net, Forever21.com, Macys.com, Shopbop.com, Style.com, TinyPic.com, TopShop.com

For a nail colour, Chanel’s Jade is causing quite the buzz.  All the model’s at Chanel’s latest collection were sporting it and it’s already sold out on Chanel.com.  Would you wear this shade?

Image Source: Chanel.com

I’m loving what Derek Lam sent down the runway for his Spring 2010 collection.  Drawing inspirations from East Coast summer destinations, the looks were fun, young and free-spirited yet feminine and seductive.  Here are some of his edgier looks.

I love the denim jacket with the belt in the center.

He had some bathing suits meant for lounging on decks…not meant for swimming.  So feminine!

For more of Derek Lam’s Spring 2010 collection, click here.

Image Source: Style.com

What happens when a girl from a gang collides with an American Indian? You get a fierce look from Rodarte’s Spring 2010 collection.

Case in point:

From the intricate weaving to the complicated draping to the clever use of scraps of material, the Mulleavy sisters’ ability to create couture-like pieces have once again left me in awe.  The collection, inspired by big, black vultures that faced extinction in the late 80s, was filled with elaborate pieces made with materials such as burnt plaid, cheesecloth, feathers and sandpapered silk.  The looks were dark with lots of blood red and burnt black.  The gross colour of the smoke-filled runway accompanied by the goth-inspired makeup and body art just added to the beauty of this collection.

For more of Rodarte’s Spring 2010 collection, click here.

Image Source: Style.com

It boggles me as to how Marc Jacobs just manages to nail it season after season – especially with the things he tries to pull off.

For the Spring 2010 season, he imagined ballerinas on the way home from a performance or showgirls going to Raido City for their rehearsal.  The resulting look had his models in pulled up stockings, tightly pulled back hair, geisha inspired makeup paired with everyday things – like fanny packs!

Marc Jacobs is truly an amazing stylist.  He is able to combine the romance of frills with the rigidity of sharp edges.  He is the master of playing with clothes and proportions to create a desired shape.  Linda Fargo, Senior Vice-President of the fashion office at Bergdorf Goodman said it extremely well, “He (Marc) has that way of always turning our world inside out – the corsetry on top of a little touch of men’s suiting but the men’s suiting was very feminine with the ruffles.”

Only you Marc, only you.

For more of Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2010 RTW, click here.

Image Source: Style.com

On Sunday night, 60 Minutes’ Morley Safer chatted it up with fashion’s most powerful woman, Anna Wintour.  In the rare interview sans sunglasses, Anna gave some insight to fashion in the current state of our economy, her role as Editor-in-Chief for US Vogue and the perks that come along with it.  Yes ladies, daily hair and make up and a 6-digit clothing allowance was mentioned…but then again, she is pretty much God, so why not? Queen Anna also addressed the most lingering question of all…what’s with the shades???

To read more about this interview, click here.

I like to think of Haute Couture as a dream, where the creative and imaginative cells intertwine.

This season though, in the shows where most of the pieces spoke of one tone, where cropped jackets and squared shoulders were celebrated, I’m not sure if those cells met.  The silhouettes were clean and simple; from Armani Prive’s Asian-influenced tight skirts and pagoda shoulders to Dior’s waist-clinching, crinoline-bouncing, full skirts.  Let’s just say that Chanel and Gaultier topped the list for me but other than that, very few designers left me sitting on the corner of my chair.

Chanel, Spring 2009 Couture

Chanel, Spring 2009 Couture

Christian Dior, Spring 2009 Couture

Christian Dior, Spring 2009 Couture

Jean Paul Gaultier, Spring 2009 Couture

Jean Paul Gaultier, Spring 2009 Couture

Jean Paul Gaultier, Spring 2009 Couture

Jean Paul Gaultier, Spring 2009 Couture

The details were there, but they were subtle.  Perhaps the most ingenuous of them all came at Chanel’s show, where Japanese hairdresser, Katsuyo Kamo cleverly constructed all the paper hats and floral ornaments.  Genius!

Image Source: Style.com

I recently had to do some runway research and came across none other than my favourite couture show in the history of time – Christian Dior Autumn/Winter 07/08.

John Galliano, or “God” as I more commonly refer to him as, creates the most lavish pieces (that may even pass for art) with such uniqueness. This show, celebrating Dior’s 60th Anniversary and Galliano’s tenth year with the fashion house, truly showed the creativity Galliano brings to our industry.

To relive the brilliantness he brought that season…

Christian Dior Haute Couture A/W 07/08 – Part 1

Christian Dior Haute Couture A/W 07/08 – Part 2

Christian Dior Haute Couture A/W 07/08 – Part 3

Christian Dior Haute Couture A/W 07/08 – Part 4

Video Source: www.youtube.com