ONESIXTYNOTEPAD: FASHION

Showing posts with label FASHION. Show all posts

INAUGURAL MEN'S FASHION WEEK PRESS CONFERENCE.

Who knew we’d see this day – Singapore is hosting Asia’s Inaugural Men’s Fashion Week.

The Press Conference was held at the breath-taking ION SkyPark. The space was converted into a ‘Backstage’ set-up where models were made up right before our very eyes, which was certainly not an everyday occasion. We were literally light-headed from the adrenaline rush of inspecting racks and racks of fashion ranging from Emmanuel to Canali. Of course, the little chat with Philip Huang made our little ‘fashion vertigo’ all the more severe. This is just a taste of the upcoming Men’s Fashion Week, and let’s just say we are floored.

The event itself that will run from March 30th to April at Marina Bay Sands (venue TBC) promises to be a grand affair that will showcase a broad perspective on men’s style. International labels such as Boss Black and Etro will be showing side-by-side homegrown ones like Raoul. Also, hearsay has it that regional designers will also be represented in this showcase.

Of the 15 labels showing, ¾ of the designers or Senior Creative Directors will be present in Singapore to accompany their collections. Members of the public shall not fret about not getting a piece of MFW as 30% of the tickets will be on sale. This might also be your chance to rub shoulders with the faces of MFW namely Philip Huang and Utt .

Being the third of its kind in the world after Paris and Milan, it is no surprise that this initiative has already caught international media. We’ll be sure to document its progress every step of the way. Follow ONESIXTYNOTEPAD closely for first hand updates and exclusive inside story.

Images By Ridhwan Sesapar.

Nabil.

ETRO SPRING/SUMMER 2011, BACKSTAGE.

Aside from unremittingly stalking my all time favorite, Sasha Pivovarova all over the streets of Milano, I’ve taken the interest to study the rest of the other models thoroughly over the years. (Possibly well enough to write a models’ glossary by now!) So when Etro extended their invitation to pre-show backstage, it was truly a ‘kid in the candy store’ moment for me.

Judging from how vacant the dressing area was, it was apparent that we were one of the first press (and only press from Asia, I believe) to do a walkthrough and interview Veronica Etro before the show. Juicy bits: When asked about her take on blogging as the ‘new media’, she simply said that she is not affected by the phenomenon and don’t find the need to read any. A rather gripping statement, don’t you think?

It was the 70's all over again with a kaleidoscopic mix of ethnic prints and patterns and that statement smoking purple eye that was 'punched' in right into the sockets but it was the accessories and styling that truly reels me in—which brings us to the next portion of our massive experience; the makeup counter and having really close proximity to the bevy of models!

Oh boy, this definitely tops any backstage at Victoria’s Secret fantasy I’ve had since the longest time. My figment of imagination was coming to life and I am not hallucinating! Everything ran like clockwork there; the clamoring from the makeup team, swarm of photographers and models everywhere is entirely insane. I’ll live to tell this story that I’ve spent my best five minutes chatting up ‘The Kloss’. Karlie was nothing but amiable in person that I quickly diminished the thought about her standout runway walk which I find quite unsettling.

I was shy to approach any others (Abbey Lee and Freja are way too intriguing and intimidating!), but I’m content at being a voyeur, to say the very least, juggling with the perpetual model spasms I encountered in between. In all, fetching home our very own paisley printed couch pillows from the show was the icing on the cake. Rest assured that should I need to relive back those moments once more, I’ll simply lie my head and dream a little Etro dream.

Upon many readers request for this highly exclusive backstage experience, this marks our final installation of our Milan Fashion Week coverage. Till Paris next time, ciao!

Ridhwan.

JIL SANDER SPRING/SUMMER 2011, THE NEW MINIMALIST.

Ask and ye shall receive. The obsession for Jil Sander is no doubt universal and judging from the responses we’ve got, glossy pages simply won’t cut it! It’s a great relieve to know that I’m not the only one having hysterics about the recent Jil Sander collection because alongside with Prada, the collection was one of Milan’s highlights but not necessarily easy for the average fashion consumer to adore.

Going to fashion week, attending one of my favourite designers show was on top of my checklist and Raf Simons was one of them. Front row seats would be an ideal experience for a fashion week virgin if there weren’t many seat snatchers around. I was crushed but in Italy, you can’t stay mad at the security personnel for long; they’re simply too gorgeous to gawk at. Well, at least it’s nice to have the invite as a memento and attending the show was more than sufficient.

What can I say; Raf Simons is a genius in his very own way. Jil Sander Spring/Summer 2011 was at the forefront of the new minimalism and had a truly fresh take on being a minimalist. The interpretation of inversing minimalism to maximalism (which led him to think of Haute Couture) was cleverly engineered and well received by most critics as well. It is important for one to fully understand Raf Simons’ background and DNA to be able to embrace a contrasting collection such as this one. Did I tell you, the collection was very captivating that I was utterly oblivious to the Busta Rhymes sountrack they played?

If pictures could really speak like they say it would (or if our recording device didn’t die on us!), perhaps we could draw you to experience the atmosphere of the studio. From the attendees who dressed the part, to this perfectly executed collection, Jil Sander has got to be our most exciting experience ever. It was almost like a salvation of some sort for most of us who worshipped the brand for years.

Images By Ridhwan Sesapar.

Dinie.

GUCCI, SPRING 2011 MENS.

Usually the staple garment from Gucci would be the cropped leather jacket that we all know and adore but for SS’11 the double-breasted mercerized suit is the clear winner. We have to credit Frida Giannini for doing away with the stuffy-ness of this variety of suits and for styling it in a manner that is easy and casual. Maybe now we can consider ways to incorporate it into our wardrobes without it feeling out of place or overly dapper for our daily whereabouts. This certainly makes the double-breasted suit a bubbling trend for this summer.

That said, the collection as a whole is very characteristic of Gucci’s jet-setting vibe but I’m afraid that might just be its shortfall, the fact that there is nothing new to jolt us off our seats. The summer shorts, silk shirts and safari scarves – we have seen these before. Unlike the SS11 collection for women’s wear, which is clearly provoking, this one is subdued. But perhaps it then makes sense that the men’s collection complements the women’s line as contrasts.

Perhaps the collection may not be Frida Giannini’s freshest or most modern to date but this offering is still legitimately Gucci indeed. Her fabric choices are luxe as always and the jet setter vibe is still very much at the core of her aesthetics. It is Gucci as we know it.

Images by Gucci.

Nabil.

WORST OF S/S 2011.

It was tough picking the ones I dislike because I thought everything was good and some were beyond great this season. I’ve settled for two brands; one is simply atrocious and another failed to capture Gianni Versace’s repertoire of the 1980s. (And i shall leave Zac Posen alone because i fell in love with him after watching The Hills. PS: He made it to the list last season.)

Balmain S/S 11 Paris
We don’t need a crystal ball to predict who will top the charts of our ‘worst of’ list for Balmain will always have a place in the hearts of Bloggers who lacks taste. Each season, the process of designing a Balmain collection is a breeze; Christophe Decarnin adopts twenty cats from the animal shelter, cage them in a room and let them rip the hell out of last season’s jeans. The result is a replica of last season’s collection with bigger holes and more bleach stains.

While I do like the play of metal hardware, this collection could easily fit into GUESS by Marciano window display (and has Ke$ha's name written all over)—and that’s not a good thing.

Versus S/S 11 Milan
This would probably be the only time you see any facial expression on Donatella Versace, she’s literally begging for Botox to hide the embarrassment on her face during the finale!

Versus as we all know is the ‘younger’ line for Versace, designed by Christopher kane. I feel that Christopher Kane failed tremendously and he couldn’t capture the essence of a younger Versace. Instead he infuses his namesake label to this collection. It’s a pity because I love the designs, the presentation and accessories but I dislike the fact that it doesn’t look like Versace’s junior line.Had this been Miu Miu, this would be a whole different story altogether.

Dinie.