Albert Kriemier’s Fall/Winter collection opened with ruffles! A slow start! The opening section is slinky black with a lot of sheen silks trimmed in delicate ruffles. He opens with a lot of all black looks and then shifts into a dark gray looks. The shape and silhouette is very close to the body, from the skirts and dresses to the outerwear pieces. I really love the pieces with the tiers of black faux fur layered vertically on black crepe and chiffon. One of the standout pieces in the opening section is a knee-length long sleeve dress; the black chiffon is covered in the tiers of fur. The dress look is topped with a deep indigo wool sleeveless safari jacket. The second section jumps out of the dark palette and into shocks of color like magenta and soft shades of white. The silhouette slightly loosens up but I don’t like the little fabric box pieces.

In the third section Kriemier moves back to grays and blacks and the silhouette tightens up again. But the designer starts to add heavy volume top pieces to the looks. For evening he focuses on giving the looks more shine and depth with a few print pieces. One of the must have pieces is a white wool overcoat with a black chiffon shell. I know the piece is a copy from the Dolce & Gabbana collection, but Kriemier’s gives the coat modern construction rather than voluptuous sculpted silhouette at D&G. The other must have piece from the collection is one of the black chiffon cocktail dresses covered in tiers of faux fur trim in black. This dress is unique because Albert spaced the tiers adding more lines to the dress. The inspiration for the collection is fluid. While there was very little color in the collection Albert’s detailed fabrics and clean silhouette are a marriage. He opted to steer clear of this season’s looser shape but a lot of the strongest looks in the collection are some of his heavily detailed piece looks. I felt the collection was perfect just as is, no need for more color and no need for more volume. Bravo Monsieur Kriemier!

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Martini’s inspiration for Fall/Winter is a mix between an English Burberry style and with an American sportswear silhouette. The opening section is a series of looks incorporating a lot of decadent fabrics like velvet, tweed, wool and denim. The silhouette in this section is very strict. The pants are tight on the leg, a trend that is slowly dying. The highlight of the opening is the outerwear pieces. One of these standout outerwear pieces is a gray tweed overcoat with strict silhouette and the opening of the coat offset. The coat appears heavy even with the turtleneck collar. The second section moves away from the strict silhouette and plays with a more American sportswear silhouette with looser shapes and straight leg pant. One great look is Martini’s straight leg pant in brown wool tweed and topped with a brown jersey hooded top with a plunging neckline.

Martini keeps to heavy fabrics but the color palette stays in neutrals with a lot of browns and whites. One of the miss looks is the parka style leather jacket. Another great look from the second section is a pair of Martini’s brown tweed pants worn with a calf length off white knit cardigan and brown knit jersey top. The third section has Martini moving back to a stricter silhouette with several tapered leg pant looks. He also tailors the gowns and cocktail dresses for evening very close opts for the perfect black dress or gown. One of the bold pieces of the collection is a black-brushed wool coat. The coat has a strong shoulder and the opening is offset and hemmed at the knee. A classic piece and certainly a big sell for Martini. The second section is certainly the highlight of the collection. It would have been great to see Martini and his design team, focus on the new silhouette of the seasons, which he touched on lightly and abandoned the strict silhouette he used through out the collection.

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Ennio Capasa inspiration for Fall/Winter is a new world look. The body is covered and the look is layered but a strict silhouette. The opening section is all black and moving into some grays. One of the standout pieces is a black textured and treated leather biker jacket. The second section has a hint of color in one red piece in a sea of gray looks and then shift back into a sea of black. Capasa opted to show an abundant number of outerwear this season although the only fluid statement is a more of edgy/utility look to the outerwear pieces. The outerwear pieces are detailed with straps; decadent fabrics like suede or draped with a new shape like a long front and cropped back. Another great piece is Capasa’s dark olive green bushed wool jacket. The jacket is loose on the torso and cropped at the waist. The sleeves are over draped with the collar done in turtleneck style.

The third section has more red pieces added to the collection and a few persimmon color pieces. Sadly the shape or silhouette Ennio worked toward in the closing section is full but its created by a bubble hem on a skirt or jacket. One of the standout dress looks in the collection is a long sleeve black cashmere knit dress with a turtleneck. The front of the dress is designed with two zipper openings running from the neck to the hem. Another key look from Capasa is the loosely tailored suit in the closing section. A loosely tailored mens blazer worn with a straight full leg pant, with the highlight of the collection being the outerwear pieces, the complete look of layered tops under tightly tailored outerwear pieces was too busy and too confusing. There are a few great retail pieces but editorially the collection is missing those bold pieces. Although the black knit dresses with strips of black leather, also missing is a variance of color. I would love to have seen more pieces play with the red and persimmon colors.

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To open her Fall/Winter 07’ collection, designer Alberta Ferretti toned it down. She focused on full silhouette in a dark color palette with only one color splashed on the opening section, a dark shade of emerald. Ferretti did take up a few of this season trends like the heavy outerwear pieces and her print looks. One of the standout outerwear pieces is the draped black wool coat with the sleeve over draped with a bubble shape hem. The coat is belted below the bust line creating a pleat on the coat. For the second section Alberta introduced brown in the color palette with an emphasis on brown leather, beading and prints. One of the key leather pieces is a classic a-line light brown leather coat. The collar is oversized with metal studs detailing the front seaming and covering the collar, pocket openings and sleeve cuffs.

Then, Ferretti moves back to black for the third section with mild shades of gray. Overall this section is a little less inspired than the previous sections. The highlight of the collection are the closing evening looks, from the playful feather detailed black cocktail dresses or the gorgeous column evening gowns in black. The gowns are highlighted by prints, feathers, moiré taffeta, velvet and heavy beading. On the best cocktail dresses is a black silk chiffon simple sleeveless tube dress covered in the deco style bead design. Another great evening look is a square shoulder layered evening gown. Ferretti’s sunset print layered with black tulle beaded and trimmed in black ostrich feathers. The top of the gown is detailed with a beaded deco design.

The must have pieces from the collection are two of Ferretti bold cocktail dresses. First is one of Ferretti’s deco style beaded gowns. The dress is a caramel color knit dress covered in a layer of sheer black chiffon covered in the heavily beaded deco design, top to bottom. The other must have piece is one of Ferretti’s feather cocktail dresses. A box shape a-line dress with ¾ length sleeve in black silk crepe with the body of the dress is finished with strips of black silk satin spaced between bands black and white quail feathers. Most certainly one of the most elegant and grossly understated collections Ferretti has created in a while. Missing is her young, sexy and colorful looks. Instead Ferretti gives us a trend collection of black pieces and earthy brown pieces for day. Bravo Madame Ferretti!

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This season Rifat Ozbek opened the Pollini collection with a lot of black and dark grays. He embraces the short skirt trend and emphasizes the looks with little accents. Everything from appliqués, beading on pockets, leather straps on the hems and sleeve cuffs. One of strongest statements Ozbek made this season is his circumvention of the heavy outerwear trend, instead he choose to give his outerwear pieces a lighter draped silhouette. The opening section is a series of gray and black but the highlight is Ozbek’s long pants. One of the standout looks in the opening section is a matching black jacket and skirt. The skirt and jacket are done in black silk/nylon blend and hemmed with a quilted shiny black nylon. Another great piece from the opening section is an off-white wool a-line dress with a cape style sleeve. The shoulders are detailed with a knit embroidery and the look is finished with a black faux fur arm warmers.

The second section has subtle color with earthy greens mixed with spicy shades of orange. The looks are a combination of pant looks and dress looks. Ozbek also showed a few print pieces, one of the standout prints is a black and silver camouflage print on silk taffeta. One of the great looks incorporating this print is the matching skirt and jacket in the silk taffeta. The jacket is trimmed with fox fur on the collar and shoulders. To finish the look are a pair of Rifat’s faux fur arm warmers. The third section is a move back to black but the fabrics have sheen or a mixture of leather pieces with texture like faux fur or beading. One of the key pieces in the closing section is black faux fur and printed taffeta fabric.

The must have looks this season are two contrast looks for Pollini. First is the spicy orange crepe rosette tops worn with a pair of knit wool shorts and a pair of wool ribbed knit arm warmers? The other must have look is a black a-line cocktail dress layered with layers of different embellishments that Ozbek used through out the collection. From the black silk crepe rosettes draped on the shoulder and the waist of the skirt to the sectioning of the matte black silk taffeta contrasted by the black velvet seaming. Lacking this season is a new look for Ozbek. The silhouette is standard and the little detailing is certainly the high point of the collection. One thing is for certain; it is a strong collection and very wearable collection for the Pollini client. Could Pollini be the next Louis Vuitton or Gucci? Ozbek’s last two collections are very commercial with a few editorial pieces here and there. I would love for him to give us a least one collection full of his imagination and fantasy. Bravo Monsieur Ozbek!

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Veronica Etro’s inspiration for Fall/Winter is a mix between a 20’s style flapper silhouette and a DaDa art for the bold and geometric prints. The opening section jumps into the top trends of the season. With a full leg pant, bold prints on metallic fabrics, structured knit pieces and heavy leather jackets. But she keeps the color palette at a minimum sliding between gray and white with small hints of bold colors here and there. She also keeps the skirt lengths at the knee opting to stay away from the short trend. One of the standout looks in the opening section is a black sleeveless cashmere cardigan with a turtleneck. To finish the look Etro showed sleeveless white cashmere knit dress with a geometric design on the bottom half of the dress. For the second section the mix of basic black piece with prints in rich colors of brown, caramel, emerald green and yellow. One of the standout looks in this section is a gray and yellow geometric design print on silk chiffon skirt worn with a sleeveless gray cashmere stop with neckline embellished with beading.

Etro does show several pieces with a bubble hem and tapered leg pants. For the closing section she keeps the looks more dressed up and emphasizes color metallic. The standout looks for evening are the heavy outerwear looks. First a full silhouette jacket done in a heavy ¬knit with a black and dark olive green design. The look is finished with a black silk crepe full leg tuxedo pant and a silk chiffon blouse. The other standout look for evening is a matching pencil skirt and a draped neck top in the same black and olive green geometric print knit. Etro finishes the looks with a heavy black wool coat with the sleeves trimmed with black fur.

The must have looks this season are two dressed up day or business looks. First is Molinari’s gray wool baggy leg suit. The jacket is tailored with wide lapel and belted around the waist with a double black leather belt. The other must have look is a brown and gray printed knit skirt worn with a matching cape jacket in the same heavy knit. This season Veronica Etro focused on the classic Etro prints and took them from the fabrics and incorporated them into some strong knit pieces for Fall. While the collection is a little lacking in the color department, Etro presented a very strong commercial as well as editorial collection. Bravo Madame Etro!

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For Fall/Winter Anna Molinari takes Blumarine into a period of morning. The opening section is all black except for two print dresses in fuchsia and red and then closing with a few leopard print dresses. Molinari keeps the looks short in length, keeping the skirt lengths just above the knee. The second section moves to dark and light gray looks. The silhouette is a little tighter on the body but Molinari kept the models covered with the skirts to the knee and heavy knit leggings. One of the standout looks is long sleeve jersey knit knee-length dress. The fabric is gathered at hip and twisted into a criss-cross creating a tight fit to the hip. The third section is a little more decadent with rich taffeta fabrics, faux furs and rich splashes of color like red, emerald green and purple. Molinari kept her pants tight on the leg and opted to not show a lot of outerwear pieces for Fall. One of the key print looks is the black and white leopard print on silk chiffon. One of the key looks using this print is a matching silk chiffon pencil skirt and short sleeve blouse with a ruffle-trimmed sleeve.

The must have pieces from the collection are two of Molinari’s dresses in a shocking color. First is the red and fuchsia floral print on silk taffeta. The dress belted at the waist with a jeweled ruby red belt. The other must look is a emerald green silk satin cocktail dress with a plunging v-neckline. Worn with the dress is one of Molinari’s heavy costume necklaces reminiscent of classic Cartier pieces. The collection is very simple and still young, but in dark sophisticated palette. Missing form the collection is the color that was only hinted on in the latter half of the collection. Although I missed the color Molinari presented several classic statement pieces and looks for the season. Her prints are the heart of the collection and the most editorial pieces we will see for Fall/Winter spreads. Bravo Madame Molinari!

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Thomas Maier opened this season with a “sea of black”, so many designers find it necessary to build off of black in the fall/winter season. The look is a little dresses up but youthful short in such a severe color palette. One of the looks that really show this mixture is the black wool dress worn with a matching cropped waist black wool jacket. The princess shaped sleeve is cropped short with the collar and lapel lined in a contrasting heavy wool fabric. Then slowly Maier did move out of black showering a series of looks in some dusty colors, like dusty rose, orange and brown. One of the key looks in the dusty color palette is dusty rose silk crepe dress. The dress is tailored close to the torso and flared from the hip in a-line silhouette. Maier twists the fabric around the neckline creating a drape look.

The second section is a series of outerwear pieces in black and moving into more Fall color palette of off white and pale browns and tans. The silhouette is still young but the emphasis is certainly on a short length. It’s frilly feminine with romantic silhouettes in muted shades. One of the standout cocktail dresses in the closing section is a simple straight-line off-white silk crepe dress. The hem of the dress is detailed with crystal beading and the dress has a short sleeve finished with fabric pleated creating draped look on the shoulder. Another key cocktail look from the collection is a short tan silk organdy dress with a plunging v-neckline. The fabrics is synched on the torso and the sleeves are finished with fabric pinned in bubble shape on the shoulder. There was only one pant look in the collection, for evening only, a tuxedo pant with a full leg. I would love to have seen Maier give the BV client a few more pant looks or even a short look for those Indian Summers.

The must have outerwear piece from the collection is a knee-length soft tan leather overcoat. The leather has impression of a honeycomb design giving the coat some texture. The other must have piece from the collection is one of Maier’s evening gowns. A strapless floor-length black silk crepe gown, the black crepe is tailored with the seaming accenting the hourglass silhouette of the gown. The bust line of the dress is lowered with a strip of nude colored crepe finishing off the top of the bust line. While there was a little color in the middle of the collection, it would have been nice to see more color for the evening section. Especially in those young and flirty cocktail dresses in the closing section. One of the strongest statements from the collection is a youthful look for a brand that is known for its sophisticated tailoring and look.

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The inspiration at Brioni is mix of modern draping and focusing on a full silhouette. the opening of the collection with a combination of green and white looks and emphasis on playing with lines. One of the key outerwear pieces in this section is a dark olive green coat that has a bubble shape almost to the coat. The neckline and lapel are draped wide with on side of the coat opening draped down to the waist. The full shape of the coat is gathered into a pleat and belted at the waist. The design team opted to keep the skinny leg pant in a lot of the looks. But the second section moves into a black and white palette and looks are a little more structured than the opening section where one piece was a stand-alone. Brioni also splashes some red but then its gone. One of the standout looks in this section is a heavily sculpted knee-length black wool coat with a short sleeve. The collar of the coat is incorporated into the top of the coat. To finish the look the coat is belted with a double leather strap belt and worn with a olive green silk gazar skirt and a sheer angora black turtle neck sweater.

In the third section the design team plays with more color on a few looks, like the dark teal used on a top, skirt or knit piece. The close of the collection is a lot of very sculpted dresses and outerwear pieces. One of the standout outerwear pieces from the collection is Brioni’s take on the trench coat. The coat is tailored with a heavy silhouette in black silk crepe and black silk satin lining the collar and lapel. The coat is belted at the waist giving the piece more shape. One of the standout cocktail dresses is a simple strapless silk satin dress with the top of the dress draped from one shoulder over the other. There was one loose fitting pant look in the collection. Missing from the collection is a strong day look; for the most part the collection is mostly about a look for evening even in the opening section.

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The last couple of seasons Dominico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have slowly changed the focus of their collections. In the past they have catered to a more commercial look and presenting a prominent marketable collection. Now they are driven to redefine their image and give their clients new look and a new taste of Dolce & Gabbana. This season they morph metallic fabrics and emphasize a move back to their strict silhouette from the early 90’s with metal corsets. The opening section is very tailored but then the duo takes a billowy shape top and then adds more volume with a billowy tulle shell on top of the piece. One of the standout outerwear pieces in the opening section is a faux cheetah fur coat with a shell of black tulle covering the whole jacket. The coat is worn with one of the silver waist corsets. The second section is more dressed up and the fabrics shift into a metallic theme and we see more embellishment and detailing. Emphasis is another key word, one of the standout looks in this section is pale nude long sleeve top that is silk screened with a metallic version of the nude color. Emphasizing the muscles in the arm and the breasts. To finish the look is a black stretch knit skirt with a contrast dart in black silk satin.

A lot of the collection can be interpreted as too dramatic and too fantasy. But in truth the statement is that sexy can really exists today and Dolce & Gabbana stands for sexy and they are able to define it any way they want. Whether it be a little dominatrix or simple taking volumes of fabrics and emphasizing a silhouette. The statement is severe but the overall execution is near flawless. The third section is little more wearable; the duo toys with heavy outerwear pieces in texture fabrics and leather. One of the strongest combination or theme is Stefano and Dominico pencil skirt combinations. One of the standout looks in this section is a black pencil skirt in a textured patent leather. The skirt look is finished with a matching patent leather vest over a black silk charmeuse blouse with a long princess cuff sleeve. And of coarse worn with a silver waist corset! This season Dolce & Gabbana moved away from the skinny leg pant and embracing the full leg pant. They also emphasized a lot of their animal print looks with heavy beading and feathers. This is most evident in the evening section, which is a long series of beaded gowns and cocktail dresses. One of the standout cocktail dresses is knee-length a-line silk chiffon dress encrusted with beading and a spray of small feathers on the top and hem of the dress. Of coarse the dress is sheer and should be worn with your best lingerie but the metal waist corset sets it off perfectly. Not sure you could wear this dress without the corset.

The must have cocktail dress is one of the heavily beaded cocktail dresses in a crimson red with a black tulle shell encasing the dress from the neckline to the hem. The dress is worn with a silver waist belt corset. The other must have piece from the collection is another black tulle encased piece. A white short sleeve fur coat worn with a silver waist belt and high collar, you can easily see the embellishment and the whole dominatrix theme through out the collection. What is hidden is the reference of structure and architecture. This season Dominico and Stefano take the whole collection to another level, a couture level at least. While the pieces we saw on the runway will be watered down in the stores. The statement is that today we live a luxurious lifestyle and these pieces may be over the top but they fit into our lifestyles perfectly. Bravo Monsieur Dolce y Monsieur Gabbana!

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The inspiration at Les Copains is cooler weather, a bundled up look for Fall and the color palette is light and cool with pale grays and whites. The opening section is a string of knit looks incorporated into outerwear pieces and dresses. Opening with a white and pale gray knits and the outerwear pieces are heavy but compliment the lightness of the knit dresses. One of the standout pieces in this section was the off the shoulder pale gray cashmere sweater dress. The sleeves and hem do have a slight bubble shape but the spirit of this look is the mother of pearl palette covering the body and sleeve of the dress. The second section goes a little darker with heavy shades of grays. Even the fabrics get a little heavier with the introduction of wool and fur into the collection. One of the standout pieces in this section is the cashmere and angora knit poncho jackets. The knit poncho is a contrast diamond design with a pale gray angora contrast with black cashmere.

For the third section turns it up a notch. Showing more layering in the looks and emphasizing the detail of the fabrics. From the weaved jersey fabric to the patent python leather with a contrast seaming. The design also plays more with colors like orange and pale purple. Some of the misses in this section are many tunic style dresses and use of velvet, which are trends we saw last season. One of the highlights are the knit hats minus the pom-poms. One of the standout looks in this section is the gray and tan stripe cashmere turtleneck sweater. The knit is sliced open in the front of the sweater with a contrast of black underneath. The sweater is worn with a full leg jersey pant. The closing section moves into black and navy blue. One of the strongest statements is the sheer embroidered and beaded dress in a poncho shape. One of the strongest pieces is a turtleneck mini-dress. The dress is sheer organza with brocade design embroidery embellished with a lot of beading. The sleeve cuff and turtleneck are done in a ribbed silk/lycra fabric. I love how the designer really struck to the whole bundled up theme for the collection. He keeps the references in the lighter more short feminine looks of the collection. It’s amazing how he moves from knits and furs to metallic fabrics and patent leather. The only dilemma here is the lack of fluidity through the whole collection. The high point of the collection is most certainly the knits pieces from the dresses to the ponchos and jackets.

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Is Proenza Schouler moving to Milan and taking over 6267, this season Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi took note of NY duo’s design aesthetic this season. We see again the roaring 20’s but instead the designer focuses on volume rather than the little details. Aquilano and Rimondi also took on some of this season top trends like the heavy outerwear pieces. The opening section is a lot of heavy outerwear pieces showed with several dark and masculine silhouette dresses in a black color palette. One of the standout looks in the opening section is a black wool overcoat with the lapels and collar over draped. The look is finished with a black faux fur skirt worn with a black silk crepe corset style top. In the second section the color palette moves to dark and lights gray and the look are little more tailored like the series of dressed up pant looks. Sadly duo opted to keep the pant leg tapered this season. One of the standout pieces in this section is a heavy gray wool trench coat. The coat is not a traditional trench silhouette as the body of the trench is flared from the hip and the sleeves are heavily constructed with modern utility style.

Rimondi and Aquilano closing section is long with a series of playful looks in grays and blacks. The looks incorporate trends like chunky knits, faux fur and feather cocktail dress. The silhouette is top heavy through out the collection and one of the best statements in the collection is a bundled up look. The heavy outerwear pieces are truly the highlight of the collection as well as some of playful cocktail dresses in the closing section. One of the standout looks in the closing section is one of the few long skirt looks in the collection. An ankle length gray tweed skirt worn with a brushed black wool jacket with a draped front and worn belted high on the waist. This season the only color piece in the collection is a brown jacket in the opening section. They kept the collection dark and monochromatic and emphasize the detailing of the seaming on some the outerwear pieces creating a heavily tailored look.

The must have pieces from the collection is one of Aquilano and Rimondi’s outerwear pieces and the flirty cocktail dress. The must have outerwear pieces is a gray brushed wool coat which they did the seaming in slice layout creating an almost bubble shape coat. The sleeves are incorporated in the back pant of the jacket creating a shell for the coat. The must have cocktail dress is a black silk gazar dress, the skirt of the dress is covered in black ostrich feathers and the top of the dress is finished with the draping bust line in silk gazar and gather the fabric into straps. While I loved all of the outerwear pieces the absence of color in a lot of the looks is a big miss for the collection. One can only have so much black in their closet. A lot of the playful pieces in the collection really give the collection a younger look but if some of those pieces were in color it would have really complete the collection.

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The inspiration at Aigner Fall/Winter is a mold between American Sportswear and a Milanese silhouette and tailoring. The opening section is a series of dark brown palette looks. The look is a short silhouette worn with leggings or knee-high stockings. The embellishment moves from leather belts to tortoiseshell necklaces or leather appliqués on fabric to look like snake skin. One of the standout looks in this section is a simple brown linen jacket with ¾ length sleeve and the leather appliqué covering the neckline in crocodile layout. Another great piece form the opening section is a simple line dresses in brown with the top half of the dress done in rich brown leather. This dress is an essential piece and can work with other pieces from other designers.

In the second section Aigner adds more prints and shifts from the brown color palette to a navy blue color palette. The leather details are still present but the silhouette is looser. One of the standout pieces in this section is a mute navy blue silk and cotton cropped waistcoat. The coat collar and lapels are oversized and the sleeves are tailored with straight line from the neck to elbow giving the sleeve a heavy drape. Slowly Aigner adds a few red leather pieces and more prints. For the closing section he goes black and steps up the tailoring to a more dressed up look. Showing more outerwear pieces in this section and a lot of leather pieces. One of the standout looks in this section is simple black silk crepe long sleeve dress with a plunging neckline. The dress skirt is covered in a drape of black plastic discs and a matching necklace. To close the collection is a series of leather outerwear pieces.

The must have looks from the collection is a floor length brown twill gown with the bust line finished with a leather halter top loop which Aigner laced a tortoiseshell style necklace. A classic piece for Aigner but a timeless piece! The gown is one of only a few long pieces in the collection. Aigner favored a very short skirt length this season. The real highlights of the collection are the leather pieces in the third section. Overall the combination of day and evening looks is one of the strengths of the collection. The designer touches on a lot of this season’s big trends but keeps true to his sexy silhouette and emphasize on the key piece of each look. That could be a heavy outerwear piece or pieces with leather detailing. Overall I would to have seen Aigner show more leather pieces in the collection and less of the simple crepe dresses like in the black section.

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Izumi Ogino’s inspiration this season is young playful woman, short silhouettes with draped tops. Reminiscent of Marni! The first section is a series of short skirt looks and knit tops belted at the waist. The skirt length is not too short, just above the knee. One of the strongest looks in this section is a gray pleat front skirt worn with a olive green and khaki floral design cashmere knit top. The top is tailored flat on across the shoulders and bust line and belted at the waist. The second section Ogino’s dolls it up with short dresses with princess shoulders and softens the color palette. Izumi’s knits are the strongest pieces in the opening while in the second it’s the outerwear pieces. In the third section the color palette goes a little darker with a series of black looks and several gray pieces. One of the standout looks in this section is a gray v-neck sheer angora sweater with beading weaved into the knit. The sweater is embellished with his metallic butterflies and a copper sequined mini skirt. A few looks did stick out like a sore thumb from section to section. One example is the olive green and gold look in the middle of the black section, not sure if the designer did that on purpose or the model couldn’t get dressed in time.

The color palette is all over the place this season. There does not seem to be one common color through out the collection. The closing section is a mish mash of looks from the butterfly embellished knit tops, sheer cocktail dresses or metallic mini skirts. One of the strongest pieces from the collection is one of Izumi Ogino’s outerwear pieces. An orange wool and cashmere double-breasted coat worn with an orange cable-knit cashmere scarf around the neck. Another highlight of the collection are the bag Ogino showed, Simple bags that are heavily ornamented with beading, shells and pompoms and chenille cord. The references are all over the place in this collection, 60’s bell necklines, 70’s color palette’s mixed with 80’s minimalism. A little hectic! If you are looking for something long for Fall Anteprima is not for you, the whole collection is a series of short looks from the dresses to the outerwear pieces.

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Navarra’s inspiration for Fall/Winter is taken from the 60’s but the masks suggest a little Truman Capote’s black and white ball. The first section is a series of tweed looks and pieces. Mixed with knit pieces and suits dressed up masculine. A lot of black, dark gray tweeds and the only color is in the fur trims. One of the key looks using the fur trim is a black pin-strip wool skirt suit. The collar, lapels and sleeve cuff are trimmed in a brown skunk fur. The jacket and skirt are tightly tailored on the body and arm. Navarra’s silhouette for Fall is very tailored, he keeps to tapered leg pant and opts to keep his knit piece heavy like the poncho style knit top. I was not keen on a few pieces like waffled or cushion stitch leather pieces or the geometric color blocked design used on a few wool jackets and tops.

The second section is focused on a lot of heavy fabric and silhouette looks that are printed with vibrant fuscia geometric shape and plaid prints. The third section Navarra moves back to more gray and black shades and plays with combining lace and into fabric. . One of the standout looks in this section is a matching skirt suit look. A gray wool jacket and skirt with black lace detailing the jacket and skirt. The lace on skirt is used to connect the gray fabric creating a see-through affect. For the closing section Navarra moves back to a tailored silhouette and introduces an abundant number of leather outerwear pieces.

The top look from the collection is a black cashmere cable knit turtleneck dress with the with the weave knotted in the front to hold up a belt. The dress is tailored close to the body while the sleeves are loose on the arm. To finish the look Navarra showed a cable knit weave legging worn with knee high black leather boot. The strongest statement that Navarra is making with this collection is building a strong feminine image and focus on his talent for tailoring and highlighting looks with references. There are countless number of strong looks and pieces in the collection but the obvious lack of color is too obvious.

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Marani’s inspiration this season is moving back to the trend from last season. From his use of techno blue to the pencil skirt and the bubble shape. Marani did show several prints in the collection. I wished the leopard print were not in the techno blue. Most of the collection is done in a dark palette of black, gray and blue. Marani does splash some color like red, purple and silver. The opening section is strictly tailored and very Italian. Marani did loosen the pant leg on a few pieces like the silk satin tuxedo pant. One of the standout pieces in the opening section is a striking and unique piece. A mock neck blouse done in a sheer tulle fabric that has a techno blue ribbon weaved into the fabric. The top has a bell drop sleeve and worn with a black silk taffeta pencil skirt.

For the second section Angelo Marani plays with more prints, fur and loosens up the silhouette. He shows a few parka style coats but a lot of the outerwear pieces are heavily tailored. In the third section Marani get a little sexier with a lot of skin and a lot of leather and lace details. Certainly this is a very Italian collection, from the sexiness and decadent fabrics and slinky silhouettes. One of the standout print pieces in the third section is sleeveless v-neck yin-yang style giraffe print on silk. A simple piece but a strong statement for Marani, I would love to have seen him really build more on use of prints. Missing from the collection is some sort of raw femininity in the collection. Marani’s look and statement for women is severe and literal.

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Okay, this is one of those one off blog posts that just have to be said!

Barbara Walters was on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show yesterday (6/14) and when asked by Mister Seacrest about life on “The View” since Rosie’s graceful exit, she said

"The Hot Topics have been fun. There are some things that we were able to discuss that we weren't able to discuss with Rosie, like heterosexual sex. Because, you know, Rosie's lifestyle is different, being an open lesbian...We are perhaps not quite as political [or] vocal about [things], but the Hot Topics have been very fun, and the ratings are up, so we're quite happy. Obviously, the audience is very loyal."

I just fired off an email to Ms. Walters explaining that because of her comment and lack of backbone in the whole Rosie affair. I am officially deleting “The View” from my TiVo. I continued to watch after Rosie left hoping that the life Rosie brought to the show would continue. Sadly that life only glimmered when Whoopi Goldberg or Cathy Griffin were guest hosts. After I sent Barbara the email I also fired off an email to Joy Behar. In it I told her I was going to miss her and she is really the only reason why the show is still on the TV. I mentioned that while Rosie was the temporary glue or fix she was certainly the steel frame structure of the show.

With that said! No more “VIEW”!

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Designers Giles Deacon opens his Fall/Winter collection for DAKS with all black. The looks start out structured but then he chooses to add volume here and there. Going into the second section we saw more knit details and then several chunky knit pieces. The chunky knit looks are a complete change in direction from Deacon’s opening section. From immaculate to lazy! One of the standout pieces in the second section is a black chunky knit cable knit sweater. The sweater fits more like wrap and attached to the sleeves are mittens for those cold days. For the third section Giles moves back to a tailored look but focuses on the little detailing and embellishments. One of the key looks in this section is a straight leg pant look worn with a cream wool jacket with a black and orange plaid design. The look is toped of with a black faux fur tube shrug around the shoulders and bust line.

Deacon chooses to repeat from last season trends like the bubble shape and use of ruffles. However he embraced a looser pant leg and heavy silhouette for his outerwear pieces. The theme of the silhouette is all over the place. From the long 30’s style silhouette to the volume and stiff lines of the 50’s. One of the key outerwear pieces that plays with this silhouette is the army green wool poncho style jacket worn draped around the upper body. In the closing section Deacon showed server embellished silk taffeta dresses. One of the standout pieces was a black silk taffeta long sleeve dress hemmed above the knee. The dress is covered in black sphere beads varying in size and Deacon gives the dress a dress shirt collar in the black taffeta material. The styling in the collection is really off, while there were several great pieces and standout looks in the collection. It seems like the designer was attempting to mold two small collections together to get one full collection. Deacon did show a few leather pieces in the collection but I would love to have seen more.

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Anna Molinari’s sister collection really hits the candy store with a collection rich in color. The only other place you can really find the abundance of color is at a candy store. The opening section is a series of red and black looks that Molinari adds animal prints and plaids. One of the standout pieces is dark and light stripe knit dress with the neckline of the dress trimmed with a panel of a cherry print on white silk. Slowly she moved into a palette of pinks, from pink prints to pink faux fur. One of the standout pieces in this section is magenta cashmere sweater worn with a matching magenta and gray stripe skirt and hot pink leggings.

The second section shifts towards the masculine side of Molinari, a lot of black, gray and the highlight is one of her few pant looks. One of the standout looks in this section is a matching polka-dot looks. A gray silk merino cardigan with pink polka-dots worn with a dark gray silk taffeta skirt with pink polka-dots and a hot pink underskirt and pink leggings. The closing section goes back to color with a series of dresses for evening. The highlight is the assortment of color, from blue, yellow, red and pink. Molinari keeps the skirt length short and while she only showed two pant looks in the collection she kept the pant leg loose. One of the highlight looks in the closing section is a black cashmere turtleneck sweater with short princes sleeve. To finish of the look is a bright yellow silk satin skirt with the fabric pleated around the waist.

The must have looks from the collection are two print style looks. First is one of my favorite prints from the collection, a combination print is pale pink peonies on a black and white cheetah print. The dress is a printed silk crepe shell with layers of printed silk chiffon on the skirt around neck and shoulders of the dress. The other must have look is the pink and black cheetah faux fur a-line silhouette coat with a matching purse. The collection as a whole is a great find and sell for Molinari. Some might find the decadent pairing of heavy fabrics, vibrant colors and over the top outerwear pieces, too much. This collection has so many unique and key pieces, personally I love the hot pink stockings over the red stockings, but that’s me! Bravo Madame Molinari!

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Black continues to escape from New York, another collection that is a sea of black. Although Marchiso did splash some color on the collection, only two pieces, one pink and one yellow. The inspiration this season is a more masculine woman. The tailoring is very strict from the outerwear pieces to the skirts. In the opening section she showed the looks in all black intensifying the masculine tone of the looks. Marchiso attempted to tone it down a little by using feminine fabrics like satin and crepe. She opted to keep her pant looks tapered to the leg but she did embrace the variation of length in her skirts, outerwear and dresses. One of the standout pieces in the collection is Marchiso short take on the skirt suit. A matching cropped waist jacket and mini skirt done in gray wool herringbone tweed textured fabric. To complete the look is one the unique pieces through out the collection, Marchiso’s heavy black knit stockings. Overall the strongest pieces in the collection are the short skirt looks. There were also a few great outerwear pieces, keeping with this season big trend. I would love to have seen a strong pant look or even some decadent knit looks.

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Sexy, decadent, strict a lot to digest in one collection! Designer Stefano Guerriero open the Fall/Winter collection at Balizza with a lot of black. The tailoring is close and the details are the key to the looks. From fur capes, feather sleeves on patent leather jacket to the contrast of texture like the patent leather jackets with a fur collar and worn with a black taffeta dress. One of the standout leather pieces is a black patent leather double-breasted jacket with a fur trimmed wide collar. The look is complete with a black silk organdy skirt and thigh high black leather boot. One of the shocking outerwear pieces in the opening section is the black plastic safari style jacket with the collar finished in black ostrich feathers.

For the second section Guerriero splashed a little red but the looks take a little twist into a 70’s disco style Halston looks. A lot the 70’s style looks are too reminiscent of disco style trends we saw last season at Gucci and Versace. In the third section there was a shift into a few white looks but still reminiscent of the 70’s. Like the David Bowie fur section with silver patent leather and the collection shifts into overkill with a series of silver looks and finally with a series of gold and brocade looks. One of the standout Bowie looks was a white faux fur coat worn over a classic white shrug dress with a sweetheart bust line. The dress torso is draped with a purple and white silk halter-top drape. Another great piece from the collection is the hooded black fur jacket with a strong shoulder, reminiscent of the 80’s.

The strongest section is the closing section of 6 evening gowns and dresses. The must have piece from the collection is one of the evening gowns from the closing section. A floor length silver gown covered in beading and mirrored pallets from head to toe. The gown is a halter-top gown with a plunging neckline and back. The collection had several highlights but I would love to have seen Guerriero show a few more print looks and more heavily embellished gowns and dresses. The collection certainly fits into the Milanese mold of decadence and sexiness. But I would love to have seen Stefano explore a softer side to the looks, a younger side at least.

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The inspiration at Varum Bahi is a season of floral embellishments on 60’s inspired earthy silhouettes. Bahi does recycle last season bubble hems and bell shapes dresses and sleeves but his heavy embellishments are the highlight of the collection. Bahi does show several print pieces in the collection but one of the best fabrics is his weave fabric that he used on outerwear pieces and skirts. The opening section is a lot of natural color pieces including several pieces in last season metallic gold. One of the standout pieces is an earth tone version of the weave fabric on a scalloped collar jacket. The jacket lining and sleeve are done in green/orange moiré taffeta. Another great quilted fabric pieces is a classic a-line skirt done in tones of muted green/yellow/brown worn with a silk crepe draped top.

The second section has more of a decadent look, Bahi focuses on a lot of gold metallic pieces for the evenings. But some of the color combinations are little off and a few looks have too much color. Some of the top pieces are a very frumpy and over layered. For evening Bahi focused on embellishments and pairing light and heavy fabrics. One of the standout evening looks is a strapless gold dress with a brown tulle shell that is covered with pale aqua fabric flowers. Unfortunately a lot of the collection is to heavy or over draped. The highlights from the collection are some of the outerwear pieces and certainly a few of the cocktail dresses.

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For Fall/Winter 07’ designer Marios Schwab does black and more black. His silhouette is flowie and in various lengths. The inspiration is mix between a Japanese ninja and a dominatrix. Schwab showed several velvet looks but his short and embellished looks were his crowning moment. One of the standout pieces in the collection is a black silk crepe dress covered in plastic mounds in black and a blue metallic. Another strong piece from the collection is a short-layered black chiffon dress with the fabric criss-crossed around the neck. The bust line of the dress is sculpted in black plastic plated and a black leather belt around the torso. The highlight of the collection is all of the beaded and plate embellishments. I would love to have seen Schwab play more with these elements and less of the toned down looks.

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Leather, denim and knits, soft knits. This season designer Marie Elena Pino focuses on these three elements for Fall/Winter. The pants are tapered or skinny leg but Pino focuses on the detailing on the denim and leather pants. The look is a mix between Italian sexy and heavy Swedish styling. Although there were a few little details that were a little overboard like the raw sheep wool leg warmers and boots or the chunky knit scarves wrapped around the head. One the standout knit pieces was a white cashmere/angora cropped waist knit cardigan. The cardigan is collarless and has short sleeve. The front of the cardigan is a ribbed knit that is attached to the upper arm like a muscle. For her leather outerwear pieces Marie keeps the jackets tightly tailored on the torso and emphasizes the tailoring with darts of denim. One of the standout pieces in the first section is a brown leather jacket with darts of denim on the shoulders, sides and also at the bottom of the jacket. Only a handful of pieces really stood out in this collection. I would love to have seen more knits in the collection and more leather outerwear pieces.

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At the Richard Chai Fall/Winter collection he took American Sportswear and meshed it with a modern Italian tailoring. Sculpture is a key element for Chai’s design aesthetic but this season his sculpture is all over the place from the little feminine elements like a bell shape shoulder or the minimalism of a color blacked dress or jackets. The opening section is the first glimpse of a confused statement for the collection, a little America sportswear mixed with minimalism. In the second section Chai switched to masculine tailoring and emphasized feminine details like a accentuated bust line and soft textures in her knits pieces. For the third section Chai added more feminine details like embroidery on outerwear pieces, soft and shiny fabrics for the dresses. One of the standout pieces in this section is an off white wool jacket with a violet floral embroidered print on the collar, sleeves and trimming the sleeve cuff and pockets. A modern piece but Chai softens it up with the delicate embroidery and off white wool. Color is also another way Chai softened up the collection, using pale shades of white, silver and lavender. One of the best pieces in this soft color palette is the lavender and white geometric print coat. The front of the coat is double breasted with a wide Mao collar and worn with a soft white silk organza skirt.

The must have piece from the collection is the only leather pieces in the whole collection. Chai took a classic bomber jacket shape jacket with the torso elongated and the bottom of the sleeve tapered down to a bell shape. The jacket is done in a dark teal patent leather and the collar is wide set with a boxy shape neckline. The looks through out the collection fell outside of the common statement Chai was trying to achieve. The result is a mixed message collection that I would love to have seen softer pieces in the earlier party of the collection. I found that Chai got too serious in the early half of the collection and his message was lost. He was jumping to far out of the box or more importantly too quickly.

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Catherine Malandrino’s look for Fall is a lighter silhouette with an emphasis on draping and textured fabrics. She did continue her us of the bubble hem but she did focus on a monochromatic color palette like her black and white evening section. For the first section Malandrino’s color palette is very strict on each look but colorful, with bold shades of purple, fuscia and blue. One of the standout pieces in the opening section is a collarless silk chiffon a-line dress with a ¾ length sleeve. The waistline of the dress is elevated and the fabric is pleated from the waistline. The dress is detailed with large black buttons down the front of the dress. In the second section Catherine showed more knit looks and some the best pieces were the knit outerwear pieces. One of the standout pieces is a double-breasted white ribbed knit jacket worn with the collar draped around the jacket like a cape.

The must have pieces from collection are two cocktail dresses from the evening section. The must have dress is a black sheer chiffon tank-dress that has a hound’s-tooth knit design in on the chiffon. The bottom of the dress is trimmed with mirror palettes. The other must have dress is one of the great ideas Malandrino had this season the combination of the feathers with strands of beading on the evening pieces. It’s a tank dress with a mock neckline; the dress is built in layers. The collar is done in pale grey silk taffeta, bust line and torso a silk sheer toile and a band of silk taffeta on the bust. The dress is finished with skirt of the dress trimmed in tiers of pale grey ostrich feathers and crystal beading. The collection is very simple and a new takes on the classic Malandrino style. While there are a few adventure pieces in the collection, I was a little disappointed that Malandrino opted to revisit a few of last season’s trends. I would love to have seen her move forward rather than standing still this season.

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More skinny leg pants, please no more! G-Star’s Fall/Winter collection for G-Star is a little mixed up, from the toy between a tailored crop outerwear pieces or the new trend of heavy outerwear. The choice of fabrics is very limited in the collection between the mass use of denim or denim style fabrics and black leather. One of the key pieces in the opening section is a sleeveless black leather bomber jacket. The waist and shoulder are done with a ribbed elastic band. Although G-star kept the skirt and dress short the fabrication or textiles really don’t flatter the tailoring. The only two clear defining sections in the collection is the black section or the navy indigo blue section laces with non-stop denim looks.

The only strong pieces in the collection are the outerwear pieces. The must have piece is a denim style linen coat tailored a-line torso and tight tailored sleeve. It was very hard to really look past the abundant use of black and denim, which really hurt the womens collection. The mens collection gave G-Star more options. One lady could easily steal some of the mens pieces for her own; like the leather pieces or the tightly tailored tops. I am not what was really missing the mix, could color or some variance of black or indigo help. Not sure!

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Hubert de Givenchy's inspiration has left the Paris resort collections and landed at Oscar de la Renta's Resort 2007 collection in New York. While de la Renta favored last seasons black and white palette, this season it was his shocking color looks that jumped. The tailoring and overall silhouette can be attributed to classic Givenchy from the 50's and even 60's.


The highlight of Oscar de la Renta's resort collection, the prints! Oscar showed a large number of different prints and in a wide selections of themes. From geometric prints in black and white to soft floral prints on pale tangerine silk chiffon or pale pink silk organdy. On a side note, if I see one more ruffle next season I am going pound the floor like a little kid. My favorite pick from the collection is a sleeveless floor length a-line tangerine silk taffeta gown. Stunning. I am actually liking this move toward classic lines and clean fabrics.
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The opening section at the Cynthia Vincent collection was a number of young playful looks that hints of a 40’s inspiration. Even the colors are reminiscent of the 40’s, from the dusty seafoam green, rosy mauve or muted grays. Vincent’s looks for Fall/Winter are certainly taken from a lot of the trends we have seen this season. From her super short looks, to her draped jersey pieces, she even gives a series of great knit pieces. One of the top knit looks in the opening section is the brown heavy knit cardigan that is styled like a collegiate coat. Worn under the cardigan is a muted seafoam green sheer knit turtleneck sweater that is embellished around the belly with stripe of black crystals and a pale gray velvet ribbon. For the closing section Vincent shifted her focus to a black color palette highlighted with more brown and blue outerwear pieces. One of best-knit pieces in this section is a muted blue cashmere net weave cardigan. The cardigan is tailored with a draped silhouette, from the bias draped ¾ length sleeve and the waist tied of with a matching belt.

One of the strongest and a must have outerwear pieces from the collection is a cape style trench coat reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes. The jacket is done in a cashmere/wool blend fabric with a tan silk satin lining. Another must have look from the collection is one of the few skirt looks in the collection. A pale pink silk chiffon top with a band of silver crystal beading draped down the neckline of the top. The look is finished with a tightly tailored high waisted gray wool dress skirt. The collection is very small and full of unique options. While the outerwear pieces are certainly great finds for the collection the dresses are a little puzzling. There was one print in this collection, I think if there were more prints in the collection the collection would have come alive. Overall it’s a great attempt for a strong personal statement.. Bravo Madame Vincent!

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This season the duo mold their looks between two women from the 20’s. From the sexy and savage young lady of the night to the girl who visits the salons of Paris as well as the underground clubs of Berlin. Wearing the Art! A key ideal that Jack and Lazaro design by! One could even say this collection is a dark look into “Thoroughly Modern Millie”. The opening section is a series of heavy outerwear pieces. The silhouette of the coats is form conscious with dramatic statements like the high bias collar. One of the strongest looks exhibiting this idea is the matching black silk brocade skirt and jacket. The jacket is the highlight – with it’s double breasted front to the high bias collar trimmed in faux black fur and sleeves done in waffled knit in a bubble shape. Then the designer duo took knits to a new level showing a series of knit looks. One of the best all knit looks is a olive green cashmere waffle knit matching two piece look. A cardigan with a high bias collar in a ribbed knit worn with a waffled knit dress with a button front and pockets at the hip.

In second section Jack and Lazaro give a little color but keep to the dark color palette from the opening section. They even give us one of the most striking pieces in the collection. A collarless jet-black crocodile leather jacket with a princess shape short sleeve. Also shown in this section is one of the best examples of the duos tailoring. A reworked black wool p-coat with the sleeves done in black waffle knit cashmere and black fur lining the collar.

In the evening section the designer showed a series of black and white print looks. The dresses that the duo drew inspiration from Roshack are amazing, certainly the biggest editorial pieces in the collection. The dresses are detailed with embroidery and beading and the image of the inkblot is more reminiscent of brocade style prints. One of the best pieces that exhibit this look is a sleeveless white silk crepe covered in a brocade line design running top to bottom. The lines are constructed with Swarovski crystal tubes and beads. This season Jack and Lazlo also kept their pants long and with a baggy leg. They also focused on layering, like short-sleeved jackets over long sleeved shirts and tops. One of the standout evening coats was is a brushed black wool 20’s style coat with the bias collar oversized. The sleeves are cropped at ¾ length and Jack and Lazlo trimmed inside of the collar with black knit.

The must have pieces from the collection are two of the most unique pieces in the collection. First is a new take on Jack and Lazaro’s signature band detailed bust line which they took a classic a-line dress and covered the bust line with a back of silk crinoline in the shape of knotted bow. The hem of the dress is trimmed in faux black fur. The other must have piece from the collection is one of their 20’s style coats which they did in a bold black and white brocade print fabric. The black and white brocade print is on done on silk tulle and the draped sleeve cuff is trimmed with black fur. A devastating outerwear piece and certainly one of the most editorial pieces in the collection. One thing is certain is that the duo really focused on their own voice this season leaving trends out of their collection. The only obvious trend were the hats although they opted for no gloves. My first reaction to this collection is the duo is really branching out of the safe zone. The end result is a detailed collection with an emphasis on the tailoring and reworking their classic silhouettes. More than anything this collection is a shift away from the fabrication pieces and imagery. This change is evident in their ability to mold new fabrics into new classic looks. Bravo Monsieur Hernandez and Monsieur McCollough!

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