The one thing that will never go out of style is black. Some might say it is the easy way out while others love love love it. True, black is a fashion favorite almost every season, but that doesn't mean it never changes. The Fall 2008 collections show two main black trends: lace and soft goth. Both mysterious with a touch of fantasy romance. Balenciaga's black was in sculptured shapes, while Stella McCartney used a beautiful heavy handwoven material to suggest the look of lace. Alexander McQueen made up a story about a girl who lived in a 600 year old elm tree in his garden, which resulted in a silhouette of a British-colonial princess combined with ballerina dresses. Givenchy showed a modern version of a matador, "I've been traveling in South America, and I discovered a romantic sensuality and elegance there I really identified with as a Catholic," explained Tisci. At Yves Saint Laurent the models came out wearing the same black-bowl wigs and black lipstick. This combined with the clothes in geometrical shapes made of heavy material and heavy metal accessories the models looked like a futuristic army. So yes, we will go, yet again, back to a new black and we love it!

(Images from the Autumn/Winter 2008 collections by Style.com from left to right: Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent.)

9 July 2008 ― By LP ― Trend Report ― 0 Comments

2007

2008

After slightly decent, nonsexual seasons it is clear that sex is back in fashion. We had Balenciaga's futuristic, masculine sharp lines, Viktor & Rolf's sweet dancing girls in tutu's, the high necklines of Chloé and the romantic cotton layers by Louis Vuitton. 2007 brought us trends that were not sexual but girly, romantic, lean tailored, elegant and sophisticated. Even Gucci was putting sex below the surface with short but good girl folklore dresses. Volume and softly sculptured shapes in natural colors took over the summer. The photography in Vogue was either theatrical or clean. Sometimes we saw a blink of a bra but combined with the overall styling, setting and the models poses it instantly killed the sex in the photos. But flipping trough this months French and Italian Vogue it's clear that sex is back with a bang in 2008. Models strike sexy poses in beautiful photoshoots, even if the models are fully dressed. Lace, lingerie, bare legs and smokey eyes herald a new season in fashion. Sophisticated, elegant styling with a revealing breast and slightly lifting a skirt to show a little bit of leg. The pale ripped denim trend is styled pure sex and rock 'n roll in French Vogue and when you take a look at the 1950's fetish photoshoot with Eva Mendes in this months Italian Vogue there is no way that you can deny that sex in fashion is here to stay. Well at least for a few seasons.

(Images by: British Vogue January 2007, British Vogue February 2007, French Vogue June–July 2008, Italian Vogue June 2008.)

17 June 2008 ― By LP ― Trend Report, In the Magazines ― 0 Comments

Pale, ripped, denim is claiming a big piece of the S/S 2008 catwalks. "It was time for a revival. Everything was so pretty and florally on the catwalks; I wanted to see something rougher and more undone." says designer Alexander Wang. The denim trend is shifting from the safe, unwashed skinnies to 1980's inspired Rock 'n Roll and the sexy simplicity of the 1960's. This rough look needs more styling attention than the easy to wear skinnies we've learn to love so much. Wear your pale ripped jeans with a modern clean lined top or jacked (Wang and Margiela) or take a close look to the always fabulous Fashion Icon Debbie Harry in the late '70's for inspiration.

(Images by (from left to right): Alexander Wang S/S 2008 by style.com, Maison Martin Margiela S/S 2008 by style.com and Debbie Harry)

11 May 2008 ― By LP ― Trend Report ― 1 Comments

Fashion goes in all directions for the past seasons. Spring/summer 2008 isn't any different. We see fluid evening dresses and pajama suits, fantasy fairy tails and granny suits, floral prints and strips, strong shapes and sharp, clean lines. Confused? Don't be, the American Vogue gives you a clear view of all trends coming up in the beautiful feature story "Peerless" for the January 2008 issue, shot by Steven Meisel. Or go to style.com for the edited story.

(Image by: style.com)

9 January 2008 ― By LP ― Trend Report ― 0 Comments