What goes around comes around! Our Social, Design & Production Director, Deborah, geeks out on fashion moments like when Selma Blair wore a custom color-blocked Isaac Mizrahi dress to the 2004 CFDA Fashion Awards that inspired a new generation of media darlings almost a decade later (OK, we’re not as old as this might lead one to think…).
At the time, the dress was a statement primarily because after years out of the spotlight, it brought major fashion credibility back to Mizrahi’s name. Mr. Mizrahi had been in a transitional period following the closure of his eponymous line in 1998. By 2004 he had moved on from his one-man off-Broadway show and was in the early years of pioneering a designer collaboration with Target, a concept that would later become a major retail phenomenon around the world (designer collaborations remain a driving force in retail to this day).
Secondly, while color-blocking had been around for ages, Selma’s decision to wear this simple Mizrahi look was a bold choice at a time when fashion in the aughts was excessive and oozing sex while trying to find its own, coherent identity—Patricia Field at SATC was a major arbiter of style in the “Carrie” genre that has become defined as Man Repeller-esque, as were “Tom & Dom”, who pushed the boundaries of sex in fashion before leaving Gucci and YSL that year. In this context, the dress was a statement because of everything is wasn’t: instead of emphasizing quirky and edgy fashion or in-your-face sex, it accentuated Selma’s flat-chested, pixie-cut, gamine appeal.
But enough of this fashion nerdery, we have no doubt that die-hard fashionphiles and casual red carpet watchers alike also recognized this cherry/flamingo/persimmon combo when images of color-blocked celebrities started cropping up in recent months. And while the predominant colors used in this color-blocking combo are reds, pinks and oranges, we’d venture to add in purple to the mix, which will carry well into the fall season. Now if only we had some jewelry to pair with this look… Suggestions? Post your designs on our Facebook wall to share your thoughts!
“Women think of all colors except the absence of color. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.” -Coco Chanel
Coco Chanel originally created the two-toned cap toe shoe in nude leather with a black toe to elongate the leg and give women a neutral shoe to wear with anything. This season, we’re seeing a major adoption of this classic design all over the runways interpreted in the season’s hottest colors and metallic accents even Coco herself couldn’t resist. Here are our top 10, including a classic black version—for Coco of course!
Feeling crafty? We love the neon DIY versions by A Pair & A Spare and Green Wedding Shoes.
Tom Binns’s anarchic and at times irrational designs take root in the Dada movement, and manifest themselves in some of the most excitingly edgy yet elegant creations out there. But for all the rebellion that Dadaism stood for, it’s a bit ironic that the disciples of the very movement that rejected social organization and questioned the standard of beauty have gone on to create a new standard of beauty all their own.
Case in point: one of my favorites from his recent designs is this Fauve Pastelle necklace below. It’s absolutely perfect with the minty cool hues that were seen all over the runways for spring, from @#YSL, #Christopher Kane and @#ProenzaSchouler, to @#PrabalGurung, @#AlexanderWangNY and @#MarcJacobs.
@#tombinnsdesign
From metal tips, to beading, studs, stones and bright colors, shoes for the SS’12 season make a major statement, but that doesn’t mean they have to hog the spotlight if you accessorize judiciously!
Can’t wait to see what our designers will come up with for our next competition starting tomorrow at noon!
@#Burberry Prorsum
#JohnGalliano
@#LouisVuitton
@#Versace
@#YSL
@#YSL
@#Brian_Atwood
@#Nicholas Kirkwood
