In the world of fashion, September is the most significant month of the year. For fashion junkies worldwide, it is the month when a normally manageable list of magazine subscriptions grows into a chaotic mass of hundreds of additional pages to read. It is the month when matching designer names to their respective 30-piece collections becomes about as challenging as memorizing the contents of a foreign dictionary. It is the month when models, designers, consumers, bloggers and fans from all over the world explore the phenomenal details of a shared thread. It is the oh-so-glorious month when it finally becomes acceptable to wear the trends we saw in the Fall and Winter runway shows last year, and I'm giving you the rundown on some of the top trends and trendsetters hot off the catwalk.
What's on the Runway
Colorblocking:
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, colorblocking is a method of clothing construction that consists of sewing different-colored solid fabrics together in a block formation. The trend was extremely dominant in the 1960's with style icons like Twiggy blazing the trail in mod fashion, and has been spotted occasionally on runways ever since. This year in particular, however, the style has made a tremendous comeback, flourishing as a dominant form of inspiration for many designer collections. Céline designer Phoebe Philo built the brand's entire Fall/Winter collection on the colorblocking concept. Each look is comprised either of pieces that are individually colorblocked, or different colored solid pieces that mesh together to create a striking colorblocking image.
OTHER COLORBLOCKING COLLECTIONS:
NEW YORK: Band of Outsiders and BCBG
LONDON: Acne and Antonio Berardi
PARIS: Balenciaga
Baroque:
The term "Baroque" refers to the historical period that began in Italy in the early 1600s and quickly spread across Europe. The period is defined by an explosion of extravagance that took over all forms of art. Artists, architects and designers alike worked to incorporate the smallest and most opulent details into their bodies of work. Precious jewels, gold embellishments and intricate patterns are just some of the basic components that help to define the art of this period. Given the theme of opulence, it is no surprise that Baroque has been one of the most popular styles on runways this month. Across the world, designers have reintroduced the intricate detailing and expensive material that so strongly resembles the Baroque period. The Balmain collection bared the strongest resemblance to this historical era, as the patterns of many of its pieces resembled those of Baroque architecture. Pieces such as the long-sleeved white mini dress look almost as though they are made of pure ivory, silver, and gold.
OTHER BAROQUE COLECTIONS:
NEW YORK: Jason Wu, L'Wren Scott, Marchesa, and Prabal Gurung
MILAN: Bottega Veneta, Dolce and Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Versace
Who's on the Runway
If you've flipped through the pages of any major magazine in the past couple of years, then chances are - you've seen these two girls.
Karlie Kloss is the all-American girl next door turned supermodel extraordinaire. Born in Chicago and raised in St. Louis, Karlie took ballet classes like many young girls. Unlike many, however, Karlie continued to train until she had established a strong foundation in classical ballet. When the young ballerina turned thirteen years old, she was discovered at a charity fashion show in St. Louis and was encouraged to pursue a career in modeling. She took this advice and was eventually signed to Elite Model Management, one of the largest and most prominent modeling agencies in the world. Since then, Karlie herself has reached a level of prominence within the modeling world, as she models for high-fashion clothing brands such as Victoria's Secret, Lacoste, and Alexander McQueen. She rarely fails to recognize her training in ballet as the origin of her elegant positions and dancer's physique. The confidence that she brings to the runway, however, is something she was born with, and without it she just wouldn't be as fierce. Want to see Karlie work the runway? Check out photos and video footage of the Anthony Vaccarello and Ellie Saab fashion shows for Fall 2012, or catch her on the dual-cover of the July 2012 issue of W magazine that she shares with model Joan Smalls.
Speaking of Joan Smalls, she was born and raised in Puerto Rico and is the product of a multi-ethnic family. She knew at a very young age that she wanted to become a model, but was encouraged by her family to complete both high school and college before pursuing a career in the modeling industry. After graduating from the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico, she moved to New York and signed with Elite Model Management. Like her all-American counterpart, Smalls quickly reached success and found herself modeling for top designer brands such as Coach, Oscar de la Renta and Fendi. In addition to gracing the covers of major magazines, you can catch footage of Smalls from all over the catwalk during these past few weeks of top-notch fashion. She was one of the most highly sought-after models last February during the Fall shows, walking for Dolce & Gabanna, Emilio Pucci, Proenza Schouler, Altazarra, and many more designer collections.
Contact Jessie Christian at jchrist7@nd.edu
