Fashion In 50 Seconds 7/23/08 Buyers are taking their christmas shopping very seriously. We were expecting this article, and more like it, on the impa...
The Alt-Preppy Man's New Favorite Certain cities become cultural touchstones for an era, channeling the emotions of a given moment. Brooklyn, Seattle and ...
Today we were thinking about whether we should start postulating on what trends will come of the Spring 09 shows. One of the first things we thought of, when we tried to imagine what new trends will erupt come September, was Sonia Rykiel's yellow head wrap that turned up in the first exit of her Spring 08 show, and many a magazine editorial thereafter. We know, from watching the Fall shows, that hats are back in a big way and we also know, thanks to Rykiel, what can be done with a hat trend when it's ninety degrees outside. Are people ready for it? We think so. We can't count the number of young women in New York that are prancing around, right this minute, in feathered headbands and bow clips, with generous lengths of fabric tied around their foreheads. When this happens, when the hair accessories reach these exaggerated proportions, we know that women are ready for something of a turban. Even if they weren't back when the turban thing was actually happening. What they're ready for, or will be come next summer, is a headwrap like Rykiel's. Time will tell whether more of these accessories will crop up in the shows, and if they should, we will thank the lovely Sonia.
Prepare to babysit your boyfriend after he drinks himself into a self-medicating stupor. After the Spring/Summer 09 season, Rykiel Homme will be no longer. After 18 years the label's finally closing down because, says Nathalie Rykiel, it contributes little to the overall capital of the Rykiel brand. We don't really know what we would do if the news were that the women's line were folding. No, this will probably never happen, but it does strike a sensitive chord.
With all the Splendids and LaRoks of the world, thriving on sequins and jersey pullovers, we feel a little sad that a brand so sophisticated can't justify its own existence. It's a business, we have to remember, and one were a comparison between Rykiel Homme and LaRok is, fine, slightly inappropriate. But, c'mon! It just doesn't seem right. The only thing this does do, however, is build a sense of anticipation for another exciting season of shows, one where brands fold, where they're accepted into the canon, where they inspire so many knock-offs that our younger siblings are wearing the latest trends before we even return to New York. That's the marvel of fashion after all, you know, it's always changing.
We have always admired women that effortlessly combine prints. We can barely even stomach wearing one print let along pull off the styling miracle that strong print combinations require. But we were impressed by how easy SheFind's Guide to Wearing Multiple Prints was to follow. She has a few fantastic combinations we feel like we could pull off. We particularly liked her advice to choose similar prints in different sizes.
Everything about the Spring 08 collection by Sonia Rykiel gives us chills. The show began with 70's inspired brights, a yellow head wrap that is the 'hats are back' poster product if there ever were one and then, then there was the grand finale. With 'Paint It Black' playing in the background, feathers floating in the air, barefoot models slinking down the running, twirling, all smiles, Rykiel really gave the industry a run for their money. Nothing was more cool than these chiffon maxi dresses, nothing more nude, more transparent, more sexy (i.e. nothing more representative of what would be the major trends of the season) than this. And even if there was an air of rock n' roll, a wink at acid tripping hippies, the angelic sweetness of these garments made it all seem very fun if slightly innocent. For our Friday Video Indulgence, check out the Spring 08 Rykiel runway show and, what we thought of when we first saw this collection, the trailer to the Virgin Suicides. If this season ends up anything like Rykiel's collection, it's going to be one hot summer.