Paris Fashion Week - Chanel

Every season sets and collection themes seem to be getting more and more detailed and this AW17 Chanel wasn't cutting back on anything.  The Space themed show was complete with a rocket that actually lifted off at the end of the show.  

The show was set in the Grand Palais, which was built in 1900 for the Universal Exhibition, and is basically now used as an event space, or for elaborate fashion shows. With the rocket in the centre models walked the stark white catwalk in silver, sparkly tweed.  The neckline shapes were similar to that of a space suit minus the helmut, and the hair was reminiscent of a helmut, very 1960s space age.  The silver glitter boots were amazing.

My favourite looks below, view the whole collection here 

Paris Fashion Week - Giambattista Valli

Okay, so I was originally going to write about he wonder that is Valentino in all of it's beauty and glory, but the Giambattista Valli was so amazing that I just had to share it with you.  And the Valentino show was a bit of a disappointment.  

Only since I have become a stylist and have been stalking the Vogue website looking at different designer's runway shows have I discovered Giambattista Valli.  More of a designer to get your gala dress from, I found his collection for AW17 to be quite dreamy.  The black, white, and red colour palette was mixed with ruffles, ribbons, and great cherry and strawberry details.  Some looks were mixed with Nike running leggings which you could totally see going from the gym to a night out, just throw on an amazing top.  The Victorian style lace up boots were prefect with all of the lace and ruffles.  

Below are my favourites, see the full collection here.

Milan Fashion Week - Colour

We are seeing alot of colour in Milan, and really in every fashion city.  Don't get me wrong, black also seems to be quite prominent.  Below are my favourite ways designers are using colour at the Milan shows!

Armani

Armani

Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta

Fendi

Fendi

Gucci

Isa Arfen

Jil Sander

Missoni

Missoni

Missoni

Prada

Prada

Prada

Versace

Versace

Vionnet

Vivetta

All images taken from vogue.com

Milan Fashion Week - Gucci's Evolution

Gucci has definitely been having a moment for the last couple of seasons, I think really since designer Alessandro Michele has started designing for fashion house.  The designing, along with the styling, is amazing.  He takes simple things, a cat on a sweater, and makes them really beautiful, something that could definitely look like a sweater a 70 yearly grandmother would wear is now super chic.  And season after season he is definitely building on that signature aesthetic that is now Gucci.  It is interesting to see how it evolves.  He follows his own rules, and as the collections have evolved he has included much more menswear.  I will say that I did not love the collection for AW17 there was a bit too much happening, each element on it's own is beautiful, but sometimes when put all together it makes me a bit anxious.  I would predict that for AW18 there might be a more minimalistic approach, in a different way to the pared down designs from AW15.  At some point it has to come down.

I have tried to put it together below, so you can clearly see below the evolution of the clothes, and also illustrate that "Gucci" style.  The image in each set starts with AW15, AW16, and AW17.  All of the images have come from vogue.com and you can see the full collections in the links below.

AW15
AW16
AW17

London Fashion Week - Trends

London Fashion Week, like London Collections Men, is definitely the place to find emerging designers and new talent.  There are the big design schools, like Central Saint Martins and The Royal Academy of arts who have produced design genius such as Alexander McQueen and Erdem, who are producing young designers.  You will see a lot of lesser known designers in London, but way more creative than New York.

Some trends that I see coming through now that there has been 2 show weeks, plaids, especially in gray, metallics and sequins, I think it's that whole women empowerment stance, and fur details, particularly as sleeves, collars, and pockets.  Below are the trends pulled from LFW.

Metallics and Sequins

Emilia Wickstead

Erdem

Ashish

Christopher Kane

J.W. Anderson

Markus Lupfer

Roksanda

Temperly London

Plaids

Daks

Erdem

Markus Kupfer

Mulberry

Fur Details

David Koma

Mary Katrantzou

House of Holland