Gaucho girl

Paris Fashion week has got to be the most exquisite of fashion weeks. Pulling in the best of fashion after creative London and innovative Milan. The Spring 2009 collections were no exception to the expected luxe of Paris fashion houses, as well as some brits such as goth poster boy Gareth Pugh

Hermès Spring 2009 was nothing short of wonderful - Designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, the tasseled troupe was led by celebrated models Stephanie Seymour and Naomi Campbell. Cowboy chic is not exactly a naturally classy affair, but JPG expectantly pulled this off in true Hermès style - sophisticated world traveller. Tasseled jackets, lots of tan leather and white shirts and dresses cinched at the waist representing understated luxe. Accessories such as the slouchy boots and trunks intelligently separated the collection between classy & mature and trendy & playful. Perhaps its my fringed boots getting me all or the Pocahontas style fringed outfit I've set aside for a movie themed party I'm attending in November, and of course i am a true steak loving Gaucho girl.

I fell in love with the Manolo Man

Manolo Blahnik is all kinds of wonderful. After your first pair of Manolo's i can tell you that your life as you know it as a woman will never be the same again. The man in a bow tie, Manolo Blahnik was honored with the Rodeo drive Walk of Style awards from the city of Beverly Hills. A special outdoor exhibition, featuring sketches and images of Blahnik's shoes, will decorate Rodeo Drive and its surrounding streets through October 5.

Manolo Blahnik and Lucy Lui


IMAGES: Style.com

MILAN FASHION WEEK Favourite

D&G chanelling Côte d'Azur a la Coco Chanel - It was nautical chic at D&G Spring 09 at Milan fashion week. The French Riviera-esque affair could easily be mistaken for a Chanel collection notably inspired by her Cote d'azur villa. Blue and red stripes, gold buttons, sailor paraphernalia to the max. This is one of my most adored trends; the first outfit completely whetted my appetite with the white and blue striped one piece with red anchor, neck tied scarf and blue long cardigan. The tailored high waist pants, white shorts, tweed jackets and gold lame coat were simply exquisite and almost more luxurious than the usual youthfulness of previous D&G collections.

Bad girl-palooza

Alice Dellal for Alexander Wang

Bad girl-palooza Fall 2008

Good girls are hot, Bad girls are hotter. It doesn't get badder than Alice Dellal.
Chanelling my inner rock chic, its bad girl-palooza this fall and I'm going off the deep end. Key pieces are Leather-esque pants, spray on jeans , leather bandage skirts, black lace a la Prada SS09, The Row t shirts a la MK and Ashley Olsen and Karl Lagerfeld cigarette pants. Chains, zips and studs are excellent embellishments for the success of this look and accessories such as the ankle boots, fetish heels from Balenciaga and Azzedine Alaia.


The Row


Azzedine Alaia Gladiator sandals




Alexander Wang SS09


Alexander Wang and Erin Wasson

Alexander Wang is the new bad girl poster boy, swapping muses from Erin Wasson to Alice Dellal, his SS09 collection at New york fashion week whetted the appetites of young fashion junkies. There is an equally fab concession in selfridges, trust that i'll be stalking it. This fall, Topshop's premium line, Unique is packed with silk shirts, slouchy cardies, capes, and lots of leather, zips and studs.


Marc by Marc T shirt Fall 2008

I would naturally represent this baditude movement in shabby chic style; 'off the deep end' Marc by Marc jacobs tee, spray on jeans, super high ankle boots, black boyfriend blazer - dark eyeliner and red lipstick to go, throw on the Chanel clutch, no...drop the Chanel clutch, pile on the gold chains and off i go. This is easy to pull off for those days i just cannot be bothered to maintain LLBC look (Le Left Bank Chic). So much for being high maintenance.

SEX LIES and VOLLEYBALL

Henry Holland's SS09 collection at London fashion week was a playful spectacle, but that's about all it was. Not exactly a fashion trendsetter, more like a rebellious queen. I was eager to see the capsule collection jeans for Levi's 501, and of course aggy rocked it. As mentioned in my earlier post about these spotty pants, i think i'd like to try them on, but i do not want my beau showing up chez moi sporting these.
Fashion journalists tagged the show as 'channeling 90210', which has been Holland's inspiration for the 501 collection; polka dots and flowers were the order of the day.





The collection also included the odd bustier floaty dress worn by aggy, frilly dresses and skirts in vibrant yellow and blue and more polka dots on cut out jeans and knee length leggings. This playful spectacle concluded with spectators receiving another of Holland's recent design collaborations; Printed Wrigley's Extra gum packs....whatever next???

London Fashion Week Day 3 & 4

FASHION WEEK FAVS Aquascutum and Vivienne Westwood are consistent in delivering fabulous collections for LONDON FASHION WEEK.











Aquascutum is known to impress with their simple yet exquisite tailoring as well as the fluid colors that run through its collections. The SS09 show was a tranquil scene with two or perhaps three colors; white, blue and black making the entire collection. Dazzling white jackets, intricate embroidery on mesh vests and dresses, and another modern take on the trench coat with this blue satin-finish fabric created a fabulous collection and a breathe of air.


'Queen Vivienne', ever the political fashion designer or dare i say, anti-political - with her body constructing dresses, whetted my appetite with another fabulous collection for her Red label. T4 VJ Alexa Chung made a model worthy appearance on the runway; i do love to hate her i must say.

It girl/T4 VJ/model - Alexa Chung




Dame Vivienne Westwood and Jourdan Dunn

LFW parties...Henry holland for Levi's 501

Henry Holland for Levi's 501

London fashion week day three, the list of parties are just as exciting as the shows for SS09; I am especially eyeing Marie Claire's 20th anniversary and the Levi's 501 jeans party. Levi has collaborated with Henry Holland to design a capsule collection based on the original 501 jeans. This will be an integral part of his SS09 collection showing on the 17th of September for London fashion week. The day after I sure will be checking out these polka dotted pants at the men's Superbrands floor in Selfridges..if i only i had a metro/uber sexual to shop for.

London Fashion Week Day 1 & 2

Luella SS09


Straight from New york fashion week, fashionistas flock the National History museum for another week of full on fashion extravaganza. Its day two and we have seen fashion week starter Topshop Unique channeling bananarama with love-hearts prints, scarfs, brightly colored jumpsuits and stone wash denim, Luella with those london-esque girly rocker dresses, and of course PPQ; quintessential rock chick. The jumpsuit; my new favourite outfit was also a trend at New york fashion week and is set to become a firm favourite for Spring Summer 2009 shoppers. Candy coloured yellow and sugar pink and 80's stone wash jeans were also popular these past couple of days. So far, I'm loving The spring summer 09 collections, can't say the same for the bank balance.




PPQ SS09




Topshop Uniquqe SS09

Fashion and Film: Prada Fall 08

Film has increasingly become the obsession du jour in fashion. Short films are now used to showcase new collections as well as replace the usual advertisements we have become used to. Muccia Prada treated over 1,500 to Prada's latest animation at the Prada Broadway Epicentre in New York. The film is produced by James Lima using the latest cyber scanning technology where the body is scanned, recorded and animated. This animation is in conjunction with the lace themed Prada Fall 08. References are made to the greats of modern art, such as Duchamp, Dali, Buñuel, and Escher, as the woman and her shadow take a journey through different landscapes in what i call 'reality animation'. Lima says, "The shadow is more alive and expressive than the woman."

Prada's Fallen Shadows







The lace in this collection is not quite pretty, yet not quite sexual, but most definitely provocative in its elusiveness. Strutting down the steep spiral runway, the models are clad in opaque suiting, under layered with nude colored dresses/shirt dresses with matching patent cone heels, gradually shifting to full on lace skirts, and dresses further intensifying the struggle between the covered up suiting and the transparency of the lace. Character filled fashion I say.







Photos and video - Style.com

I'm a Modelizer

David Gandy for Dolce and Gabbana Light blue

I cannot figure out what I'm most mesmerized by; David Gandy in that skimpy number or the of the exchange between these two beauties. A total 'modelizer' i am, although this obsession is strictly reserved for high fashion models. As i watch replay after replay after replay, i wish so hard to switch places with either of them. Actually, I'm dying to be in the sun, sporting my sailor-esque two piece with my hands running through my drenched hair...

CUT!!!

modelizer = total model obsessive

Fashion is my future, Not Jay Z

So I've got my doll dress on and making my way to the Victor & Rolf Dolls exhibition. I'm also to attend this talk called, Fashion and Celebrity, the influence of Hollywood on fashion; notoriety. Amongst other fashion literati to attend are, Bronwyn Cosgrave, author of Made for Each Other: Fashion & The Academy Awards, Hadley Freeman, Deputy Fashion Editor, The Guardian and Roger Tredre, founder of the daily fashion journalist newswire, WGSN.

Its 7pm and i'm just about to leave my apartment, definitely no manolos on feet, because i don't run in them you see. In the mean time L is waiting for me with the most delish tickets for the o2 wireless festival, he's already rocking to Mark Ronson and calling me every second to make it before Jay Z comes on, like his life depends on it. But i try convincing him of the reality of my ambitious future which includes fashion and not Jay Z. Choosing between meeting the deputy fashion editor of the Guardian and the top boss at WGSN (the largest and most influential fashion resource) and screaming Hova!!!!!!!!!! Not an option. (To be honest i spent the entire day waiting for my press pass to come through and trying to calculate how i can make it to both events, before i saw the light)

To my delight the talk was very insightful, and sure i had opinions; from Victoria Beckham's campaign for Marc Jacobs, to Donatella Verscace calling Obama her new 'muse' - man of the moment.

I smell an Obama/Versace Menswear campaign, with Obama all bronzed and oiled slouching on a gold medusa engraved chair in a bronze suit, shirt half unbuttoned (as he usually wears his shirt), perhaps throw in Giselle, smudgy eyes and all in a goddess dress crawling at his feet....OK I'm getting carried away here.

The Doll exhibition was divine, i need to blog entirely on it...I need to fetch my Vitor & Rolf Dolls post cards and notes.....Right now Nadal needs me!

Can i get a Press Pass...pleeeeeeeeeeeease

I'm published, finally. I say finally as if i have been struggling as a journo for ages, but this is the best present ever, just fabulous. The cartoon lady on my column has a booty on her, not saying i dont, because of course i do, but all i'm saying is she looks more beyonce-ish than i do, not that i'm complaining as i am of course in love with my body and myself, okay..................

Now I have to practice on getting all those press passes.

The past week has been amazing from disvirgining our zen garden with champagne and caviar, only to wake up the next day with what i call grass attack to jetting to the humingbird bakery in south kensington just for some devine red velvet cupcakes a la 2000 calories for my 22nd birthday party. I even made the mojitos from scratch, as a friend asked..."oh my gosh Lerato...where did you get mint from?"..."eerrr, they have got mint in tesco darling". ROFLMAO

Gosh i feel old....and fat too!!!

p.s: I'm watching Nadal at the Wimbledon semi-finals and blogging at the same time, do not judge me for rambling!

Black is the new Black

PS: People should stop getting their knickers in a twist sending text messages saying BUY VOGUE, FIRST ALL BLACK ISSUE...errrrm its Vogue Italia/Italian Vogue.....in Italian OKAY!!!! So buy Vogue Italia.




Uma Turman is on the cover of Vogue UK July 2008 issue, and Nicole Kidman graces the US July 2008 issue.

Now that i've gotten over my bad morning, here's the main story!

Vogue Italia is set to inspire change in the fashion industry with an all black issue shot by photographer extraudinaire, Steven Meisel.





This July edition features only black models and women in the arts and entertainment industry. It is an open secret that black models get the short end of the stick with jobs on the catwalk, in magazines and on billboards. Industry executives have been quoted as saying, "ethnic models do not inspire women to spend money", of course with the exception of model supremo Naomi Campbell a big hit on the catwalk, and on major magazine commercials like Louis Vuitton.

Controversial editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia Franca Sozzani says she was inspired by Barrack Obama's success in the US presidential primaries. Meisel photographed Naomi Campbell, Iman, Tyra Banks, Liya Kebede, Jourdan Dunn, Alek Wek and Pat Cleveland, among others.

Model du jour, Jordan Dunn graces the cover.......

Now i say what happened to asian models since we want to to get all concerned???