WOMENSWEAR: NEW YORK /

DURING NEW YORK FASHION WEEK OSCAR DE LA RENTA SHOWCASED HIS FALL/WINTER 2012 COLLECTION, AND LAUNCHED A THREE MONTH SOCIAL MEDIA PROJECT ENTITLED ‘THE BOARD’. THE BOARD IS A SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLET THAT ALLOWS ANYONE WORLDWIDE TO SUBMIT INSPIRATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS OR ILLUSTRATIONS WHICH ARE THEN STREAMED LIVE TO A SCREEN THAT SITS IN OSCAR DE LA RENTA’S OFFICE/ATELIER. FROM THIS, OSCAR DE LA RENTA HOPES TO DRAW THE INSPIRATION AND TONE FOR HIS UPCOMING RESORT 2013 COLLECTION. [CLICK HERE TO VISIT: THE BOARD]

OSCAR DE LA RENTA’S FALL/WINTER 2012 COLLECTION BARED A YOUTHFUL AND CONVIVIAL APPROACH. THIS WAS MOST EVIDENT IN THE SHORTER HEMLINES, EMBELLISHMENTS, THE COLOUR PALETTE OF ICE BLUES AND PALE PINKS, THE YOUTHFULNESS OF THE MODEL’S HAIR, AND THE SMILES THAT DAWNED UPON THE RUNWAY. HOWEVER IN TRUE TO OSCAR DE LA RENTA FASHION, THE ‘PARK AVENUE PRINCESS' STILL REMAINED VERY MUCH PART OF THIS COLLECTION.

IT IS VERY INTERESTING TO SEE THE DYNAMIC ROLE SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYS IN FASHION. IF YOU FOLLOW ‘OSCARPRGIRL’ ON TWITTER, YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE SOCIAL MEDIA HOLDS AT THE HOUSE OF OSCAR DE LA RENTA, THEREFORE IT IS NO SURPRISE OF THE DIRECTION MR. DE LA RENTA IS TAKING WITH HIS BRAND.

PHOTO SOURCE: UNKNOWN

WOMENSWEAR: NEW YORK /

WHAT SETS NEW YORK FASHION WEEK APART FROM LONDON, MILAN OR PARIS IS THE INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF UP AND COMING DESIGNERS SHOWCASING EACH SEASON. YOU GET TO GO ON A JOURNEY WITH THESE DESIGNERS AS THEY MATURE AND BUILD AN INDENTY FOR BOTH THEMSELVES AND THEIR BRAND. IT ALMOST FEELS NAOSTALGIC SEEING THESE DESIGNERS MATURE, AS YOU FEEL YOU’VE SEEN THEM GROW RIGHTBEFORE YOUR EYES. THIS CAN BE SAID ABOUT KATE AND LAURA MULLEAVY [RODARTE], PRABAL GURUNG, AND ZAC POSEN JUST TO NAME A FEW.

FOR FALL/WINTER 2012 ALEXANDER WANG DID JUST THAT. FROM HIS FIRST COLLECTION [2007] TO HIS MOST RECENT COLLECTION SHOWN DURING NEW YORK FASHION WEEK, YOU CAN SEE SUCH REFINEMENT AND MATURITY TOWARDS HIS DESIGNS. ALTHOUGH MAINTAINING HIS ‘DOWNTOWN’ AESTHETIC, THE FABRICS AND SILHOUTTES THEMSELVES LEANED TOWARDS A MORE REFINED LUXURIOUS APPROACH. DEMONSTRATING THAT THE BRAND CAN APPEAL TO A MUCH BROADER AUDIENCE. WITH THE SUCCESS ALEXANDER WANG HAS HAD THUS FAR, AND THE EXPANSION OF HIS COMPANY I AM VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING IN WHICH DIRECTIONG HE WILL GO.

PHOTO SOURCE: VOGUE.UK

COUTURE: PARIS /

AT FIRST GLANCE RICCARDO TISCI'S SPRING/SUMMER HAUTE COUTURE COLLECTION FOR THE HOUSE OF GIVENCHY WAS NOT MY FAVOURITE. HOWEVER, I SHORTLY REALIZED THE COLLECTION'S BEAUTY WAS ALL IN THE EXQUISITE DETAILING.

IN A SEVEN YEAR CAREER AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT GIVENCHY, RICCARDO HAS REALLY DEFINED HIS IDENTITY AS A DESIGNER. THIS COLLECTION SHOWS A LEVEL OF MATURITY AND A VERY DEFINITE POINT OF VIEW.

THE CROCODILE PIECES ACCOUNTED FOR OVER THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY HOURS OF PRECISE CRAFTSMANSHIP. THIS ENTAILED CUTTING EACH INDIVIDUAL CROCODILE SCALE, NUMBERING, DYING, AND RESEWING EACH PIECE BACK ONTO A TULE BODY. THIS COLLECTION WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

PHOTO SOURCE: VOGUE.UK

MENSWEAR: PARIS /

RICCARDO TISCI FOR GIVENCHY WAS A PLAY OF MONOCHROMATIC PALETTES, REFINED TAILORING, BALANCED WITH HARD-EDGED SPORTSWEAR.

STEFANO PILATI FOR YVES SAINT LAURENT SHOWCASED A STRONG COLLECTION OF MILITARY INFLUENCED PIECES WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SEX APPEAL.

PHOTO SOURCE: PURPLEDIARY

TEN RULES OF STYLE BY RICK OWENS /

01. 
I'M NOT GOOD AT SUBTLETY. IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE DISCREET AND QUIET, THEN JUST GO ALL THE WAY AND HAVE THE BALLS TO SHAVE OFF YOUR EYEBROWS, BLEACH YOUR HAIR, AND PUT ON SOME BIG BRACELETS.

02. 
WORKING OUT IS MODERN COUTURE. NO OUTFIT IS GOING TO MAKE YOU LOOK OR FEEL AS GOOD AS HAVING A FIT BODY. BUY LESS CLOTHING AND GO TO THE GYM INSTEAD.

03. 
I'VE LIVED IN PARIS FOR SIX YEARS, AND I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT THE UGLY AMERICAN SYNDROME STILL EXISTS. SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANT TO SAY "STOP DESTROYING THE LANDSCAPE WITH YOUR OUTFIT." STILL, FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT, I'M TEMPTED TO REDO THE FANNY PACK. I LOOK AT IT AS A CHALLENGE—IT'S SOMETHING TO REACT AGAINST.

04. 
WHEN A SUIT GETS MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD IT KIND OF LOSES ME—IT HAS TO BE SHARP AND CLASSIC AND ALMOST FORTIES.

05. 
HAIR AND SHOES SAY IT ALL. EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN IS FORGIVABLE AS LONG AS YOU KEEP IT SIMPLE. TRYING TO TALK WITH YOUR CLOTHES IS PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE.

06. 
THERE'S SOMETHING A LITTLE TOO CHATTERBOXY ABOUT COLOR. RIGHT NOW I WANT BLACK, FOR ITS SHARPNESS AND PUNCTUATION.

07. 
JEAN-MICHEL FRANK, THE THIRTIES INTERIOR AND FURNITURE DESIGNER, SUPPOSEDLY HAD 40 IDENTICAL DOUBLE-BREASTED GRAY FLANNEL SUITS. HE KNEW HIMSELF AND IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF RESTRAINT AND EXTRAVAGANCE.

08.
 I HATE RINGS AND BRACELETS ON MEN. I'M NOT A FAN OF MAN BAGS, OR GIRL BAGS EITHER—OR EVEN SUNGLASSES. I DON'T LIKE FUSSY ACCESSORIES. ISN'T IT MORE CHIC TO BE FREE? EVERY JACKET I MAKE HAS INTERIOR POCKETS BIG ENOUGH TO STORE A BOOK AND A SANDWICH AND A PASSPORT.

09. 
WITH LAYERING, SOMETIMES THE MORE THE BETTER. WHEN YOU LAYER A LOT OF BLACK YOU'RE LIKE A WALKING LOUISE NEVELSON SCULPTURE, AND THAT'S PRETTY ATTRACTIVE. ALLOWING YOURSELF TO BE VULNERABLE IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO.

10. 
IT'S FUNNY—WHENEVER SOMEONE TALKS ABOUT RULES, I JUST WANT TO BREAK THEM. I RECOIL FROM THE WHOLE IDEA OF RULES.

PHOTO SOURCE: UNKNOWN

I'D RATHER DIE WITHOUT NEW YORK & I /

AS YOU MAY KNOW LAST WEEK I WAS IN NEW YORK CITY CELEBRATING MY TWENTY FOURTH BIRTHDAY. NEW YORK ALWAYS TENDS TO BE AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE, I GET TO LIVE MY DREAM FOR A WEEKEND, THEN RAPIDLY RETURN BACK TO REALITY. THEREFORE I ALWAYS TEND TO FEEL A BIT DISCONNECTED WHEN I GET BACK. [HENCE THE LACK OF UPDATES]

I HAD AN INCREDIBLE BIRTHDAY DINNER AT INDOCHINE FOLLOWED BY DRINKS AT LE BAIN, HOSTED BY THE WONDERFUL DREW ELLIOTT FROM PAPER MAGAZINE. I GOT A CHANCE TO MEET SOME GREAT PEOPLE WHO WERE BOTH INCREDIBLY SWEET AND HILARIOUS. ALL IN ALL I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME, ASIDE FROM FRACTURING MY THUMB WHILE TRYING TO TAKE OFF A GIVENCHY HIGH-TOP. [SOUNDS A LOT CHICER THAN IT ACTUALLY IS]

I GOT TO SEE THE DAPHNE GUINNESS EXHIBIT AT THE FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MUSEUM WITH MY FRIEND KEITH LISSNER. THE EXHIBIT WAS NOTHING BUT SPECTACULAR, HOWEVER GIVEN THE TIMELINE OF THE GARMENTS, EVERYTHING FELT A BIT TOO CURRENT. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, I JUST FELT LIKE I HAD SEEN IT BEFORE.

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE EXPERIENCES OF THIS PARTICULAR TRIP, WAS MEETING MY NEW FRIEND ANGELO D'AGOSTINO. [SINGER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR] WE HAD DRINKS AT THE MERCER HOTEL FOLLOWED BY A GREAT CONVERSATION ON WORK, FASHION, MUSIC AND OF COURSE NEW YORK. I FELT INCREDIBLY INSPIRED AFTERWARDS. I CAN'T WAIT TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH ANGELO AS HE IS SIMPLY AMAZING.

APART FROM A FEW THINGS THAT HAPPENED [I WON'T GO INTO DETAIL] I HAD A GREAT TIME IN NEW YORK AND I'M DYING TO GO BACK ALREADY. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MADE MY TRIP SO ENJOYABLE.

WORK HARD, PLAY HARDER /

AS MANY OF YOU CAN TELL I HAVEN'T BEEN POSTING MUCH CONTENT LATELY. I'VE BEEN EXTREMELY BUSY WORKING ON MY PHOTOGRAPHY AND ILLUSTRATION PORTFOLIO.

I RECENTLY GOT HIRED TO DO SOME ILLUSTRATION WORK FOR A WELL KNOWN, NEW YORK BASED STYLIST. I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED FOR THIS PROJECT.

ON A SIDE NOTE, I'LL BE VISITING NEW YORK AGAIN IN DECEMBER FOR MY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING FRIENDS, THE FIT DAPHNE GUINNESS EXHIBIT AND OF COURSE THE CITY.