If Michel Gondry Made Clothes...

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I'd imagine Maison Martin is somewhere smiling to himself at this new SS11 collection... well, at least I was. Sure, some of the outfits from the collection will only appeal to a handful of people and the other half is practically unwearable but you can't help but smile. Seriously.

(And also: doesn't some of the clothes look like the MMM team let Michel Gondry take a stab at designing? Or that they were watching a lot of Gondry videos and movies. Straight-up dream sequence.)



We all know the Nicole Phelps from Style.com was not a fan. But some things are wearable and I'm a total sucker for huge clutches. Yeah. Total. Sucker.

Is there such a thing as fashion week overload?

Perhaps.

It doesn't actually stop me from being excited. I was excited about Paris Fashion week namely for Dries Van Noten. It was... okay. But then I saw the "Carven" link and I clicked on it. I never really paid attention or thought about Carven mostly because it's not really a brand I'm familiar with... until recenty. I was flipping through my Japanese magazine and they featured this beautiful Carven spread. Anyhow, back to the Paris Fashion Week offering by Carven:

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First it was the shoes with it's whimsical bow that caught my eye but then the outfits were easily just as cute. They're nothing new but the good ol' basics well-put together.

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According to Nicole Phelps the designer was going for "Bourgeois, but with a nasty side"... I'm not sure about that but Guillaume Henry (the designer) definitely borrowed from the boys to create these looks. Certainly not a new trick but works in his favor.

The Mighty Colabs

Okay. Let me start off by saying that I know more than a few people (e.g., Susie Bubble and Nitrolicious) who have gushed about the shoe collaborations of SS11 at NYFW... but I'm comfortable enough to admit that I am equally smitten.

courtesy of style bubble

Suno x Loeffler Randall. *gush gush gush*.

Is anything really more beautiful, currently? No. This moment, my mind is filled with images of these shoes --- it's quite unhealthy, really. I admit it...

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I really like the whimsical nature of the mixed prints but I see these shoes are more or less the centerpiece of the whole outfit. Skinnies + white v-neck + Suno X Loeffler Randall platforms = <3

original images were from susie bubble

Chris Benz x Alejandro Ingelmo. Platforms are the way to my heart when it comes to shoes. They are the shoe equivalent of a pair of yellow silk pants. The Shoe Snob knows the story behind the collab, so I won't elaborate further cos, well, I just want to gawk like an awkward teenage boy.

images via imelda.com

Remember how I was gushing about the shoes at the Karen Walker SS 11 show? It dawned on me to just look it up and see if it's KW's or some sort of awesome collaboration. Lo and behold, another collaboration has taken place --- Karen Walker x Beau Coops.  Although this isn't their first shoe collab, it's definitely a 360 from what they made for Sass & Bide.

Also: I am strangely drawn to platform loafers --- is that weird?

I still blame Chie Mihara for all this shoe lust but what can I say? I love really like shoes.

The Tale of 2 Rebeccas

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Rebecca Minkoff showed her SS '11 collection at NYFW. Some of the outfits were a little uninspired but I have a soft spot for her quirky linings inside her bag (yeah... the lining) so I picked my top 3. Like I always say, I would not say no to yellow pants.

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If I had to play favourites and you were to ask me which was my favourite Rebecca, I'd say R. Taylor. The woman does unfussy-feminine like no other. And front zips at the bottom of pants? C'mon. What's not to love?

Rodarte v2.0

via style.com --- i really love the "see it move" option

After a fun-filled year of Target collab, Mac X Rodarte controversy (of the politically-incorrectness nature), the Mulleavys arrived at NYFW with an interesting collection.



Not to say I'm not a fan but collections of yesterseasons never really made my heart skip - they were too artsy and a little impractical for my needs. But this SS11 collection is something else. Interesting prints and sculptured pieces are still very obviously Rodarte in its nature but there is something more whole and coherent this time. I'm a fan, for sure.

Karen Walker, You've Outdone Yourself.

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Oh Karen Walker. You've redeemed* yourself with this collection. It makes me all giddy and happy about spring/summer. Uh. I know. It's autumn now... I should really think about jackets/coats right now.

I still haven't found printed pants I want to wear yet but seeing the SS11 collection keeps hope afloat.

*FW10 was... less than awesome. I'm sorry. 

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I would not say no to yellow silk pants. Or the shoes. Well. Really, any of the outfits. Just saying.

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(Speechless).
Oh, wait, no. Middle outfit is so pajama-y. Doesn't it remind you of that stylish grandma I was creeping on, on the bus?

For now, I will keep my eye out on Maximillia for the shoes featured in the 3rd picture above (and several other times on other models/outfits). They are absolutely adorable (or at least seemingly so from the pictures I've seen).

Andy, You're a Star

(like that Killers' song.)
(As in Andrew Rosen of Theory-fame).

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There's minimalism done right and then there's "I'm-trying-too-hard-to-be-edgy-minimalism."

This is obviously the "done-right" kind.

Okay, I Was Wrong.

Remember how I was hating on the so-very white spring/summer '11 collections? I was wrong. My sincerest apologies.

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How perfect are these outfits? Really.

I've always had a sort of secret crush on Adam Lippes. Can you blame me? And that 3rd picture right there is totally a throwback to his Oscar de la Renta days.

(EDIT: Haha. Controversy, controversy. Check out fashionista's take on Mr. Lippes middle outfit. I forgive him if it's on purpose. She's awesome and I'd copy her too.)

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Mona Kowalska, you're my lady this spring/summer (so far). Everyone who knows me, knows that the way to my wallet is through print (and/or prints of animals). And there's also a sort of calm sensibility about Kowalska's design that it's simple but not without charm.

And is that a romper in the first picture? Yeah. I thought I pretty much gave up the romper once everyone and their mama (I'd say grandma but if people's grandmas were wearing rompers, I'd be in. Totally) were sporting it --- but look, I'm entitled to change my opinion... yes?

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See. I changed my opinion about the all-white ensembles. Look. Proof above. And I know I could've picked more summery outfits from the collection but the all gray look still appeals (I blame you, Scott Sternberg... again). And the middle outfit is pure tongue-in-cheek-whimsical. It's like wearing an umbrella as a shirt and another umbrella as a jacket (in the best possible way, mind you).

Oh, you got me.

I saw more updated collections on style.com and I was about to stop checking out the spring/summer '11 collections because everyone is making super white, super boring clothes (albeit, very crisp looking). White is awesome but everything is just so... so... bland.

But then I saw the "Steven Alan" link and thought that the man never failed me before, maybe he won't now. He didn't. (Thank God).

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Seeing this collection makes me summer ready, all over again.

But until then, I can just obsess over fall/winter clothes instead.

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Red capes are adorable. And a printed dress with birds on it?... sold & sold.

Rachel Comey, I forgive you.

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I was filling out an application for school and I was talking about how your favourite designers will sometimes let you down with a bad collection. I almost feel that way about RC's SS11 but I reflected and she did a lot of minimalistic looks and that's the equivalent of hating on a white v-neck shirt. Cannot be done.

I guess she spoiled me last SS.

Look:

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