Proenza Schouler Rock Candy Realness

Mixed Media Dressing Continues

What Proenza started this season carries on in the Spring 2013 European collections with Dries Van Noten showing a delicious palette of mix and match

Light and airy layers in muted colors seems referential to 90's grunge but still feminine and carefree.

Plus pointed toe shoes march forward as the new heel silhouette.

Proenza Schouler: Master Mixers

Project Runway All Stars Austin vs Mondo: Miss Piggy is the Client!

Work it out!

Most of the designers were floored by the opportunity to dress such a fashionable figure in pop culture. How they composed themselves at all is beyond my fathoming....

                         (Austin)                                                                                        (Mondo)                                

Oh, that's right, they didn't! 

Blech, guys. What happened here? Both dresses are far too referential. Austin's is straight up Proenza Schouler for Target 

While Mondo's look is cribbed from Bryce Howard Dallas in "The Help" 

Damn! Down to that unfortunate helmet hair! 

Either way, both were literal and literally AWFUL! 

If I have to chose, Austin, you sneak by with this week based entirely on styling. Your model's hair and youthful energy are far more Piggy than that Betty Ford look of Mondo's

(Stealing Angela Lindvall's thunder!)

So the score is:

Austin  2

Mondo 1

Don't be too excited, Senor, that was a default point. You better step it up!

It's Gonna Get Chilly Soon

Yeah it's all Indian Summer round 3 out, but may I remind you the nip in the air ain't going nowhere. Soon you're gonna need a chic little jacket to keep you warm but still lookin' hot.

Might I suggest

NEW with Tags Proenza Schouler tweed motorcycle style blazer, size small, $199.95

Yeah, in my Ebay store. What?! 

Here's your chance: http://www.ebay.com/itm/320771098381?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_912wt_1344

Sarah Jessica Parker Leaving is the Least of Halston's Issues

Sarah Jessica Parker, Chief Creative officer of Halston Heritage, let it slip in the August cover article of American Vogue that her role "recently came to an end"

But with so many American labels battling for the NOW (first lady endorsed Jason Wu, CFDA winners Proenza Schouler, perennial favorite Marc Jacobs, buzz brand Prabal Gurung and more) and many European lines embracing American sportswear and 70's disco dressing, Halston's role has long been questionable

(Marc Jacobs)

Will the real Halston please stand up?   

   

                                   (Vionnet)

(Lanvin)






Unfortunately, the year 2011 doesn't allow for much laurel resting and Halston Heritage even told you upfront that it was the sum of its former glories

Yes there was in-battling between the creative and business sides, but, hello? Welcome to fashion (or really any creative artistic business). More likely is Halston's undefined role in American fashion and the world stage of dressing. 




Sarah Jessica did her best to promote the line, but I personally am not surprised at this news. Re-incarnating storied 70's American sportswear labels (Anne Klein, Bill Blass, etc.) has proven an uphill battle. This is just another example, I'm afraid. 

RESORT to This: Hello Yellow

Here's lemon in your eye!

(Chris Benz keeps it cool as a tall glass of lemonade)

Resort collections have been bursting with juicy citrus and sweet buttery yellows and I couldn't be happier (personal bias since yellow's my favorite color)

(Two trends at once: Lemon chiffon and a bright over-sized tote at Bottega Veneta)

Over the past month (Resort is a leisurely affair with designers presenting their collections over a much wider window of time than the 2 big Weeks) everyone from classic labels like Chanel and Giambattista Valli...

(Chanel, why must you remind me that I could be eating cake right now?!)

to youthful downtown designers like Proenza Schouler and Chris Benz have displayed the myriad of ways yellow is a fresh, modern color that looks good on everyone

(Color blocking lemon yellow with black white and a darker goldenrod, Proenza Schouler keep with their tribal and 70's influences) 

(Preppy 50's sweater girl style at Lela Rose)

(Asian influenced silk and prints at Preen in a rich topaz-y yellow)

(This mixed media paneled dress/coat was a personal fave from a strong show by Giambattista Valli)

(Yellow's for the dudes too as shown at Burberry)

If you're worried of looking jaundicey, perhaps the most efficacious way to utilize yellow is as an accent

(Versace's yellow purse pops against a graphic black and white sports-influenced look)

Proenza Schouler Say That Omnipresent Street Urchin Look is Out

There's a really great interview with designers Jack and Lazaro of Proenza Schouler from the latest "Grazia" circulating the web right now. 


Most blogs have focused on their controversial quote about how people can afford a clothing line even the designers themselves confess to being to poor to afford. That's pretty good copy, I agree, but I took to this quote too

"We are also tired of the shoes with the studs and the whole biker-jacket thing," says Lazaro.

"It's so common," Jack says.

"We work on Broadway near Topshop and are so over seeing all those young girls showing so much skin," Lazaro says.

 Good for you, boys! Time for folks to stop spending so much money to look like they crawled out of some 80's zombie movie.