Backstage at Chloé S/S 2010

What makes our Chloé girls look so radiant? You are going to be oohing when learning models were wearing few or almost no makeup during the Spring/Summer 2010 editions. While summer feels like starting over the city of New York, I was left wondering what would be the beauty trend of this season. Like I always mention “natural” looks will leave your skin flawless and sculptured like our beloved models. As I would rather leave it to beauty experts to talk about make-up, nude tones or something a bit “bronzed” are suggested to create this natural glow on-the-go. If you would like to make a statement, at Versace, we could notice a splash of purple pastel around the eyes which could be a great replacement to the smokey eyes effect.

Constance Jablonski at Chloé

Natasha Poly

This Australian-based brand with a Japanese name has seen joys and tears over the past years. When becoming one of the hottest denim brand alongside with Acne, Ksubi designers George Gorrow, Dan Single, Paul Wilson, and Oscar Wright did not expect voluntarily filing for bankruptcy in an attempt to revamp the company’s management and find the right business model. Despite the bad financial situation, the designers/surfers decided to continue to “let the good times roll” for their 10th anniversary collection.

And there is no doubt the brand wants its “cool” status back with a new line obviously inspired by the biker-chic meets the Australian surfer. Denim is obviously a big part of the collection while leather vests over unbuttoned shirts and cropped denim shorts are serving the grungy aesthetic. Black sheer tops and floral prints add a layer of good girl gone wild. Let’s hope the new line called “Successful Business” will be their turning point to a new decade.

This editorial from the June issue of the French Vogue is Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci way to celebrate her new coup de foudre with female hip-hop singer Ciara. After 5 years at the head of the French design house, Riccardo still has the eye to find his muses. Away from her usual image of a popular R&B singer, Ciara looks fantastic and poses confidently as if her modeling career had not started just for this shoot. The editorial is ferociously good and, as usual when directed by Riccardo Tisci himself, it inhibits his sexy, dark and gothic vision. You won’t have any doubt that Ciara can fulfill her role for the French house after watching her reinventing the French Crazy Horse in the music video Love Sex Magic.

Or this post should probably be called Trends I am Seriously Sick Of Part 2, but it would be too selfish of myself. So I speak for the people, the people who have to silently endure watching the most horrible trends hit the streets.

1) Clogs. Even Laura Ingalls would not wear these while rolling on the hill near her Little House. Eat it, hide it, burn it.

2) High-waisted denims. What the hell is that about?

3) Wedges.  Were first used by prostitutes and courtesans in Europe in the 18th Century to avoid the muck of urban streets…

4) Ripped tights. Read again above.

5) Really deep v-necks. The men’s version of the low cut…

6) Beanies. Unless you are a construction worker or hiding your greasy hair after a punk concert, avoid the slouchy hat, this is not chic.

Discover the Trends You Are Sick Of Part 1

Dior Resort 2011 collection in Shanghai

It’s cute, girly, polished, lavish, peach-and-creamy and all things 60’s. A resort collection by a John Galliano revisiting the feminine retro clothing from the 60’s but way too uninspired and cliché. For a cruise collection, this collection is certainly irrelevant as much as resort collections are irrelevant to the consumers in my opinion. Perhaps not for the buyers trying to create more demand than it currently exists and selling luxury clothes as quickly as possible when consumers value worth for their money. Even if it means transgressing seasons and increasing pressure on designers to deliver three or even six collections a year. You may ask Karl Lagerfeld who had probably designed 7 collections already in 2010. Resort/cruise collections are just gimmicky and unsustainable lines where timelessness is valued.

Anyway, what else could I say on this Dior collection? Nice marketing stunt at the gate of the Chinese market, same place where Chanel did its 2010 Cruise presentation. So not surprising. Next year, it will be Louis Vuitton or Versace. But with all the respect I have for Dior and Galliano, I think the French house has a huge and distinct Fashion heritage that it hurts to see it just became a sheep following the pack.

Malgosia Bela for Self-Service #32

This month, I had promised myself to stay away from my newsstand. The source of my fanatical addiction to fashion magazines. The place where I could spend hundreds of dollars buying magazines to buildup my crazy collection of editorials on glossy paper. Nonetheless, I must admit I am pretty proud of this collection and that one day will be (hopefully) super useful. Hello Vogue, Elle, Purple, i-D et al. here comes a new friend. The temptation was too hard and finally grabbed a copy of the latest Spring issue from Self-Service magazine. This is when I inadvertently fell in love for a few photos of Malgosia Bela and Anna Selezneva making appearances in a stunning editoral artwork and the beautiful Carmen Kass dressed in the hottest clothes of the season. This is all shot by photographer/editor-chief/creative director of Self Service magazine Ezra Petronio. Even though the style and artwork reminds me of the lookbook signature-style of photography Juergen Teller, I am a total sucker for this. At the same time I could not resist either to the most beautiful cheekbones in the industry that has Anna Selezneva.

Anna Selezneva for Self-Service #32

Carmen Kass for Self-Service #32

For their upcoming issue #65, V Magazine generously sent me sneak previews of some of their new editorials. The photoshoot by monopolistic Terry Richardson and friends Miranda Kerr, Bar Refaeli and Raquel Zimmermann will probably drive you to get lost on Paradise Island with attractive sirens wearing the latest swimsuit of the season. Or this Alexander McQueen-esque editorial will bring you some chills with the sight of Dafne Cejas playing a dramatic widows in the Buenos Aires underworld wearing face-covering dresses from the pre-fall collections. You will easily recognize the Chanel Paris-Shanghai black gown and the Givenchy sheer tulle blouse. It feels good to see something a bit different these days when most of the editorials mostly look alike.