From left to right: Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, BCBG Max Azria, Doo.Ri, Aquascutum, Altuzarra, Proenza Schouler, Calvin Klein

Spotted on many many collections, long sleeves are the new “laisser-aller” of the season. There is nothing more comfortable than longer sleeves to wrap your hands during the cold winter.

Anna Wintour photographed by Tommy Ton

I just checked the weather forecast and I have to tell you this week is going to suck big ass… Between the temperature that has been rising over the weekend, then the rain tomorrow afternoon and snow coming later this week. In the middle of the week expect huge temperatures rises and drops. Don’t know how to answer to the global warming effect… I wonder what would Anna Wintour wear this week? Ha, never mind, she is probably just wearing a raincoat in London this week.

Model: Alice Gibb - Photographer: Craig McDean

It may have taken me a while to write a note after the loss of the genius designer Alexander McQueen. Despite the tsunami of message of sympathy you could find all over the web, on TV and in the press, it was hard for me to really write about a designer I barely followed. Not that I have been hiding for so long in a cave, it’s just I’ve never wanted to concentrate my attention on McQueen. Back in the days, all I’ve learned in the press about Alexander McQueen is that he was a genius, a freak, a British weirdo that designs crazy and unwearable clothes. And somehow, most of his collections were favorited by Fashion Editors in eccentric, dark and gothic editorials. As a blogger, I had to start giving more attention to his work which led me to cover the extraterrestrial SS 2010 and primitive FW 2010 (menswear) collections. And this is where my young McQueen culture starts and stops, with a high anticipation of the upcoming (canceled) FW 2010 show next week in Paris.

Before writing this post I wanted to go through all the show videos and photos online until realizing that his brightness and creativity will be forever lost wherever he is resting now. Alexander McQueen was and will be probably the only designer able to make collections from scratch with his imagination defying the industry’s needs and economic objectives. Every season, every collection was a fresh wave of creativity, audacity and a clear vision that defined his work and attitude. This is probably why editors worry that the industry won’t be the same anymore. The industry worries that monotonous collections will take over his creativity and that no designer will be able to take over his legacy.

Alexander McQueen certainly left us a legacy in the industry that have inspired today’s designers. Just by looking at what I, and many others, believe is McQueen’s best collection, you can tell how much he inspired many collections and designers after his Fall 2008 Fashion Show in Paris. Right now, Lee Alexander McQueen may be resting in peace in this tree that inspired him in a day when his brilliance had never shone more brightly.

It’s one of these mornings, when the time freezes, wandering on your bed trying to put each chunks of your memories together. When all the things you’ve done become clearer and all make sense. Assembling the puzzle of your vulnerable life on this thin line that will get you to happiness. Time is a river. Once again realizing you can’t go against your nature but traveling through the storms and mountains forges your character. It’s time. Dreams fade away until the next morning.

Iceberg, John Rocha, John Varvatos

When we all thought the fedora was dead after the last Indiana Jones movie, the famous hat is still an accessory that endures across the seasons. Usually men’s favorite millinery, on the Spring 2010 runways I’ve seen fedoras all over and stylishly designed to freshen up your head. Not only intended for men, I’ve spotted some fedora on collections for women on occasions. From the beachside to the office, there is a fedora for everyone.

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After looking at the Spring 2010 boards of collections I’ve been wanting for a couple of months to share this trend I had spotted on the runways. For Spring, designers had had a fascination for youth, not to mention it in a perverse way, but the iconic Lolita spirit was definitely around. With a combination of provocative little-girl frocks, quirky embellishments with floral or crystal embroideries, and innocent accessories like the bow-tie in the hair or the Chanel clogs. Pastel and bright colors, animal and floral prints were all over the place, designers pulled off extremely well what could be the summer’s “heat”.

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Romantic and dreamy promenade on the South Californian seaside, this is what Pendleton is promising us with Opening Ceremony in this exclusive collaboration. Weaving the American spirit, the line is composed of innovative plaid items and native Indian inspired patterns. The highlight of the collection is the jacket wearable as a backpack when you feel the heat is up. The women items are absolutely brilliant and feminine, the bohemian vibe in plaid-style is so well played and the fabrics look so comfortable. On the men’s side, despite the plaid shirt and short over-patterned, all look great – jacket and short would be to try this summer but a mistake to wear on top of a another plaid shirt. Thanks for this summery break, looking forward to see it in the stores (in a few months according to their site).

See the entire lookbook here.

Click to enlarge the pictures

Natasha Poly & Lily Donaldson by Peter Lindbergh

It’s that time of the year you feel totally thrilled about the idea of a new year, the new resolution you are going to make and all the crazy things you look forward to. 2009 absolutely sucked ass however looking at the positive side of the force, fashion has been staying “à la mode” as usual. 2010 will be awesome because I feel everyone’s mojo is getting back.

Here a compilation from “the crème of the crème” to pay a little homage to the year that is ending. Hope you enjoy and looking forward to rocking 2010 with you!

R29: Our Street Style’s Best Dressed in 2009 & The Year of the Boob: The 11 Sexiest Editorials From 2009! (that one is NSFW)

Fashion Indie:  The Ten: Hottest Women of 2009

StyleList: The Best-Selling Celebrity Fragrances of All Time

Bunny Bisous: Best of Events 2009

Papermag:  President Barack Obama’s Ten Best Style Moments of 2009

The Daily Beast: 2009’s fashion highs and lows

Huffington Post: The Best Trends Of 2009 & The Worst Trends Of 2009

Modelina: The Models Who Changed Our Year: 9 of 2009

Run of Show - Photographed by Craig McDean - styled by Alex White for W Magazine

Over the past 2 days, I heard my girl friends constantly flooding me with the same question: “What should I wear for NYE?” My answer was still and will always be the same, even though the fashion stake is at the highest your party outfit shall depend of the type of party, the dress code and obviously the style you feel comfortable in (and I did not include budget this time). To help them, I collected a few links I could find quickly from the web with some outfits inspiration.

The team at Refinery29 put together some great party ensembles and not the usual ones: boyish, sparkling or edgy – here are 4 iconic styles. Another shopping list made by the same team with 19 holiday party dresses to help you outshine any light display.

Style.com gathered the list of outstanding “celebrity” party dresses according to their tastemakers – motto: life is a party.

If you want to rule the red carpet with celebrity sexiness at its best, Elle.com has got what you want if you have the body of sexy-goddess Jolie or the angelic Miranda.

And my last link is this original editorial by W Magazine with 27 dresses all chic, fluid and spring-like nicely photographed by Craig McDean.

My favorite? I have to admit the Chloé silk dress is for-mi-dable.

From left to right: Suzy Menkes, Michael Roberts, Bryan Boy, Sally Singer, Anna Wintour, Hamish Bowles, Tommy Ton

“There has been a complete change this year,” said Kelly Cutrone, who has been organizing fashion shows since 1987. “Do I think, as a publicist, that I now have to have my eye on some kid who’s writing a blog in Oklahoma as much as I do on an editor from Vogue? Absolutely. Because once they write something on the Internet, it’s never coming down. And it’s the first thing a designer is going to see.”

This quote found on the recently published article by the New York Times reminded me why I had created this blog and why I have been continuing to keep it alive for so long. Not only I love the world of fashion since little but the current digital world totally democratized it. It allowed me to give my opinions on the most recent collections and news, embracing fashion online with my own voice and subjectivity almost on real-time. And realizing you can do it right before the major publishers print their papers, makes it exciting and makes us “bloggers” feel powerful “relatively”.

I always admired Carine Roitfeld as an editor, the way she shaped the fashion world through many years puts me back into perspective, but the footprint I leave with my blog is not even as big as her smallest nail. However, knowing to have thousands of readers every month, who write me or designers contacting me for a review just proves how today bloggers are as important as any classic magazine editor. Kelly Cutrone is right, the new era of digital had shaken up the establishment and how fashion enthusiasts look for information. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter among others are the first sites where consumers go to get inspiration and there is room for anyone to write/review. Maybe not enough room during the fashion shows for anyone to seat but I like the idea of live streamed shows accessible to anyone as Alexander McQueen did in the past season. Secretly, dreaming of an invitation to Dior, Lanvin and Chanel shows.

Read the New York Times article.