Checkerboard Chic

“Life is a checkerboard, and the player opposite you is time. If you hesitate before moving, or neglect to move promptly, your men will be wiped off the board by time. You are playing against a partner who will not tolerate indecision!”                                                      -Elbert Hubbard

Custom-crafted carousels and trains have been the grand centerpieces for Louis Vuitton shows in the past, but Marc Jacobs has moved on and now added escalators to his repertoire of over-the-top set props. Today in Paris at the Louvre, models descended two at a time from escalators onto a yellow and white checked runway. Like the catwalk, the models wore checkered designs ranging in color schemes from black and white to green and white to yellow and white, similar to the dual-colored stripes on parade a few weeks ago at the Marc Jacobs show.

The reigning creative director for Louis Vuitton was inspired by the abstract minimalist conceptual artist Daniel Buren. "His work is very graphic with the use of grids and so I took inspiration from his sculptures and installations," said Jacobs after the show. There is no doubt that the dress lengths, silhouettes, and beehives gave off a 60s vibe, but Jacobs explained otherwise. "I can't seem to avoid a reference when I design," said Jacobs, "But it wasn't meant to be 60s. The beehive hair probably aided that." Louis Vuitton's signature monogrammed "LV" was missing from the clothing this time around, but Jacobs explained, "I didn't want to do the LV monogram for once, so I used the LV Damier squares instead." Jacobs worked his magic once again.

I was ecstatic to see Louis Vuitton's new collection first thing this morning, because I recently finished constructing my own peplum top resembling a checkerboard. I spent hours cutting out all the squares and sewing them together. A true labor of love. As the old adage goes, great minds think alike.


MADE IN KANSAS

It Always Comes Back to Black

"Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black."

                                                                     -Henry Ford

As with Ford's Model T, black is dominating the fashion world. The classic hue has flooded the catwalks of New York, London, Milan, and Paris over the past few weeks as designers have debuted their spring/summer 2013 looks. A season typically full of pale pinks and other candy-colored tints, next spring's lookbooks will be heavily sprinkled with black. Here are a few of my favorite black ensembles that have recently graced the runway:

Givenchy

Chanel

Prada

Chanel

David Koma

Aquilano Rimondi

I made a black dress using a matte jersey. It can be guiltlessly thrown into the washing machine and still hold up well. It can also be dressed up or down using different accessories. Although a simplistic design, it has quickly become my go-to black dress for fall. 

MADE IN KANSAS

Show-Stopping Stripes

"Once you can accept the universe as being something expanding into an infinite nothing which is something, wearing stripes with plaid is easy."

                                                                    -Albert Einstein

It's that time of year again for autumn comforts - spiced pumpkin lattes, caramel apples, the sound of rustling leaves from a crisp, fall breeze, and the aroma of freshly-sewn couture at New York Fashion Week. Always a crowd favorite, Marc Jacobs revealed his new spring/summer 2013 collection last night at the Lexington Avenue Armory. The event was a festival of stripes that lasted a meager five minutes. Jacobs's mod designs were refreshing and the 60s styling was impeccable. It's questionable whether Jacobs hit the fast-forward button on his show to make a statement, or simply to get back to watching the U.S. Open. Regardless of the reason, it got people talking.  

Quite a shift from the looks seen at the Marc Jacobs show, Zac Posen's spring/summer 2013 collection was chock-full of glamour. From dainty, sheer dresses to luxurious gowns, starlets are sure to snatch up these dresses for red-carpet affairs. As seen this week in designs by Zac Posen, Monique Lhuillier, and Diane Von Furstenberg, one trend still going strong is the always-flattering peplum. Women embrace the peplum because it accentuates the narrowest part of the waist while giving the appearance of an hourglass figure. As all good things come to an end, so will New York Fashion Week. Lucky for us, there are still three more things to look forward to this fall - London, Milan, and Paris.

I purchased an eye-catching Marc Jacobs embroidered fabric on an organza base that is 60s-esque and transformed it into a peplum top. The print resembles the black and white skirt's pattern (pictured above) from Marc Jacobs's new collection. The top will look great with a pair of dark skinny jeans this fall . . . or next spring.


MADE IN KANSAS

Valentino: Master of Couture

"I know what women want. They want to be beautiful."

                                     -Valentino Garavani

 

Master couturier and Italian designer Valentino Garavani will be honored at an exhibition opening this November at Somerset House in London. The display will feature over 130 of Valentino's most exquisite creations including designs worn by fashion icons such as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Grace Kelly, and Julia Roberts. The exhibit will celebrate 50 monumental years of Valentino's design career that began in the late 1950s, and give visitors a glimpse into Valentino's life. 

"Each of these designs has a beautiful story," Valentino said of the dresses to be displayed. "The atelier crafted each so diligently by hand, taking hours, sometimes days to complete. The details are incredibly intricate. Though outside the runway shows and events, the dresses have rarely been seen. To be able to showcase these designs at Somerset House, where they can be seen in great detail by the public, is very unique."

Valentino is best known for using his signature color red, but that was not always so. In 1968, he debuted one his most memorable collections - the "White Collection." According to the Milwaukee Journal on January 15, 1968, "Jacqueline Kennedy's favorite Roman designer concentrated on white in the preview of his collection for international store buyers and press. What was not white could be beige, black or navy -- adding up to the dictum 'no color.'" The much-talked-about "White Collection" was also the beginning of Valentino's trademark "V" that he began strategically incorporating into his garments. Accompanying white shoes and stockings, the Milwaukee Journal also reported that the show began with a "series of short white coats worn with matching hats shaped like inflated berets." It was this very collection that included the dress Jacqueline chose to wear for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis, which will be on display at Somerset House in a few months.  

I purchased a canvas-like, printed Valentino fabric with a slight stretch from Mood this summer. I transformed it into a pair of shorts and sewed in belt loops. If you squint, you might be able to see "Valentino Jeans" written within the print. Valentino may have passed the torch of his fashion empire onto someone else, but his majestic designs will not be forgotten. 

MADE IN KANSAS

Prada's Nostalgic Bodysuits

“It's all about wanting to go forward but still having to deal with nostalgia.”
                                                          -Miuccia Prada

One of this season's crowd favorites (in the fashion world, that is) was the swimwear seen in Prada's spring/summer 2012 Real Fantasies collection. Retro-inspired and embellished with colorful, embroidered flowers and sparkling jewels, theses swimsuits have attracted much deserved attention. According to Prada's website, Real Fantasies is a collection that "explores the nostalgia of hot rodding, golfing, picnicking, the space race, and other wholesome past times."

It's arguable that these suits may not yield much swim time, but they are every stylist's dream when it comes to magazine cover shoots. They have graced the covers of Vogue Paris, Elle China, and the British editions of Harper's Bazaar and GQ, to name a few. Victoria Beckham, who modeled the coveted bodysuits for more than one magazine, is also a fan of Miuccia Prada's work. "Everything she does is genius. I've never met her, but everything she does - not just the hair, the make-up, the shows - everything about the brand impresses me, " said Beckham. This isn't the first time Milan-born Miuccia Prada has stunned the fashion industry. She has been designing masterpieces for decades, and for the fashion industry's sake, let's hope she continues for many more years.

I wanted to make a playsuit (think Charlie's Angels' jumpsuits, but a shorts version) based on Prada's bodysuit designs. I chose two Marc Jacobs printed fabrics that complemented each other. Constructing it was similar to a jigsaw puzzle, as I was creating it from scratch with no form with legs to work with. Every proportion had to be perfect for the right fit. I added belt loops and sewed an invisible zipper up the back. It's my greatest construction feat to date (other than possibly my 40s pinup swimsuit)!

MADE IN KANSAS

Paris Haute Couture

"Paris is always a good idea."
                     -Audrey Hepburn

The Paris haute couture shows for fall 2012 are now finis. Versace was the first among other high-fashion French and Italian designers to dazzle the world with their couture designs this week. As usual, Versace's designs were edgy and full of personality. Two of my favorites were Giambattista Valli and Christian Dior. It was evident that Valli's collection was inspired by nature with its colorful hues, feminine florals, and myriad of textures. The Italian designer has a magical way of creating volume.

Previously designing for Jil Sander, Raf Simons debuted his first haute couture collection for Christian Dior. Many fashion enthusiasts excitedly waited to see what Simons would send down the runway on Monday, and it was quite a success. He managed to create modern silhouettes that were tailored to perfection. Words cannot do the complexity of these haute couture designs justice, so here are a few photos from Paris:

Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall 2012

                                                           

Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall 2012

This week I made a summer dress perfect for every day wear. I chose a rayon woven reversible fabric. Once I received it in the mail, I was disappointed at first because the fabric looked very different than the online photo. One side was silver, which I could have used to concoct a futuristic space suit with, and the other side was blue. I ended up using the blue side and was happy with the final result!

MADE IN KANSAS