Mine Favorite Designer 2: Matthew Williamson at London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010 – frm Bohemian Look to High-end Style

Let's shift our focus to London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010 which kick'd off last Friday on the 19th after New York. I hav fallen for our British fashion darlin' Matthew Williamson, known as "the king of boho" for his brilliant color palette and use of prints to hav brought the modern bohemian style, which encapsulates the simple, flowy style of hippies and gypsies to his collections since 2001 Spring/Summer when he launch'd his collection titl'd "Wonderland" in which a paillette-encrusted skirt rich in rainbow sequins simply fascinated mi. Ibiza inspir'd hippy bohemian clothes are Williamson's specialty. Over the past seasons he's been doin' Ibiza-chic floodin' his designs with bright colors and embellishments, exotic prints, bohemian beadin' and flowin' caftans. His 1970s Ibiza hippy bohemian collection for 2005 Spring/Summer's a case in point in which a stunnin' silver floor-length skirt did highlight the theme.

Aurélie Claudel for 2001 Spring/Summer collection “Wonderland”


The model in a silver floor-length skirt for 2005 Spring/Summer collection


Iekeliene Stange for 2007 Spring/Summer collection


The hippy boho look's been Williamson's trademark whose collections are mostly psychedelic in colors, prints are loud and mirrored sequins glint.


Nevertheless, Williamson chooses to move away frm the bohemian look dat first shot him to fame and push toward an eva-higher high end style in tis Fall/Winter 2010 collection, which's the 2nd season since his return to London frm New York. "Luxury"s probably the word dat best describes his works. In tis post yerr gonna find luxury everywhere, in the fabrics, in the designs as well as there're vibrant colors such as sunset yellows, oranges and reds dipping into inky blacks and dazzlin' prints and embellishments like any Williamson collections along with a variety of coats and dresses, controversial fur, slim-cut leather pants and low-rise harem pants.

"Luxury"s everywhere in the collection such as in the fabrics – the fur. The designer flooded the runway with bright colors like cerulean blues contrasted with ash and charcoal grays.




"Luxury"s also found in the designs such as Karolin Wolter in tis beautifully constructed coat dat plays with shape and volume.


"Luxury"s everywhere in the collection such as in the fabrics – the leather. Anastasia Kuznetsova in the slim-cut leather pants


Lisanne De Jong in a ruffles shirt and the low rise harem pants






A huge variety of dresses' included in the collection such as tis sexy off-the-shoulder dress made of silk dat the dress drap'd with it.


Anja Rubik in tis brightly color'd sleeveless dress in royal blue


"Luxury" can also be found in a variety of Williamson's strik'n signature graphic prints.


Lisanne De Jong in a metallic drap'd front gold mini dress






"Luxury"s in the designs such as Anja Rubik in tis long evenin' gown dat wil no doubt be comin' to a red carpet near yuu.




Ditchin' the boho for a high-end urban edge's part of retailers’ war on recession worldwide: offerin' the clients more luxury and more unique items in the hope of wooin' 'em to shop. And with a market dat’s beginnin' to show signs of recovery, it seems like a prescient move.

Mine Favorite Designer 1: Anna Sui at New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010 – Aestheticism in Typical Sui Fashion

Anna Sui's always been one of mine top favorite designers over all these years. Tho I miss'd her show last Thursday dat's the 7th day of New York Fashion Wk cuz 'm currently in EU, mine passion for Sui's design's urged mi to write 'bout the collection. Only by seein' the pics can remind mi of a typical Anna Sui collection dat couldn't hav possibly come frm anyone else. I saw many similarities between tis F/W 2010 and other seasons such as F/W 08 and 09 collections. Art nouveau esque aestheticism's exercis'd an enormous influence in shapin' a typical Sui look, which's full of art deco motifs with tons of patterns and handmade touches and American Indian ethnic feel. We luv seein' ow Anna Sui keeps her stylistic integrity and never stops marchin' to the beat of her own drum, but always remains relevant and gorgeous. In tis post yerr gonna see lots of prints and decoration as well as a summary of sum distinctive designs mostly found in her collections. After all, like wat makeup master Pat Mcgrath said, “Anna's talk'n 'bout arts, crafts and colors, and lots of decoration.”

Feature 1: Lots of prints and colors to accent the look with the handcraft'd chunky necklaces and fur trimm'd boots addin' a touch of American Indian/Bohemian ethnic style as a whole

New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010:
There's a plethora of prints. Colors and patterns swirl in the air like the hem of a dress. The look's accessoris'd with a handcraft'd chunky necklace inspir'd by the American Arts and Crafts Movement.


New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2009:


Feature 2: Glamorize the look with fur stoles

New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010:
Iselin Steiro in georgette and velvet dress with antique rose embroidery worn with a blush fox fur stole




New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2008:


Feature 3: Typical Sui fashion inspir'd by the Aesthetic Movement favors strong and simple colors: bright blues, greens and yellows.

New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010:


New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2009:


New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2008:


Feature 4: Accessorise the look with textur'd tights

New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010:
Anna Selezneva accessoris'd with the textur'd tights frm Anna Sui's new leg wear line


New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2008:


Feature 5: Over-sized beaded flower worn as a necklace or brooch to create a vintage feel

New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010:
Agyness Deyn wore an over-sized beaded flower necklace with a 1920s vintage feel.


Karen Elson as Anna Sui's bride sported another beaded flower, tis time as a brooch as well as a delicate floral hat.


New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2008:


Feature 6: Use of metallic materials

New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010:
Viktoriya Sasonkina in pomegranate print metallic silk jacquard blouse accessoris'd with a knit hat


New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2009:


New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2008:


Feature 7: Chiffon dress
New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010:
Vlada Roslyakova in Murano glass print and lurex dot chiffon dress worn with a mix'd print shirt


New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2009:


Feature 8: Adoptin' art deco motifs

New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010:
Red and purple's definitely a bold color combo especially pair'd with the gold ochre in the print. The bold tribal necklace, pair'd with a knitted hat and top featurin' art deco patterns' gonna be one of the signature looks of the collection.


New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2009:

Oriental Fascination: the Beauty of Porcelain Part II – Designer Brands Get Inspir'd by Chinese Blue and White Qing Hwa Porcelain

When I was sharin' the pics of sum designer brands' collections inspir'd by Chinese blue and white Qing Hwa porcelain the other day on facebook, a friend commented and gav an alternative view 'bout the inspiration of such design dat the blue and white embroideries on sum pieces such as the gowns presented in Christian Dior Spring/Summer 09 Haute Couture collection are in fact possibly closer to Delftware or ceramic blue tile reference originated frm the Netherlands and Portugal respectively. Considerin' the floral motif of turnips as a symbol of the Netherlands, Galliano's apparently work'n on a distinctly European design rather than adoptin' the Chinese elements in his works. I definitely take his point as many aftershow reviews'd taken note of the influence of the Dutch masters frm whom the designer took a rich Vermeer palette. Nevertheless, when I juxtapos'd the pics of Chinese Qing Hwa porcelain, Dutch Delft pottery and of Portuguese handpainted ceramic tiles, I was amaz'd at the similarities among 'em all and hav come up with a conclusion dat the mutual cultural influence between the East and the West's a history dat possibly dates back to the 15th century, i.e. the Ming Dynasty of China when a lively trade took place between the East and the Dutch East India Company during the Dutch Golden Age. Millions of pieces of Chinese porcelain were imported in the early 1600s.The Chinese workmanship and attention to detail impress'd many. Only the richest could afford the early imports tho. Although Dutch potters didn't immediately imitate Chinese porcelain, they began to do it in 1620 when the supply to Europe's interrupted. Delftware inspir'd by Chinese originals persisted frm 'bout 1630 to the mid-eighteenth century alongside European patterns.

Ohhhhh dat's enough history. To be fair, seein' the design as either purely European or simply a borrowin' of Chinese attributes' still not gud enough. I'd like to see it a blend of the influence of traditional Chinese craftwork and Renaissance art instead, which wud more effectively portray the whole image. And of cuz most important of all, as long as the design's chic and beautiful, it's gonna able to set a trend.


Chinese blue and white Qing Hwa porcelain



Dutch Delft pottery





Portuguese blue ceramic tiles





Miss Olympic Etiquette 2008 Beijing in Qing Hwa qi pao





John Galliano's Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2009 Haute Couture collection









John Galliano wasn't the only designer who got inspir'd by blue and white porcelain. Roberto Cavalli had launch'd the “porcelain collection” as early as 2005 Spring/Summer. Victoria Beckham wore it, too.





The Chinese celebs, Chiling Lin, Bing Bing Fan and Fei Fei Dai dress'd in Qing Hwa prints







The Chinese designer Guo Pei's Autumn/Winter 2010 Haute Couture inspir'd by Qing Hwa porcelain showin' the subdued nature of Chinese culture. The fan-shaped headpiece reminds the princesses' of the Qing Dynasty.



The launch of Gucci Shanghai Dragon Bag to celebrate the openin' of the flagship in Shanghai, China