Elegant evening wear at Elie Saab

Beautiful, elegant and pretty. Elie Saab always manage to get it right...

The New Woman: Celine Spring 2014

Wow! That was the only word I was able to utter after watching the Celine Spring 2014 show. First of all there was colour, something that Phoebe Philo experiments with rarely. There was the same midi - skirt but updated in sweeping chiffon and jagged hems, again Celine is all about precision so this new cool, unfinished look was something of an excitement too. And, the models walked so fast. Yes, one could only catch a glimpse of the latest Philo designs before they dissapeared as quickly as they had come. Overall, Celine gave us a new woman, a new look and some very exciting fashions that will leave us floating into summer... literaly.

Usually, Celine is not one of the shows I desperately look forward to seeing at Paris fashion week. Too tailored, neat and functional for my liking. However, this Celine collection was right up my fashion street. Huge colourful brush strokes were painted onto delicate silk dresses, like children had been let loose at a pallet of paint and a Celine dress. Buttoned up shirts, tank tops and skirts all featured this exciting pattern, with colour splashes here and there, at once making a massive statement. Colour is cool. Coats were also a big part of this collection. Blue and white, sculptural and belted neatly at the waist, these were beauiful coats, falling smartly at the knee. J'adore!

Garments falling to the knee seems to be a Philo thing, as we saw last season with those divine midi - skirts bouncing at the knee. This trend was carried on into this collection with chiffon skirts and dresses cut diagonaly. Hemlines were messy with jagged edges and exposed just the right amount of leg to pass in the office. Short at the front, long at the back and the other way around. White, black and with the same colour pattern, I loved this new Celine skirt, and I expect it to be a huge hit with fashion editors and the general public alike.

As always, Celine played with minimalism with hair slicked back neatly and brows big and dark. Cheek bones were highlighed drastically and accessoires were kept minimal. The bags, as you could probably guess were lovely, and very sculptural. Oh, I could buy everything in this collection and I'm not even a Celine fan. It really was a celebration of women and a whole new look for the Celine customer, nevertheless it's impossible to dislike this collection. I've certainly been converted, and i
can guarantee you will be too!

theFASHIONbox - new brand, new identity

Hello! Just to let everyone know, my blog is no longer called MODA01. I thought that the name was too boring....and Spanish. Did you know that 'moda' means fashion in Spanish? No, didn't think so. Don't get me wrong, I love Spain, but all you English speakers just find the 'moda' a bit confusso. Therefore, to make life easier for everyone, including myself, my new blog is theFASHIONbox. Exactly the same layout, content, pages and writer (me!) just a new name thats all, which I think you'd agree is way more cooler and snappier than MODA01.

I've also now started an Instagram page: thefashionbox01 and a Twitter page: @fashion_01_ so feel free to follow along for all the latest fashion news and trends whenever, wherever you are. So, for all you MODA01 followers, theFASHIONbox is now the new name, the new identity of this blog, so keep following and checking back!

Darling buds of May at Christian Dior...

Flower prints, precise tailoring and beautiful accessories. It could only be Dior....

Bringing bling back at Balmain: Spring 2014

Shoulder pads, mini skirts, grunge, jewels, skin tight trousers.... It can only be Balmain! This afternoon, Oliver Rousteing certainly delivered another fantastic Balmain show with the likes of Rosie Huntington Whiteley, Karlie Kloss and Georgia Jagger taking to the catwalk in beautiful, ornate designs. 

I spied check prints in black and white as well as the iconic Balmain shoulder padded jacket in pastel colours, pinks and soft blues. Chained belts sat snuggly on the waist and padded dresses looked very Chanel circa 1990. In fact this whole collection had the whole 'Chanel' monochrome effect but was done with  a completely different woman in mind. The Balmain lady is strong, powerful and very cool - not afraid to walk into a room and have every pair of eyes on her. She commands attention and the clothes today certainly did that. 

I love Balmain and can imagine Rihanna rocking a look straight off the catwalk in weeks to come. Attitude, grunge and power... Who doesn't like a bit of Balmain?  

Stylish + Chic = Dries van Noten Spring 2014

Milan Fashion Week: The Trends

Milano. The only fashion week that brings us high glamour, sex appeal and lots and lots of detail, maximalist style. This season we were treated to some of the most hottest trends and exciting fashions from the likes of Miuccia Prada, Dolce and Gabbana and Jil Sander. Prints, skin-tight dresses and attention to detail was absoulutly amazing with many suprises along the way. Once, again Milan proved why they are on the fashion radar and are so highly respected all over world.

So, what trends emerged? Pastels, icy whites and prints were all hits on the catwalk as were seen at New York and London. Colour was pretty subdued and delicate, consisting of white as the main tone of choice as was seen at Gianfranco Ferre and Salvatore Ferragamo. Prints were pasiley and Arabian looking with Etro and Pucci rocking the trend with sweeping silhuottes and intricate scarves. Italian and beautiful. Logos also were big at Milan, with Versace, Fendi and Pucci showcasing their iconic brand identities on jackets, bags and belts, which was also a trend seen at New York. I'm not a huge fan of this emerging trend but it will be interesting to see if the high street stores pick up on it.

A more sporty silhoutte was also on offer in Milan. Gucci, a brand known for high gamour and volumtious designs, gave us a very sport orientated collection with sportswear influences. Straps, sheer materials and loose dresses all featured in the show with Frida Giannini stating, 'I wanted to come back with my abs,' which she certainly did with models baring their toned tummies underneath sheer fabrics.

And where would fashion be without the wonderful Miuccia Prada? Mrs Prada likes to shock  and indeed thrill, which she certainly did with this current collection. Huge faces appeared on coats and dresses in bright yellows, reds and blues. Coats were big and adorned with jewels, bras were dazzaling and were worn over dresses and sporty socks (think high school netball team) were knee length and white. As with every Prada show, it takes a while to actually consume all the high fashion presented to you by Miuccia, but once understood and analysed, the clothes are beautiful and unique. There are no other designers like Miuucia Prada. Fact.

Dolce and Gabbana, (my favourite designers if you didn't know that already) gave us yet again an amazing show, swimming with sensuality and Italian heritage. Inspired by ancient Roman ruins and the rich heritage of Italy, the show was a flash of gold and black with hair swept up in elegant chignons and shoes decorated heavily with jewels and prints. Bellissimo! Dsquared2 was another collection that was high on glamour with references to the 1950's and calypso style of the Caribbean. As ever, shorts were very short and clevages were big, but Dsquared2 always succeeds in bringing the fun and passion to fashion.

As for the minimalists, Jil Sander, Bottega Veneta and Giorgio Armani gave tailored, luxurious collections which were totally wearable and wonderful. Armani went for his usual pallette of midnight blues, violets and whites with lovely dresses and taliored jackets that shone on the catwalk. Summery skirts floated in the breeze while clutches were silkily, delicate. Jil Sander experimented with monochrome prints and went for daring dresses with deep plunging necklines.

Milan was indeed wonderful with some truly amazing fashion moments. Next stop - Paris. The fashion capital of the world will surely offer up some beautiful collections with the likes of Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton taking centre stage. Will Hedi Slimane go for the whole rock chick vibe again? Will Celine reinvent the knee length skirt, which was such a huge hit for fall 2013? The answers will emerge this week so stay tuned and keep your fashion eyes peeled...

Grown up elegance at Giorgio Armani

Beautiful, Rich and Italian: Dolce and Gabbana spring 2014

You don't get more Italian than Dolce and Gabbana. And this afternoon they didn't dissapoint, proving yet again why they are my favourite designers and why they are celebrated the world over as one of the greatest luxury fashion houses ever made.

So where would we be swept off to this time? Last summer it was to a golden Italian beach full of deck chairs and yachts, moored out at sea. Last fall we were taken inside a rich, Italian palace draped with finery and golden jewels, each model wearing wonderful crowns covered in precious jewels. Well, this season Dolce and Gabbana treated us to a tour of the ancient roman ruins across Italy and payed homage to the historical archeology left to us by the Romans all those centuries ago.

Medallion coins bearing the face of famous roman rulers, were printed on dresses, worn as necklaces and were decorated on belts, cinching in the waists of ruffled dresses and tight pencil skirts. Archeological ruins were adorned on silk shirts and dresses while gold coins sculptured tiny mini dresses. Gold was a big part of this show, like last season as were the staggeringly high wedges and hooped earrings, adding that 1950's Sophia Loren look to the show. Speaking of Hollywood, faux fur stoles were wrapped around the shoulders of models in green, red and black, like the famous stars of the 1940's and 50's. In fact, fur played a big part in this collection with tops and skirts both hitting the catwalk in jewel coloured furs. Spots, flower prints and shiny leather skirts also appeared with Kasia Struss closing the show wearing a floor length tasseled, red dress with a large gold belt, excentuating her tiny waist.

As for the big Dolce and Gabbana finale, it was no less than extravagant! As models pounded the runway in a glittering show of gold, the room was filled with applause. Each model wore a different design yet gold from head to toe. Yes, extravagance is always key for a D&G finale, and this was no different. 

And who could forget the hair? Tied up in a loose chignon, hair was decorated with golden coins, flowers, leaves and clips that made the models look like angelic roman goddesses. Make up was glowing, with cheek bones highlighted with bronzer and eyes were traced with eyeliner. Bellisimo!

This was indeed a Dolce show like no other. Roman goddesses, historical influences, sexy silhouettes and divine shoes and jewelry. What's not to love about Dolce and Gabbana? Fantastico!

Power Prints at Pucci: Spring 2014

The Roberto Cavalli Woman: Spring 2014

Etro spring 2014!!

Paisley prints, Arabian influences and Italian style. In a nutshell, Etro was absolutely divine this after noon with all the right qualities of elegance and Milanese chic. Etro is famous for its prints and bold colours, yet this was a show that shone with glamour and practically oozed with beautiful paisley prints that could have come straight out of a Saudi Arabian palace. 

Pastels led the way with jumpsuits, skirts and dresses in minty greens and luxurious lemons colours. Waists were drawn in with tiny belts that highlighted the models figure and draped fabric in all the right places. Scarves were worn around the neck with heavy necklaces and earrings adding to the rich display of colours, captivating the front row of eager editors and buyers.  Hair and make up was kept natural, blow dried and sumptuous with bronzed cheeks and billowing hair - well this is Milan fashion week. Frankly, I could go on forever about this wonderful collection and could quite easily snap up every piece, if I was indeed rich enough. Sumptous, beautiful and strong... That's the Etro woman. 

Prada spring 2014

Miuccia Prada always seems to get it right. Prada, the big one at Milan fashion week, certainly did not disappoint this season and gave us a bright, bold and generally amazing show, full of new ideas and concepts. Huge cartoon faces appeared on thick furry coats, bras were worn over jackets and dresses and woollen, sport socks were knee high and bright. Bling was thrown into the mix too with jewelled bras, sparkly dresses and bracelets covered in sequins and glass. This was certainly a collection you couldn't ignore and pushed the fashion boundaries even further with Miuccia's spring designs sure to be another Prada hit.

The first time I watched this show, I have to admit I wasn't impressed and sorry to say, a little horrified... Sorry Prada fans. But after watching this show again, I slowly understood the bold statement Miuccia was trying to portray through her clothes. And after watching it a third time (yes i watched it many times!) I absolutely loved it, down to every sparkle and weird, feather hat. It was incredible. A highlight so far of Milan fashion week and yet another fantastic Prada show!

Gucci Spring 2014

London Fashion Week Spring 2014

Tom Ford said today that London is 'one of the few cities where people still dress properly,' and after the fantastic fashion week just passed, its fair to say that I think he's absolutly right! London is a city were creativity is encouraged, style comes in all shapes and forms and where people aren't afraid to dress in a way that suits them (not to keep up with the latest trends). London is brimming with new, talented designers ready to burst onto the fashion scene with a bang and as we have witnessed with Christopher Kane, Mary Katrantzou and most recently, Simone Rocha. Yes, I may be biast as London is my home and in my opinion, the greatest city on earth, but this past fashion week has truly been unforgetable. So, lets take a look back at some of the best shows and trends that emerged at London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014...

Who stole the show in London? I would say Burberry. Simples. Burberry is the ultimate 'taste of Britain' brand with its trench coats, historic fashion past and oh so very British ad campaigns, and this season they didn't dissapoint. A more soft, delicate look was presented to us with lace skirts, pastel coats and flowery detaling that looked like it had come straight out of a bakery. Sweet and beautiful, just like Spring. The clothes were gorgeous and I wouldn't be suprised if Mr Christopher Bailey had orders right up to his ears.

Tom Ford, an adopted designer of London, also showcased a very strong collection full of sparkly mini dresses, daring monochrome features and tanned jackets accompanied with tight pencil skirts. Mary Katrantzou did what she does best too. Prints, prints and yes, more prints, all thrown together on one garment but oh they complemented each other so well. Vivienne Westwood gave yet again another collection focused on saving the environment and climate change, hiring Lily Cole who gave a contemporary dance opening the show.

Julien Macdonald and Giles Deacon both brought the drama and show stopping gowns to the catwalk while Meadham Kirchoff gave us, as always, a deeply imaginative show with school girl dresses and bright wigs. Pastels were big at London with Preen, Peter Pilotto, Christopher Kane and Erdem showing a softer pallet of choice with white playing a key part alongside more dramatic colours. Topshop Unique, another favourtite of mine, gave us a very cool show, full of summery dresses, crop tops and denim pieces that made one deeply wish that summer was next month, and not almost a year away (sigh.) Mulberry was another big show this season, as Emma Hill gave her last collection as creative director for the brand. Flowery prints, light jackets and jumpsuits all looked ravishing and Hill will surely be missed.

I could go on forever, but of course fashion doesn't have time to linger and its off to Milan now for the latest Itailian maestros to showcase their talent. Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, Versace and Fendi are just some of the designers I cannot wait to see, and then it's off to Paris and we know how amazing Paris always is, right? So, lets board our fashion planes and fly across Europe. Ladies and Gentleman, we will be landing in Milan shortly, please secure your seatbelts!