#PFW: Dior and Lanvin Fall 2014/15

CHRISTIAN DIOR BY RAF SIMMONS

LANVIN BY ALBER ELBAZ 

#PFW: Balmain 2014/15

With Rihanna sitting front row, Rosie Huntington-Whitely closing the show and a whole host of amazing clothes... Balmain fall 2014 was a show to remember. Oliver Rousteing took a completely different approach to this collection compared to last season, as he experimented with animal prints, peplums, biker jackets and a whole lotta leather. There were belted jackets fiercely paired with tight trousers as well as fluffy coats in bright orange and yellow. I also loved the colours in this collection, as sumptuous browns, tans and camel tones were given a huge make over as they were used to full extent with black textures. Very chic and sophisticated. 

Kasia Struss wore one of my stand out pieces - a soft a-symmetric jumpsuit with beautiful folds in a khaki green. The dresses towards the end of the show also were stamped with 'Kim Kardashian' all over as figure hugging midi dresses clung to every curve of the models body. Not great for mere mortals like us, but these were seriously hot dresses sure to be coveted by many rich, fashionable (skinny!) women out there. A safari vibe was also felt across the show as leopard, zebra and fur prints  were used on dresses, jackets and skirts which looked absolutly stunning against the fierce pieces Rousteing paired them with. A hot favorite in Paris, Balmain has done it again! 

THE TRENDS: MILAN FASHION WEEK

Can you believe it’s already Paris Fashion Week? We started in New York, stopped off at London, flew to Milan and now we are finally in the fashion capital of the world: Paris. For fall 2014/15, we have seen some amazing new trends with British designers Christopher Kane and Mary Katrantzou flying the flag for London and a host of American designers really making their mark. At Milan....there was show after show of sexy, hot, sophisticated clothes which once again put Milano at the fore-front of female empowerment and high glamour dressing.

One of my favourite collections at Milan Fashion Week had to be Gucci. Classic pieces which were quintessentially Gucci in snake skin, pretty pastel colours and fur coats, stylishly draped across the shoulders. I loved Frida Giannini's use of leather as she paired high waist leather skirts with blouses and gorgeous bags with biker jackets in baby pink and blue. Every piece was amazingly chic and the casual elegance which Gucci always get right shone through for autumn/winter 2014. Roberto Cavalli and Versace were also up there in power dressing with a sophisticated edge. Donatella Versace can do no wrong in my eyes, as she gave us a collection full of swinging mini dresses, skinny embellished pants and luxe fur coats in all shapes and sizes. Fur is proving to be a HUGE trend for this winter with almost every Milanese designer was showcasing fur in one way or another..And because this is Milan, fur was 100% real. Not great for animal lovers.

Natasha Poly opened Miuccia Prada's show earlier last week as transparent materials, shearling stoles and colourful layers covered the runway. Inspired by German film noir, this was a dark collection full of over sized coats and geometric prints. My favourite item? A red Mongolian fur coat which could belong on the back of Rita Hayworth or at the V&A Musuem. Fabulous.

Pucci, Fendi, Blumarine and Etro also delivered fantastic shows with large fur hoods and patchwork Navajo fabrics stapled on coats, ponchos, maxi dresses and scarves. Patchwork is also proving to be an enormous trend for fall 2014/15, with a lot of designers at New York Fashion Week picking up on the trend too. I loved the Peter Dundas Pucci collection, just because their prints are amazing, and there were so many wearable pieces. And who could forget the tiny Lagerfeld bag Cara Delevingne opened the Fendi show with? I wouldn't be surprised if it's already sold out!

Milan is bold, hot and has a great sense of humour. Moschino anyone? As Jeremy Scott presented his first collection for the fashion house, he certainly brought the fun factor. Models looked like McDonalds waitresses as they stormed the catwalk in red and yellow designs. Spongebob also made an entrance towards the end of the show as bags, dresses and skirts were decorated with prints of the animated character. Very funny and a great start for Scott too. Dsquared2 as always delivered high end glamour as the 60's were revisited by Dean and Dan Caten. Mini skirts, space-age hats, beehives and of course - fur coats. There were also some lovely coats with huge jewels as buttons across the chest in navy blue and emerald green. At Philip Plein, Naomi Campbell opened and closed the show along with supermodels Izabel Goulart and Irina Shayk who showcased a number of cool denim pieces and chic black leather trousers and coats. And with Rita Ora opening the show by serenading the fashion press, this was an unforgettable collection.

Minimalists Jil Sander, Salvatore Ferragamo and Giorgio Armani all presented collections full of chic, understated elegance as soft greys and whites featured on coats, skirts and peplum dresses. Armani in cooperated sugary lemon hues into his collection as Salvatore Ferragamo played with proportions and tailoring.

The big finale has to go to my favourite designers...Dolce and Gabbana. We can always rely on Domenico Dolce and Stephano Gabbana to deliver a fantastic show, and this fashion week they didn't disappoint. A mechanical willow tree was the setting, magical ballet music from the Nutcraker was the soundtrack, and Eva Herzigova and Monica Bellucci were the celebrity front rowers. This show told a wonderful story full of animals embellished onto dresses and coats, floral prints on chiffon gowns, golden keys on a-line dresses and silvery hoods which looked like pieces taken from a medieval knight. Kasia Struss closed the show in a beautiful red, silk gown followed by the big Dolce finale, as models stormed the catwalk in metallic silvers, blacks and golds, dripping with diamonds and expensive jewels. An Italian army of fierce women ready for the fashion battle of a lifetime. Bravo!

BEST SHOWS: MILAN FASHION WEEK

As I was holidaying in Spain for the best part of London fashion week and Milan fashion week, I have been desperately trying to catch up with all the fashion shows. From Versace to Gucci, Jil Sander to dolce and Gabbana, this Milan fashion week has truly been remarkable. We've seen some amazing fashion, revolutionary ideas and lots of wonderful clothes ready for fall autumn/winter 2014, with furry stoles, sexy knee high boots and hooded veils all thrown in for good measure.  I loved the Gucci show in particular, as Frida Giananini took the brand back to its sophisticated basics - we're talking shady sunglasses, skin tight trousers and camel coloured coats. Prada, Philip Plein, D&G and Pucci were also big winners for me followed by the likes of hot Versace and super cool Just Cavalli.

So I have put together a snippet of just some of my fav shows from mfw! Enjoy and don't forget to keep checking back for more fashion week news and shows!! X

A Romantic Fairytale: Dolce and Gabbana Fall 2014

LFW: Julien MacDonald fall 2014/15

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK: THE TRENDS

It was quite fantastic, wasn't it? New York delivered some of the best fashion collections I personally have ever seen for Autumn/Winter 2014, with designers going the extra mile to present their designs in the most imaginative ways possible. We celebrated anniversaries, with Donna Karan, DKNY and Diane von Furstenberg,  we witnessed some great catwalk sets as seen at Alexander Wang and Rodarte and most importantly, we were saw some beautiful clothes, bags, shoes and accessories which literally blew us all away. It was quite something, believe me.

One of my favorite collections for this fall was Michael Kors. As Kors revived laid back, Americana style we were shown glorious knitted cardigans, floral tea-dresses tied neatly at the waist, fur stoles draped casually over large, masculine coats and tasseled skirts and bags adding to that old, Texan feel. Fur was BIG in New York. Almost every designer featured a little fur something in their collections. Faux or real? It seemed that didn't really matter, as fur looks like its going to be another huge trend for autumn/winter. I love the whole fur look, and Kors seemed to get it just right as he accessorized scarves, coats with furry companions. Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Rag & Bone and Altuzzara also picked up on the fur trends. As Lauren gave it a Hollywood make over, Rag& Bone updated fur with a more wearable, youthful feel on bomber jackets and coats. I was convinced either way.

As for the minimalists, Victoria Beckham scraped her famous figure, hugging dresses for more loose, cool pieces, usually accessorized with gold chains and tight belts. The Row and Calvin Klein also went for sculptural minimal pieces as always, with elegant tailoring and a certain red carpet feel. As for Alexander Wang, this was a show that made full use of technology in the digital age which we live in. All his models looked extremely masculine first of all, as athletic jackets, check prints and knee high boots stole the show. Colours were neon bright paired with white and black and as for his finale... a rotating stage where models' dresses actually changed colour! Very Cool.

As for glamour, we had absolutely beautiful gowns from Oscar de la Renta, British label Jenny Packham, Zac Posen and the wonderful Vera Wang. Just watch any one of these shows and you will see what I mean by red carpet glamour. Posen went for his divine fish-tail gowns while de la Renta wowed in sumptuous ball gowns billowing out at the waist. So beautiful. Donna Karan also upped the sex appeal for her show, as models prowled the runway in knee-high boots, tight tuxedo jackets and revealing chiffon dresses.

Rodarte gave us another fantastic collection, with Star Wars characters printed onto silk dresses and geek-sheek glasses, scarves and hats looking a little 1950's secretary. Diane von Furstenberg as always made everyone smile, mainly through the fact that her models always smile as they strut down the catwalk. Monochrome jumpsuits, a bright blue coat and a golden finale celebrating the revolutionary wrap dress...What a show it was. And who could forget Marc Jacobs? Since leaving Louis Vuitton, Jacobs has put all his efforts into his own label, with fantastic consequences. Sheer blouses, frilled skirts, elegant brown shift dresses, grey ensembles and wigs. Every model wore a wig. Again this seems to be Jacobs’ new thing, putting his models in bob cut wigs. Anyhow another great show.

Now for the trends. Colours were very subdued and pretty at New York, with white, pastels, greys and browns sneaking in to most collections. Animal prints, as seen at Proenza Schouler also featured in many a show as did big, padded coats and jackets. Looks like the bomber is making a grand comeback for fall 2014. Check patterns also were big, with Tommy Hilfiger, Jason Wu and Victoria Beckham taking the pattern and adapting it for dresses, coats and bags. This was a fantastic fashion week, and now it’s on to London...See you over the pond.

NYFW: Ralph Lauren Fall 2014

Subdued greys, a touch of pastel pink, a pin-striped suit here and there and a swarm of elegant evening gowns. Ralph Lauren delivered a show today which was indeed classic, elegant and beautiful. As seen at most New York Fashion Week shows, for fall 2014 grey colours and fur accessories seem to be taking the spotlight at the moment, and Lauren was not going to be left out of this pretty trend. 

There were a-symmetric gowns wrapped tightly around the body, grey tailored suits with additional purple ascots, pink capes teamed with straight trousers and of course, classic Lauren halter neck gowns which wouldn't look amiss on the Academy Awards red carpet. Layering was also a big part of this collection, as scarves, waistcoats and coats were worn together with large fur stoles, which sure did look toasty warm for the cold winter months in New York. As always, the materials and fabrics looked stunning, completely faultless and totally desirable. Hair and make up was also kept simple and natural, with hair slicked back in elegant buns while eyes and cheeks looked naturally untouched, with a hint of blush. 

I loved this collection and the hints of Hollywood glamour which Lauren made sure crept through the entire collection. From the fur stoles to the column dresses - Marilyn Monroe or Angelina Jolie could wear this collection and still look chic and beautiful. From the soft colours, to the purest of white suits. From the t-bar heels to the 'Ricki' bags. Ralph delivered another masterpiece of a show! Now its on to Marc Jacobs and then...London!

NYFW: Michael Kors Fall 2014

NYFW: Oscar de la Renta Fall 2014

Lady like elegance defined in a single sequin. Oscar de la Renta has done it again and this time he has done it in style. There were electric blue pieces paired with formal pin-striped trousers and waistcoats, tasseled dresses which shimmered as the models walked along the catwalk and who could forget the gorgeous ball gowns which ended the collection, as always with de la Renta, gave his finale a beautiful finish. With model of the moment, Karlie Kloss opening and closing the show, models showcased some of the most inspiring dresses so far seen at New York Fashion Week, with velvet blue prom dresses and polka dot gowns. It was also nice to see de la Renta working with prints and patterns, experimenting on a-line dresses and peplum style tops. Also, every model wore a wig; short and cropped adding a boyish element to the collection. I mention this because wigs have been quite the talking point recently, with Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld using them last season, this could be a trend carried over into 2014/15. 

This was a lovely collection, nice and feminine with just the right amount of sugar and spice. We are indeed fans!

Celebrating 40 years of Furstenberg!

Celebrating 40 years of the famous Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress was the main triumph for Furstenberg this afternoon. As a 70's bohemian theme ran through the collection amidst a fun loving, carefree attitude this was a show which seriously uplifted my spirits, and most likely most of the fashion press gathered. First of all, Diane makes sure her models smile, and show a little personality while strutting the catwalk, which is extremely rare. Smiling models = a relaxed, laid back and totally cool vibe. Secondly, the clothes are always amazing!! The show stopper for this show had to be the finale, as girls dressed head to toe in different golden versions of the wrap dress took to the runway. Halter neck lines, pencil skirts, pleated knee length skirts, thin belts, thick material cinching in the waist...All these dresses were just a perfect celebration of an iconic fashion piece that will go down in history as one of the most desirable items a woman can own.

As for the main collection, colours were bold and bright, fur featured on coats and tight purple dresses dazzled and shined. The show opened with a number of patterned, monochrome jumpsuits, jackets and dresses which looked so right against each other. Its always amazing when prints that shouldn't go together, look hot complementing one another and work so well together. Diane always gets it right. I loved the huge fur, azul stole which was worn with a large, electric blue coat and a printed dress in the same colour. Fur so far has been a huge trend seen here at New York, which was also big for fall 2013, so its nice the furry trend is not being completely abandoned.

What more can I say apart from wow! From Karan Elson opening the show to the grand finale, this was a show stopping collection, emphasising why Furstenberg is such a highlight at fashion week. Next up, we have Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren on the way, so stay tuned and check back to theFASHIONbox for all the latest news, style and catwalk trends.

 

Day 2 at NYFW

Jason Wu Fall 2014-15

 Sculpted lines, seamless white coats and grey ensembles created in the most warmest materials. Jason Wu delivered yet again another show full of ladylike elegance and totally wearable clothing for those cold winter months. With Victoria's Secret supermodel, Adriana Lima opening the show, this was a collection that oozed glamour through masculine bomber jackets, draping velvet dresses, boxy blazers and sexy t-bar courts. Overall, quite a dark, adrogynous style emerged on the catwalk for Wu, as his woman for autumn/winter 2014 is a hard core lady of poise. Wu pulled in some of his supermodel friends in the form of Jourdan Dunn, Karlie Kloss, Malaika and Constance Jablonski, to give us a collection to be worn at a nightclub or on the ski slopes. Sexy yet hard core...you wouldn't want to mess with her this woman...

 Rag and Bone Fall 2014

One of the main attractions of New York Fashion Week it seems, Rag & Bone offer suave elegance and a cool attitude which sums up New York dressing completely. Wool cropped jackets were paired with tight leggings in olive greens, black and white, while check prints and a messy hair took a more relaxed turn. Culottes were also featured in this collection, sometimes worn over leggings, sometimes worn by themselves. Nevertheless, this is a new trend and it will be interesting to see if other designers pick up on it too. Perosonally, I  loved the use of soft pastel colours and the personalised jackets worn by Georgia May Jagger among others. I want, I want, I want!!

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK 2014!!!!

 Yes, it's back! Its's fashion season once again across New York, London, Milan and Paris, showcasing the new trends for fall 2014/15. Excited? Oh yes! New York begins today with BCBG Max Azria, closely followed by heavyweights Michael Kors, Diane von Furstenburg, Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang. What hot trends will emerge? What will fashion buyers and bloggers be lusting over on the catwalk? Only time will tell...as will theFASHIONbox!! For all the latest news on the catwalk shows, gossip and trends, remember there's only one place to check...theFASHIONbox. We will be bringing you every second of every minute of every hour of every day, the fashion shows that will rock your world, and leave you extremelly excited (hopefully!) So, sit back, relax and have your iPhones, iPads, computers, tablets rearing to go. IT'S FASHION WEEK PEOPLE!!

Treasures of Mexico!!

In April 2013, I visited Tulum, Mexico and experienced one of the greatest holidays of my life! From the beautiful beaches to the amazing tapas, the rich historical stories to the shopping avenues swarming with tourists and locals alike. Mexico I learned, is one of the most lively yet wonderful counties I had ever visited.  While on holiday, I took a couple of pics (as you do!) and in doing so took some amazing photographs of string bracelets, sombrero hats and fashionable aztec print clothes. So I though that I would share some of my fashionable holiday finds with you as they are a reminder of a culture which is sometimes forgotten. And if you haven't been to Mexico... I strongly recommend a holiday there, and while you're there dont forget to check out the ancient Mayan ruin of Chichen Itza where Jennifer Lopez filmed her 'I'm into You' music video! .

 I stayed in the Riviera Maya complex near Tulum, which had some of the most stunning beaches and wildlife I have ever seen. Imagine lizards and exotic birds just popping up out of nowhere as you head down to get breakfast! Or snorkelling in the sea and discovering a huge stingray gliding along beside you! It was absolutly incredible and a trip I'll treasure forever!

Go go Gucci!

Haven't posted in a while so I thought it only fitting to come back with a bang in the form of Gucci! Have you seen their amazing spring 2014 campaign yet? It's fiery, sexy, bright, bold and slick... Gucci style to the max. Set against colours of warm reds and browns, this is an athletic collection yet features hidden senses of femininity. Featuring Amanda Wallsh and Elisabeth Erm, these pictures are of high, Italian sophistication and forceful women power. I absolutely adore it and thought it only apt to get into the spring spirit with a bit of Gucci glamour. Bring on the summer!