Stylin' 949
NEWS
It seems Just Cavalli just couldn't make it to Milan this year. Amidst bankruptcy protection claims and financial distress, Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli has announced his youth line will not be showing at prestigious Milan Fashion Week. This news comes in the wake of financial woes at Ittierre, the company that owns the Just Cavalli brand. Also on Ittierre's books are Galliano, Versace Sport and Versace Jeans Couture. The AFP reports that Ittierre's problems may ultimately bring down their parent company IT Holding, which also owns C'n'C Costume National and Gianfranco Ferre. In a statement to the press, Roberto Cavalli said: 'I took this decision to protect the brand and Just Cavalli customers- The difficult situation of Ittierre did not guarantee that I could be as avant-garde as usual with my youth line.' Cavalli's main line is not owned by Ittierre, and will still be showing at Milan.
Australia's first Swim Fashion Week launched last Wednesday. At the time of writing, we're yet to see any shows, but with the labels on offer, we're pretty sure there are going to be some succulent swimsuits. Held at Sanctuary Cove on the Goldcoast, Swim Fashion Week will showcase emerging swimwear talent with new generation and group shows - as well as onsite designer pavilions - and also provide a platform for established brands. Individual shows include Zimmermann, Anna and Boy, Seventh Wonderland and Hotel Bondi Swim. With two-hour gaps between shows, many predict that sunbathing will also feature heavily on the week's agenda.
London Fashion Week was held last week, and, as we've come to expect, it pissed all over New York's offerings. Fashion Darling Christopher Kane did what he seems to do every season, and produced his 'best collection yet', a mixture of gentlemanly outerwear - think grandpa cardigans and double breasted velvet smoking jackets - and delicate, exquisitely assembled silk dresses in nude hues, the collection displayed the same genius of construction that has made Kane famous, but with a more mature nod towards commercial sensibility. Also impressive was Roksanda Ilinic, whose plays on proportion saw shoulders bloom into Micky Mouse ears. Our favourite ever Luella was sadly not as good as last season, but her punk-meets-tweed take on British institutions was still a pleasurable romp. Erdem stood out in a show of rich, colourful prints and delicate empire waists, while Top Shop Unique will have us obsessively online shopping in six months time.
In e-tail news, we are currently chomping at the bit for the launch of theoutnet.com, the soon to be live outlet store of online shopping Mecca Net-a-Porter. The site was originally set for a February launch, but as the days of this month dwindle, so do our hopes. When the store does eventually go online, it will feature designer steals from Net-a-Porter's impressive backlog. The store stocks thousands of pieces by hundreds of covetable labels, and as their seasonal sales regularly feature prices as low as 75% off, we can only imagine how cheap their outlet will be. Our fantasy- Giuseppe Zanotti cut out wedges at 90% off.
FEATURE
Trends You Think You Can't Wear (But Can!)
From towering, ridiculous heels to silk pyjamas as day wear, this season has a lot of unwearable trends. But some of them are deceiving, they may look impossible for mere mortals when they flounce down the runway, but in reality they can be easily adapted into normal life. It's all a matter of where you find them and how you wear them.
Boyfriend Jeans
The problem: These baggy crotched, paper bag waisted fabric guzzlers make even the slenderest of waifs look three sizes bigger.
The solution: Don't go grunge when you wear them. Boyfriend jeans may be for skinny girls only when they're paired with an equally oversized flannel and a pair of Doc Martens, but when you use them as a touch of tough in an otherwise pretty-girl outfit, they can actually make your thighs look thinner. Team them with a really slim-fitting silk camisole (the kind your mother disapprovingly tells you is underwear), and a pair of spike heeled pumps and the boyfriend jean acquires serious sex appeal - as in, I literally had sex last night and now I'm wearing my feller's jeans home-type sex appeal. Diesel make our favourite pair of the season.
Statement Necklaces
The problem: The expensive ones are the price of a very nice car, and the cheap ones are the price of a less nice, but still functional car.
The solution: So many accessories chains are yet to pick up on the big-bling, statement necklace trend (Diva will soon, and we're on the waiting-list) but buying designer won't be an option until you get your economic stimulus cash, and even then, spending a grand on a piece of Lanvin costume jewellery you'll probably hate in six months is pretty ridiculous- we mean, you could spend that money on shoes! Fortunately the General is going to charge to your rescue, cavalry behind him, General Pants that is. GP's new accessories line is full of necklaces that scream, and look good as they do it. And the best part- The prices are way, way tinier than the pieces. They don't cost the same as a car, or even half a car, hell, some of them are cheaper than tires.
Digital Prints
The problem: You're a dude, and no matter how much you love your girlfriend's printed mini dress, it will make you look like a sad trannie.
The solution: Sure, digital prints on dresses are out of the question, but have you considered a printed tunic- Worn the right way, they look less spiritual leader and more dirty, sexy hipster. The trick is to wear your printed tunic (in pale, neutral or dark tones, going bright red will look very silly), with a pair of skinny leg jeans, tough shoes and a manly leather jacket. Sure, you'll probably still end up buying a piece of ladies' clothing, but once you're done, it won't look like it.
PARTY
Retrosuper Future Does Recession
Every Thursday night, the hipsters of Sydney have been drinking to their unemployment, bankruptcy and inevitable slump into Steinbeckesque hopelessness at intimidating-cool-person-place Tatler's. The night was aptly named Recession. But like George Milton putting a gun to the neck of an eight-foot tall, retarded John Malkovich, all good things must come to an end. And that end took place last week. Unfortunately, we were too busy drinking the juice of wrathful grapes to take any photos last week. We do however have shots of what may have been Recession's trendiest night - hosted by eyewear label de jour Retrosuperfuture, it featured all the cool kids that make us too scared to attend parties, all in brightly coloured sunglasses, all at night. Seriously, twenty minutes in there gave us hipster gout; for weeks after we would groan in pain when even so much as a feather landed on our irony toe.
EVENTS
What: Zimmermann Warehouse Sale
When: Thursday 5 to Saturday 7 from 8am to 6pm most days
Where: 48-56 Epsom Road, Zetland
What: Book Club label lanch
When: Friday 6 from 6-11pm
Where: Itrip Iskip, 30 Lonsdale St Braddon, Canberra
What: Gay Bash presents: Money Gra$
When: Saturday 7 from 6pm til late
Where: The Oxford Hotel, 134 Oxford St Darlinghurst
More: Tickets through Moshtix