TRAVELING: WEEKEND STYLE

I'm off to LA this weekend.  I am so determined to just have carry-on!  You know how much space several pairs of shoes take in the roller case ...

Aside from the old trick of stuffing accessories into the shoes, I decided on using my day-to-night BCBG suede jacket.  It has some cool geometric accents.  Plus, I go crazy over anything with zippers.

BCBG faux suede jacket
from BCBG. com

BCBG faux suede jacket
from BCBG.com

It's sleek and fitted and goes marvelously with bright colors -- so yes, I get to use red, green, even purple with it.  I'll probably head to the airport in a red knit top plus denim skirt.  Also packing some spandex capris too for the weekend in red and black.

On the itinerary is the Rodarte exhibit at the Pacific Design Center.  Can't wait!

I'll see you all next week ...

BURBERRY BEIJING

China has come a long way from our images of Mao.  When I talk to people I know from Shanghai, for example, they keep talking about luxury goods!

This affluent appetite has now brought a new Burberry store in Beijing.  The maker of the most recognizable check pattern chose to dazzle its Chinese audience with high tech glitz. Multiple video monitors showed 3D models in Burberry fashions.

See these hologram models exploding into puffs!

Still from Burberry video at Beijing store opening
from psfk.com

Still from Burberry video at Beijing store opening
from psfk.com

Still from Burberry video at Beijing store opening
from psfk.com

Here's the full length Burberry video (caution: it's a bit long) :














Video from Burberry
Photos from psfk.com

MORE MUSEUM FASHION: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

If you haven't noticed already, the best seats in town for couture fashion shows are in the museums.

Now, Alexander McQueen, one of my favorite visionaries in fashion/art/theater, is getting a retrospective at the Met in NYC.  "Savage Beauty" will be shown at the Costume Institute with several notes from Sarah Burton.  You can really get a sense that McQueen found inspiration everywhere - history, film, exotic cultures, ... truly a man after my own heart!

The following photographs are from vogue.com:

Voss, Spring 2001

Voss, Spring 2001

Sarabande, Spring 2007

Widows of Culloden, Fall 2006

For more information on the pieces, see Vogue's site:  Alexander the Great.

The exhibit opens to the public on May 4th.


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FASHION EDITOR STYLE

I happened upon this neat street video from Style.com.  These Fashion Editors, particularly the first two, embody what I think of as great, timeless style:  Simple, classic shapes made interesting through fabric or some other accent.  And not too much bling!  Their style ethos is to focus on one eye-catching piece.  The rest frames it.




What do you think?

DESIGUAL AND ART

The Museums in San Francisco have been so inspirational.  If you are in the area, not only should you catch the "Balenciaga and Spain" exhibit at the De Young.  The real must-see is Isabelle de Borchgrave's trompe l'oeil costume masterpieces for "Pulp Fashion" at the Legion of Honor.

Naturally, these exhibits attracted Art and Fashion students and other stylish admirers.  So I decked myself out in my colorful Desigual coat to blend in.  I was tickled pink (or rather rainbow!) to be stopped by several museum-goers complimenting me on my coat.  And it wasn't even the wildest print -- it was restrained by Desigual standards.

Desigual coat
from Desigual print ads
This isn't my exact coat but it's similar

The back of my coat is like this too
photo from allexpress.com

Detail of the coat
It's in a jacquard type fabric with embroidery and print
photo from allexpress.com

For more on Desigual, please refer to my old posts:

Barcelona Buzz

Desigual Meets Christian Lacroix

BALENCIAGA AND SPAIN

Looking at Nicholas Ghesquiere's geometric designs for Balenciaga these days, one might forget the Spanish origins of the house of Balenciaga.

Balenciaga Fall 2011
from style.com

But upon closer look, these modern designs hint at Cristobal Balenciaga's couture house from long ago.

Balenciaga Fall 2011
shoe detail
from style.com

Design and costume exhibits seem to be the current rage these days at museums.  Over here at San Francisco's De Young Museum, "Balenciaga and Spain" is currently on exhibit.

Hamish Bowles, of European Vogue, has put together a study of Cristobal Balenciaga, his origins, and the influence of Spanish culture on his designs.  The photos below suggest the Torero to me:

"Balenciaga and Spain"
from the exhibit at the De Young Museum
photos from deyoung.famsf.org

Balenciaga was a creative genius.  He trained and mentored noted designers like Emanuel Ungaro, Courreges, and Givenchy.  And when you see his architectural designs, seemingly ahead of his time,

Balenciaga abstract evening ensemble, 1967
from Balenciaga archives

you appreciate what he did for fashion and couture.  Fortunately, Ghesquiere has also infused the label with cutting edge designs, like his "Lego" shoes.  Would Cristobal approve?

Nicholas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga
"Lego" platform shoes
from style.com

This is another one on my list of exhibits to see ...