MAD AS A HATTER

Judging from my preferred topics to post about, I seem to be as smitten with strange head wear as Marc Jacobs is. He, however, has an outlet for it.  Jacobs can jump into the rabbit hole and emerge with mad ideas about millinery.

Marc Jacobs
Fall 2012 Ad Campaign

I can only save my ideas for Halloween, which in fact is creeping up on us.

At least, his campaign for Louis Vuitton this fall did not entail a trip to Wonderland, only a ticket on the Orient Express.  Quite inspiring.

Thought bubbles are popping out of my head right now -- shaped like bulbous hats.


Note: Most of you fashionistas probably think this campaign is old hat, having seen the Fall runway shows back in the spring.  I'm just an ostrich whose head has been buried in the sand for months.

JEDI FASHION

I finally made it for an overdue manicure and pedicure, which meant down time to flip through my magazines.  (The backed-up stacks had gotten really tall).

Well, this certainly caught my eye:

Jean Paul Goode's brilliant Star War's concept for Harper's Bazaar this month.  

Flourescent bulbs standing in for light sabers was a stroke of genius.  And it looks like Charlotte Gainsbourg and Nicholas Ghesquière are thoroughly enjoying their Jedi duel.   I suppose the real "hats off" is to Ghesquière, for making Darth Vader's head gear worthy of Balenciaga.

Would you wear this Balenciaga hat?  Or only to a Star Wars Convention?

MILAN STREET STYLE

Street style from Milan
Photo: from The New York Times, Style

It is as much fun to look at the people outside the fashion shows during the slew of Fashion Weeks around the world as it is to see the runway creations.  This young lady caught my eye -- very little embellishment, just clean and stylish use of shape and color.

I think I will be wearing red today.

iPHONEOGRAPHY

Photo gadgets for the iPhone
Photo: tabletalk.com

Astounding.  I never thought one could take "serious" photographs with a camera phone.  I just came across all these new gadgets that make your iPhone's camera rival a DSLR.  That, and discovering that the iPhone 4S (which I do not have -- my iPhone still carries a lower digit) comes with an impressively wide lens with infrared filters to begin with.  A bit disheartening to those of us who take pride in lugging around a big Canon, though rather exciting to think of this little-phone-that-could.

For more details on these accessories, see Table Talk.

ADR AND VERSACE FOR H&M

The hyperkinetic but always fabulous Anna Dello Russo just posted this backstage video on her website.  I found her plastic covering a bit disturbing, but agree that Versace for H&M and ADR are made for each other.

Initial previews of the collection feel overpriced to me, given that this is a fast fashion retail outlet, not couture.  But others may find it worth it, if only to get a feel for the frenetic fashion energy that is both Versace and Anna Dello Russo.

What do you all think of the collection?

SPOOKY MONKI

Since we don't have Monki here in the US, I only discovered this Scandinavian brand this year through blogs.  They have the most fascinating concept photo shoots.  From what I gather, their stores are whimsical journeys to traipse through as well.

Here's the latest from Monki Magazine, their Spooky Issue:

Their pieces are actually rather basic, but they rely on your creativity to bring the outfits alive.  

If it were possible to walk into a photograph, I think I'd like to step right into this Monki World.

All Photos:  from Monki Magazine, monki.com

LANVIN'S FALL 2011 VIDEO

I had been enjoying the double trouble Lanvin campaign in the magazines.  I didn't realize there was actually a video, shot by Steven Meisel, accompanying it.




It won't win dance awards, but it is rather amusing, particularly when Alber Elbaz joins the fun towards the end.  As always, we can also simply appreciate Lanvin's feminine glamor.