Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2011 RTW

So clearly neither Jax nor I really pushed through reviewing all four weeks of fall fashion this year (do we ever), because I'm just now discovering Dolce & Gabbana's celestial 80's (or 50's rockabilly, according to Vogue) collection, and I'm overwhelmingly obsessed. Dolce & Gabbana fused their original classic shapes and techniques with insanely fun textures, prints, and colors, leading to a collection that is completely out of this world.

Sparkles, stars, brogues, and tiger print? Say no more, I'm hooked.

While basically everything about the collection was fantastic, I have to admit I'm not a big fan of 80's dressing. And when I say not a big fan, I mean I'll oftentimes wish that the 80's as a decade never happened. In fact, this collection is the only good thing I've ever seen come out of the whole tacky era. The music note printed pieces and over the top shoulder-padded blazers were definitely at the lower end of the spectrum of goodness, and could have potentially turned me off of the collection all together if it weren't for the amazing success of the rest of the clothes. Clearly my pink sparkly mascara and Happy Birthday nail polish are not going to be enough come fall. Considering my constantly growing affection for the collection, I don't think they're going to be enough come spring anymore either.

Images from Vogue.com

T by Alexander Wang Fall 2011

Alexander Wang has really stepped up his T collection for fall.  I've always been a fan of the lower priced line, but something's been missing from the series of perfect tshirts and body con tank dresses until now.  The addition of sheer fabrics and panne micro velvet pieces are what really took these clothes to the next level; they look sleek and sophisticated compared to T's current offerings.  The collection still stays true to the aesthetic of the brand though, with jersey knits and a pair of sweats for good measure.  I also love that this line seems to compliment Alex Wang's amazing fall 2011 ready-to-wear collection.  The best part?  The most expensive item (the liquid maxi dress) is only $350.  I'll be counting down the days until these stunners go on sale.

Images via Studded Hearts

Missoni Fall 2011 RTW

So much pastel goodness.  My only qualm with the collection is that I keep wanting to call it spring because of the color palette, despite the obviously awesome outerwear.  Photos from Style.com, edited by Bleach Black.

Versace, Bottega Veneta, and Armani A/W '11

Versace

I'm still trying to dissect why I liked Versace as much as I did.  Usually the label isn't quite my taste, but Donatella has really impressed me with the past two seasons.  For fall, she employed a lot of cartoony baroque flowers that reminded me of Prada spring 2011, as well as leather and gold sailor buttons, of all things.  But somehow, the show flowed really well, and these unexpected elements worked together to create looks that I am absolutely dying to own.  The A-line leather trench especially.  Whatever it is that you're doing Donatella, keep it up.

Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta was probably my favorite of these three collections.  Whenever I think of the brand, I think of beautiful, handcrafted bags, but I really never consider their ready-to-wear.  As it turns out, the clothes definitely match up to the accessories in terms of quality.  The floral dresses with delicate lace overlays made the biggest impression on me, and the closing oragami-bustier dresses were nearly as good.  I was not blown away by the opening looks (they were pretty dull), but in the end I would say that this was a strong showing by Tomas Maier.

Emporio Armani

I have to say, I'm a little bit biased against Armani.  I can't ever remember seeing a show from the label that I have really liked, as a matter of fact.  That said, Giorgio definitely knows his customer.  When I think of Armani, I usually think of middle aged business executives who want to look professional, but show that they have a little bit of an edge.  This all black collection is perfect for them.  Some of the velvet and ruffled looks were a little derivative of their fall 2010 show, but the layering was unexpected and fresh, and there was a lot of intriguing detailing.  Overall, some great clothes for the corporate, fashion forward woman.

Prada Fall 2011 Video

MaxMara Fall 2011 RTW

Simple, chic, and oh so sweet; MaxMara was everything that I wanted it to be.

The Holy Trinity of NY

Every time fashion month rolls around, kicking off with our dear NYFW, we find ourselves anticipating three shows above all others: Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs, and Proenza Schouler.  Though you may have different opinions on the matter, for us, these three brands are the absolute creme de la creme of New York fashion.  They represent three different maturations of design, and each has a completely unique and compelling perspective.  Marc is obviously the oldest and most established, and it's always interesting to see what theme he chooses to delve into for each season.  Jack and Lazaro of Proenza make up the up-and-coming classic brand, favorite of prominent editors and young bloggers alike.  And Alexander is the young breakout star, who still struggles to find his footing every now and then, but is becoming more confident and coherent with every progressing collection.

And so, without further ado, follow the jump for our thoughts on our three favorites' fall 2011 ready-to-wear shows.

Burberry Prorsum Fall 2011 RTW

Apparently I've been in a bad mood lately, because the past few reviews that I've done have been at least partially negative.  I promise that Burberry is my last, after this one if I don't like a collection I'll just try to keep my mouth shut.  At any rate, here I go again, because I really did not enjoy Burberry's fall 2011 showing.  Is Christopher Bailey under contract do produce a certain amount of coats per season?  Don't get me wrong, the man designs some good outwear, as evidenced by fall 2010, but this collection seemed to have an inordinate amount.  I also wasn't wild about the 1960s color palette nor was I about awkward sleeve lengths and strange capes.  As Tim Blanks from Style.com said, "[There was] one helluva lot of coat and not one helluva lot of range."

Gucci Spring 2011 RTW

With bows, flower appliques, and sheer numbers with slits-up-to-there galore, Frida Giannini's fall 2011 show for Gucci ended up looking eerily similar to Marc Jacobs for spring 2011 at times.  Giannini's looks were good enough, in fact, I think that I even prefer her versions of the flowing maxi dresses; but unfortunately, Gucci's collection seems to be a beat too late.  1970s influence littered the runways last season from Milan to Paris, and it's a trend that's perfect for springtime.  However, fall's zeitgeist is looking much more sophisticated, with 1940s Hollywood glam vibes striking a cord among buyers and retailers alike.  Gianni may have achieved this with some of her furs and a few smartly tailored jackets, but for the most part she missed the mark by cutting up those looks with over-the-top boho-chic attire.

Mary Katrantzou Fall 2011 RTW

I'm all torn up about what to say about Mary Katrantzou's fall 2011 show.  On the one hand, she produced one of my favorite collections that walked in 2010, and I wish nothing but great things for the young designer.  On the other, a lot of her looks for the fall season fell short in my book.  In fact, as I viewed the show, I found myself either head-over-heels in love or completely hating every look, never falling anywhere in between (loved the ones at the top, not so much the ones on the bottom, just F.Y.I.).

The pieces that I did not enjoy were the ones with prints that crossed into cartoon-ish territory, far from the home decor photographs that covered the dresses in her spring show.  Another aspect that I found myself loathing was Katrantzou's gratuitous layering.  These looks had that "everything plus the kitchen sink plus every single floral pattern that ever existed" quality that rendered them unflattering and unwearable.  I wish that someone had told the designer that less is more, especially when she's already been proven to have such a flair for print making.  This, however, is not a total Mary Katrantzou bashing session; as I said before, I absolutely adored some of the looks.  The dresses with sleeker cuts were far more suited for the intense patterns and brilliant colors, and I much preferred the more rhythmic prints to those that were all over the place.  It's much easier to appreciate the designer's craftsmanship when my eyes aren't going numb from so much chaos.  Overall, not a terrible collection, just kind of a let down compared to Katrantzou's brilliant spring 2011 season.

Erdem Fall 2011 RTW

 Erdem Moralioglu has been one of my favorite designers for the past few seasons, and he definitely upheld his status as such with his fall 2011 show.  The designer tackled unfamiliar territory, employing more relaxed silhouettes and artful draping in addition to his usual ladylike, structured pieces. I was also happy to see the dark prints after Erdem's foray into lace for the spring 2011 season.  I can't wait to see whether rumors of his designing for the royal wedding prove to be true after this beautiful, spirited collection.

Jeremy Scott Fall 2011 RTW

Jeremy Scott stuck with the general 90's trend for fall, but took it in a completely different direction from grunge: 90's pop culture. While I love, love, LOVE grunge, I missed being old enough to dress myself in plaids and safety pins by only a few years. I did not, however, miss the period of the Spice Girls, Tomagotchi, Zenon Girl of the 21st Century, Powerpuff Girls, etc.. The late 90's semi-Japanese inspired semi-out-of-control style of dress was much more a part of my life than grunge ever was until it's recent resurgence. Maybe that's why Scott's Fall collection struck such a cord with me. 90's references in fashion have gotten so serious and dark, that it feels refreshing to see a fun, kitsch, sarcastic take on the trend. As a college student, I can still afford to Manic Panic my pigtails and wear hot pink leather (or pleather) pleated skirts for another year or two without looked absolutely out of my mind, so you can bet yourself that I'll be delving into the fun 90's asap.

P.S.

If the clothes didn't do enough to convince me, this shot of Charlotte Free's hair and makeup definitely did:

(Images from style.com and The Cut)

Cushnie et Ochs Fall 2011 RTW

The collection was a distinctly Cushnie et Ochs take on the Native American tribes of the Wild, Wild West complete with "elastic boning" inspired by American tribal jewelry, loads of fringe and fur, feathers in the models' hair - the works. Among the many native references were leather tops and dresses that were as smooth and buttery looking as those of Celine and mane-like fur that hung down from the hemlines of dresses and skirts. Unlike the typical neutral palette associated with Native Americans though, Cushnie et Ochs went with a very shocking palette of inky black, metallic silver, airy white, and bright purple. As unusual as the colors were for the theme of the collection, paired with Cushnie et Ochs' signature minimal, slightly apocalyptic shapes, it really worked.

And as if the clothes weren't convincing enough, I leave you with the nails:

Rodarte Fall 2011 RTW

Laura and Kate Mulleavy's fall 2011 collection for Rodarte is the most polished and wearable that they've produced to date, but it still manages to retain the imaginative aesthetic that the design duo is renowned for.  Geometric shapes dominated the midwest-inspired show, and silk dresses printed with literal photographs of the American Plains made several appearances.  The crossed fabric torsos that I've come to love and expect from the Mulleavys were also utilized, but my favorite part of the show were the red sequined dresses at the end.  As the sisters said, "[They] couldn't go to Nebraska and Kansas and not do a Wizard of Oz reference."

The Row Fall 2011 RTW

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's latest collection for their high-end brand, The Row, has taken luxe to a whole other level.  While the clothes retain their famous sleek lines and the impeccable tailoring of seasons past, it was the textile choices that gave them a new, covetable grandeur.  Furs, cashmere, and embroidery abounded; but sleek belts, and flats from the Olsens' collaboration with Toms kept the looks grounded.  Some of the standout pieces included a shiny maroon crocodile skin top, and a chunky knit paired with a lace ankle length maxi skirt.  It is also notable that this season is the first time the label has ventured into using color; in previous seasons they had only employed a neutral palette for their clothes.  I would say that they did so with considerable success, as the mustard pieces were among my favorites.  This fashion week marked the twins' first foray into handbags, as well.  Although I haven't seen any detailed pictures of them, Style.com claims that the purses have a "clean, unadorned look," and will priced comparatively to Hermes.  Mary-Kate and Ashley are my favorite celebrities-turned-designers (not that there's much competition), and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them elaborate on their original minimalist aesthetic for fall 2011.

Our View at Jill Stuart Fall 2011

As I mentioned before, Katie and I had the honor of attending the Jill Stuart fall/winter 2011 show earlier today at Lincoln Center, and it absolutely did not fail to impress.  The collection showcased some of my favorite current trends such as below-the-knee hemlines and graphic color blocking, but the real standout aspects were the knife pleats and unexpected pops of metallic gold hues.  Being that this was the first runway show that we here at Les Deux have ever seen in person, the experience really made the clothes that much more special to us.  Also, on top of getting free Frappuccinos and Fiji Water at the event, we managed to snag some gift bags with Jill Stuart makeup (it doesn't take much to excite us).  Luckily, from our position in the venue, Katie and I were able to document some of the show.  Above, you can see some photos taken by yours truly, and below, you can watch a video of the finale shot by Katie.

A Peek at Fall

The Cut posted a slideshow yesterday of 65 designers' influences for their upcoming Fall 2011 RTW collections, and despite the fact that we weren't specifically invited to any shows, it's still fun to pick out the best prospect collections and pretend like we'll be seeing the actual clothes in person. Here are the inspirations that peaked my interest:

Band of Outsiders - "Sea Ranch"

Cushnie et Ochs - "Vagabond"

Erin Fetherston - "Mirage"

Max Azria - "Texture"

Rachel Roy - Nomadic

Vena Cava - "1994"

Hope you're all getting pumped for the best month of the year, cause Fall fashion week starts tomorrow. 


Katie

New York, New York

Exciting news from Les Deux: we're going to NYC during fashion week.

After receiving an email from Independent Fashion Bloggers about their NYFW Evolving Influence conference featuring Lazaro and Jack of Proenza Schouler (!), Jax and I decided that it was about time we got ourselves up to New York to at least see what fashion week is like in the city that never sleeps. While we won't necessarily be attending any shows, I can guarantee that we will do our best to sneak into them. Even taking away the possibility of conning our way into a show or two, both of us are thrilled by the prospect of seeing our most influential role models live, in person (think Freja Beha, Tavi, Crystal Renn, ADR, etc.). We officially bought plane and conference tickets yesterday, and I'm personally still giddy with excitement. You've still got about a week and a half before we're up in New York, but start getting excited for some fashion week coverage (hopefully with pictures).

Maria Bonita Extra FW '11

The textiles are a little reminiscent of Valentino Spring 2011, the styles and color palette a little of Alexander Wang Spring 2010.  At any rate, I like it.

images via studded hearts