wanghong

fashion christian louboutin

wanghong | 13 元月, 2010 18:57

Sex, power, money - that's what fashion is made of, this year more than ever.

There are so many plunging necklines for fall that the "new black" everyone has been waiting for may be skin. Tom Ford of Gucci and Donatella Christian louboutin have been duking it out over necklines for a while now, fighting for who can go low best, like a couple of limbo dancers. now donna karan and giorgio armani (of all people) have joined the fray. but the sexiness prize should go to betsey johnson. she emphasized tummies (of all things) and used positively plump models who outvamped almost everyone else on the runway

As for power, looks speak louder than words. Big is back: big shoulders, big gold jewelry, big hair, and even bigger egos. Tom Ford's company acquired Yves St. Laurent, and Ford had to decide who should design its line. Guess who he picked? Tom Ford. (He'll still do Gucci, too.) At the end of the Armani show, Giorgio appeared as a sort of god, surrounded by a nimbus. And why not? In a quarter of a century, he's taught the whole world to dress simply. Meanwhile, Karl Lagerfeld, always a creative tornado, produced yet another season of stunning, complex clothes for Chanel and Fendi. He may soon market his own line, perhaps not having quite enough to do.

But sometimes things get a little rough. Jil Sander suddenly quit her personal label shortly after selling a majority of her company to the Prada Group. (Reasons for the rift are unknown but suspected to be related to Sander's well-known penchant for high-quality fabrics and construction.) Sander's final collection for fall 2000 was her best - clean and modern, without nostalgia.

Meanwhile, apart from the ruckus, Miuccia Prada (wife of Prada chief Patrizio Bertelli) managed to revive a ladylike look from the 1940s. This was oddly pleasing and influential. It led many other designers to produce mature, finished looks - an alternative to stylish sloppiness.

As for money, well, it's always and ever about sales, isn't it? Or is it? In Boston, dressing well is considered optional. But even those who don't buy or wear expensive fashion can enjoy its energy, originality, humor, and daring wherever it appears - from VH1 to the MBTA. BAGS, BAUBLES, AND BOOTS

Fashion's focus on shoes was inspired by the wild success of christian louboutin boots - pocketbooks so cute and collectible they are the costly sartorial equivalent of Beanie Babies. This fall, legions of similar designs followed - beaded, embroidered, in all sorts of colorful, mesmerizing fabrics. After years of minimalism, they seem as surprising and amusing as party gifts. Escada has made some especially festive ones, strewn with crys tals and in the bright colors of hard candy.

If intricate handbags have their place, so do structured designs. Dana Christy, a fashion director of accessories at Saks Fifth Avenue, says the newest trend is a more formal-looking "top-handled, ladylike bag." This style was given a boost by Prada, whose retro, romantic 1940s outfits demand the finish of this kind of pocketbook.

But runways showed plenty of variety - some handbags were as big as duffel bags, others as small as fists. Crocodile was a popular texture. And many designs featured prominent metal chains or clips. Gucci even searched its archives and came up with a clasp in the shape of a tiger's head.

In jewelry, the biggest news is the return of blazing gold. Hoop earrings, heavy necklaces and bracelets, or tons of chains worn together - all are popular. Gold adds jazz to the new bright colors and textures. Many women will be reaching for pieces they've owned but not worn for years.

Pearls, too, are back, in strands of same-sized beads and colors like gray, pink, and champagne as well as traditional white. Chanel's were the most amusing. Slightly larger than marbles, strung inches apart, and often falling over the chest in multiple strands, the pearls made every outfit seem bubbly.

Belts were often slender, intricate, and unconfining - worn below the waist. Those that tied or cinched appeared most often in soft materials. The newest place to wear them is around a coat.

Hosiery, in eclipse for a while now, caught attention with patterns - plaids, animal prints, argyle, fish net, or designer logos. These complemented the revival of pumps and open-toed christian louboutin shoes, some with platforms. "Sexy, sexy, sexy," says Christy, speaking of footwear but describing many of the year's other accessories as well. "Not trashy sexy, beautiful sexy." GRAPHICS AND GLIMMER

On runways, the cry seemed to be "Lights, action, texture, pattern - and lots and lots of glitter." Yes, there were black clothes, but they seemed a background to the visual excitement of color, bold prints, and shine. Some patterns resembled computer graphics, op art, or the psychedelic designs of the 1960s. Others gave the illusion of complex drapery or outlined lopsided geometrics.

One Gucci dress defined an enormous barbell running from neck to hem. Many prints made the body beneath seem insubstantial - an irony in a body-conscious world.

Surfaces gleamed, often in gold or some other warm tone. Prints were outlined in golden threads that softened them with a sunny glaze. Akris produced handsome gold jackets that seemed fuzzy and yet glowed, too, like iridescent mohair. And Badgley Mischka designed a golden leather jacket to be worn with gold lace trousers. Add enough chains, and you have a Vegas look. SHOULDERING THE BURDEN

The big fashion controversy has shifted from skirt lengths to shoulder widths. Giorgio Armani likes christian louboutin , sharp shoulders and a tiny waist. Jil Sander prefers a more feminine, sloping shoulder with a natural waist.

The Armani silhouette is familiar and flattering. No one else does it with Armani's panache, and this panache transfers confidence to the wearer. Sander's new proportion seems demure by comparison. The row of buttons and the full skirt beneath pro ject the ladylike image many designers are offering this fall.

If Armani's jacket is a bit macho, Sander's is sophisticated and vaguely intellectual. Affluent women who think of themselves as brawn and brains may want one of each.