Balmain RTW Fall 2012

In his second season as a designer for Balmain, Oliver Rousteing is not holding anything back, and proof of that was found in Balmain’s ready-to-wear fall 2012 collection. In the line, which was inspired by a gem owned by Elizabeth Taylor, Rousteing went all in with fabrics, embroidery, jewels, and more.

Boxy cut jackets paired with slim trousers, as well as form-fitting dresses and miniskirts, made up a majority of the collection. Quilted patterns, velvet, and dozens of pearls swamped the entire line, yet it remained fairly practical.

The collections color palette was comprised of deep greens and royal violets, along with a host of blush tones and metallic and gold accents,. Those colors, combined with armor-like jeweled coverings, metals, and embroidery, almost gave Balmain's latest collection a bold, medieval feel. The collection was, indeed, bold, and it was as beautiful as the piece that inspired it.

Text Quamé A. Hamlin
Source WWD

Dior Mixed Ballet and Fashion for Fall 2012

Paris Fashion Week is officially in full swing, and Dior decided to take on a different theme for its show this year. Normally, we see much more skin in shows, but Dior was focused on skirts with long hems and cinched waists. The skirts were fuller than we have seen in the past, and they were designed to resemble what a ballet dancer would wear. Even the shoes were modeled after ballet point shoes, just in a high-heel version.

The colors were very soft and natural, focusing on pinks and nudes. All of the skirts in the show were below the knee and full of panels, which gave them flair. For tops, we saw traditional jackets made from wool and belted at the waist. By using classic fabrics like cashmere, silk, and wool, this collection was nothing short of elegant. The contemporary style mixed with ballet inspiration was the perfect blend of classical and modern.


Text Caitlin Beck
Image Guardian.co.uk

165 Years of Cartier

 

In honor of its 165th anniversary, Cartier has released a short film called "L’Odyssée de Cartier," which follows the path of a bejeweled panther. The feline comes to life and travels to Russia, China, India and France, which are all places that played integral parts in bringing the luxury brand to where it is now.

The film features flashes of beautiful rings as the panther leaps through silver bangles, encounters a gold dragon, steps through an opulent land of trees dripping with jewels, and more. The film ends with Cartier muse Shalom Harlow, who is draped in a red dress and diamonds that are worth every girl's envy. The panther presses itself against her, as the classic red Cartier box closes on the scene.

The film, which took two years to make, is emblematic of the luxury of the brand, which is both traditional and exotic. The brand's image and history is captured perfectly in the silent film, accompanied by the orchestral music of Pierre Adenot. 

Text Alice Chen

Image Cartier

Balenciaga Professional Chic at Paris Fashion Week

Balenciaga kicked off their fall 2012 line yesterday in Paris. Like the city, the looks were all designed to exude professional chic sophistication.

Each look represented a role in the make-believe offices of Balenciaga Inc. It was a clever way to make business casual a bit less casual. Office clothes can be borderline boring, but Balenciaga definitely showed us that it doesn’t have to be the case.

Bold skirts, silky slacks, leather, and bright color dominated the show. The collection paid close attention to detail and playful hemlines. The looks mixed both sparkle and black with bold color for a dramatic look, which really worked as an outfit. Intricate designs and rock-star splashes completed the most eccentric looks.

Kristen Stewart showed her sophisticated side at the Paris show with an ensemble that was more glammed up than usual. Often casual in public, Stewart donned leather and florals for a more upscale Parisian look at the show.

Text Sera Michael

Source Fashion Gone Rogue 

Natural Beauty Rules at Balmain

Every girl wishes that she could roll out of bed in the morning, wash her hair, slap on some concealer, and leave the house. However, most women don't believe they look socially acceptable unless they style their hair and slap on a full face of makeup. Consider Balmain's fall 2012 beauty look as your ticket to freedom.

At the designer's runway show for Paris Fashion Week, hairstylist Sam McKnight and makeup artist Tom Pecheux practically handed out permission slips for women across the world to walk out the front door with very minimal effort.

McKnight wanted the hair to remain a bit textured yet totally natural. He simply washed the models' hair with Pantene Pro-V Repair and Protect Shampoo, and, for the most part, he left it at that. Only a few girls with frizzy, dry hair needed a bit of styling wax to create a slightly more polished appearance.

Since the collection was inspired by luxury, Pecheux made it a priority to give the models a clean, flawless face. He concentrated on using strategically placed concealer to hide any imperfections, and finished off by lightly contouring the face and powdering the T-zone to get rid of shine. For models whose brows were bleached at the Milan shows, he added pencil eyeliner and colored mascara to fill in the missing color.

The whole look could be described as natural yet put-together. It's the perfect opportunity to sleep in for those extra ten minutes.

Text Esther Reisberg
Source and Image Style.com