Paris S/S 09 Sum-up!: TraiT's Top 5

Alright, so fashion month had finally come an end. As exhausted as every other season, I had fun, was amazed and was disappointed throughout this season as usual.

But which designers from Paris are in my Top 5? It's a REALLY REALLY tough choice since I'm loving so much designers from that capital. But still here it is:

1. Nina Ricci

You might think I'm being bias here, but Olivier Theyskens proved to me AGAIN that he's afterall one of my top favourite designers this season with the shift to a much more feminine collection. Feminine, as conventional as it sounds, his work certainly isn't. And those dress trains can't be anymore statement grounding.

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2. Gareth Pugh

Ya, I'm shallowing my own words about this collection not being his best, but every collection does needs time mature our love for it, and Gareth Pugh definitely is one of them.

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3. Haider Ackermann

Talking about being gorgeous in every designer's unique way, Haider Ackermann couldn't fill in the quote anymore perfectly. Experimental isn't his thing, and trend-following would no doubt feels insulting to him. He loves and he knows his drapes, and consistantly came up with spectacular pieces.

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4. Sharon Waucob

I'm loving any designer that are able to pull off an elegant "too-much going on" collection, and Sharon Waucob certainly did. Lots of statements, but very much wearable. Perfect for any lady.

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5. Rue du Mail

Such a surprising yet pleasant change of direction this season from Martine Sitbone, which I'm also surprised by myself picking her as my top 5.

Paris S/S 09: Limi Feu

I might just be one of the few people who are actually interested in fashion through the introduction of J-pop/Japanese style in the early 20s. From there, I got style icons, style magazines, style researching, all based on the country. So I really do appreciates that country which brought me to who I am today, fashion obsessed, generally.

And everytime when I view Limi Feu's shows, I can't help me being drawn back to the days with the constant influence of Japanese crazy street wear. Lolita goth, punk, ragged, doll-like, the list just never ends. This season, Limi Feu stayed true to herself, stayed true to her similar aesthetics with her father, Yohji Yamamoto.
Very loosed and baggy shirts, blazers and trousers can't be anymore quintessentially Japanese street, with the addition of the models having large earphones on. But it was until the second half of the show that comes out the more unexpected pieces.

Second half of the show featured some tie-dyed pieces and some war elements of the bullet carrier strap across the chest.

And of course, the last 2 cage dresses can't get anymore dramatic.

Paris S/S 09: Rue Du Mail

Surprise surprise surprise!
I almost wanted to skip pass Martine Sitbone's Rue du Mail show cause I've always thought that Sitbone's creations has always been catered to the comfort-motivated which to me, aren't Parisian at all.
But for her latest show, I was asking myself constantly, "Are THESE Sitbone?!".

Martine Sitbone usually pays more attention to the prints and her silhouettes are always really soft.
So what shocked me this season was how she seem more attached to the texture, sewed-ons, and shapes.
Textures are more crisp and clean, as sewed-ons are those multiple "comb-like" collages. Her play of shapes are more angular and define, from the high-waisted crotch cut-out skirts, to stiff shoulder sleeves and dress hem.






With such a futuristic collection, some of the pieces seems a little abrupt, like the trench dress for example. But it by how monochromic it looked, it can be easily over-looked.

Paris S/S 09: Valentino

I was having this mild depression last night when it's gone official that Alessandra Facchinetti would be leaving Valentino after just 3 seasons. To me, it's really a heartbreaking news as I thought that Alessandra really did brought in something new into the Valentino house with her subtle and soft femininity aesthetics.
Very different from Garavani's bold and direct works with extreme vibrant colours and overloaded with strong feminine elements like bow ties, polka dots, laces, glitterings. But to me, those elements gets old and used since he had been doing the same thing since the 70s.
What's more upsetting is the fact that this is NOT the first thing Facchinetti's being replaced after 2 or 3 seasons, the previous one is Gucci. And at both times, being replaced by the accessories department! How depressing is that?!?!?! And please guys, look at Gucci now. It can't get any more commercial and sales-greedy under the creative direction of Giannini.

Sigh... Along with everyone who's feeling with Alessandra now, I also do hope she would have a house label of her own. She needs to be free from the shadowing of other names, that's when she can do whatever she wants, and I do believe, that would be the best place she can be.

So now, her last collection for Valentino:

More experimental with bolder colours like forest green and ocean blue, but her detailing are still very precised with the rope-liked twisting at the necklines and shoulders. A little Grecian for the embroideries, but still very sophisticated for the urban and contemporary.

Moving to the evening, the best area which she's at, are as magnificent as ever with ultra soft fabrics and the plays of the draping.

And of course, not forgetting the signature red dress/gown from every Valentino shows. This proved that Alessandra's always paying tribute to Garavani, which is extremely nice of her.

Now, just when will someone be NICE to her?

I'll miss you Alessandra, and till next time...


*But I'm ok now. Watched some clips of Sonia Rykiel's latest 40th anniversary show made me felt so much better.*

Paris S/S 09: Alexander Mcqueen

I've always been a fan of Alexander Mcqueen's aesthetics even though he always differs his show's theme seasons from seasons, and can come out with something totally unexpected. The best & latest example would have to be his fall 08, which contains the royalty of different cultures.

This season, as you would expect, unexpected theme again, Zoo.
With a backdrop of many different fake animals, the presentation's almost something like a disney parade.

And soon, the show opened in multiple exotic prints. Though "exotic", the prints are symmetrically pieced which looked really interesting especially against the harder architectural pieces. Some of the softer pieces, light dresses to puffy hip-flask silhouettes, are armored with crocodile skin corset.
But it was only until the middle part of the show when I can sense the true Mcqueen with the architectural mini dresses with sewed-on jutted floral details.

Then colourful prints took over the show, which looked very similar to some of the pieces from his spring 08.

Moving more into the evening sees the use of more couture execution, which is not surprising from the man, with a throughout glittery hard dresses and bodysuits.

Many are disappointed with Mcqueen's creation this season as it just seem too commercial and jumbled. I do have to agree to some extend, but again, it might be that his last fall was SO explicitly good that our expectations are raised for the better. So when the man comes out with something similar to his previous spring, everything seems to be a thumbs-down.

But overall, personally, Mcqueen stayed onto his own aesthetics, which to me, is the most important for an artist. And besides, it doesn't look like a hard drop as some of the pieces still look very stunning to me.

Paris S/S 09: Haider Ackermann

One of the most used trends this season would have to be drapes. Besides the usual Yigal Azrouel, Esteban Cortazar for Emaunuel ungaro, Donna Karan, Ann Demeulemeester, etc, another designer who's big on drapings would have to be Haider Ackermann.



His love for long wrinkly drapes and leather has always been a signature for the man. This season, though, looks like a spring version of his last fall collection with more structured shoulders and similar footwear.

Such a contradiction btween the ragged and elegant. Cut-outs are bland but with the soft palette of the show, it still managed to look very graceful, especially the gowns.

They would be PERFECT for my style.

Paris S/S 09:Giambattista Valli

When I first saw the Giambattista Valli show, I was almost refusing to believe that it's a collection from the man. Much more girlish with the puffy skirt silhouette and a piece that features 3 silver bows down the neckline to the waist.

Besides that, everything else was very Giambattista Valli as usual with the elaborated fluffy florals and defined silhouettes.
The dress worn by Chanel Iman's very much the man's most repeated piece, with the jutted puffy florals pockets.

Then lastly, out came the 5 full gowns that would have to be the drama every season. Very couture-looking, which some would point out how unwearable they are. But Giambattista aren't about being wearable or flattering, which I'd always appreciate.

Paris S/S 09: Hussein Chalayan

For a home-based blogger like me, SO MUCH drama in a day of fashion can be exhausting! No, drama in PARIS to be specific.

So when it comes to defining "drama" in Hussein Chalayan, the word "CRASH" can't be anymore literal.
For most of the prints, Chalayan used images of crashing/crashed cars. (When I first saw the collection, I was confused by the prints at first as there're car plates and all mushed-up till it's hard to make out the print.)

And of recent, Chalayan loves to infuse new technology into his pieces. LED(Light Emitting Diode ) dresses in fall 07 and now, this architectural plastic-looking material for most of the dresses.

Though, there are a fair section of the show dedicated to the soft and flowing pieces. Swimsuits with high-up thigh cuts are countered with ultra thin fabrics in the form of jumpsuits which are very interesting.





But the highlight of the show would have to be the closing. Dresses with back "spikes" came onto the runway with heavy fan blowing against the models. That moment, created such a gorgeous display much like an art piece.