Walk the Walk: Armani Privé F/W 2014 Collection

Out of all the Haute Couture collections I have seen in the F/W 2014 season, Armani Privé is THE COLLECTION that has completely blown me away. Red, black and white, those are the colours to bring out the Armani spirit (no navy this time).

The collection consists of 71 looks and many of them appeal to a younger demographic. The unique thing about Armani's Haute Couture is that the collection will always carry a modern vibe, with a futuristic touch. In here, circle has become a major theme and this element turns into 3D embellishments, prints, polka dots, and even an organza top.

I personally am in love with all the evening wear because they look elegant and timeless. Also, there is no doubt the polka dots veils are going to be a hit in the upcoming editorials.

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Walk the Walk: Christian Dior F/W 2014 Haute Couture Collection

Ever since Raf Simons became the creative director of Christian Dior, he has created a lot of magical moments for the fashion house. Yesterday he presented the F/W 2014 Haute Couture runway show, and it was a pure firework show.

For this season, Raf has decided to go back in time and divided this collection into 8 themes representing different eras: Robe a la Française, Flight a la Française, 1910s Linear, Bodice meets Jacke, Justacorps and Gilets, 1920s Liberated, Collar meets Bar, and Pleats and Systems. Each category shows a very specific type of silhouette and some of pieces even have a nice futuristic touch. The best part of Raf's Dior era is that even his Haute Couture collection is very wearable and the pieces are timeless. I can definitely see women in those bar jacket inspired pieces, walking along 5th Avenue in New York in this coming fall.

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Walk the Walk: Louis Vuitton F/W 2014 Collection

Today marked a brand new page for Louis Vuitton, as Nicolas Ghesquière debuted his first LV collection in Paris. The LV girls in the first chapter of this new era were bolder, edgier and more powerful. Ghesquière created many completely wearable pieces, with a nice twist. Some of the examples were the knit skirt with feather panels, and the asymmetrical leather/ tweed dress. Petite Malle bag was introduced in this show and it was a mini LV trunk.

As a first collection, Nicolas Ghesquière did a very good job on creating the new LV girl. I believe this was just a warm up for the designer. The best is yet to come.

Pros:
- This collection opens a brand new page for Louis Vuitton, as the aesthetic of this collection is very different from the Marc Jacobs' era. The LV girls are bolder, edgier and more powerful.
- The big pocket on the skirt is a very nice design
- There are a a lot of metal accents in this collection, which is one of Nicolas' design signatures.
- I quite like the Petite Malle bag. It's a fun accessory piece.
- The boots and belts will be something nice to have next season.
- So glad to see Freja Beha Erichsen back on the runway! You have no idea how much I missed her!

Cons:
- There are actually a lot of ideas going on in this collection, maybe this is just a way for the designer to show the audience what kind of energy he is planning to inject to this fashion label.

Eye Candies:
- Wide collar leather coat
- Sweater with patchwork
- Knit skirt with feather panels
- Floral dress
- The shoes

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Walk the Walk: Valentino F/W 2014 Collection

Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri have been slowly driving Valentino to a new direction since last season and this collection is a good prove.

There are a lot of colours here and many of the pieces are highly decorated with great prints, embroideries, and embellishments. The romantic vibe still exists, but the Valentino girls are more adventurous and modern than before. Giant dot, animal and check prints, those are the elements that bring new energy to the brand. Based on these observations, there is a reason to believe Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri are making a new evolution for the brand, and it will be very interesting to see what they have in mind for the next 2 seasons.

Pros:
- A lot of elements in this collection, but the colour palette pulls everything together.
- I like the dots element a lot and it creates some very interesting patterns.
- The animals prints are amazing, especially the butterflies one, it reminds me of stamps for some reasons.
- I love the embroideries on the evening gowns. Elegant and classy.
- The check pattern adds a very different vibe to Valentino. It's fresh and playful.
- The shoes are very nice, especially the dots boots.

Cons:
- If there could have a few more cut out designs (e.g look 8), that might be great.

Eye Candies:
- All the evening gowns
- The dots long coat
- The butterflies print dress
- The Butterflies cape
- The boots

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Walk the Walk: Balmain F/W 2014 Collection

It looks like Olivier Rousteing is brining us to his version of Safari for the F/W 2014 season! In my opinion, this is his best collection to date.

The signature boxy silhouette continues to show up in this collection, but with a more military twist. The weaving technique in this collection is breathtaking, especially the top made of ropes. Pleats and draping ropes add a nice feminine vibe to this bold collection. Overall, I strongly believe this collection is inspired by Rihanna (why not? She is the face of the S/S 2014 campaign), and will probably see a few pieces in her up coming tour.

Pros:
- Love the entire safari theme with Olivier's own twist.
- The weaving technique is amazing!
- Even though the collection is very bold and edgy, because of the pleats, and the layered skirts, there is still a very strong feminine vibe.
- Those Obi-Wan belts will be a hit!
- Most of the pieces in this collection are very wearable (as long as you have the money for them).

Eye Candies:
- All of them

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Trendology: Gareth Pugh F/W 2014 Collection

Gareth Pugh presented his F/W 2014 collection yesterday in Paris, and judging by the photos, this was more a cool experimental project.

The entire collection was in white, ivory and silver, so the audience could focus on the silhouettes and the use of materials (and the key at the back!). There were a lot of interesting shapes, and many of the pieces were more exaggerated than a normal RTW show. The plastic pieces were very cool, but would not be a good outfit for a dinner date (unless you are some over the top fashionistas). The only clothes that were totally wearable were the fur pieces and maybe the ivory sleeveless dress. Overall, this was a very good experiment, and I expect some of these pieces will show up on the up coming editorials soon.

Walk the Walk: Dolce & Gabbana F/W 2014 Collection

Just when I thought Dolce & Gabbana was going to present a runway show inspired by the queens in the medieval period (the menswear was inspired by kings and knights), the designers surprised me with their own version of fairy tale.

This collection consisted of many elements - from keys to animal patchworks, crystallized accessories to fur pieces, every look truly defined each character in the story (fairies, warriors, mages). The warrior looks were an extension of the menswear collection, which the girls looked super sexy and fearless in those armours. Out of all the pieces, the red fur coat was the most outstanding one because it reminded people of Red Riding Hood!  

Overall, this collection is whimsical and I guarantee many of the pieces (especially the accessories) will show up in editorials in the next season!

Pros:
- I like the fairy-tale theme a lot, especially it has a very dark vibe.
- I love the accessories, from the crystallized gloves to the armour boots, everything looks so perfect on the runway.
- The animal patchworks add a whimsical vibe to the pieces. On the other hand, the keys print created a magical vibe.
- The finale walk is once again breathtaking! The girls are fearless warriors with the most stunning armours in the Dolce & Gabbana fairy tale world.

Cons:
- I would like to see a queen figure in this collection.

Eye Candies:
- Red fur coat
- Dress with keys embroidery
- Chainmail hood
- Armour boots
- The keys print dresses
- Blue dress with owl patchworks

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Walk the Walk: Burberry Prorsum F/W 2014 Collection

All eyes were on Christopher Bailey yesterday, as this was the first collection after he became the CEO of the brand. This season, the designer used Bloomsbury as the inspiration for the collection. From trench coat to shoes, many of the pieces were hand painted to create that unique factor. There were also some nice silk dresses, which to me was an unexpected move from the designer, because they looked very light and summery. Aside from the print scarves, the hand painted Bloomsbury bags should be a big hit next season as it had so many different versions.

I may not be totally blown away by this collection, but one thing is certain: Christopher Bailey is unstoppable and you just never know what tricks he will play for his next collection.

Pros:
- Because most of the pieces are all hand painted, that means every customer should be getting a unique piece (aka the drawings may not be at the exact spot, or the strokes will be different).
- The Bloomsbury bag is impressive and I like the different variations of it.
- I like the hand painted belts and shoes.
- The silk dresses are nice, and they are something unexpected for the F/W season.
- The print scarves should be a hit next season.

Cons:
- Some pieces are too DIY for my taste.

Eye Candies:
- The Bloomsbury bag in hand-painted leathers and suedes
- The woven blankets
- The hand painted boots
- Green wool coat
- Lace dresses
- Geometric patchwork shearling coat

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Walk the Walk: Mary Katrantzou F/W 2014 Collection

If you are a fan of Mary Katrantzou, you must know that she is famous for her digital prints. However, in this coming season, she has decided to leave this element behind and move on to a new direction: patches.

Even though digital prints are no longer the main force in this collection, the clothes still contain the aesthetic of the brand. Mary uses the patches to create playful figures and patterns, and they create an interesting contract again the elegant silhouettes. There are also a few metal pieces I think will become major focus points for the upcoming magazine editorials. Overall, the entire collection is refreshing, youthful, and innovative.

If this is the new beginning of the brand, I can promise Mary's career as a fashion designer will continue to last for many years. We are just waiting for her to create another milestone for the London fashion scene.

Pros:
- Mary Katrantzou has left her digital prints kingdom behind and now she is exploring the use of patches. It's a risky move, but the collection shows the designer can do no wrong.
- The designer mixes heraldic emblems and modern symbols to create a very interesting contrast.
- If you miss Mary's digital prints, you still get to see the leopard print garments in this collection.
- I like the fact that the collection is more focused on the techniques of creating those pieces.

Cons:
- It would be interesting to see these patches on accessories, such as clutches, pins and bags.

Eye Candies:
- The "transformer" collaged dress
- Gown with men's symbols
- The metal dress

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Trendology: Thom Browne F/W 2014 Collection

Thom Browne's fashion show is always an entertainment, and this one is no exception. According to the designer, we are going to church this time.

For this F/W 2014 runway collection, the designer is inspired by the catholic church and the 40s silhouettes. Each girl plays a specific role such as a nun, a priest or a golden angel. As always, Browne's designs are very dramatic and always consist of a lot of layerings. I personally like the gold lame series a lot because each piece carries a very bright and cheerful vibe, which creates a nice contrast against the rest of the collection.

There is no way consumers are going to purchase these pieces and wear them at your average normal dinner events. However, if you look at them as beautiful art pieces, you may want to purchase them and put them in a nice glass box for your house display.

Please visit Style.com  to view the complete collection. 

Walk the Walk: Thakoon F/W 2014 Collection

Thakoon is back!

For this coming season, floral print is dominating the entire collection. It is used in many ways such as as the outer shell of the the coats, the pleats of a cropped knit top, and a patchwork of a dress. The colour palette is very summery, and this creates an interesting contrast against other collections showing in this season. If you are a big fan of knitwear, then you are going to fall in love with this collection immediately, as there are so many wearable pieces. Overall, I personally think this is a strong collection, and have a good feeling many of the pieces will sell very well.

Pros:
- The floral print is refreshing in this collection. It's quite interesting to have this summery print applied on winter clothing
- The fuschia colour adds a youthful vibe to the collection
- The tweed and knit pieces are very beautiful and wearable.
- The floral print details give a nice finishing on many of the pieces.

Cons:
- It's interesting that there is no accessory showing in this runway show.

Eye Candies: 
- Cropped cardigan with floral print pleats
- Floral print coat
- Nude deconstructed coat
- Abstract print fur dress

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Walk the Walk: Prabal Gurung F/W 2014 Collection

Prabal Gurung presented his F/W 2014 collection yesterday during New York Fashion Week and it was once again a great show. For this season, he took inspirations from the kingdom of Mustang and that explained a lot why there were a lot of red colour garments. Unlike the previous season, this collection was injected with a sportswear vibe. There were a lot of twists and turns on many of the pieces to create a cool asymmetrical effect. As usual, the final evening gowns were beautiful, which would be some potential options for upcoming red for the celebrities.

Pros:
- The vibe of this collection is very different than the previous season, however, Prabal can still maintain the cool and edgy vibe of her women.
- There are a lot of draping pieces in this collection, but surprisingly, they do not look clumsy at all.
- There is a very nice sportswear touch in this collection, but somehow, you still find her girls to be very elegant.
- I am loving the asymmetrical design on many of the tops and dresses.

Cons:
- The shoes do not really wow me this time.

Eye Candies:
- Red high slit gown with crystal embellishments
- Tribal print shirt dress
- Digital print asymmetrical dress

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Trendology: Six Lee F/W 2014 Collection

"Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You have to find them by feeling but not what you are seeing.”

Six Lee has recently presented his F/W 2014 collection during menswear fashion weeks, and I find the inspiration really reflects how I feel about life (strange but true).

The entire collection is inspired by Andy Denzler paintings, and therefore you see some amazing abstract prints to represent the complicated feelings of human beings in some of the garments. As usual, most of the silhouettes are still inspired by the 19th century tailoring of the English aristocracy, but this time, there are also new elements of the Tibetan costumes, which you can see from the oversized coats.

I continue to fall in love with the suits, and am still waiting for the chance to try them out. Hopefully this goal will be met soon!

Walk the Walk: Dior Homme F/W 2014 Collection

Without a doubt, this is the best collection Kris Van Assche has ever created for Dior Homme to date!

The designer transforms some of the menswear basics into fashion forward pieces. Instead of a normal pinstripes suit, he has added a few thick lines to make it unique and edgy. He also uses the lily and rose patterns to add a romantic touch to many of the pieces. I personally find the entire collection is very wearable (if you don't like the head to toe look, you can just pick one of the pieces and wear it separately) and it makes the Dior Homme men to look very classy with a nice edge. Now I can't wait to see what Kris has in store for us in the up coming season.

Pros:
- I love the pinstripes suits here, especially the ones with different width of stripes
- The lily motif is a great element, as it injects energy to many of the pieces.
- I love how Kris Van Assche uses the suit material to create the utility jackets.
- The rose print adds a romantic vibe to the collection.
- The polka dots look should be a key look in the upcoming editorials.

Cons:
- I wish to see more accessories from this collection. The prints are too beautiful.

Eye Candies:
- The pinstripes suit with wide width lines
- The lily print tie
- Pinstripes utility jacket
- The rose embroidery suit

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.

Walk the Walk: Valentino F/W 2014 Menswear Collection

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli always excite me with all their Valentino collections and the latest men's collection is simply brilliant.

For this collection, the designers have brought the pre-fall abstract prints to the men's pieces. I am in love with the cashmere coats and also the knitwear. The owl and the ship print should be a big hit next season for the men's fashion world, and I can safely assume some fashion fashion brands may want to copy this idea right now. On the other hand, if you prefer some safe options, there are always these amazing suits for you to wear at different occasions.

Overall, this is a very solid and cohesive collection. I am excited to see what the designers will create for the F/W 2014 womenswear.

Pros:
- I love the abstract tribal print, it's an element I love in the womenswear pre-fall collection.
- The fur and knit pieces are very nice here.
- I believe the sneakers will be a hit next season.
- It's great that the designers continue to have a few pieces in the camo category.

Cons: 
- Would love to see a few more camo pieces.

Eye Candies: 
- The abstract pattern cashmere coat
- The owl sweater
- The suit
- The camo jacket

Please visit Style.com to view the complete collection.