From Mongolia, With Love Malandrino Fall 2010

All in all, well done, Malandrino. It was an eye-opening show full of interesting, meaningful pieces that were well-constructed and different from the current pack. The draping and rugged materials were lovely, and were complemented well by the natural-looking but sexy wooden-platformed shoes, crocodile leggings, suede ankle wraps and animal prints. This is a very, very labor-intensive collection, and in this case, it was worth it.

The final look, which would look so normal in so many other shows, was so unusual here and didn’t fit in, interesting as it was.

Nykhor is wearing a distressed sequined one-sleeve chiffon dress, an argentato bell necklace, an argentato flower bib necklace, suede ankle wraps and black crocodile double-platform pumps

Below, Whitney surveys the last few looks

Oleysa (below, left) is wearing a cashmere tunic with distressed sequins and leather braids, croc fitted pants with a metal zip closing, an argentato berry-bead necklace, a distressed-shearling monk bag, gloves with argentato bracelets and distressed leather double-platform boots with metal coated fronts.

Chloe (below, right) is wearing a double-face khaki suede draped blanket wrap, pleated side shorts, an argentato ring, a noir cord belt and distressed leather double-platform boots

I know it’s crazy, because normally, I wouldn’t be CAUGHT DEAD with a bag like this (I dislike Western and Native American styles, and the bag evokes that), but I really liked it on her with the ensemble. It’s really a statement piece and makes the look complete (far overshadowing the comparatively simple shoes). Maddie is wearing a cashmere oversize turtleneck sweater, pleated side shorts, an argentato plate drop necklace, black leather double-platform pumps and the aforementioned braided fringe kidassia bag

This was one of the few spots of green I remember in the show, and I loved it. I would definitely purchase these fierce deep jade shoes

Working with fur is no exception. While I do not wear or condone fur, it is notoriously difficult to work with. Malandrino really pulled out all the stops for these two looks below

Lovely accessorizing going on here. I really like the bracelets on top of the gloves. And what a beautiful dress! Malandrino is really showing us with this dress and the distressed leather motorcycle jacket that she really knows her stuff when it comes to leather, and that shows in the shoes as well.

With this dress, weight of fabric is an important factor. The leather needs to fold and drape perfectly. The gloves need to scrunch perfectly and fit the wrists and fingers just so so accessories can go over them

Matching multicolored ankle wraps are a nice touch to an otherwise blah outfit

Now, these were my favorite shoes because they were sort of a mirage boot. At first, you think, those boots are worn ridiculously. No one can wear their boots open like that and not trip, as cool as it looks.

But you can, since these are bound together by black fabric (I think it was leather, but I’m not sure — there could’ve been some elastic). I really enjoyed these. They fit the life of a modern woman: just slip into them and go. No buckles, zippers or laces

These are lovely, and think of all the work that must’ve gone into them if they’re hand-painted

Here are a few of the other shoes, including some uber-lovable double platform booties with indigo dye that ended up looking somewhat greenish against the black. Everything in this collection is very rugged and worn-looking: stitches show, dye looks random, and things are not sleek and perfect (except perhaps the final ensemble). Even leggings are croc-embossed, showing their rugged animal side. And hosiery, jewelry and ankle adornments were of the utmost importance in this show

I love the double platforms Malandrino used throughout the show, especially with the suede ankle wraps. It gives the same effect as an ankle strap pump, but without the discomfort

Now let’s take a look at the ensembles, including very interesting shoes, and at least one pair that I really liked. The inspiration for this collection came from two kidassia goat chairs Ms. Malandrino found in a Brooklyn shop. The collection is entitled “Khan,” and the Mongolian influences are obvious (though the “Asian” eye makeup is a bit much). Goat hair, shearling, fox fur, distressed leather, wool boucle and earth colors from indigo to rust evoke an earthly reconnection. This is a major change for Malandrino, which has frequently infused chic, girly French looks with just a touch of the exotic, not a bucketload.

One of my favorite examples of the kind of restrained exotic where Malandrino scores big is this jacket.

Irina is wearing a slashed-leather motorcycle jacket with a fox-fringe front and back, linen cropped pants, suede ankle wraps and distressed-leather double-platform pumps. If Malandrino had made this jacket animal print, it would’ve been far too much

Handlers kept walking around, checking on the models. “Are you all right? Are you sure you’re all right???” (Mental image of a model in 5-inch platforms tumbling over like a bowling pin, faint from heat, exhaustion and lack of food).

We’re all used to models looking stoic, mean, unhappy, starved or any blend of the above, but this was hard for them. They were standing in very high heels on top of a small platform for over an hour. God only knows how long the dressing took, so how long they were standing before that. Not a model’s favorite NYFW gig, though they will get great media exposure.

The only problem was, the models all looked exceedingly unhappy

So let’s talk about the way Malandrino positioned the models, instead of having a runway. It was very smart because so many people got great photos. This show will get a lot more blog press than it normally would for that reason

Here’s a better shot of Whit’s Outfit du Jour. I like the booties a lot, but I’m not sure about the rest of it, especially the jacket and the black tights. I like her pal’s grey outfit, if not the way it fits her.

Everyone’s saying it’s all about Russia in fashion and culture this year, and with a friend moving to Moscow, I’m willing to check it out. But at Malandrino today, it was all about Mongolia, Russia’s landlocked neighbor.

Let’s start with the celebs at the show. I haven’t seen this many celebs in such a short period of time perhaps ever (yesterday, Kelly Rutherford, a.k.a Serena’s pretty mom from Gossip Girl, smiled at me as I came out of the Louboutin store as she was getting in a cab — I would like to think she was checking out my over-the-knee boots and not just being friendly but who knows).

The most well-known celeb there was Whitney Port from MTV’s The City. It makes sense that Whitney Port, having worked at DVF, likes Malandrino. Walking around the jam-packed Chelsea Art Museum, Whit kept saying things like, “These clothes are so amazing. So pretty. Wow.” She’s a cute little California gal, and she’s trying to dress like a New Yorker now (lots more black).

I know because she seemed to be in front of me the whole time, although I was more interested in hearing what Kate Walsh, the ravishing doctor-on-TV of Grey’s Anatomy, thought. She seemed to love the collection as well, uttering praise and snapping photos with her point-and-shoot.

ADAM by Adam Lippes NY Fashion Week Fall 2010

Adam, your clothes are lovely and well-styled, so please grace us with some shoes that are equally lovely and contenders worthy of the clothing next time.

Believe it or not, this was my favorite look in Adam’s show, despite the gorgeous dress above.

Yulia is wearing a rust merino wool hand knit circle cardigan and an ivory etched plaid silk chiffon shirt dress. The styling is just so great on this. It looks so effortless, like a Scottish woman who blew in from the Highlands. I love it for the rebellious messiness that’s actually very calculated (the scarf tucked into the belt and over the shoulder just so, the sweater off the shoulder and pulled down closer to the right wristline).

The divinity below is Yulia gracing us with a crimson silk chiffon hand painted kaleidoscope print tank dress and a wonderfully twisted scarf-muff and fingerless gloves (70s punks would roll in their graves to see how haute fingerless gloves have become, selling at Bendel for $300 and whatnot).

Azul is wearing a merino and mohair seamless floating hem dress. The belt by Lucia Nenickova is lovely and a great contrasting shade that wouldn’t be expected.

Now, in honor of Mr. Lippes’ mad skills, as we like to call it where I’m from in Cali (and you know, everywhere they have MTV), I’d like to show a few more of his looks. He really is an ubertalented man, but his accessories gals need to step it up. Laziness is not an option with shoes when it comes to Fashion Week. Shoes are the “it” item and are being evermore critiqued.

So hello, beautiful dress! Adam’s hemlines are not perfect, which is part of what appeals to me.

Marlena wears the putty organza dress with antiqued gold and silver moire embroidery. This dress is an exception for fashion week, because it would look better on a curvier woman.

I am cringing and pretending not to look at the awkward black tights and black booties.

Legwear, legwear, legwear. Has it ever been this important in fashion history? In the 80s, perhaps. But unlike Victorian times, when showing a peep of an ankle was scandalous, we’ve got gals walking around in booty shorts and heels in winter, so legwear is of utmost importance. Layers and layers of tights, leg warmers that hug tighter to the leg and ankle socks will continue to be very important this year.

The fashion world is on an Amelia Earhart kick. Kori below is wearing a caramel leather aviator jacket with a shearling collar (the tough Earhart persona of a career woman), an ivory washed silk charmeuse tank (elegance and sexiness beneath the rough sportsman-like modern American woman) and a putty high waisted cashmere knit jodhpur (a sporty, comfortable horseback riding pant that will only ever be worn around the house by rich women). I don’t like the jodhpur’s color or distressing similarity to my most shapeless pilates pants, but the jacket’s nice. You can see a Michael Kors girl sporting it in her younger days, before she got her yacht.

Now, now, I know they’re Manolos. And they’d be fine in many other circumstances. But in this one, the Shoe Parliament votes a resounding, “NAY!” The omnipresent black tights and black shoes have gone too far! Not one more pair on the runway as a default for hosiery and shoes just because you didn’t know what else to do!

What do those black stockings and booties do for the ensemble? Nada! Zip! Zilch!

As a contrast, the shoes might work if they were more of a resounding black, an inky (either metallic or bejeweled) black. They appear to be SUEDE, my friends (with perhaps some sort of small leather toe cap), and suede portrays a softness. Now, the dress is already soft. Since the vest is hard and the dress is soft, hard, metallic, serpentine shoes in copper or gold would be a good complement for this Athenian apparel (to sandwich the soft in alternating hard layers).

Or you could go the other way around, with soft ivory slippers that whisper of things to come.

But these Manolo booties, with their suede, scrunching and indiscriminate shape, were not the right choice.

And what is more amazing is that ADAM used these same booties for the ENTIRE show excepting a few lone ensembles.

Now, I don’t love this ensemble, which makes me think Furry Cheerleader, but at least the shoes are more interesting because even though they are nearly the exact same shoe, they are interesting colors that speak to the outfit, that are having a conversation with the outfit that is a playful interchange.

Not this! Oy vey! Adam, not even God himself could keep from casting you out of the Garden of Eden for that shoe choice!

Adam Lippes, you make clothes that are ravishing, but I’m not sure about your shoe pairings.

Like wine to food, the right shoe can make your clothes sparkle instead of stealing the thunder (and what’s so wrong with that, say the Shoe Lovers of the World).

For instance, my favorite look of the show, on Anastasia: a gorgeous billowy ivory washed silk charmeuse gathered pleat dress flowing forth from the open doors of a stunner of a cropped antiqued gold and silver moire embroidery, putty organza t-back vest. Anastasia’s coppery red locks are the perfect complement for this vest.

Now, you can’t entirely see in my photo what shoes this look is paired with, but what would you imagine?

Saunders Fall 2010 Jonathan

Am I missing something?

Here are the outfits that went with these shoes.

Ankle boots with a cut-out at the heel.

There is a spine that goes up the back.

Strapped sandals.   The wrinkled socks are odd

Jonathan Saunders presented shoes made by Christian Louboutin in his London Show.  I may have to look at them for a while, because they don’t seem all that special to me.  Maybe after looking at them a while they will grow on me.  Let me show you.

Snub toe ankle boots

Takada Kenzo Happy Birthday

Kenzo retired in 1999.  He is now designing home furnishings.

Kenzo 294956 Sandal $625 at Endless  My favorite.  This heel is wonderful.

Vintage couture Kenzo dress below.

Here is a vintage 1970s suede dress.

Takada Kenzo is 71 today.  Born in Himeji, Kenzo’s love for fashion developed at an early age through reading his sisters’ magazines.  In 1958, he joined Bunka Fashion College which had then just opened its classes to male students.  After graduating he evenutally landed in Paris to make his way in the fashion industry.  He had virtually no money.  Using the fabrics he found were found at Saint Pierre Fabric Market, Kenzo often had to cobble a piece together using different fabrics.

Dior Fall 2010 Christian

John Galliano made his appearance dressed in costume.  Complete with spurs.  Ya gotta love him.  He has quite a flair for the dramatic.

I wonder if this look is just a pair of boots covered with leg warmers.  Well, that is what we called them in the 80’s.   I don’t know what they are called today.

My favorite boot from this line.  The accent trimming on the platform and sole sort of reminds me of Proenza Schouler and Prada from last year.

John Galliano continued his equestrian, libertine theme in Christian Dior’s show today.  There was lots of leather, lots of chiffon.  There was some criticism that there isn’t a real distinction between the John Galliano line and Christian Dior line.    Overall, there were a handful of pieces that I liked.  The boots were thigh high and ankle length, one being a pair of lace boots that were lovely but we have seen lovely lace boots before.  The platforms and heels seem quite high.  Have a look.

Owens Fall 2010 Rick

Rick Owens shoes can be found at net-a-porter and luisaviaroma

This is the only pair that I am not wild about.

The clothing is not for me, but I really like his boots.  He has been covering the wedged heels on his boots for several seasons.  Loved them in ‘08 and love them now.

When you read about Rick Owens he come off as super arrogant and not necessarily a like-able guy, but I don’t think it really bothers him.  He would rather be known as a creative designer.   That being said, he has designed some amazing things.  His leather jackets are gorgeous.   He has aso designed some shoes in the past that made me think, “What?”  Here is what he offered this year.

Teese in Milan Dita Von

I could take a Cointreaupolitan about now.

This isn’t one of those times.  I want to love this outfit on her but it is not flattering.  Something like this can successfully be worn by 22 year-old hard bodies with about 2% body fat, but not many more.  She could wear the same lace dress with an black under slip/dress that covers her upper thighs, THEN I think she would look fabulous.

Deta is something else.  When you really look at her features, they are not outstanding, but she nearly always presents herself with impeccable style and poise.

Dita Von Teese was in Milan at the Cointreaupolitan Party last week.  She wore a lace Dolce & Gabbana lace dress from the Spring 2010 line.  She also wore a pair of lace Christian Louboutins, I think they are the black version of the ones Galligator featured here.  If they aren’t then the Felito is the only thing available now.

Teese in Milan Dita Von

I could take a Cointreaupolitan about now.

This isn’t one of those times.  I want to love this outfit on her but it is not flattering.  Something like this can successfully be worn by 22 year-old hard bodies with about 2% body fat, but not many more.  She could wear the same lace dress with an black under slip/dress that covers her upper thighs, THEN I think she would look fabulous.

Deta is something else.  When you really look at her features, they are not outstanding, but she nearly always presents herself with impeccable style and poise.

Dita Von Teese was in Milan at the Cointreaupolitan Party last week.  She wore a lace Dolce & Gabbana lace dress from the Spring 2010 line.  She also wore a pair of lace Christian Louboutins, I think they are the black version of the ones Galligator featured here.  If they aren’t then the Felito is the only thing available now.

McCartney Fall 2010 Stella

This was a nice line.  There are those who complained that it was boring, but this line offered several anchor investment pieces that could go to work then out to dinner fairly easily.

Notice, patent leather, pointy toes, pretty colors.  I hope we see alot more of this silhouette.

My one concern about this shoe is that the edge of the shoe hits right at the edge of the toe joint.  I am wondering if this would make the shoe want to fall off as you walk, although I don’t see any toe clevage on this model.    It also looks like a toe blister waiting to happen.

I just want to touch those pants.

She used sheer fabrics but didn’t make the outfits trampy.  This is such a pretty dress.

I like how this sheer blouse doesn’t show a dark bra underneath.  That look is a little tired.

Stella McCartney’s styles are typically under my radar.   I think her target age is a bit younger than I am.   Her clothes tend to be too minimalist for me.  Remember,  I am the one who wants to wear sparkly, lacy things, usually purple, but R5Daughter would make fun of me, so I don’t.    Stella’s fall line is VERY work friendly, offering shoes that aren’t extremely high, dresses that are simple but still beautiful, and elegant pants paired with beautiful blouses.

Sandals On Sale for 70 Percent Off Herve Leger

If the shoe fitteth you not, Cinderella, go and purchase one of these gorgeous dresses. It will be a classic that you can wear for many years.

And lucky you, reader! While they are out at Madison Avenue, they still have pairs at the Las Vegas store that they will send to you in New York! And the shoes, originally $688, are on sale for 70 percent off, meaning they are now $206.40!!! Call (702) 732-4529 to see if they have your size and can send it to New York.

So it was a surprise to see gorgeous shoes in his window. These leather snakeskin-embossed sandals are stunning and made especially to match this spring’s collection of neutral dresses

Herve Leger is known for his bandage dresses, sexy bodycon slings that are worn only by those who aren’t afraid to show off every curve. Spring’s neutrals are particularly bewitching.