Couture week in Paris is always full of creativity and incredible fashion and 2018 did not disappoint. below are my top five favorite shows.

First up we have Giambattista Valli who delivered a show full of gorgeous fabric manipulations and femininity. Based on the nature depicted in the book The Wild Garden and a special emphasis put on beauty, the garments focused on elegant and romantic draping techniques as well as delicate, hand crafted appliqué. The final gowns each utilized 350 meters of fabric on their own. I am certain we will be seeing some of these gowns on red carpets during upcoming award show seasons. 

See the full collection here. 

Claire Waight Keller's takeover of Givenchy has been seemingly effortless. For this step back in to couture for the brand, she wanted the focus to be on bringing femininity into the art of tailoring while staying true to Hubert de Givenchy's original vision for the brand. She also cited inspiration from the idea of walking through a garden at night and the "idea of the moonlight catching the dresses." Overall, I think her first couture collection for Givenchy, although not perfect, was definitely a success. 

See the full collection here. 

Maison Margiela's main focus for this show was technology and the way we see things in the real world versus through technology. This idea resulted in a truly innovative show. Before the show began, Galliano asked that all photographs be taken with flash and the reason why quickly became evident. Many of the garments looked one way to the naked eye and completely different in a photograph. Below are a couple of examples:

Without Flash ||| With Flash

Without Flash ||| With Flash

As for the styling of the looks, Galliano was inspired by "dressing in haste," as he describes it. The overall impression was a sort of sporty casualness and spontaneity that could only have resulted from hours of meticulous planning by Galliano himself. 

See the full collection here. 

Christian Dior is a brand that never fails to impress and this collection was no exception. Surrealist symbolism served as the inspiration behind this particular collection as well as the sudden takeover of Hollywood's #MeToo movement and the demand for black awards season attire. When asked the #MeToo movement and the expectations on women on red carpets, creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri was quoted as saying, "We have to think about dreaming. In a way, it [haute couture] is our business. But if you never dream, you don't think that something negative can change." Thus resulting in many looks involving structured pantsuits followed by gowns covered in feathers and sequins. 

See the full collection here.

Last, but not least, we have Valentino. In this collection, Pierpaolo Piccioli really let loose with clashing colors and feathers. Piccioli managed to make a huge statement with this collection and seemingly break boundaries in hate couture. He proved that couture doesn't have to be stereotypical princess gowns but can also be trousers and opera coats. He also managed to genuinely incorporate all of this season's biggest trends without it coming across as forced: sheer fabrics, feathers, clashing patterns, and clashing colors all made appearances on this runway. Overall this collection was full of wonderful contradictions; over the top extravagance and a very cool casual vibe.

See the full collection here. 

Hope you enjoyed!

Winter is in full swing here in New Jersey so it's hard to imagine Spring being only a little over two months away. However, soon it will be time to trade in your thick down coats for leather jackets and there are some serious trends to be on the lookout for when that transition happens. So here are five trends that we saw takeover designers' spring 2018 collections on the runway that you should look for interesting ways to incorporate into your closet in the coming months!

ART INSPIRED

Calvin Klein, Comme des Garçons, Prada

Many designers took inspiration from art this season. Calvin Klein looked to Andy Warhol and pop art printed on lace sheath dresses and jackets. Comme des Garçons was avant garde as always and sent dresses down the runway featuring paintings by Guiseppe Arcimboldo, and Italian portraitist in the 1500s who became known for his portraits made using fruits and vegetables. Finally, Prada featured the work of cartoonists and manga artists who are mainly contemporary but also included artists from the 30s and 60s. When shopping for your spring wardrobe be on the lookout for art inspired pieces to include in your wardrobe! 

Art Inspired Off the Runway

Top // H&M

Skirt // Zara

Boots // H&M

Bag // Nordstrom

Bracelet // Francescas

Earrings // Francescas

PLAID & CHECKERED PRINTS

Loewe, Balenciaga, Marni

The next trend we will be exploring today is mixing contrasting prints, specifically, plaid and checkered prints. This spring, instead of reaching for florals and feminine prints, designers looked to plaid. It's a nice way to break up the stereotypical spring prints with something fresh and eye catching. 

Plaid & Checkered Prints Off the Runway

Top // Zara

Pants // Zara

Coat // Net-A-Porter // ASOS (Similar)

Shoes // Zara

Bag // Zara

DARK DENIM

Max Mara, Fendi, Tom Ford

Denim is always a great staple to have in your wardrobe. This season, designers have been utilizing darker washes of denim instead of lighter washed usually associated with spring. Whether you're sporting an all denim ensemble or simply using it as an accent to your outfit, dark denim is a trend you will be seeing a lot of in the coming months. 

Dark Denim Off the Runway

Dress // Nordstrom

Jacket // Zara

Boots // Zara

Bag // Zara

FRINGE

Calvin Klein, Céline, Dior

Fringe was another trend that dominated the runway this season. Some designers, like Raf Simmons for Calvin Klein, went all out, creating full dresses of fringe. Other designers chose to keep the fringe to a minimum, using it as an accent to a larger design. Either way, fringe was everywhere and will definitely be showing up in stores soon! 

Fringe Off the Runway

Top // Zara

Jeans // Nordstrom

Shoes // Net-A-Porter

Earrings // Francesca's

SHEER

Givenchy, Marchesa, Dior

The last trend we are going to be talking about is sheer fabric. Whether it is sheer panelling or an entire sheer garment, the look has taken over. Some designers, such as Dior, chose to lay the sheer garment over top of another piece while other designers chose to let the sheer pieces take the spotlight on their own. When shopping for a street style friendly look, there will be many options out there that come with an attached undergarment. If not, there are definitely many sources of inspiration out there when it comes to styling sheer garments. 

Sheer Off the Runway

Dress // H&M

Top // H&M

Pants // H&M

Shoes // Zara

Bag // Zara

Hello Everyone!

Last night saw all of Hollywood's biggest stars gather to celebrate this year's best in television and film. However, this year, women came together to make this event stand for much more than just fashion and entertainment. They created a movement. A movement protesting the pattern of abuse and sexual violence against women, not just in Hollywood, but everywhere. Hashtags like #TimesUp and #WhyWeWearBlack took over twitter and instagram in a show of support for all women who have been affected and women who have had the courage to speak up about the abuse they have endured for decades. Taking it a step further, almost everyone in attendance at the Golden Globes wore black in a show of solidarity, many even wearing pins with the movement's hashtag, Time's Up, displayed proudly. The theme continued throughout the night with moments like Natalie Portman's pointed announcement of the "all male" Best Director nominee's and Oprah's moving speech that had the internet calling for her to run for office in 2020. Overall, it was a night full of hope and of female empowerment.

The night also saw some incredible fashion. Below, in no particular order, I've complied my ten favorite looks:

First up, we have Millie Bobby Brown who looked incredible in Calvin Klein. She is such an amazing young girl and sometimes it's hard to believe she is only 13! Following her is Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace featuring very on-trend feather trimmed sleeves. Kerry Washington looked stunning in a sparkly Prabal Gurung strapless dress and a pair of gorgeous Roger Vivier mesh ankle boots that I cannot stop thinking about. Emilia Clarke served serious Khaleesi vibes in a strapless Miu Miu gown with a beautiful structured neckline. One of my personal favorite gowns of the night was Jessica Biel's Dior couture princess gown. 

Nicole Kidman's Givenchy dress was another personal favorite of mine (we all know I have a major weakness for Givenchy), as was her performance in Big Little Lies which she took Best Actress award home for. Dakota Johnson stunned in a black Gucci number that looked relatively simple from the front but was a beautifully embellished showstopper, reminiscent of a starry sky, from the back. Next, of course, we have Oprah who stole the show for more than just her dress. Last night Oprah became the first black woman to win the Cecil B. DeMill award. Her speech was incredibly moving and touched upon the theme of the night; #TimesUp and #MeToo. Another favorite of mine was Sarah Paulson, who was stunning as always in Calvin Klein. Finally, we have Catherine Zeta Jones in a beautifully embellished Zuhair Murad gown. 

Overall, last night's Golden Globes was full of female empowerment, activism, and a sense of rebirth in Hollywood. The incredible fashion was just a bonus.

(This one was a custom order)

Hope you enjoyed!