McQueen's Sequel?

Well, this previous post marks my start in menswear exploration. As I said, I am new in studying and looking deeply into menswear like how I did for womens. So I'm still learning and there'smuch that I don't know about it. So bear with me. This might be a rather short one with lots of visuals.

As this is a learning experience for me, it is for Sarah Burton too. The newly assigned Creative Director of Alexander McQueen's brand finally debuted her first collection for the brand. Everyone had been anticipating her works after our beloved Alexander McQueen passed away. We expect a lot from Sarah Burton as most said she was the one who worked closest with McQueen.

Her debut in the Spring/Summer 2011 Menswear show proved to be more than satisfactory and made me want to see her womenswear more. This collection somehow became a trip down to memory lane. I think it has always been a tradition of the brand to rework past collections. Sarah kept true to the brand's tradition. There's looks that are familiar and new looks too.

The most apparent mood I saw from the show was vampires. Is it a hype because of the Twilight series? Is it just me? But when I see the first few looks, it just says vampire aristocrat. Than again, McQueen's works had always been a sense of mystery and fantasy. Plato's Atlantis (S/S 2010), Highland Rape (F/W 2006), witchcraft/dark age themes in F/W 2007, asylum themed 'Birds' etc.
So this collection is no exception.

And then there's the re-working of looks. The most impressionable was the Plato's Atlantis and the F/W 2010 which I like to call the Fallen Angel. One of the pants' pattern looked similar to Plato's Atlantis show. And the printed jacket and red opium jacket looked like McQueen's last collection in F/W 2010.

Perhaps the piece I loved the most is the zipped shoulder sweater with a round neck crisp white shirt. A sense of rebel but soft in a way. Love to have one of those. I have to put the visual as large to show how much I loved it!

So, what are your thoughts? I think Sarah did a great job for her first collection for McQueen. It was more subtle than McQueen but still good.
Just fabuleux!

Ciao.

Fashion Digest: Sarah burton for McQueen, Books for Fashionistas, Burberry Resort

Another digest is here for everyone to savor. Unfortunately this post, I have little news to share since it's a slow news for the past few days. So we have the new creative director for McQueen, books recommended for fashion lovers or whoever wants a career in fashion and at last another resort collection, Burberry Prorsum.

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Sarah Burton to succeed the McQueen Legacy

After the lost of Alexander a while ago, the Gucci Group announced the new successor for the House of McQueen, Sarah Burton. She's practically the right hand lady for McQueen since she graduated from Central Saint Martins and she had been with the house for 16 over years.

Many might doubted her abilities, whether she can do what McQueen do. I think not. McQueen was a legend and master of the unusual, no one could do what he did. She would never do what McQueen did because that would be just copying. It might be that she succeeds the house and follow his vision. I still believe she will be able to create something anew and fresh for the brand.

So I can't wait to see what she has to offer. Without a doubt, she would be great. After all she was the one who completed the last collection of McQueen for F/W 2010.

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Books for the fashion aspired

Fashionista.com has just recommended books for Fashionistas and those who wants to work in fashion. As said in the website, the books builds a foundation of knowledge for fashion. From the past, present and future, the books talk about it all and in different angles. (Note: Those in italic is my words, others is just what fashionista.com wrote for description.)

Here's the list:

The Teen Vogue Handbook
If you’re young and eager to break into the fashion industry, this compilation of success stories from the best of fashion’s best is an inspiring read. It features everyone from Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Amy Astley to Anna Wintour to Marc Jacobs.

"I read this myself, it really is like a bible. Anything parts of fashion careers is listed, from editors, photographers to designers."

The End of Fashion: How Marketing Changed the Clothing Business Forever, by Teri Agins
This book changed my life. Really. A long time ago, when I first started as a reporter at Forbes, I knew that I wanted to be a fashion writer, but I didn’t know what kind of fashion writer. Since the job was at a finance pub, I was forced to learn about the business. And one of the first books recommended to me by an editor was The End of Fashion, written by the Wall Street Journal’s longtime fashion reporter. The book explains how conglomerates like LVMH and red carpet fashion changed the industry forever. Some ideas are dated, but in general, it’s a fascinating, educational read. After finishing, I knew that I wanted to focus my career on what was happening behind the scenes.

The Fashion Designer Survival Guide: Start and Run Your Own Fashion Business, by Mary Gehlhar
A successful designer friend of mine recommended this book. While there’s no denying that starting your own label is incredibly, incredibly tough, it can happen. And it can go on to become successful. With a forward by entrepreneur Diane von Furstenberg, Gehlhar aims to give aspiring designers a bit of guidance.

There is more on the actual page. Click HERE

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For Burberry Prorsum, Christopher Bailey emphasized the theme "A collection with a life before it was created". It's quite literal. He had 1930s British colonies inspired uniforms, urban steam and Hollywood sizzle to the collection - just to name a few. The colonies inspired outfits were all found from archives in the company. It was fantastically breathtaking. The leopard prints for Hollywood, the knits for urban. That's just my thought. Have a look here:

 

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So that's all for now. Ciao. More to come if possible.