Crystalline Chanel

The Chanel Autumn Winter 2012 presents itself like a civilization from a medieval fantasy world where the icy winter is eternal and beautiful in a dark way. With a sparkling crystal palace that can compete with the Louis Vuitton 2012 Fall runway show's locomotive, Chanel's inspires adoration from me. Karl Lagerfeld capitalized on his collection's prime elements of crystals, minerals & sparkles by implementing it on every piece of the collection. The general materials/fabric of the shoes look raw but not unrefined to complement the crystals that appear to be freshly extracted from a mystical cavern. That grants the shoes a more edgy look but the femininity is still retained with the perspex heel shaped in the likeness of a cluster of protruding crystals. 

All photos are courtesy of fashionising.com

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Louis Vuitton's Eccentric Traveller

 

 As of now, there are two fashion houses that have really impressed me with their presentations of their respective fall collection. One is Chanel and the other Louis Vuitton. The latter has always struck me as a more retail designer brand because of their blatant use of the brand logo at every opportunity they get and as a result never regarded Louis Vuitton as exciting. But, ever since the their earlier 50s retro themed collection, I understood why they stood as one of the most successful in the industry.

Now, the Louis Vuitton 2012 A/W collection.

The hiss of steam in the night of Paris, followed by the entry of a locomotive and the accompanying porter of the aristocratic woman set the mood for the Louis Vuitton's magical fall collection. I can sense the 1910s era in the collection, so the shoe collection has a very vintage but luxurious feel to them. Louis Vuitton's shoes radiate an eccentric but a colorful ladylike aura with the use of ostrich leather, horse hair, jeweled buttons and huge platforms. I must admire how the addition of the perspex heels have not taken away the vintage magical feel from the collection but rather has complemented it. My favorite designs are the black brogue cum loafer, the orange brogue and the horse hair brogue.

All photos are courtesy of fashionising.com
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Techno-Punk Balenciaga Shoes

The 60s & 80s eras are places that I wished I could experience but alas, it was not meant to be because:

First, my direct forbearers were unmarried and still grooving to psychedelic tunes of the 60s. And second, my first breath of air came only at the end of the 80s. So both eras went past me. 

I've always felt that both eras are forward-thinking and always aspiring to a futuristic world. This is clearly seen in the culture/fashion of both which sometimes lead to very unusual or queer styles.

 Fortunately, this time round Balenciaga's creativity was leaning to a sci-fi 80s and the setting was to be an office, so it should be a real visual treat.

"So I imagined a company, Balenciaga, Inc., and what all the different women would wear to work there," - Nicolas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga

What makes the Balenciaga A/W 2012 collection cutting edge is that the modern-looking materials and futuristic designs are applied tastefully without looking costume-y which allows the collection to give off an 80s vibe seamlessly without being literal.

Couldn't help but include some outfit photos.

The shoe designs are a cross combination of classic and modern design/materials. Looking classy & futuristic without looking plasticky. There is a hint of a subtle edgy look even with the clean designs too. My personal favorites are the laced up leather heels(the last 2 photos).

All photos are courtesy of fashionising.com Pin It Now!

Shoes With Power For Men

Clothing is a tool of power and a way to express male vanity. That was according to Miuccia Prada.

What attracted me to this Prada collection is the theme which draws its inspiration from men of power. No, not because I crave it. Rather, there is always an unseen expectation for the male to exert his 'authority' whether it be over himself or surroundings and Prada might have a way to achieve to do so.   

Masculine elegance.  

The collection is intriguing, probably because of the choice of models too. Actors chosen were of a distinct pedigree within their theatric realm - William Defoe, Adrian Brody, Tim Roth, Gary Oldman & Jamie Bell.

The shoes are, gem to me. Men shoe designs cannot deviate much without losing its semblance to an accepted 'male' shoe. Prada shoes of the A/W 2012 collection are brogues decorated with emblems/badges which has its roots in nobility/military, lending more to the theme of 'power'. Just like the women's A/W 2012 shoe collection, the shoes appear to be chunkier/broader. For the men's collection, it is to bestow a stronger/more masculine form to the man.  

My choice would be the black brogue with prints. 

Photos are courtesy of thesartorialist.com & i-donline.com

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Being Dandy With Miu Miu Shoes

This time for the A/W 2012 collection, Miu Miu went for a groovy late 60s vibe. Luxurious looking material with bold statements. I like the lacquered-look on the 3 loafers which allows it to be worn for more dressy occasions and sharpens the look to an otherwise vintage design. The vivid colors & print on print combo of the shoes are rich but delicate to the eye, probably because of the velvet-ish material. The chunky designs, besides adhering to the manly tailoring theme of the show, allows a fuller showcase of the exotic prints. Nice. 

I threw in some bag shots that I particularly fancied.

All photos are courtesy of vogue.com
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McQ Pre-Fall 2012 Jackets

All photos are courtesy of vogue.co.uk

A clean modern interpretation of Victorian fashion with a sweat of masculinity. It is a tame collection of the usual flamboyancy of Alexander Mcqueen. But by no means, is it any less stylish. I love jackets/coats and the military elements that influence the jackets/coats make these impeccable.

Click to see the full runway collection.  

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