Paris, Je T'aime

It’s avant garde, it’s cause célèbre, it’s fashion’s raison d’être... We are flying from Milan to Paris, the final of the Big 4 cities, and in my mind the most glorious of the lot... How will Alexander McQueen look after the death of his Royal Highness? Where will JPG go after his Avengers-inspired Fall 2010 collection at Hermès? Most importantly of all, will Carine Roitfeld be invited to Balenciaga?

Showcards are available for those interested, and the schedule of shows is also up.

Another thing people might want to note is that this month (October, that is) is the 90th Anniversary of Vogue Paris. The magazine was released today, the cover featuring metallic gold printing in celebration and Lara Stone’s boobs, accompanied by the words “90 ans d’excès” (That’ “90 years of excess” for the less French-inclined). If there’s one thing you can usually depend on VP for, it’s a sort of in-your-face, devil-may-care attitude, and they certainly achieved that with this cover. The accessories editorial from which the shot comes is called Bal Masqué, and also features Mariacarla Boscono, Crystal Renn, Daphne Groeneveld, and Freja Beha Erichsen.

Vogue Paris - October 2010 - Lara Stone

To be sure, the cover is striking, and I have no doubt that Roitfeld made an excellent decision, both artistically and commercially. Lara Stone is one of the most successful models in the world right now, and having her cover for a commemorative edition of one of fashion’s most popular magazines is only natural. That said, I’m a little surprised about the content of the magazine itself. For sure, it contains some stunning editorials, but casting-wise, I was expecting to see Raquel or Daria pop up somewhere. Kate Moss is nowhere to be found either...

Regardless, if one thing is for sure, Paris Fashion Week is going to be excellent. Hosting all of my favourite names from Balmain to McQueen, Balenciaga to Rick Owens, and a host of others besides, Paris is what I’ve been most excited about these last few months. Drama, beauty, and excess in the City of Love? S'il vous plait.

Peace, love, and floating,

Gill Ford

Photo courtesy of fashionising.com

Les Filles en Vogue

I'm running a little slow on posts with the nonstop fashion weeks and back to school, so I'll give you another documentary piece that I found interesting. Les Filles en Vogue was a supplement with Vogue Paris' June/July 2010 issue, and essentially follows five top models (Natasha Poly, Sasha Pivovarova, Freja Beha, Sessilee Lopez, and Constance Jablonski) through Paris Fashion Week for Fall 2010 (aka last March). Don't worry if you can't speak French, much of what is said is in English, and you get a general sense of what's going on anyway.

While it's not really revealing anything you might not already know about the fashion industry (like Picture Me, where we're talking extremely controversial material), Les Filles en Vogue gives you a bit of insight into the hectic lives lead by five of the world's most popular faces during the last major week of shows in arguably the biggest fashion capital. In particular, Sasha's segments are great; she brings her own little camera around to shoot backstage, at hotels, and in castings. Not to mention the fact that her quirky personality takes over as she leads you about. Happy viewing!

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Peace, love, and floating,
Gill Ford