I can’t get over how languid and magnetic the clothes look in the F/W ’11 BCBG campaign, and how strong the colors are. The models, Suzie Bird and Theres Andersson, make a dynamic pair, awash in a technicolor dream.

While I admit to fawning over this, it only took me a minute to realize that the overall impression was a bit…familiar. (more…)

Before street style photography took over the fashion industry, or it was even an organized subgenre, William Klein produced this image that captures the appeal of today’s street style phenomenon. Shot for Vogue in 1960, this photo is a true testament to how revolutionary Klein’s work was at the time.

The unique angle makes us feel that we’re voyeurs, catching a glimpse of the passing interaction of two unbelievably chic women. While it is apparent that they are models (Simone & Nina, at the Piazza di Spagna) in a staged scene, that quick over-the-shoulder glance is realistic, even commonplace- subtle, yet powerful.

The myriad stripes of the sidewalk and the two dresses are graphic and strong in black-and-white, and perfectly framed. This classic photograph (which we noticed is available for purchase via the Howard Greenberg Gallery, for those with ambitious Christmas wishes) still captures the feeling of fashion today.

Image: Chris Beetles

Yet another music video that is a perfectly styled photo shoot in motion. This time it comes from Beyoncé, which should not be surprising, given her reputation as a style icon. In her new video for “Party” I counted 13 different looks, neatly packaged into 3 minutes and 40 seconds of w o r k.



Is she ever not posing? Maybe it’s just that she doesn’t have a single bad angle. Beyoncé is easily one of the most beautiful women on the planet and I’d love to hear someone attempt to argue otherwise. How did one person end up with so much talent and beauty? (more…)

If Haider Ackermann’s Spring/Summer ’12 collection is any indication, the Parisian designer- lauded by Lagerfeld, among others, as the next big thing- is not just another ephemeral flash in the fashion pan. And while this isn’t his first time around the block, the attention Mr. Ackermann received for his Fall/Winter 2011 collection presented a considerable challenge for S/S ’12: how does one avoid the sophomore slump, when the last collection was widely regarded as a triumph of ‘New Look’ importance? Sensing he had large shoes to fill, he seemed to do the smartest thing possible: cut the damn back off the shoes, drop’em down a few inches, and proceed to do what he does best. That is, create evocative, insightfully tailored garments that are as much an artistic statement as they are simply ‘things’ you could find at, say, your local Neiman Marcus.

What his collection also showed was that styling is as critical as construction. The details- a judiciously-pushed-up-sleeve here, a wayward sheer chiffon hood obscuring a model’s face there- were discreet but utterly perfect. What I didn’t especially appreciate, however, was the run of show.

The palette of military greens, ceruleans, nudes, blacks, and, last but certainly least forgettable, those silken merlots, seemed at odds with the sequence, moving from heady territory into a quieter, monochromatic space, with intermittent spasms of pattern mixing. If he intended to create tension, he was successful. But that tension was more epileptic than cinematic.

To that end, I’ve arranged my favorites from the show in the order I would have humbly suggested, had Mr. Ackermann left off with that incredibly-famous stylist of his and, instead, hired, well… me. (more…)