Innovation

New & Different, darlings! Some designs have CC doing a double-take! From the surreal to the silly, there’s a bevy of looks to behold!
Fashion Flashback: Vogue, December 2007
Alexander McQueen; this and other runway images via style.com except where noted.
Bernard Willhelm, via nymag.com
Chanel
This photo courtesy Fellow Fashionista The Fat and Skinny on Fashion.
Christian Dior
Christopher Kane Resort
Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana
French Revue de Modes, Fall 2008
Hussein Chalayan
Italian Vogue, November 2008
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac
Louise Goldin armadillo armor; this and next two via nymag.com
Nathan Jenden’s snowflake dress
Richard Nicoll
Numero, March 2008
Self Service, Fall 2008
Tush, 2009
Versace ~ CC loves this off-center buckle.
Alexander McQueen glove clutch, at net-a-porter.com – so cool!
Which one catches your eye?
xoxox,
CC

I is for Innovation

Imaginative fashions delight and intrigue. We all love to see something new and different for a change... right, darlings?

What really impressed CC on the fall runways was the exquisite variety of materials, ranging from PVC to wood! Designers utilized rare and unexpected media such as stingray, metal, polyurethane, copper, plexiglass and resin.
If the runways are any indication: life in plastic is fantastic!!

At top left:
Chanel plastic suit, courtesy nymag.com.
Reminds CC a bit of a shower curtain . . .


Here at left:
Aina Gassè Autumn 2008 plastic detail gown, via Italian Vogue
Trusardi dress, via nymag.com
Zucca nylon taffeta sleeveless dress, at lagarconne.com
HANDBAGS


Chado Ralph Rucci wooden base bag; this and next courtesy style.com
Fendi leather and stingray clutch
Marc Jacobs clutch (the Cadillac of handbags?) and Balenciaga booties; photo via wwd.com
Stella McCartney “wooden box” handbag, via style.com – a cross between a mini tool box and a train case. Delightful!
FOOTWEAR

Givenchy Bird Cage ankle bootie.
Visit shopbop.com.
CC’s fave ? These intricately decorated Chloé crocodile wrapped pumps. They’re purple, they’re chic, and they’re unique!
Stella McCartney satin and metal pump, featured in W Magazine
At right:
Sculptural Dior purple suede cutout wedge, available at Neiman Marcus



Above left:
Dsquared2 lightning bolt metal heel platforms.

Near left:
John Galliano suede and copper platform sandal.

Both photos courtesy style.com.
JEWELRY

Benedicte Rivet plexiglass necklace.
Go to shoplanguage.com.
Laura Kranitz necklace. Visit laurakranitz.com for more interesting finds!
Doesn’t this Emilio Pucci belt look like it belongs on Superman’s home planet?
Photo via style.com.
CC was also quite taken with all the “caged” fashions for fall.

EXQUISITE EXOSKELETONS

At left:
Chanel Couture,
detail photo courtesy style.com
Louis Vuitton, courtesy nymag.com

Louis Vuitton exposed underpinnings;
detail photo via style.com
Sophia Kokosalaki bodice detail, via style.com
Jean Paul Gaultier Couture velvet exoskeleton cape, via nymag.com
Jean Paul Gaultier “helmet”, courtesy vogue.fr
Jean Paul Gaultier Couture
Bodice detail;
photo courtesy style.com
Jean Paul Gaultier Couture,
courtesy nymag.com.
The caged bride sings?

Which of these innovations is your favorite?
To you, which designer is most imaginitive?
Do you find these looks wearable, or too conceptual?

MISPLACED MODIFIERS & DECONSTRUCTION

Whoever said there is nothing new under the sun was clearly standing in the shade!

Though it's difficult to shock the fashion conscience these days, designers are coming up with new and interesting ways to reinvent established trends. This CoutureCarrie post focuses on accessories re-employed and outfits de-constructed.

Always the most outré, and never to be outdone, Comme de Garçons reimagined the skirt to interesting and fanciful effect. First, he took a trench and lopped it off to create a calf-grazing belted number (top right). Then, even more alarmingly, he made a half-and-half skirt (left), with a subtle grey plaid suiting material on one side, and a fanciful lavender gingham on the other! Half man, half woman, whole skirt?

Whether it was belts on her arms at Christian Lacroix (near left) or a cardigan worn as a skirt , key pieces were cleverly misplaced at the Collections this year.

Ralph Lauren has the Scarf Bag (far left, at ralphlauren.com), and Marc Jacobs lets innerwear become outerwear (at right). . .

Photos courtesy nymag.com/fashion unless otherwise credited.